Post on 03-Jan-2016
description
Two things about broadcast news we need to understand
Substance and format
Writing a TV news script: the substance
Writing a TV news scriptIt’s brief
Writing a TV news scriptIt’s briefGotta gather as many facts and video as
time permits
Writing a TV news scriptIt’s briefGotta gather as many facts and video as
time permitsUse friendly, conversational tone
Writing a TV news scriptIt’s briefGotta gather as many facts and video as
time permitsUse friendly, conversational toneActive voice
Writing a TV news scriptIt’s briefGotta gather as many facts and video as
time permitsUse friendly, conversational toneActive voicePresent tense
Writing a TV news scriptIt’s briefGotta gather as many facts and video as
time permitsUse friendly, conversational toneActive voicePresent tenseAttribution before quotes
Writing a TV news script“Talking head bad. Video good.”
Writing a TV news script“Talking head bad. Video good.”Write to your best video: lead with the
strongest shots
Writing a TV news script“Talking head bad. Video good.”Write to your best video: lead with the
strongest shotsEngage emotions
It’s live and you never know...
Format your story: the style
Format your story: the styleIdea is to make your copy readable and to
fit exactly into the news slot
Format your story: the styleIdea is to make your copy readable and to
fit exactly into the news slotSpells out who says what and what the
viewer is seeing on screen
Format your story: the styleIdea is to make your copy readable and to
fit exactly into the news slotSpells out who says what and what the
viewer is seeing on screenMuch more complicated and technical than
print or internet media
Format your story: the styleIdea is to make your copy readable and to
fit exactly into the news slotSpells out who says what and what the
viewer is seeing on screenMuch more complicated and technical than
print or internet mediaNo standardization from station to station
Here’s what we’ll use for WLAF-TV
Here’s what we’ll use for WLAF-TVAlways use split-page format (two columns)
Here’s what we’ll use for WLAF-TVAlways use split-page format (two columns)Left shows what viewers see; length of
segment (TRT); and who’s saying it
Here’s what we’ll use for WLAF-TVAlways use split-page format (two columns)Left shows what viewers see; length of
segment (TRT); and who’s saying itRight column shows the exact words the
viewer will hear
WLAF-TV styleAll copy being read is ALL CAPS
WLAF-TV styleAll copy being read is ALL CAPSThe words being spoken in sound-bites or
SOT will be in lower case (initial caps) in Italics
WLAF-TV styleAll copy being read is ALL CAPSThe words being spoken in sound-bites or
SOT will be in lower case (initial caps) in Italics
Put the name of newscast, date and your name (as the writer) in upper left
On camera tipsBe ready for the unexpected
On camera tipsBe ready for the unexpectedE’s and I’s! Energy, enthusiasm, emphasis,
inflection and interpretation
On camera tipsBe ready for the unexpectedE’s and I’s! Energy, enthusiasm, emphasis,
inflection and interpretationAs you write your copy, say it out loud:
On camera tipsBe ready for the unexpectedE’s and I’s! Energy, enthusiasm, emphasis,
inflection and interpretationAs you write your copy, say it out loud: can
it be read easily and naturally
On camera tipsBe ready for the unexpectedE’s and I’s! Energy, enthusiasm, emphasis,
inflection and interpretationAs you write your copy, say it out loud: can
it be read easily and naturally; is it easy to understand
On camera tipsBe ready for the unexpectedE’s and I’s! Energy, enthusiasm, emphasis,
inflection and interpretationAs you write your copy, say it out loud: can
it be read easily and naturally; is it easy to understand; is it conversational;
On camera tipsBe ready for the unexpectedE’s and I’s! Energy, enthusiasm, emphasis,
inflection and interpretationAs you write your copy, say it out loud: can
it be read easily and naturally; is it easy to understand; is it conversational; get rid of awkward words
On camera tipsBe ready for the unexpectedE’s and I’s! Energy, enthusiasm, emphasis,
inflection and interpretationAs you write your copy, say it out loud: can
it be read easily and naturally; is it easy to understand; is it conversational; get rid of awkward words; determine real length of story
So let’s try itWrite and record a 40-second story. You are
a reporter for WLAF-TV. You are at the scene of a train-car crash. A Tropicana juice train carrying 2.5 million cartons of juice rammed a Dodge Ram truck at the intersection of US 301 and 27th Street in Bradenton. No one is hurt. You are leading in to a sound-bite from the train engineer, April Showers.
Write anchor lead, record reporter live at scene, interview with April Showers, reporter back to anchor, write anchor outro
TeamsSophie & LucySarah & Bret
Assignment 3/4Prepare and tape a one-minute news
package
Assignment 3/4Prepare and tape a one-minute news
packageYou will turn in your script and show the
video next weekJust make up the content (e.g., local teen
wins $450 million powerball lottery)! Interview friends, the ‘rents, neighbors. Use all of the techniques we’ve discussed.