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Some stories save lives
Letter from the Editor Dear Reader,
Sitting in front of someone who has suffered a tragedy in their life and asking them questions is the hardest thing I’ve done in my career as a journalist. And it’s been one of the most important, too.
That’s why the documentary video “The Deadliest Great Lake” by MLive has so much resonance – the tales of loss land like a punch to the gut. But I also believe those stories will save lives.
The documentary features families who have lost children to drownings in Lake Michigan. That lake accounts for nearly half of all drownings each year in the Great Lakes, due to a unique combination of factors such as population, wave effects, piers and weather patterns.
The science behind that is explained in excellent fashion in the video. But that’s not what delivers the message of what is at stake.
“One of the hardest things to film was the moms talking about their kids, (holding) their photos,” said Jeremy Marble, an MLive videographer who served as director of photography for the project. “It’s not about you, and what answers you want to get, it’s about them telling their story.”
Lori Chapman, scriptwriter and editor for the video, was in the room for those difficult moments, as well.
“The interviews were very emotional. I hated to make them relive the experience, but you have to get there. That’s the stuff that resonates with the viewers. It was tearful.”
And that’s what our journalists, and the families of the victims, both understand about the project: The intent is to raise awareness of a powerful danger that lies right in front of us, and to prevent future deaths.
One family still lives near the beach in Grand Haven, Chapman noted. “They hear the helicopter in a search, and it brings it back to them. They hate to think of another family going through what they went through.”
Telling these important stories is a part of a long tradition of public service journalism. How we are able to tell them continues to evolve. MLive has had a dedicated video team for only four years, but it continues to break new ground with using the power of the medium to deliver impactful stories.
A lot of that was honed in 2019, with our “How We Got Here” series of six long-form videos exploring critical issues facing Michigan citizens. That series resulted in four Emmy awards, but the greater effect was building the skills within our organization for documentary storytelling.
It touched all aspects of MLive’s journalism operation: Research, reporting, fact-checking, scriptwriting, filming, editing, graphics and more.
“That really launched our dynamic of working together,” Marble said. “We’re comfortable being in those stressful situations. ‘Did we get the shot? OK, let’s redo it.’ You’re exhausted, but we know we’re going to get a great product out of it because of ‘How We Got Here.’“
And the format itself adds a dimension that the written word cannot provide: The faces and voices and pain of those who are affected by the news that happens around us. We’ve always shared that to help others, but not always as powerfully as in “The Deadliest Great Lake.”
“That’s what brings out the emotion and gets people to pay attention to the facts,” Chapman said. “We started with the families, and worked from there.”
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🎧 To listen to Lori Chapman and Jeremy Marble discuss the making of “The Deadliest Great Lake,” tune into this week's episode of Behind the Headlines podcast here. To hear all the stories behind the stories, click here and subscribe to our Behind the Headlines podcast.
Editor's note: I value your feedback to my columns, story tips and your suggestions on how to improve our coverage. Let me know how MLive helps you, and how we can do better. Please feel free to reach out by emailing me at editor@mlive.com.
John Hiner Executive Editor Vice President of Content Mlive Media Group
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