Talking Shop: My Appearance on Wilshire & Washington’s BlogTalkRadio Show

Shameless self-promotion alert!!!

Tonight I bellied up to the pundit bar and appeared as a guest on the BlogTalkRadio edition of the excellent blog Wilshire & Washington.

Maegan Carberry, who I met on the Obama campaign invited suckered me into a rough Q&A by herself and Variety Editor-At-Large Ted Johnson.

I don’t know who keeps telling people that I know what I’m talking about (It’s me.), but I can’t say I dislike the attention.

For a refresher course on my past punditry, take a look at the clips below from my appearances on KNBC Los Angeles’ NewsConference…




Getting Personal With Mike Gravel About His Past Bankruptcy

Former Senator Mike Gravel’s campaign released this video a week back, and I thought it worth posting here. It will get nowhere near the attention of the Rock or Fire videos. That’s a shame because there is something much more important going on in this piece than there was in those artsy one-off clips.

In response to a video question through YouTube, Gravel addresses a bankruptcy in his family’s past in frank and clear words. This is a candidate using the online video medium to give a direct response to a direct - and tough - citizen question. I would love to see more of this from the other campaigns. At least once a week check in with a simple video like this answering a question without a bunch of hubbub.

Just once a week.

Please.

This Never-Before-Seen Footage…

The Third Pillar: Exclusivity

In the First Pillar: Frequency, I discussed the need to shoot a lot and release a lot – providing you with the two things that make your program work: footage and viewers.

In the Second Pillar: Interactivity, I tackled what to put into your pieces – namely, two-way conversation via video. I looked at the need to join existing conversations and to start them - to both ask and answer questions – being sure to listen all the while. This may call for specific shooting with the candidate, or recycling of event footage…with brief reply clips a better use of policy footage than one long speech.

Better use of event footage leads to the Third Pillar: Exclusivity.

So, you’re shooting all the time. What does that mean? That you go to every event and film? Of course. You should certainly film every event. But, know that you won’t be the only one shooting.

Events are for the benefit of the media, who you hope will be shooting and putting it out there. They are for the benefit of voters, more and more of whom are carrying cameras of their own.
Cruise YouTube for videos of campaign events and you’ll find them. Alongside official campaign videos will be shaky cell phone footage of what some audience member found to be the most important or interesting part of the speech.

Don’t be surprised if your opponents have cameras there as well, and they’re not there to make your guy look good.

Therefore – like any work of art – once an event is public, it’s community property.
However, campaign cameras should not stop rolling when the event ends. In fact, what happens away from the event gives you your most powerful advantage. Access.
When the candidate leaves the stage, and the news crews and supporters head home, the campaign camera is still there.

In the hold.

In the car.

Everywhere but in the bathroom, and at fundraisers…two places nobody wants to see a candidate in action.

The campaign camera can give viewers things they will never get anywhere else. The campaign controls the footage. Events shouldn’t be faked or staged. You’re just looking for your candidate in their best light.

Think of it as an anti-tracker; who instead of looking for a gaffe – is waiting for that moment when the candidate gets their brilliant plan out there with such simple clarity and heartfelt passion that the other campaigns hope nobody ever sees the clip – and that the candidate never hits it that squarely again.

Think of it as an anti-paparazzo; who instead of waiting in the bushes to catch someone with their pants down – is looking for that unguarded moment away from the bright lights of candidacy, where the human being shows through, pushing to the top of the “have a beer with them” polls.

As a part of the team, a campaign videographer should become a familiar and welcome face to the candidate. They should build a rapport, and let the candidate know that they are a true believer; that only shining moments will see the light of day. A safety net will develop. The candidate will relax. They’ll stop being polite and start getting real.

Once that happens, you’ve hit a mother lode.

Your campaign will have what people want to see. The race for President is about the person and about personality. With its unparalleled access, the campaign camera can show that to the voters. People love to peek behind curtains, the campaign camera can give them that look.
Moreover, they’ll have to come to you to get it. No one else will have it.

There is a place for event films. There is a place for posting clips of floor speeches and news clips. But, people can get these things on their own. More and more people can create these things on their own. If they really want to watch a rally, they can tune in to C-Span and watch Road to the White House!

The unique position of a camera embedded with the candidate will create clips that funnel viewers through the campaign – and a venue to tell the story of the campaign like no other outlet can.

This brings me to an important point…that happens to be the Fourth Pillar. You’re telling a story.
A campaign is a natural heroes’ journey. Posting one speech after another has no arc. Shooting that way thumbs your nose at an underlying dramatic structure. The narrative of a campaign will take those people trained to check in by posting frequently, and hook them. So, when I return tomorrow I’ll try to tackle to most difficult of the Pillars for me to wrap my head around - continuity.