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#52 - Just Another Fish Story

From: Salt Institute for Documentary Studies
Series: SaltCast: the Backstory to Great Radio Storytelling
Length: 14:03

You didn’t hear this from me, but sometimes the best approach to working on a story is to not have much of a plan. Read the full description.
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#52 - Just Another Fish Story
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Salt Institute for Documentary Studies

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You didn’t hear this from me, but sometimes the best approach to working on a story is to not have much of a plan. (cough)

I actually can’t believe I just wrote that.

I’m a firm believer in working with a penciled-in plan before embarking on a story. Starting out, a producer should have a pretty good sense of who to talk to, where to record active tape (people doing stuff), and a rough idea of how the story might be told. It’s advice I doggedly offer students at Salt.

Producer Molly Menschel ignored most of those recommendations and ended up assembling what I believe is the best student piece produced at Salt. Molly followed her instincts rather than the rules.

Inspiration struck after she stumbled across a ten-year old story about a beached whale in Lubec, Maine. Armed only with a little preparation, she grabbed her microphone, some camping gear, and her curiosity then drove four hours to Lubec and interviewed anyone she could find for four days straight.

The result is “Just Another Fish Story.” Have a listen.

#52 - Just Another Fish Story | 14:03

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Piece Description

You didn’t hear this from me, but sometimes the best approach to working on a story is to not have much of a plan. (cough)

I actually can’t believe I just wrote that.

I’m a firm believer in working with a penciled-in plan before embarking on a story. Starting out, a producer should have a pretty good sense of who to talk to, where to record active tape (people doing stuff), and a rough idea of how the story might be told. It’s advice I doggedly offer students at Salt.

Producer Molly Menschel ignored most of those recommendations and ended up assembling what I believe is the best student piece produced at Salt. Molly followed her instincts rather than the rules.

Inspiration struck after she stumbled across a ten-year old story about a beached whale in Lubec, Maine. Armed only with a little preparation, she grabbed her microphone, some camping gear, and her curiosity then drove four hours to Lubec and interviewed anyone she could find for four days straight.

The result is “Just Another Fish Story.” Have a listen.

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Production Information

  • Added to PRX ~2 years ago
  • Produced: May 17, 2010
  • Producers: Rob Rosenthal

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