Professional Gives Advice to Journalism Students

Jody Hassett Sanchez, a news and documentary producer, came to Gordon College last week to speak about her career. She offered advice to students and reminded them that “you have to do the time – you're credibility comes from keeping your nose down and doing a good job, to earn a place at the table”. This is not a career where things happen overnight. When it comes to writing documentaries she says her “definition of storytelling doesn't include putting the storyteller in the film” - in her recent documentary, Sold, a story that revolves around three people of varying religions working to fight against modern slavery, she does not appear in the film, except, of course, in the credits. In order to keep the audience engaged she suggests the writer remembers that “we are not the judges – we have to have compassion for the people in our stories”. Ultimately whether it is a journalist writing an article or a documentary she says the main question to keep in mind is “does this go anywhere beyond the small story?”