Working in interpretive media has been a happy accident for me.
After eight years in the newspaper industry, I decided to switch careers. I dreamed of working as a park ranger or naturalist, sharing my passion for the outdoors with visitors. In 2011, I enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to earn a master’s degree in environmental education and interpretation.
Skimming through the course catalog, I saw a class called Interpretive Media. The description said it covered writing and producing interpretive publications, panels, and exhibits. Though I had created a park newsletter and brochure during a seasonal state park job in college, it never occurred to me that media could be an area of focus in interpretation.
My admittance to UW-Stevens Point included a graduate assistantship at Schmeeckle Reserve, a 280-acre natural area on campus. I was fortunate to work under the guidance of the people who had (literally) written the book on interpretive media. Ron Zimmerman, Dr. Michael Gross, and Jim Buchholz authored the Interpreter’s Handbook Series, which includes Interpretive Centers and Signs, Trails, and Wayside Exhibits. They assist Dr. Brenda Lackey in teaching the Interpretive Media course, bringing real-world experience to the classroom.
For many years, Schmeeckle Reserve has supplemented its state funding with consulting work in interpretive media and master planning. Through the media course and through osmosis of overhearing brainstorming sessions at work, I absorbed the principles of interpretive media. I realized I could parlay my writing and Adobe skills from my newspaper days into a new creative outlet.
When I graduated in 2013, I was fortunate to be offered a full-time position at Schmeeckle Reserve. I’m part of the interpretive consulting team, designing media and writing master plans. It is fun, creative, and challenging work.
Though I am by no means a seasoned professional in interpretive media, I want to share a few of the valuable lessons I’ve learned so far:
visit http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr-ap/schmeeckle/Pages/consulting/consulting.aspx
After eight years in the newspaper industry, I decided to switch careers. I dreamed of working as a park ranger or naturalist, sharing my passion for the outdoors with visitors. In 2011, I enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to earn a master’s degree in environmental education and interpretation.
Skimming through the course catalog, I saw a class called Interpretive Media. The description said it covered writing and producing interpretive publications, panels, and exhibits. Though I had created a park newsletter and brochure during a seasonal state park job in college, it never occurred to me that media could be an area of focus in interpretation.
My admittance to UW-Stevens Point included a graduate assistantship at Schmeeckle Reserve, a 280-acre natural area on campus. I was fortunate to work under the guidance of the people who had (literally) written the book on interpretive media. Ron Zimmerman, Dr. Michael Gross, and Jim Buchholz authored the Interpreter’s Handbook Series, which includes Interpretive Centers and Signs, Trails, and Wayside Exhibits. They assist Dr. Brenda Lackey in teaching the Interpretive Media course, bringing real-world experience to the classroom.
For many years, Schmeeckle Reserve has supplemented its state funding with consulting work in interpretive media and master planning. Through the media course and through osmosis of overhearing brainstorming sessions at work, I absorbed the principles of interpretive media. I realized I could parlay my writing and Adobe skills from my newspaper days into a new creative outlet.
When I graduated in 2013, I was fortunate to be offered a full-time position at Schmeeckle Reserve. I’m part of the interpretive consulting team, designing media and writing master plans. It is fun, creative, and challenging work.
Though I am by no means a seasoned professional in interpretive media, I want to share a few of the valuable lessons I’ve learned so far:
- Concrete nouns and active verbs: This phrase is repeated often in my office. After years of writing to fit tight word limits and editing other writers’ babble, I prided myself on my ability to write concisely. It was no match for interpretive writing, where every single word counts. Immerse yourself in the story you want to tell, and drill down to its essence. Use concrete nouns and active verbs to squeeze the most out your limited word count. Instead of The bird tightened its feet on the prey, write The peregrine falcon clenched the mallard in its talons. You have so much to tell, but your viewers have a shortage of time and patience. Grab their interest right away, and tell a concise, creative story from there.
- Think visually: Though I am much more verbally inclined, before I get too deep into a panel or brochure I think about the visuals. What will my focal point graphic be? What mood do I want to create? What can be illustrated instead of written? “Interpretation is an art,” Freeman Tilden wrote in Interpreting Our Heritage. Uh oh, you might be thinking if, like me, you are not artistically inclined. But in the same principle, he also said, “Any art is in some degree teachable.” Like most things, it takes time and practice. Finding a good mentor helps too.
- Think like an outsider: This tip goes especially for those who are creating interpretive media for their own sites. Yes, you think your story is great. Yes, there is SOMUCHTOTELL. But step into the visitors’ sandals for a minute. Imagine coming to a site for the very first time. What will be the visitors’ burning questions? What will connect with them? What are the intangibles and universal concepts that relate to the human experience? Don’t overwhelm by including every last detail. Hone in the specific story you want to tell, and tell it well.
visit http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr-ap/schmeeckle/Pages/consulting/consulting.aspx