50 Black History Month Interview Project

SIENNA CITTADINO / TEEN LIBRARIAN

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Developed by Sienna Cittadino and Terrel Williams

Type of Library Best Suited for: Any

Cost Estimate: $2,000–$5,000

Makerspace Necessary? No

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

These days, information comes from everywhere and everyone, with the traditional idea of sources becoming ever more muddled. This project offers a means of embracing changes in the information landscape while enforcing the importance of multiple viewpoints. It also introduces participants to contemporary social and political issues, with a focus on the local community.

Participants in this project will craft a plan to capture interviews related to the topic of Black History Month. They will write interview questions, discuss themes, and collectively edit a body of footage to create a real film that they can show to their families, community, or school. Beyond learning about how to operate cameras and microphones, participants will walk away with a clearer understanding of how experiences become stories, stories become information, and people edit information to shape a narrative.

Participants will likely encounter many complicated, ambiguous situations while participating in this project. It is the role of the facilitator(s) to guide participants through these situations with care and attention. Open dialogue, willingness to accept critique, and flexibility are key components of this project. It is a wonderful way to build a sense of community and trust among library patrons and program facilitators.

OVERVIEW

This project utilizes audiovisual equipment in the creation of a 15–30-minute movie showcasing local voices on the topic of Black History Month. Youth lead this project and organize themselves to assign roles, determine the movie’s form and tone, set goals, and do the work of capturing interview footage. An important aspect of this project is accompanying dialogue. Holding regular discussions regarding oral history, race in America, and the importance of soft skills is essential to the success of the project. Plan to meet at least five times.

MATERIALS LIST

◦ Paper and Sharpies

NECESSARY EQUIPMENT

◦ Computers or laptops
◦ Cameras that record video
◦ Shotgun microphones (preferable but not necessary as long as the camera captures sound)
◦ Tripod (preferable but not necessary)
◦ Video editing software (i.e., iMovie, Windows Movie Maker, Lightworks)
◦ Projector and screen

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Hold Planning Session(s) to Determine Roles and Goals

As much as possible, allow youth to lead the initial planning sessions. If the participants do not know one another well or have never done similar planning work, they may be hesitant to begin the process. One way to start is to tape several different pieces of paper to a wall. Label one paper “Roles,” another “Goals,” another “Challenges,” “Extras,” and a final paper titled “Next Steps.”

The program facilitator or the youth can lead the discussion around these topics, with participants calling out their ideas for each subject. Someone writes the ideas down, ideally going methodically from one paper to the next, and not all five at once. “Extras” can hold ideas that sound good but aren’t matching up with the direction in which the group is headed. Be sure to be clear about “Roles,” possibly listing the roles ahead of time. These can include things like the camera person, interviewer, question writer, editor, and sound person. These roles may not stick, but they give participants a good idea of what the project will involve. Save “Next Steps” for last, and try to focus the conversation on concrete actions the group can take to get started on the project. These might include writing questions, doing research on the neighborhood’s history, and learning to use the cameras and microphones.

Step 2: Question Writing and Preparing for Interviews

Writing the questions depends heavily on the goals determined in Step 1. If participants decided that they want to create a movie that causes people to question their assumptions, they may want to write hard-hitting questions that could cause some degree of discomfort. If they are aiming for a movie which seeks to paint a picture of their community and the people who live within it, the questions may have more to do with memories, local history, and relationships between people living in the neighborhood. Respect the choices that participants made in the planning session, and guide them toward questions that best reflect the goals they set out to achieve.

Essential to this step is a discussion about opinions, prejudices, and racism. The facilitator must be comfortable discussing the topic of race on more than a surface level. Especially if you are working with students of color, it is important that participants feel supported when they are going out to do interviews. You should prepare youth to hear things that they may disagree with, but with the full understanding that they can feel safe in expressing how this makes them feel. If any participants feel uncomfortable doing the interviews, help them find other tasks and affirm the importance of this work. Even with pre-selected interviewees, you cannot control what people will say when asked about Black History Month. Instead of denying this reality, face it head-on through discussion, care, and clear antiracist affirmations of support for participants.

Step 3: Hold Interviews

This step is the fun part! Set out in teams or small groups to collect interviews. Interviewees may be patrons in the library (be sure to bring copies of photo and video releases), pre-selected interviewees, or students and faculty in a school. Be sure to practice consent, clearly introducing the topic of the interviews and asking people if they would like to be interviewed. Take time setting up, whether that means getting the camera on a tripod or finding the right location to do the interview. Have one participant ask questions while the other operates the camera. A third participant might ask the interviewee to sign a video release and keep materials organized. Depending on the scope of the project, the program facilitator might be present for the interviews as well. This may be more important or even necessary if the interviewees are strangers.

Step 4: Overview Footage and Acquire More if Necessary

As a group, watch the interviews and start to locate a narrative across them. Refer back to the goals from Step 1. If the existing footage is not enough to meet those goals, reflect on what is missing and collect more footage in a focused manner. This step is another important time for discussion. Be sure to allow participants ample time to share their experiences with one another.

Step 5: Assign Editing Roles and Edit Footage

Much like in Step 1, reconvene to assign editing roles. These roles may include sound adjustment, cutting, transitions, introductory text and credits, and more. Adjust these to the participants’ skill levels and the scope of the project. Be sure to also take time to determine the overall arc and tone of the movie. How will it begin, how should the interviews and questions be presented, and what is the tone? These are all important questions. Make sure everyone is on the same page, and then begin the editing process.

Step 6: Group Viewing and Final Edits

Once the editing feels “done,” watch the movie as a group. Afterward, solicit comments or hold a discussion, and create a final list of editing action items. Assign roles for who will complete which items, and finish the editing process. If time allows, view the movie one final time as a group to make last-minute changes.

Step 7: Hold a Viewing Party

Invite everyone who had a role in the project, library staff, interviewees, and friends and family to view the final project. Popcorn is recommended! If possible, give participants time to discuss the project with the audience and hold a Q&A session afterward.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

◦ Participants will learn how to handle audiovisual equipment and basic video editing.
◦ Interviewing is a fine art that requires patience, listening, and research. Participants will experience a crash course in soft skills as interviews inevitably stray from the pre-selected set of questions and topics.
◦ This program is all about project management. Participants will collaborate closely, working together to assign roles and set goals, determine the collective tone of the movie, and work to overcome disagreements.
◦ Participants should feel empowered through this project to openly discuss race and racism in the United States, and acquire a vocabulary for doing so.

RECOMMENDED NEXT PROJECTS

Participants may need some time to cool off after this project is completed, and it may be best to let them determine what should come next. If the movie was the hook that brought everyone together, make more movies and partner with local filmmaking organizations. If the discussion of race and community pulled in participants, consider other ways to bring these concepts into regular programming.