SRL fellows interview White House video director

During this summer’s Student Reporting Labs Academy, 18 talented middle and high school students came from across the country to Washington, D.C. for four days of hands-on video production training.

The young producers visited the Old Executive Building in downtown D.C. and interviewed White House Video Director Adam Garber about his work balancing history with publicity and how to have a successful career in film and digital media.

Garber answered questions ranging from advice for young journalists to how he deals with unexpected challenges that arise in the course of a shoot.

“If your videos are supposed to serve as historical records, how do you balance editorial control between what you deem appropriate and what the President and other higher-ups do?” asked SRL Fellow William Corprew of Philip’s Acadamy Charter School in Newark New Jersey.

Garber responded with the example of the President’s visit to families who lost loved ones in the church shooting in Charleston,S.C., in June, saying that even though those moments may be historically important, they may also not be the most sensitive times to film.

Garber told the students to seek out opportunities to gain experience and hone their skills wherever they can.

“You don’t have to have all the solutions and everything figured out,” he said. “It’s what works for you and growing that confidence that makes you even happier and excited to approach your work.”