What are UFO's - working with children

How to interview children and young adults

Introduction:

There is much taboo about working with children in film. As W.C. Fields once said: “Never work with children or animals.” Sometimes they are too lively or energetic for a director to cope with; they may have short attention spans; they are unpredictable.

"The audience always looks for the adorable young child or animal - they steal every scene. "many stars will never appear with animals or children in the belief that no adult can compete" has been cited in print since 1931, in a newspaer article indicating that this film tradition carried over from the stage."

       - Barry Popik (2012), "Never work with children or animals" (Show Business Adage)

But something special happens when you place a child in front of the camera, when you let them take centre stage and unleash their imagination. In taking away the pressure and the script, a filmmaker can use that unpredictability to create something wonderful.

Research/Discussion:

"Consideration of the child's welfare, physical and emotional, should be at the heart of the production."

       - Channel 4, Producers Handbook, Working and Filming with under 18's guidelines.

As not all children are good at fully expressing themselves or are able to voice their ideas, it’s important to put various strategies in place to help them. Such as:

1.    Cutting up information into bite-sized chunks so that they can easily understand them and work through the interview one step at a time without using long, complicated words.

2.    Making the atmosphere comfortable, and breaking the ice before doing the interview. Sometimes an initial meeting can take place so that the child can get to know the interviewer and vice versa. Creating common ground and a sense of trust is essential.

3.    Being friendly.

4.    For younger kids using word/image cards; letting the child create their own visuals.

5.    Avoiding leading questions; asking open-ended/indirect ones that allow them to expand on their thoughts.

6.    Making sure the interview doesn’t last too long, and asking simple questions that are age specific.

7.    Familiarity - Making sure the interview takes place somewhere the child is comfortable and familiar with. It’s also important to let the child become comfortable in front of the camera; letting them play with the equipment or showing them how it all works would be a way to do this.

 "Rather than interviewing children at a clinic or office... meet children in places that are already familiar to them (e.g., homes, day cares, classrooms). When they are accommodated, youngsters are less likely to feel threatened and are more likely to engage..."

       - Effective Interviewing of children, Unique Children and Circumstances, Page 94/95.

8.    Giving them the opportunity to ask questions and expand on the subjects; listening more than talking.

9.    Consent - Making sure that you always have the child’s and the parent’s consent before any interviewing/filming takes place. No filming of children under the age of 16 should take place without parental consent.

10. Ensuring that the child understands what they’re involved in and being asked.

11. Sitting at eye-level with the child; not above them.

12. Always making sure that there’s someone else in the room that the child knows; whether it be a parent/guardian, teacher or youth leader.

13. Using first names.

14. Being aware - Ensuring the filmmaker is aware of any behavioural, mental or health conditions the child may have so that they can undertake the appropriate strategies. Just because a child is a certain age doesn’t mean that they are at that developmental age.

15. Addressing issues - Any issues the child or parent may have, any worries about problems that may arise, should be identified straight away. If the interview topic might reveal any problems, the parent should always be aware of them before giving consent. If interviewing a child about sensitive subjects, it’s important that the filmmakers understand the child’s background and that there are no issues that could potentially arise.

“A child's resilience and vulnerability can vary significantly depending on factors such as their age, gender, maturity, cultural, ethnic and religious background as well as their previous life experiences.”

-        Channel 4, Producers Handbook, Working and Filming with under 18’s guidelines.

Measures should also be taken to assess a child’s suitability, whether through initial meetings or with the child’s carer (i.e. parent/guardian, teacher, youth leader etc.) If the interview could impact on the child’s mental/emotional health, the filmmaker must undertake a risk assessment to identify any potential harm depending on the child’s age/gender, religious/cultural backgrounds and life experiences.

References:

●      Barry Popik (2012), “Never work with children or animals” (show business adage). Available at: http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/never_work_with_children_or_animals_show_business_adage

●      Channel 4, Producers Handbook, Working and Filming with under 18’s guidelines. Available at: http://www.channel4.com/producers-handbook/c4-guidelines/working-and-filming-with-under-18s-guidelines

●      Effective Interviewing of Children: A Comprehensive Guide for Counsellors and Human Service Workers. 1999. Michael Zwiers. Patrick J. Morrissette, Unique Children and Circumstances, page 94/5. Available at: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kYt_AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA96&dq=how+to+interview+children&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiYsazD943LAhWIPBQKHY2PBqUQ6AEIMzAE#v=onepage&q=how%20to%20interview%20children&f=falsehttp://www.lse.ac.uk/media@lse/research/EUKidsOnline/BestPracticeGuide/FAQ15.aspx

●      News Lab. (2009) How to interview children. Available at: http://www.newslab.org/2009/12/17/how-to-interview-children/

●      Canee.net. Maria Keller-Hamela. Nobody’s Children Foundation. The Child Interview: Practise Guidelines. Available at: http://www.canee.net/files/The%20Child%20Interview.%20Practice%20Guidelines.pdf