25 Years in Network Television: What I’ve Learned About Storytelling

After 25 years shooting for network television and documentaries - around the world, I’ve learned that storytelling has very little to do with the gear you use - and almost everything to do with people.

Here are some of the lessons that have stuck with me.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks with NBC Nightly News in a recent fire zone

1. Listening comes first

The real story often shows up before the camera rolls, and sometimes again after the camera has stopped rolling - in the pauses, the nerves, the way someone breathes. You can’t film honestly if you’re not listening properly.

2. Keep it simple

You don’t need a dozen lights or complicated setups. A clean frame, natural light, and an honest moment almost always win. Light for the environment you're in.

3. Protect the emotion

Your job is to create space where people feel safe being themselves. The most powerful moments never come from forcing anything - they come from trust.

4. Pressure sharpens instinct

Breaking news and tight deadlines reveal your instincts QUICKLY. Preparation matters, but staying calm when everything shifts is what separates seasoned crews from the rest. Work backwards from your deadline - get the essentials set up first, then you can finesse after you know you'll make deadline.

5. Light for the person, not for your reel

Real people don’t need dramatic lighting - they need to feel comfortable. Good lighting supports the story, not your ego. A comfortable subject will give you better answers.

6. Small details say the most

A look, a gesture, the way someone moves in their space - B-roll often reveals more truth than an interview ever can. Be ready to wait for the moment.

7. Empathy is the essential part of the toolkit

Technique can be taught. Empathy can’t. People open up when they feel understood - and that’s when the real storytelling happens. You're with someone on either the best day of their lives, or the worst - telling their story is a privilege, do it justice.

Twenty-five years in, the biggest lesson is simple: Storytelling is about connection. Storytelling is about emotion.

Gear changes. Platforms change.

But people - and their stories - stay at the heart of everything.