How to Properly Prepare and Produce an Interview.

In order to become a successful journalist it is imperative that young scholars learn some of the finer fundamentals of the interviewing process. This video tutorial by Dr. Miller shows the process a journalism student should go about collecting information in preparation for the formal interview. There will be more information after the break (in other words clicking the link to get all of the details beyond this enginegraph).

 On the way back to Tennessee after a successful Thanksgiving with the family in North Carolina I had an opportunity to meet Mr. Lawrence Ingraham. For those who are unfamiliar with his work, Mr. Ingraham was the lead designer for the successful rollerblade frame company known as 50/50 frames before going out of business in 2007. Upon request, Mr. Ingraham agreed to an interview that would be used as a tutorial tool for mass communication majors on how to research, prepare, and conduct an interview that may be used in a number of different media platforms. First, here is a little background information on Mr. Ingraham and his frame company.

Photo: Lawrence Ingraham

At the height of the company’s success, 50/50 was an influential and innovative aftermarket frame company with the lion’s share in the hard goods market of rollerblading. On top of having one of the most durable and fastest frames, the company also possessed some of the biggest names in the rollerblading industry as members of their professional team. Masters of the sport like Jon Julio and Fabiola da Silva, as well as cutting-edge trailblazers such as Dustin Latimer and Chris Farmer kept the frame company relevant and constantly on top in terms of sales due to the desirability of their team riders.  

In 2018, Mr. Ingraham decided to resurrect the company and begin selling the frames again. With the recent success of his return to rollerblading vlog know as Back to Blading, he decided that it was time to bring back the company that gave him his start in the industry as a youth and restore the brand as a small limited-run entity that he could do part out of his home.

Photo: Jess Dyrenforth

This interview encapsulates a number of these aspects as Dr. Miller and Mr. Ingraham discuss various topics during their interview. Ranging from how he started skating in his younger years and the differences which occur when someone in their forties tries to maintain the same level of activity to discussing industry issues such the development of the universal frame system and design standards of the 50/50 frames.