Broadcast writing: The anatomy of a reader, VO and VOSOT A former network producer will show you strategies for pounding out copy for a reader, voice-overs or voiceover sound on tape. Learn how basic broadcast stories are constructed so you can get over writers block quickly, figure out a punchy lede and write efficiently.
Paul Niwa Associate Professor & Chair of Journalism Emerson College Slides at: paulniwa.com/ teaching
Emerson Journalism •
The only liberal arts college where all students major in a communications field.
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More learning excursions than any journalism program.
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More internship opportunities than students.
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Provide the tools students need to succeed.
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USA Today - Best Journalism Program.
Goals •
Write a reader, VO and VOSOT quickly.
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Get over writer’s block.
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Use your time wisely.
Not the Goal •
Broadcast writing style.
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What to wear. How to perform.
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How to notate scripts.
Readers and VOs •
Reader (RDR)= Anchors reading on camera (includes box, OTS, Monitor).
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VO = Anchors start by reading on camera and then continue reading off camera.
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Or a variation of both (VTOP, VO/OC, OTS/FS).
VO OC/VO
RDR/VO •
Stories of low importance.
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Filler to time out a show.
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20-25 seconds (4 short sentences).
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Equivalent of a headline in print.
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Get it done. Put your time into PKGs.
Check work
Research
Writing the rest
Lede
Budget your time Time varies
Research •
Read as much as you can.
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Circle important details - names, dates, places.
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Ask questions.
Write the lede •
What’s going on right now?
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What is the significance? What should people remember in a week?
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Be direct. •
No need for hyperbole or speculation.
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Be understandable, not catchy or folksy.
Lede examples •
Governor Mike Pence has returned home to Indianapolis after being elected vice president.
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The best marching bands in America are tooting their horns at Lucas Oil Stadium this morning.
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Thousands of restaurants are offering military veterans discounts and free meals today.
You try a lede Bicycle helmets that utilize airbag technology instead of conventional hard foam may offer five times more protection against brain injuries, according to Stanford University researchers. These inflatable helmets cannot be sold in the United States due to current federal regulations. Two sets of test dummies, one wearing a standard helmet and the other wearing one that is worn around the neck and inflates like an airbag when it senses a collision, were dropped from varying heights in a lab to simulate bicycle accidents. “It was a big difference,� Stanford University bioengineer David Camarillo said. Bicycle accidents are a leading cause of sports-related head injuries in the world due to the sheer number of bicyclists.
Writing the rest
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Read the preceding sentence.
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What does the audience want to know next? Write the answer in your next sentence.
RDR/VO Example The best marching bands in the country are tooting their horns at Lucas Oil Stadium this morning. Ten Indiana high schools are among the top 14 marching bands competing for the Grand National Championship. The best marching band in the country will be selected tomorrow night after two months of preliminary contests nationwide.
You try it Bicycle helmets that utilize airbag technology instead of conventional hard foam may offer five times more protection against brain injuries, according to Stanford University researchers. These inflatable helmets cannot be sold in the United States due to current federal regulations. Two sets of test dummies, one wearing a standard helmet and the other wearing one that is worn around the neck and inflates like an airbag when it senses a collision, were dropped from varying heights in a lab to simulate bicycle accidents. “It was a big difference, enough to save thousands of lives a year.� Stanford University bioengineer David Camarillo said. Bicycle accidents are a leading cause of sports-related head injuries in the world due to the sheer number of bicyclists.
Adding the VO • Drop the VO after the first sentence. Leave at least two sentences on VO. •Talk about what is in the video. If the video is not interesting, don’t feel obligated to show it. • If you use video, give your audience more context. Write a CG for it to show the location, date or whether it is file footage.
Check your work • Read it aloud. If you stumble, you need to rewrite the sentence. •
Read each sentence from the last sentence to the first.
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Check for subject/verb agreement.
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Move clauses to the end of the sentence.
• Check to see if the subject is the person or thing doing the action. Make sure it is at the beginning of the sentence.
VOSOT • 40-45 seconds. • anchor on camera for one sentence or two (preferably on a OTS box), followed by two sentences of VO a SOT (Sound on tape) followed by a tag on OC. • Like a reader, but it adds a quote to bring context or opinion. • Sometimes adds context by playing sound from the location to help the audience feel like they are at the scene.
VOSOTs • Accelerates the pace of a newscast. There are a lot of shots and at least two different voices. • Repurposed content. Often a cut down version of a package if you have multiple newscasts. • Lower priority story than a package.
VOSOT
Check work
Research
Writing the rest
Lede
Budget your time Same, except you need to pick a SOT.
Picking a SOT •
Leave research time to find an SOT.
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About :20
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Who - expert or person effected.
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SOTS say things anchors cannot - opinion, first hand accounts, location sound.
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Transcribe SOTS verbatim.
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Note the time (accurate to the second), and outcue.
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Write a CG with the person’s name and why we should listen to them.
Writing the lede
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Same, same, same.
Writing the rest
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Same as RDR/VO.
Introducing the SOT •
Must contain the person’s name and answer why we should listen to the SOT.
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Do not repeat the question.
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Do not be obvious.
Writing a tag •
Every SOT needs a tag.
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Don’t be wishy washy. “…it remains to be seen.”
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Offer a solid nugget to your audience.
Tag strategies •
What’s next?
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A new angle to the story.
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How can your audience get involved.
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Tease your next coverage.
VO/SOT Example The American who snapped the only photos of the D-Day invasion has died. Robert Capa stepped on a landmine in Vietnam while photographing an assault by French troops. Cornell Capa says his brother believed that “if your photos aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” “ROBERT TOOK RISKS TO SHOW THE WORLD THE UGLY REALITY OF WAR. MY BROTHER FELT THAT IF HE DID HIS JOB, HE WOULD PUT ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS OUT OF BUSINESS.” Robert Capa was a co-founder of Magnum, the world’s first photo agency run by photographers. Three of the five cofounders have already died covering wars around the world.
You try it Bicycle helmets that utilize airbag technology instead of conventional hard foam may offer five times more protection against brain injuries, according to Stanford University researchers. These inflatable helmets cannot be sold in the United States due to current federal regulations. Two sets of test dummies, one wearing a standard helmet and the other wearing one that is worn around the neck and inflates like an airbag when it senses a collision, were dropped from varying heights in a lab to simulate bicycle accidents. “It was a big difference, enough to save thousands of lives a year.� Stanford University bioengineer David Camarillo said. Bicycle accidents are a leading cause of sports-related head injuries in the world due to the sheer number of bicyclists.
Paul Niwa Associate Professor & Chair of Journalism Emerson College Slides at: paulniwa.com/teaching Portrait Lighting: Shooting the Butterfly Saturday at noon in Room 101