Gahhh... I'll start off by saying I'm sick of Wal-Mart, and sick of being kicked of of the darn place.
Here's the story. For those of you who don't know, I'm currently working with Channel 2 News--one of our local news stations. Today, I was shooting a story about how Wal-Mart and other large chains affect the local businesses.
So, this morning I head in to our Wal-Mart Supercenter (the biggest in Michigan, by the way
), wearing a Channel 2 News shirt, carrying a huge Bogan-Manfrotto tripod and an FX1--not exactly a small camera--and the greeter asks (for some strange reason), "Oh, are you here for a return?" I responded with, "Nah, here to shoot a news story."
They said OK, have fun with it. Very friendly. So, I head around the store for about a half hour shooting B-Roll. I asked a good few customers whether they would comment, and since none would, I was dumb enough to ask to speak to the manager. (Being a responsible reporter, I always try to get interviews from both sides of the issue)
Anyway--the managers declined to comment. I said fair enough, and went on to shoot an on-camera stand-up saying "Although Wal-Mart declined to comment, the local businesses gave us their thoughts on the issue." I planned to use the stand up in the middle of the package--as a "transistion" stand up between the Wal-Mart focus and the local business focus.
After shooting my stand-up, I moved the camera and prepared to grab a few more shots of B-Roll. All three managers then walked up to me, and asked how long I planned on sticking around. I said a few minutes, I had a couple more shots to grab and I was done. They said, "Why don't you leave right now." Not a question. I responded with, "May I ask why?"
They responded with a comment about requiring written authorization to shoot ANYTHING at their store. I said that I understood, and prepared to leave. At this, they attempted to confiscate my tapes. That was one step too much--I said no way, I have a few stories on that same tape. To that, they literally chased me out of the store.
As I packed up and headed out--I realized that the written authorization to shoot in the store was crap--when I shot the grand opening for FOX, they didn't have any issues with me shooting in the store.
The kicker to all this--the downtown businesses all said that Wal-Mart was good for them--it brought in customers from the surrounding area.
I got a few comments that "Oh, Wal-Mart's trying to silence the press. Call CNN!" I thought that was a bit much... so I posted here instead. Anyway--sorry for the long post. I'm just fed up with Wal-Mart. I wish there was somewhere else up here to buy tapes.
Here's the story. For those of you who don't know, I'm currently working with Channel 2 News--one of our local news stations. Today, I was shooting a story about how Wal-Mart and other large chains affect the local businesses.
So, this morning I head in to our Wal-Mart Supercenter (the biggest in Michigan, by the way
), wearing a Channel 2 News shirt, carrying a huge Bogan-Manfrotto tripod and an FX1--not exactly a small camera--and the greeter asks (for some strange reason), "Oh, are you here for a return?" I responded with, "Nah, here to shoot a news story."They said OK, have fun with it. Very friendly. So, I head around the store for about a half hour shooting B-Roll. I asked a good few customers whether they would comment, and since none would, I was dumb enough to ask to speak to the manager. (Being a responsible reporter, I always try to get interviews from both sides of the issue)
Anyway--the managers declined to comment. I said fair enough, and went on to shoot an on-camera stand-up saying "Although Wal-Mart declined to comment, the local businesses gave us their thoughts on the issue." I planned to use the stand up in the middle of the package--as a "transistion" stand up between the Wal-Mart focus and the local business focus.
After shooting my stand-up, I moved the camera and prepared to grab a few more shots of B-Roll. All three managers then walked up to me, and asked how long I planned on sticking around. I said a few minutes, I had a couple more shots to grab and I was done. They said, "Why don't you leave right now." Not a question. I responded with, "May I ask why?"
They responded with a comment about requiring written authorization to shoot ANYTHING at their store. I said that I understood, and prepared to leave. At this, they attempted to confiscate my tapes. That was one step too much--I said no way, I have a few stories on that same tape. To that, they literally chased me out of the store.
As I packed up and headed out--I realized that the written authorization to shoot in the store was crap--when I shot the grand opening for FOX, they didn't have any issues with me shooting in the store.
The kicker to all this--the downtown businesses all said that Wal-Mart was good for them--it brought in customers from the surrounding area.
I got a few comments that "Oh, Wal-Mart's trying to silence the press. Call CNN!" I thought that was a bit much... so I posted here instead.
Anyway--sorry for the long post. I'm just fed up with Wal-Mart. I wish there was somewhere else up here to buy tapes. 
