Though I learned the basics of editing sound while working for an entertainment news radio syndicate a few years back, this is the first piece I've produced from start to finish. I had wanted to write about Iris and her weird, funny-sad story for years, but hadn't been able to find the right angle -- I seemed to get stuck in a gear somewhere between boring and cloying, which, let's face it, is not a fun place to be. It was only when I started interviewing my friends and family did Iris' story start to gel. I was pleasantly surprised by not only what people remembered about Iris ("That creepy, scaly tail!" was a common refrain) but how much time they were willing to spend musing about the long-term emotional impact of an animal that was only slightly more intelligent than a cashmere sweater.

Equipment

I used a Sony MD (MZ-R37) and a Sony microphone (ECM-MS957), then downloaded the audio to my creaky Fujitsu Lifebook. When I worked in radio I used a Sony DAT machine which broke down constantly (okay, that may have had something to do with my dropping it constantly), but I've been really pleased with my MiniDiscman -- it's sturdier (okay, I've dropped it a lot, too) and the sound quality is just as clear as the DAT. I edited the piece on CoolEdit 2000, which is a great program considering the price, but it has its limitations -- fine edits can be a little tricky, and there are limited filtering options on this version. The only real glitch I came across in putting this piece together was in recording my phone interviews. I used a Dynametrics telephone recorder and a Radio Shack phone, and the results were abysmal (many thanks to the Transom team for improving my sound).

From a Xmas Card

About Liane Bonin

I've worked as a print journalist for over a decade. I primarily write about entertainment, but I've taken detours into articles about cult deprogramming, teen dating, payola and spying on your cheating man. My work has appeared in The Los Angeles Times, Entertainment Weekly, Flaunt, Detour, Mademoiselle, Daily Variety, Filmmaker, and others. I'm currently a senior writer for Entertainment Weekly Online.

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