I'm making a documentary on a shoestring and I'm having a heck of a time getting people to agree to interviews. Not sure if it's my manner, the fact that I'm not a big name, or they are unwilling for some other reason. Perhaps I underestimated how controversial my subject matter is?
Does anyone have any advice, or know where I can get some? Also legal advice about FOIA requests and such.
I can't really speak to the FOIA issue, as I've never had to submit one.
But I can say that the reluctance of your interview subjects is either, as you say, due to the controversial nature of the doc or they just don't find it interesting. My experience has been that I have seldom if ever come across someone who didn't want to participate in an interview. People love talking about themselves, and the idea of having a forum to talk about their experiences or a subject they care deeply about usually results in enthusiastic participation.
If you are questioning your approach, you might try appealing to their vanity. "I understand you are an expert on this subject", or "I bet you have some interesting stories to tell about..." or "I just don't feel the documentary would be complete without your perspective".
Thanks for the response!
Yeah, I've tried appealing to their vanity with almost those exact words. Without giving much away, this is a crime story involving a religious group (hence the controversy), and I'm trying to get people involved with the investigation and the perpetrating of the crime to be interviewed. The investigating officer gave me some info, but clammed up when I asked for an interview and won't respond to emails, any more. I found two people who participated in the crime, but they did the same thing when I mentioned I was making a documentary. The crime itself was not major - illegal mining of minerals - but the group that is implicated is kind of a major local group. Even the local newspaper wouldn't touch this story, despite the fact that it's a huge scoop.
The FOIA thing has also been tricky. The Forest Service (the subject of my requests) usually says yes right away, but they've been denying and evading me for years, at this point. It's unusual behavior from all involved. I thought perhaps it was just me, but I think I've stumbled upon a story that the locals want to remain a secret...
If this is an ongoing investigation, that would explain the resistance from law enforcement. And likely everyone else.
shareAbsolutely, except that the Forest Service investigation was concluded seven years ago and, according to the investigating officer, charges were filed, a fine was paid, the case is closed, and it should all be public record. Local Forest Service employees tell me to just find the files, but FS employees who deal with FOIA requests have denied me time after time, saying no such files exist. Off the record, though, the person who denied one of my requests told another FS employee who I'm friendly with that he denied me to protect the name of the perpetrator, even though that is legally public record. So there are two aspects to my frustration: public files are being hidden by officials, and people involved in the story itself and keeping very quiet. Even the editor of the local newspaper won't touch this story, despite having been obsessed with it at the time.
I see all of these crime docs where the victims' families and perpetrators of heinous crimes agree to be interviewed and it makes me feel incompetent somehow, or stigmatized or something.