The fox turned and stared straight at the camera for several long seconds. Then, apparently judging that we were not a threat, she continued with her main business of hunting food. We kept rolling.

I’ve been filming – or attempting to film – red foxes in my neighborhood for one of my new independently-produced segments for Maryland Public Television’s weekly series, Outdoors Maryland. It occurred to me during my stalking endeavors that pursuing foxes is not unlike pursuing viewers of a media production, whether documentary or corporate, video or website.

In both cases you have a “quarry” who is preoccupied with their industrious lives. Finding a way to grab their attention – and winning consent to your themes or messages – requires ongoing research.

In other words, know your prospective audience. I’ve walked up and down the street day after day talking to neighbors about the habits of our fox family – where the male and female and two pups roam and when they seem to be most active. Many have a theory about where the foxes have a den. Others have seen them carrying hapless squirrels.

Researching your viewers means more than simply knowing their principle products or general interests. Find out the current issues specific to that enterprise, including struggles, successes and goals – get to know the neighborhood.

Surfing the web is a good way to start. Read news accounts about the industry or association. Scrutinize their publications. Most importantly, talk to people on the ground. If you can, visit the offices or organization to get a sense of the culture.

Incorporate technology and jargon, but don’t overload and outdate your production with passing fads. I’ve learned that the yard the fox runs through today may not be the yard he or she runs through tomorrow. You need to figure out the range of your target audience’s interests.

Keep in mind, these concerns are not necessarily the same thing as the key messages or themes your client or funding agency want delivered. The interests of both client and audience need to be reflected if you are to engage your quarry productively.

In other words, don’t assume that the viewer will be interested enough to act just because you’re out there with an urgent message vaguely related to their field.

One mistake I made early in the pursuit of foxes was staking them out in areas where I thought, after diligent research, that the foxes had a den. I spent hours and hours waiting in a camouflaged hunting blind, alone with a camera or with a second cameraperson. During this endeavor, I captured not one frame of video of a fox. I did get one or two shots of squirrels and a deer.

The footage I do have so far was captured by driving or walking around — camera ready — and rolling when we spotted our moving target. Don’t expect your audience to come to you.

Happy hunting. I’m still on the trail….

You may reach Susanne Stahley, Writing Consultant, at scstahley@verizon.net

Read about Susanne’s recent Emmy award: http://davidryanmediasolutions.com/davids-website-picks/