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Asking Questions Will Set You Apart
June 8th, 2011
Here’s yet another example how good questions will distinguish your reporting. And from, of all places, The Today Show. Here’s an excerpt from NBC’s tribute to Meredith Vieira on her last day.
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Power of Social Media Video
June 5th, 2011
Using video in Facebook and other social media channels can set you apart. My colleague Regent Ducas shared insights about this in a presentation to women in business, which was sponsored by the Lewisville, TX Chamber of Commerce.
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Close-Up Power
June 4th, 2011
Keep your eyes open for tight shots.
They need to advance your storytelling — and can provide variety. Multimedia journalist Scott Broom, whom I interviewed for one of our live webinars, points out how these tight shots helped capture the essence of subjects of his videos. He looks for these opportunities all the time.
Be careful, though, to avoid shots that distract from the point of your story. They need to advance your storytelling, not get in the way of it.
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A Fresh Approach to Shooting Presentations
June 3rd, 2011
If you’re getting tired of the traditional head on shot for soundbites, explore fresh approaches. For example, when my colleague Regent Ducas spoke to an audience of women in business about creating videos for the web, we wanted to capture the scene and audience. So I took the camera off the tripod.
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What Would a Promo about You Look Like?
May 28th, 2011
“What if you could have the original reporting of 60 Minutes every weeknight? Now you can…” is how a promo about new CBS anchor Scott Pelley begins.
The promo runs only ten seconds but includes a montage of defining moments including this shot. When you think of hard-hitting network news programs, you don’t think of this type of shot. Yet it shows the news person is multi-dimentional. Specifically, that he’s a real person with a heart.
So what does this have to do with you? You might ask a few questions.
QUESTIONS
If your station created a promo for you, what memorable moments would they show?
What portrait would the various shots paint?
What’s missing that you need to achieve next?
Okay, even if you don’t expect a promo, the point is the promo captures the best of who you are. So you need to be sure you’re carving out a uniquely valuable identity.
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Tight Editing Makes for Great Visual Storytelling
May 21st, 2011
You can squeeze alot of engaging video and sound into a story — as long as you don’t overwhelm viewers. Here’s a great example of editing by Michael DelGiudice WNBC/New York, NY.
NPPA 2010 TV BOP Editing: Photo Essay (Photog)
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Clever Way to Squeeze More Soundbites into a Story
May 21st, 2011
How do you produce a fast-paced video with multiple soundbites?
It’s not always easy even if you use the shortest possible clips. Consider this approach my colleague Regent Ducas and I utilized for a promotional video for golf memberships at the Four Seasons Resort Dallas. Look for the series of quick dissolves in the beginning.
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Who’s the Best Interviewer at Your Station?
May 21st, 2011
Who’s the best interviewer at your station?
This Wall Street Journal ad quotes the New York Times’ choice of Chris Wallace. Who stands out at your station? Who in your market? How do you score? (The full ad was cut off in scanning, but you get the point.)
Reporters usually offer these reasons for cutting out their questions:
“My questions are too long, so I don’t have time for them.”
“My questions won’t make me look good.”
“I don’t know what to ask.”One news director, in fact, demanded that reporters cut out their questions because they were so weak, bogging stories down. That may be a short term solution, but doesn’t serve anyone well in the long run.
TAKEAWAYS
Remember the value of short, relevant questions that viewers want answered.
Don’t feel obligated to use every question, but look for opportunities to include your best questions.
Contact a manager for guidance if they know their questions are going to be weak.Learn more. Click:
This Takes Nerve — and Viewers Love It
Asking Tough Questions: Tips from a News Director
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Learn from Some of the World’s Best Photo Journalists
May 4th, 2011
You can learn a lot from still images. They’re a good starting point before you capture motion.
You might learn from this presentation produced by Leica camera, showing the work of some of most respected photo journalists. Even if your daily opportunities aren’t this dramatic, look for memorable moments.
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Making Sequences Easy to Shoot and Edit
May 2nd, 2011
Here’s an excellent example of sequencing. And it comes in a promo for a morning newscast.
Notice how shooting people coming into or out of the frame makes editing quick and easy.
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