What makes a story worth telling? We asked 'i-Witness' documentarists Howie Severino, Kara David, Atom Araullo, Mav Gonzales, and John Consulta how they create their award-winning documentaries.
Video producer: Marah Ruiz
Video editor: Cris David Castro
Video producer: Marah Ruiz
Video editor: Cris David Castro
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FunTranscript
00:00Eyewitness is a documentary series which launched in 1999.
00:04It was originally hosted by Vicky Morales, Luchi Cruz Valdez, Mike Enriquez, Checha Lazaro,
00:10and Jessica Soho.
00:11Cara David, Howie Severino, Ata Maraulio, Mav Gonzalez, and John Consulta now serve
00:17as the hosts of the show.
00:19After 25 years, the longest-running and most awarded documentary program presents thought-provoking
00:25stories to the Filipino viewers.
00:28Find out how they produce such documentaries here on Kapusa Insider.
00:39Eyewitness celebrated its 25th year by holding the Eyewitness Talks, where the hosts shared
00:45their experiences in making documentaries to students of the University of Santo Tomas.
00:51We asked the Eyewitness documentarists what makes a story worth telling.
00:56It has to be about something important.
00:59Not necessarily about important people, but it has to be about something that matters
01:05to others.
01:07Number two, when you do a documentary, it has to be visual.
01:12It has to be interesting.
01:14It has to be doable, meaning we won't get killed doing it, and our budgets allow it.
01:22And I guess the last is, I have to find it interesting, because if I find it boring,
01:32it's going to show.
01:34But if I'm really interested in a subject, that also will be projected.
01:40The documentarist offers a point of view, well any journalist does, but even more so
01:47a documentary maker who works for a show called Eyewitness, because it's always a first person
01:56account.
02:16Number two, because we're on television, look for a story that's visually enticing.
02:28And number three, if you're going to tell a story, if you're going to write a script,
02:37if you're going to discuss case studies, always practice empathy more than sympathy.
02:45It's better to feel the pain you're feeling in your interview, than looking down on them
02:53and pitying them.
02:55Empathy over sympathy.
02:57More authentic, more sincere, and the real story will really come out.
03:02Eyewitness has won several local and international awards.
03:06It has been hailed the best documentary program at the PNPC Star Awards for television over
03:1110 times.
03:12It was the best adult educational cultural program at the Catholic Mass Media Awards
03:17in 2008, and most outstanding documentary show at the 6th Jawad La Salyaneta in 2024.
03:24It also took home a silver medal for Bawat Maria by Atom Arroyo, under the category Documentary
03:30Social Issues.
03:31A bronze medal for Bow to School by Howie Severino, under the category Documentary Heroes.
03:38And another bronze medal for Sisig sa Putik, under the category Documentary Community Portraits
03:44at the 2024 New York Festival TV and Films Awards.
03:48I think what makes a story worth telling is, number one, it is undertold, and it involves
03:55marginalized peoples.
03:57And also when there's an element of risk involved.
04:01That's my signifiers that it needs to be told, because the things that are hard to
04:11tell, need to be told.
04:13Of course, as they say, no story is worth dying for, so we do have to take serious consideration
04:20when it comes to the safety of the image.
04:25Having said that, I'm a firm believer that a lot of things can be mitigated, the risks
04:31can be mitigated, if you prepare for it.
04:35Sometimes you cover conflict, or extreme weather events, or tragedy, and all of these come
04:42with risks.
04:43But if you think that you should just avoid all of these risks, then you'll just stay
04:50at home.
04:52So the important thing is that you prepare well, you are prepared for the contingencies
04:58in case something happens that you don't expect, and you constantly weigh all of these
05:07considerations when you're covering a story.
05:11I think a story is worth telling if you can change a person's life.
05:17People always want to make a huge difference, you want to change a country, a community,
05:22but then sometimes it starts with one person.
05:24If your story can change the life of one person, of one child, then I think that story is worth
05:30telling and worth pursuing.
05:32A story or any story is really worth telling, because I believe that documentaries or stories
05:39become a platform for our countrymen to become more aware of the problems that our government
05:46is facing.
05:47And third, these stories will be a way for us to make a huge difference.
05:59So to our countrymen, especially those who want to become journalists one day, pursue
06:05your dreams because you are part of the life that you want to become.
06:12You can become a part of the history or become an instrument to change the lives of our countrymen.
06:18So long live, and we salute you.
06:20Long live, Kapuso.
06:41Long live, Kapuso.