Raffy Tima, Malou Mangahas: How to produce good docus

CEBU, Philippines — “Feel the pain”, because the harder on the journalist, the easier it will be for the audience, says journalist Malou Mangahas to Communication students from Cebu universities at the latest GMA Masterclass.

Mangahas sat as resource speaker with veteran broadcaster Raffy Tima at the University of the Philippines Cebu on September 16, as part of the 32nd Cebu Press Freedom Week.

Although martial law was lifted in 1981 during President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s dictatorship, threats to activists and journalists persisted. Mangahas, a student journalist at UP Diliman at that time, was detained for four months.

Recalling her experience as editor-in-chief of the Philippine Collegian and a student leader when UP was slowly rebuilding its student councils following Martial Law, she said, “This was the time when there were so many arrest orders for student leaders, and I was one of those listed, along with my fellow council members and other editors of the Collegian.”

Mangahas hosts GMA Integrated News’ podcast “The Mangahas Interviews.” A fellow of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University, she is also a co-founder and current executive director of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. She used to be GMA Network’s Vice President for Research and Content Development and was the first editor-in-chief of gmanews.tv.

“I had to mentally prepare for a possible arrest order for alleged subversion because doing my journalism work was still important. I was only worried for my parents and family members that they would face threats,” added Mangahas.

“The fear is valid, but I don’t think that should overpower us. We should continue to do our work. It wasn’t an excuse for my peers at the Philippine Collegian or the student council at that time. If you keep journalists hungry, fearful, and fearsome, that’s good. I have seen the best journalism produced during periods of persecution.”

Tima has covered various conflicts throughout his career as GMA Integrated News’ war correspondent, with one of his latest assignments in Cairo, Egypt as a one-man team during the Israel-Hamas war. His chronicle of the attempts of Filipinos and their loved ones to be granted safe passage at the Rafa Border during the conflict dubbed “SUNDO: A GMA Integrated News Documentary” won the Bronze World Medal at the 2024 New York Festivals TV and Film Awards.

The pioneer anchor of GMA Integrated News’ midday newscast “Balitanghali” recounted dangerous moments in his career, including a rare interview with the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf during the height of their kidnappings in the 2000s.

“As a journalist, you excel under pressure. I am no masochist, but I perform better under duress. That’s why I am often chosen for the hard coverages,” he said.

Making an effective docu

This year’s GMA Masterclass centered on documentaries, with Tima and Mangahas offering insights into producing impactful material in a changing news media landscape where traditional media and social media compete for people’s attention.

Mangahas stressed that documentaries must be highly contextual, whether they are short or long form.

“What’s important is that the documentary is multi-layered, digs up the facts, and tries to unravel what people try to keep secret,” she said. “Think of your work as building a portfolio of stories, each contributing to a larger narrative.”

Producing a compelling documentary can be challenging for journalists who must churn out daily reports. However, having a wealth of data can be an advantage in transforming these stories into a documentary.

“All reporting should be investigative. All good stories, whether long or short, should add value. That’s the challenge. Try to devote time in a month to develop an extensive report because context impacts stories,” Mangahas suggested.

Tima noted that ample data gives journalists more room to explore different angles. “The more information you have, the more ways you can find to approach your documentary. Put in the facts and frame them in historical context,” he advised.

Noting that most communication students loathe anything to do with math, Mangahas stressed that numbers are unavoidable when providing context to current issues.

“Don’t separate politics and the economy – they are inseparable. If there is a sale in the mall, we go there to shop. If we get our salaries, we speculate who has the biggest salary. Even in the West Philippine Sea or in Mindanao, numbers still play a part when it comes to budgeting, paying personnel, or resource allotment,” she said.

“We are citizens and consumers first before we are voters. Some politicians think they can get away because they believe we don’t know numbers or understand the economy. That’s why we cannot avoid numbers.”

Tima emphasized the role of technology in effective storytelling, citing his report on the Marawi siege in 2017-18, where he used a 360-degree camera to provide an immersive perspective on ground zero. His coverage of the siege ended up with him winning a Bronze at the New York Film Festivals Television and Film Awards in 2018.

“There were a lot of comments saying it gave them a different perspective on the war. It made them realize how hard it is,” he said, while adding that sophisticated equipment isn’t necessary. “You can make a documentary even on a smartphone. Since I do solo journalism, I multitask. I can be my own cameraman, as all journalists do.”

Mangahas observed that some reporters tend to treat interview subjects differently depending on their status.

“Politicians are the dominant voices in spot reports. If it’s someone from the government, reporters might be gentle and lower their voices. But if it’s a private citizen, it’s like they’re kicking their door. There should be respect and courtesy for everyone,” she said.

“I hope we can give attention to multiple points of view. Not just two sides of the story, but all sides, with the best efforts to get quotes from official sources and affected parties,” she added.

As a history enthusiast, Tima was dismayed at how some people he met lacked historical knowledge.

“I talk to people, both young and old, and they say they don’t know much about their history. That’s my biggest worry. Everything happening has some historical context – how it happened and why. People should know their history,” he urged.

Mangahas underscored the need to read for journalists.

“Read history books because the great men and women, and events of the past, might come back in the present. Read literature for the language, style, and imagery that we can learn from various writers.”

Quoting Ernest Hemingway, she said, “Every writer should have an automatic s--t detector. If you worry that you can’t do documentaries or write good reports, the key is to write, rewrite, and edit. The first draft will always be messy. We should have our own s—t detector to be good journalists.”

An initiative of GMA Regional TV and GMA Synergy, this is the second GMA Masterclass Series for Cebu Press Freedom Week, with last year tackling “Journalism in the Age of AI (Artificial Intelligence).” — (FREEMAN)