Through the Illinois Veterans History Project, students improved their communications skills, became familiar with interviewing techniques, and learned about historical events through the personal stories of area veterans. They operated a camera, learned lighting, audio, graphics and editing as well as interviewing skills. Interviews were conducted at the library and a local senior center.

Prior to meeting with the veterans, students and mentors discussed interviewing techniques. Questions were developed for both combat and non-combat veterans. Mentors worked with the student interviewers to ask open ended questions; talk clearly; make the veterans comfortable and encourage them to give a detailed account of their experiences. Students brainstormed follow-up questions that could get better details, such as, “what kinds of vehicles or equipment were used?”

Students filmed the interviews, so pre-production was important to ensure quality audio and video. Students discussed techniques for setting up the interviews from backgrounds, lighting, microphones, setting the scene, and safety equipment.  They practiced using the cameras and experimented with different settings. It was determined to capture the interviews using multiple video cameras to enhance the interviews of the veterans. During the actual filming, students set up the lighting and microphones, operated the camera and interviewed the veterans. Students instructed the veterans to fill out biographical information and release forms to be submitted with the videos.

A digital title is a video term for editable text titles that are used in credits, call-outs and identification in video or film. It was important to add identification to the video documenting where, when and who was interviewed, both on and off the camera. Post production, the students combined digital title identification, graphics and the final rendered video was submitted to the Illinois State Library to be forwarded to the Library of Congress. As a direct result of this program, student increased their confidence to interview others and improved their film-making skills.