Finally. The writing process begins...
Writing interview questions is always an interesting process. Personally, it is either extremely easy and comes naturally, or it takes me hours to come up with just a few simple, superficial questions.
This time around, it was a bit of a mix of the two. With the structure already much more refined, it was a bit easier to go in and come up with questions that related to the bullet points I had lined up - but getting into that "flow state" was not easy.
The first couple questions I wrote were extremely basic, like the typical "state your name and spell it." A lot of these (except for the one I just mentioned, of course), I ended up deleting as I got more and more used to the process and the topic. I started writing more open-ended questions rather than the limiting "yes or no" ones, and I began writing in a way that transitioned fluidly from one point to the next. Putting on my noise-cancelling headphones, playing concentration music and placing my phone at the other end of the room really helped me say present and get a good amount of work done in one sitting.
I think that having to think about each section so deeply and seeing how to connect each part definitely allowed me to get a better idea of the actual content of the documentary, especially since I have been focusing more on the visuals recently. Looking back, I probably wrote way too many questions for the first section (probably because I was trying to create a specific transition into the second part, which in the end may not even happen due to the differing interviews that Kim and I will be getting). Regardless, I'd rather have too many questions and only ask some than to have a small amount of questions and have to completely improvise during the interview. I definitely think that some improvisation is good, but having pre-written questions on hand will certainly allow us to stay on topic.
I was able to write questions for the first and second part (out of four sections, so about half of them). Here is a screenshot of the document and then a transcription below:
QUESTIONS
INTRO - ORIGIN OF MALE GAZE
Art shows personal vision/experiences/thoughts
Creating through careful, meticulous choices that creates a very specific version of reality
Unconscious viewers are so consumed by content that tend to deem the information presented as the complete truth (don’t question information)
State your name and spell it. Also description for lower thirds (ex: activist/filmmaker/artist)
As creatives, we are constantly creating - whether that be films, essays, art, speeches, etc. How do your creations reflect who you are, what you believe, and how you see the world?
Why do you think creators create?
Every piece of art is created for a purpose, whether that be informing the audience, sending a message, or allowing consumers to experience a new point of view (often the perspective of the creator). What purpose do you think is the most common?
Why do you create? Do you think other creators create for the same reasons?
When you are creating something, do you have a specific, final vision in mind? What do you do as a creator to make sure you accomplish this end goal?
Do you believe that every decision made in the production of something new was made on purpose? That every choice is conscious?
Is creating something completely unbiased possible? Is bias inescapable?
What is implicit bias? Do you think it is possible to remove that bias when creating something?
How can the presence of this hidden bias affect a piece of media? How it is made, or the message it sends?
Are most consumers aware of this hidden bias? Do you think most people question what they consume?
How can someone consume consciously and critically?
What effect can pieces of media have on unconscious consumers? Do you think that it doesn’t affect them at all, or that they tend to deem the information presented to them as the complete truth?
EFFECTS ON SOCIETY
Gender norms are created and constantly enforced (social, romantic, sexual roles)
Women are portrayed in a specific way
Shots, character traits, costuming, etc. and the messages it sends
People (especially those that have not experienced the actual truth/are uneducated) treat others based off of this information (base their behavior based on what they see)
Why do you think that people act or think a certain way?
How are people’s ideals and behavior affected by the media they consume?
When people are uneducated, do you think that they base their behavior or thoughts off of what they “learned” from the media?
What kind of people do you think are creating the majority of the media we consume?
Do you believe that your thoughts, behaviors and ideals have been shaped or affected by the media you consume?
How are women portrayed in the film/TV, magazines, art, etc.?
What are the consequences to this type of representation? What messages does it send? (objectification, misogyny, etc.)
How are gender norms created? How are they maintained?
What roles do gender norms play in society?
How do gender norms affect men and women? How they treat each other?
I was feeling very drained by the time I got to the second section, so I definitely want to go over these again (with Kim as well) that way we are writing the best questions possible. I want to make sure we evoke quality answers from the interviewees. I personally think that one cannot get the best version of the story without working for it, and asking the right things in the right way definitely allows an interviewer to gain access to those memorable answers.
Either way, this got me excited since I am starting to see "the vision" come together, especially now that we have finalized the third interviewee (the one I said would definitely have a lot to add to the conversation, someone that I have worked with before). I cannot wait! I really think that these next two weeks will be crucial to the documentary, so Kim and I definitely have to be on task. Wish us luck!
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