How can we, as an emerging generation about to become adults, learn from what older generations have had experience with? How can we translate their experiences and pieces of advice and apply them to our modernizing world? In what ways have we lost touch with older generations and how can we rebuild and find ways to connect with them (again)?
I’ve always been fascinated by the stories my parents tell me about my grandparents. I was confused about why I never seemed to hear about my grandparents’ lives when they were younger. I was curious about how their views, goals, and ways of dealing with problems or difficulties have changed or helped them as they’ve grown up. How can we apply what they’ve learned to our lives? What can we learn from the lessons they’ve lived through? Why have we lost touch with these people who know what it’s like to look back on their younger days and laugh at childish moments or mistakes that led them to where they are now? What do they regret or wish they would’ve done and why? What do they hope our generation, their grandchildren, take advantage of, think about, or experience in order to live an optimal living experience?
I am interested in seeing what other people’s grandparents have experienced and what they have to say when given the chance. I’m curious about what advice they have for their children and grandchildren and so on and wonder if anyone has had a strained relationship with their family and whether they’ve tried to mend those relationships or not.
I would like to read a few biographies of people written when they were older and watch documentaries about people’s lives as well. I think those will be good ways of seeing how to approach learning about someone’s life growing upright as they reflect. Someone who has a reputation as a person who ‘lived’ and someone who is less known for their adventurousness but who is down to earth or who is fascinating to talk to. I believe everyone has something to give, whether that’s advice, their talents, or their love, and I think that interviewing people’s grandparents will help me see a whole new side of the world.
I am planning on shadowing or meeting with Shola Lynch, Jess Prohias-Gardiner’s cousin, a few times before I interview and possibly during as well. I have watched her ‘Free Angela and All Political Prisoners’ documentary and would be interested to see how she directed a narrative about Angela’s life – what she chose to keep and how she arranged everything into a cohesive story. I would also ask her about how to interview people in a way that would get the most honest answer from someone while also gauging how far to push in order to get a deeper response. I am interested to see how she gets people to feel comfortable with her and be confident in their answers enough to have them visible to others.
The overall goal is to conduct three interviews a week, writing reflections right after each interview and collect both childhood photos and a photo from zoom, and put them next to their corresponding recorded interview. I am planning on interviewing each grandparent separately unless they insist on interviewing with their partner. I would be interested in meeting them beforehand to have them feel more comfortable around me or to shoot a part two of their interview, especially if there are two people interviewing together. I am planning on sending out an email with guiding questions:
- Tell me about yourself.
- Tell me about your childhood, relationships with your parents, children, and grandchildren.
- What is a significant memory you have from when you were younger?
- What is an experience or something you lived through that puts the present into perspective? What do you think you have learned from your childhood?
- What do you regret doing/not doing? Why?
- What is an experience you are glad you did and recommend everyone do it? Why?
I will ask everyone these questions in order to keep each video as parallel as possible. Of course, I won’t mind if our conversation goes off-topic as it is an interview.
I will compile all of the videos into a short trailer to open up the whole project and have everyone’s individual videos up (mostly unedited) on a blog or some digital platform. Some might be audio clips depending upon what people feel comfortable with. I am planning on using iMovie to edit everything. I will also write short reflections after every interview to document any thoughts I have or pieces of advice I picked up or particular stories that I feel will stick with me. In the end, I will write a full reflection about everything I’ve learned.
I will also practice using Terry Gross’s strategies and ways of getting people to open up when interviewing them and listen to her “Fresh Air” NPR radio show.
There are other sites and videos on how to interview people. I will certainly look at those and put them up as a source for other people to learn how if they find themselves in a position of interviewing, or even when they’re being interviewed themselves.