LIFE at AT&T Podcast: An Inside Look at American Standoff
By Pamela Corante, AT&T Insider
It’s a crisp winter day in a remote corner of eastern Oregon where cattle outnumber people 14 to 1. The ground is slick with ice, and AT&T employee Josh Turnbow narrowly avoids slipping as he grasps a video camera. His lens is trained on a striking figure in a cowboy hat and worn jeans, a man who is facing federal chargesnow on trial for terrorism.
Josh is a senior producer of content for AT&T AUDIENCE Network, and he’s the subject of the latest Life@AT&T podcast.
Last year, Josh was on location at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge filming AT&T’s newest AUDIENCE Network documentary, American Standoff. The film tells the story of the Oregon ranchers who sparred with the federal government over land use issues. You can watch the premiere tomorrow on AUDIENCE at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
Storytelling is a key part of Josh’s job. A typical documentary begins with an idea, but the idea has to meet two criteria.
“There has to be a human story in the idea,” Josh explained. “Then, we have to ask if we can get access to the people who can tell the story.”
Josh and his colleague, Bobby Dvoran, spent 4 months trying to get a phone number for Susie Hammond, whose husband’s and son’s were arrested arrests instigated the during the standoff. Seven hours of interviews with Susie resulted in two compelling soundbites for the film.
Filmmaking is an art, and Josh takes his role seriously. “AT&T gives us a lot of resources to do our job,” he noted, “and we’re going to use those resources as efficiently as possible.”
Click here to listen to the show on SoundCloud or use the player below. You also can take it mobile. Text #lifeatatt to 8166* for a link to subscribe, or search for “Life at AT&T” on your favorite podcasting app.
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