This is an interview from a video journalist.
So, Christian, what made you want to pursue film?
For me, pursuing film was never a choice. It was something I fell into, and I never strayed.
When I was in fifth grade, my older brother and a kid down our block used to take my dad’s camera and make “cheap rendition theater” versions of popular blockbusters like “Twister,” where, instead of a tornado, they’d use a flushing toilet. They were silly, but they made my parents laugh. As the middle child, I saw this as a chance to get attention. All that summer, I mowed lawns and saved up to buy my own camera – a better camera – and made my own films – better films.
I used every opportunity to make videos. When I first started making short videos, I cast my friends. It was how we hung out. They’d come over on weekends and ask, “What movie are we making today?” Where my brother made comedies, I focused on historical dramas. Because I was only twelve, I didn’t know much about history, so they were historically inaccurate. I once wrote my own version of “Julius Caesar.” All I knew about the story was that he was stabbed by friends. The rest I made up. When I got into high school, any time I was assigned a paper, I would ask to make a video instead. I even started making videos for my friends’ class projects because I liked the attention they earned me around school.
It wasn’t until my final year of college that I really developed my own style. I produced a series of dark comedies called “The Suicide Trilogy” – three films exploring the funny side of failed suicide attempts. Everything I’ve done since has built on that style. I care about stories and character. I love finding the beauty or comedy in things that aren’t often thought in that context, and am inspired by the surreal – things that appear one way, but are really coming from a different direction. I think that’s why I connect with Monty Python. Their comedy hits you from behind.
Interesting. What happened after college? Where did the tides pull you next?
Shortly after I graduated from college, I recognized everyone I had gone to high school with was still living in my hometown. I knew I’d soon fall into a similar routine, so I reached out to a commercial producer in Los Angeles who I was introduced to during an internship with Fuse. She told me if I moved to LA, she’d hire me as a production assistant for a single-day shoot. I lied to my parents that I got a full-time job, and I drove out to LA a month later.
I’m not quite sure what I was expecting when I got there. I knew a red carpet wouldn’t be rolled out for me, but I thought I’d find a job directing music videos or something. Two years later, I was a manager at Barnes & Noble. I was still working as a production assistant on occasion, but was ready to admit defeat and head back home. Money was tight. I told myself if I didn’t get a job before Thanksgiving, I was done.
Luckily, I landed an interview with HuffPost Live, which was just about to launch, as a production assistant. I didn’t get the job initially, but a few months later, I read the executive producer had just been fired. I found the email of the person who replaced him and was given another interview. This time, I came out swinging. I did an insane amount of research on HuffPost Live and brought several pitches for segments with me – segments I knew would be perfect for their voice. I accepted the job two days before Thanksgiving.
Could you describe your impression of "The Huffington Post" upon coming in for your first day?
On my first day, I was surprised by the level of talent among my colleagues. There were people of every color and creed – some of them years younger than myself – and they were so intelligent. I found myself working with people with master’s degrees in journalism. In some settings, this would be threatening, but I saw it as a challenge. Coming from narrative film gave me an edge. I approached news very differently. My colleagues looked for the headline while I looked for the most creative way to tell a character-driven story. There was one host named Jacob Soboroff, our main host – crazy talented guy – who looked and acted like me. He proved to me that I could be a news host, too. I credit him for inspiring me down that path.
Within two months of starting at HuffPost Live, I was promoted. Seven months later, I was promoted again. Two years in, I was leading my own small team making my own short documentaries.
OK, pause for a second. First of all, just wow, Christian. It’s honestly amazing to hear about your journey, going from this small town boy to this successful host and producer. I remember when it was just the family and some of your good friends crowded in front of the desktop, watching the latest upload on your YouTube channel. Anyway, I know that you actually left HuffPost Live and have taken on other endeavors since then, but I’d like to further question you about your experience as a video journalist there.
Of course. That’s fine.
Great! Let’s start off with something simple. How many hours did you typically put into a single project?
The amount of time would vary. Breaking news stories would have to be finished within a half hour, but longer form pieces could take weeks. However, I was always working on several pieces at a time.
How stressful was the entire process considering that you now had deadlines to reach?
Coming from a production background, I have a solid grasp on the timeline necessary for a given project. I know how long it takes to develop, write, light, shoot, host and edit a project. I’m incredibly organized and methodical, so deadlines have never stressed me out.
How much control did you have over the content you were releasing to public?
The biggest difference between the films I was making in school and the documentaries I was making at HuffPost Live was that I couldn’t make things up in a documentary, obviously. I developed an eye for stories people would watch on Facebook, so I was given nearly free reign on the content I produced. I still had assignments from executive producers, but I was allowed to produce it in my own way.
While hosting and producing, you must have encountered a number of people, both ordinary and famous. How did you get the most out of an interview?
Every video is a story. I figured out the most interesting angle and built it into a three act structure. I made sure to ask questions that brought that story to life.
How did you come up with the right ones?
It’s quite easy to compile questions if you know the story you’re trying to tell. The tricky part is getting them to say things that still make sense without hearing the question. When I just started out at HuffPost Live, I was tasked with pre-interviewing guests. I’d chat with them for 30 minutes, asking questions pertaining to the segment, and relay their interesting answers to the producer and host. I quickly learned how to ask questions and, more importantly, how not to ask them. I’m not saying I coerced them into saying things they didn’t mean, but I learned how to get honest responses to simple questions that fit my piece with as few questions as possible. I also learned the type of questions that don’t elicit strong responses.
What was your first ever interview for "The Huffington Post"? How did it go?
My first on-camera interview was for a live segment I produced called “I Survived Suicide” with a number of people who survived suicide attempts. I was out of my element, and I’m sure I looked it. Everything is nerve-racking before you’re comfortable with it. Luckily, I had a co-host who knew what she was doing. I co-hosted several other segments before I felt natural on camera.
Well, speaking as a rookie interviewer to a professional, do I seem to be doing OK?
Interviewing is a skill that can be developed, and I think you’re already onto something.
Why, thank you! Alright, getting back on track – Which position did you prefer: producer or video journalist, and why?
The difference between a video producer and a video journalist is slight but significant. Both roles are telling stories through video, but the journalist is telling his own original story. The video producer is telling a story that already exists. I prefer the journalism aspect, as I like telling my own stories.
What’s the title of your most favored project for HuffPost Live? Why do you take such pride in it?
I am the most proud of a documentary I produced on which bar in New York City is truly the oldest. It wasn’t a story that had been told before. Several bars claim to have the title. The research wasn’t readily available, but I went back into tax records and historical documents to undercover which establishment really is the oldest. I had no idea what the final project would look like when I first embarked. I would interview one person, and they would mention another. That other person would bring up a tax report. I’d research the tax report, and I’d see that it referenced a New Yorker article. I’d read the article and it would cite another bar, and so on and so on. I spent weeks doing that. When I was done, publications I respect were citing my research and mentioning me by name. For the first time, I felt I was really a journalist.
Were there times you had to suppress your inner fanboy?
When you’re in office where you see musicians, celebrities, politicians, authors, and everything in between every day, you eventually become numb to it. Also, you quickly realize this is work for them too. No movie star wants to spend their afternoon going media outlet to media outlet being asked the same questions. You have a job to do, and they have a job to do, too.
Oh, come on! I understand that this was your job and that time is money. Still, there had to be someone that you came across during your time there, and your immediate reaction was “Keep it cool, Christian. Don’t want to scare him/her.”
I’m sorry, but I don’t have the answer you’re looking for. I grew up in the Hamptons. Adam Sandler frequented the bookstore I worked at. Musicians and comedians performed at the theater I worked in. I was always numb to celebrities. If people struggle to keep their cool in a professional setting, they’ll also struggle to hold down a job in media.
Wow, I guess I never thought of it that way. What other profound wisdom do you have up your sleeve?
You’re not defined by your employer. An employer is defined by its employees.
That I whole-heartedly agree with. Any dirty secrets to unveil about "The Huffington Post"?
Read between the lines on this one. I remember being in high school and hearing a teacher say something marginally racist. I’ll never forget it. I realized teachers don’t know everything. Their ideas may be skewed like everyone else’s. They are teaching things they believe to be true, and it’s up to us to question them. News is the same. Question everything you read. You’ll be more informed because of it.
Got it. Don’t trust the news. So, what did your teacher say?
You may have missed the point of the anecdote.
No, I was just curious. OK, final questions: Should my classmates want to check out your work, where can they access it? And do you have any advice for Film, Media and Communications Majors? Advice regarding life in general?
When you see an open door, walk through it. Fifteen years ago, I wanted to direct movies. Six years ago, I moved to LA thinking I’d be a music video director. Last year, I was the most viewed host at "The Huffington Post". Today, I was producing a video with President Bill Clinton. Next month, I start producing original content for Esquire and Elle.
The road to success is windy as fuck.
