Recorders vs. Notepads

I just had a 25 minute interview with an actor for Back Stage. It's my first feature story for the publication so naturally, I want to appear professional, personable, poised and polite (my 4personal p's for a successful interview) for every interview.

But, today, this interview was different. Today, I was interviewing with my new Olympus Telephone Pickup which would allow me to record conversations and not have to turn on my speakerphone and bother everyone around me. I was excited, I would no longer have to stoop and try to listen to the speakerphone while trying to refer to my notepad of questions.

The interview began. I felt good about it, asking the necessary questions in a conversational, though still authoritative way, showing that I knew what I was talking about. He said some things that were quotable, and I marked the place where he said it.

'I am rocking this first story,' I thought to myself.

Then afterward, I played it back, eager to hear the new, crisp audio from my new hook-up. I heard me ask the question and then......

mumble, mumble, mumble, mumble, static static static

It didn't pick anything up on the phone end. I couldn't hear a word that he had said. I turned up the volume on the recorder (it goes up to 30, I went to 30) and the only words I could make out were 'Colorado.'

My face was red and suddenly, Johanna Keller's, my advisor, face came into my head saying, "Don't rely too much on your recorder, there is nothing more embarrassing than calling a source back asking for another interview." And to think then, I thought, this would not happen to me, the Olympus would never fail me.

I was wrong. And I also wasted 25 minutes. Embarrassed I called him back, sounding a little let poised this time and just agitated.

I am now waiting for another interview where the actor will basically say everything he just said again.

So lesson to be learned from all this: don't always trust technology. If you want to be safe, it might not hurt to write stuff down as you're interviewing. Or double and triple check your recorder before you start an interview.

As for me, when he calls back, I'll just shorthand everything. It's not like I could lose the notepad, or my hand.