Careful what you wish for

A golden rule in journalism of any kind is to follow your nose.

It is an age-old requirement that has served us well throughout the years - but how does that work when it comes to video.

Naturally, the basics still apply - but sometimes, it can be argued that there are exceptions.

Take my recent video about the big hole in Hadley. For a written journalist, this is a pretty simple job - look at the hole, switch on computer, write story. But with a video camera, it took on a whole new dimension.

Firstly, I had to film the hole - not easy, when it is surrounded by high fences. I eventually bypassed this problem by persuading a lovely old lady to let me film from the roof of her garage.

But herein lay the problem - I had to find the right location. It goes without saying that when you’re working with the elements of sound, vision and The Truth, you have to capture all three.

Despite only being about a mile from our office in Ketley, I spent three hours collecting footage for a piece that was only about three minutes long. Far too long.

And then there was the inevitable right to reply from the firm digging the hole.

Perhaps, then, I did break a rule and forget to plan - certainly, three hours for filming a video so close to the office really is not good enough.

Anyway, enough of beating myself up - there have been some bright ideas over the last few weeks.

The best was, perhaps, Colin the Goose. As a pretty standard job, there was little to film, apart from a goose running around a farmyard.

Indeed, even when I pressed record I had little idea that the lady in question would be an ABSOLUTE AND BRILLIANT STAR.

Those are my capital letters - I am not sure whether she realises how witty she is, but it was the best interview I have ever filmed.

We also filmed Gordon Brown’s visit to Telford - and believe me, that was what I joined a news organisation for.

With fairly lively protest at the gates of the hotel where Brown was giving a speech, it was inevitable that a story would develop.

And the protestors did not disappoint. Whether you agree or no, those protestors should be congratulated for their principles as the Police carried them away.

But hats off the Police as well - although they always follow rules 100 per cent to the letter, the pressure with a camera in their faces would have been immense.

But they were professional, as was I - when the going gets tough, there’s a story afoot.

By James Shaw