Listen before you film.

When you film a real person, begin with the relationship rather than the shot list. Explain the project, listen to what matters to them, and be clear about how the footage might be used. Trust makes better conversations possible, but it also creates responsibilities.

Prepare questions that invite stories instead of rehearsed positions. Allow a pause to stay a pause. Some of the most revealing moments arrive after the question you planned has already been answered.

In the edit, remember that the person on screen has a life beyond your frame. Check what the sequence implies, keep context where it matters, and ask whether you would stand behind the choices you made together.