9A – Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

Quick reminder :) My business idea is to create short films about awesome patients and doctors, highlighting their thoughts and lives.

Interviews: I never interview someone I do not know. So I spend considerable amount of time going to patient rooms and getting to know them. My goal is, above all, to provide palliative care. That means having a conversation, playing a game, providing movies or video games. Sometimes I find someone with a powerful story or a powerful thought. That would be someone inside the boundary.

This week I "interviewed" (got to know better) ten patients. Only two were a good fit for the camera. Here are my thoughts on what makes someone not fit for a filmed interview, regardless of ever being in front of a camera before:
    1. Communication skills - monotonous tone, poor word selection, speech disfluency (for ex. those "hummm" in the middle of sentences or too many "like, like, like"). But most importantly is the capacity to show emotion. This can be for a patient who struggles to communicate like someone with terminal cancer who can barely open their eyes. They can still show emotions just by the way they look at you. So communication is crucial and it goes beyond words: it's the capacity to show emotion.
    2. Relevant thoughts and story - many people are fine with carrying a normal life with no need for good stories or interesting thoughts. Don't get me wrong, though. It's not about having a boring life, but rather making your life sound boring. I once talked to a surgeon whose work I admire tremendously. I asked him about his career and his answers had no excitement... Almost as if his life was super boring. He actually saves lives everyday, but he adds a sense of normalcy to it that makes it sound not very relevant or impressive. 
 
Inside the Boundary Outside the Boundary


Who:



Patients and doctors with great stories and communication skills.
Individuals who do not express themlselves with emotion and sound boring.




What:




Why:
They have a story that should be told, and not forgotten
No interesting story






The need for a more humanized medical care exists. Storytelling is part of it.
No need to tell stories that do not exist or that are of little interest to anyone

Comments

  1. Rayjahn OdumFebruary 10, 2019 at 10:36 PM

    Hi Francisco! Your post is well organized. I especially like how you provided context for your interviews. Your method of getting to know your patients before you interview them is commendable. Moreover, I agree with your claim that people with poor communication skills might not appear to be a good candidate for a filmed interview but those who show emotion can overcome it. One recommendation I do have is to try and keep an open mind with the boring sounding interviews, as their perspective might be interesting even if the delivery isn’t.

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