TV News Making Awesome Newscasts

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TV NewsMaking Awesome Newscasts

• Aaron Wissner
• wissnera_at_wayland.k12.mi.us

www.iammea.org/wayland www.wayland.k12.mi.us/wms/
staff/wissnera/
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Please Write Answer on Paper!

• What do you want from me?
• I really need to know so I can tailor this
  presentation for you.

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Introductions - Please Sign Sheet

• Who am I?
• Who are you?
• What do I know?
• What do you want?
• Am I going to tell you?

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What is most important?

• Writing?
• Narrating?
• Cover shots?
• News values?
• Fun factor?
• Audio quality?
• Video quality?
• Pace?

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How to start?

• Why are you doing this?
• What do you want to accomplish?
• What are your goals?
• Get administrative support - GT argument
• Drum up staff student interest

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What is News?

• Interesting Facts about People makes News.
• News Triangle

Interest
Facts
People
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What makes it interesting?

• Timeliness
• Proximity
• Impact/Consequence
• Sex

• Drama
• Oddity
• Conflict
• Progress

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Basic Equipment

• Bare Bones
• TV
• Camcorder

• Better
• TV
• Digital camcorder
• Computer
• Editing Software

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Our Equipment

• 3 Digital Camcorders
• 3 Editing Computers
• 2 TVs (for monitors)
• 2 VCRs
• 1 Microphone
• 1 Audio/Video Mixer
• 6 Headsets
• 1 Schoolwide Broadcast Setup

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Team Structure

• Meet during last 25 minutes - 2/week
• After school for 1 hour every day - students vary
  based on schedule
• Team leaders - lunch 2/week
• Rehearsal for 45 min before school 1/week
• Broadcast at end of day

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Overall Structure

• Every student learns does every job
• Rotation all students follow
• Number jobs Number students
• Students audition
• Students sign a contract
• Every job has a description and checklist
• Live show more real experience deadline

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Jobs

• Reporter
• Editor
• Photographer
• Slide Show Artist
• Videographer

• Tape Tech
• Mixing Tech
• Host
• Newscaster
• Videographer

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Who are students?

• 8th 7th grade interested in acting or TV
• Some high level - gifted
• Some outgoing - some quiet
• Occasional special education
• Some experiences in 6th or 5th grade

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12 Week Outline

• 1 week of training - writing, reporting, video
• 11 weeks of projects
• New show every 2 days
• 45-50 minutes in class
• Allow extra time for bottlenecks - capturing,
  rendering, etc.
• Have all projects due 2 days before show
• Rehearsals with only live crew

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Sequence

• PowerPoint Intro
• Hosts
• Newscast with Chroma
• Hosts
• Reports
• Hosts
• PowerPoint Credits

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Reporter Tips

• Know what your report is about
• First gather all of your facts
• Write the report in a conversational tone
• Have an adult help edit the report
• Write questions for 2 to 4 interviews
• Storyboard for good cover shots
• Record interviews, reports cover shot

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Videographer Tips

• Use a tape log
• Check battery and tape position
• Find a very quiet location
• Get close - dont film toward windows
• Do not zoom do not pan
• Record 5 seconds before and after each shot
• Monitor sound level through headphones

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Editor Tips

• Capture all video - use tape logs to find it
• ex. 52news0231438pennywars20040310
• First, edit narration/report
• Second, insert good interview clips
• Third, delete/replace reporter with cover shots
  that agree with the narration
• Have others an adult listen and look
• Adjust the audio level Make to final form

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Photographer Tips

• Take pics of PEOPLE doing things
• Get all different people
• Get close
• Hold camera very still
• Dont shoot toward windows
• Take lots and lots of shots
• Load the pics on the computer
• Name folders and pictures

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Slide Show Artist Tips

• Less is More
• One or two pictures
• Crop the pictures
• One WordArt caption
• One to three clip arts or AutoShapes
• Make everything very big and bright
• Stay positive
• Make 12 - 15 slides

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You Call That A Play?
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I Am Da Janinator
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GO STATE!
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They'll never catch me!
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The News
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Brodcasting Live from Wayland Union Middle
School
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Newscaster Tips

• Find new interesting, timely facts
• Prepare news slides for chromakey
• Make script brief and to the point
• Practice, practice, practice!
• Smile, smile, smile!

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Hosts Tips

• Smile, smile, smile!
• Be warm, kind, and inviting
• Stay on target introduce wrap reports
• Practice, practice, practice with co-host
• Look into the camera
• Be prepared for technical problems
• Make it big! One segment per page!

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Mixing Technician Tips

• Practice a lot with an earlier show
• Get comfortable with all the buttons
• Rehearse the chroma key effect
• Press buttons firmly at a steady pace
• Monitor sound through headphones
• Know the sequence
• Dont jump too early

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Tape Technician Tips

• Have all segments in order on 1 master tape
• Practice pausing and un-pausing
• Make sure hosts have same order
• Pay attention to mixer
• Monitor sound level through headphones
• Label all tapes - help update tape logs

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Director Reminders

• Test all equipment
• Have music video tape to test the system
• Check for good sound from all sources
• Help mixing tech and other live crew
• Be confident, calm, and warm during show
• Have all recordings ready to go

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Webmaster Role

• Takes all segments and edits tightly
• Makes for web
• Makes for DVD
• Takes 3 to 4 hours at first

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How to maintain improve?

• Keep accurate up to date tape logs
• Each student 3 pluses 3 wishes for each show
• Explain jobs and rotation clearly
• Be very well prepared
• Team leaders to bring issues

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Money Problems?

• Use videotaping to make
• Ex. Concert DVDs 9 and Videos 7
• Take tons of Pictures
• Year in Pictures CD-ROM 5

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Teaching Tips

• Be clear
• Make it fun
• Know exactly what you want
• Clearly outline the boundaries
• Clearly describe the choices available

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What is most important?

• Writing?
• Narrating?
• Cover shots?
• News values?
• Fun factor?
• Audio quality?
• Video quality?
• Pace?

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TV NewsMaking Awesome Newscasts

• Aaron Wissner
• wissnera_at_wayland.k12.mi.us

www.iammea.org/wayland www.wayland.k12.mi.us/wms/
staff/wissnera/