On Camera: How To Report, Anchor & Interview

385 Pages·2006·4.38 MB·English

by  Nancy Reardon

On Camera

On Camera
How to Report, Anchor & Interview
Nancy Reardon
with Tom Flynn
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Reardon,Nancy.
On-camerapresentation:reporting,anchoring&interviewingforTV/byNancyReardon.
p.cm.
ISBN-13:978-0-240-80809-3(pbk.:alk.paper)
ISBN-10:0-240-80809-6(pbk.:alk.paper) 1. Televisionbroadcastingof
news–Vocationalguidance. 2. Interviewingontelevision–Vocationalguidance. I. Title.
PN4784.T4R432006
070.1’95–dc22
2006011122
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ISBN10:0-240-80809-6
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Dedication
To my mother who always supported me ... in the past
My husband ... in the ever present
My daughter ... now and in the future ...
And all my dogs in the toughest times.
Contents at a Glance
On Camera
Interviewing
The Interviewee
Gathering the Facts
Writing the Script
Presenting the Report on Camera
Sports Reporting
Weather Reporting
Medical Reporting
Legal Reporting
Entertainment Reporting
Business Reporting
Anchoring I
Anchoring II
Hosting
The Voice Itself
Techniques for a Good Reading
Physical Techniques
Looking Good
Preparing Your Reel
How to Land a Job in Television
Contents
Acknowledgments xxiii
Introduction xxv
Writers’Biographies xxvii
1
On Camera 1
Interviewing
5
2
Interviewing 7
Prepare 8
Communicate 11
Listen 12
ToPre-IntervieworNottoPre-Interview? 14
BePolite 15
HardNewsInterviews 17
viii
CONTENTS
SoftNewsInterviews 17
TheAll-ImportantFirstQuestion 20
TheShapeofanInterview 21
TimeisoftheEssence 22
AnswersthatareTooooLong 22
QuestionsthatareTooooLong 23
YesorNoQuestions 24
AnecdotesandStories 25
HavemoreQuestionsthanYouThinkYouWillNeed 26
WhereDoYouLookWhenYouareInterviewing? 27
YourVoice 28
WhoseInterviewisitAnyway? 28
TheEndoftheInterview 29
TheDifferenceMaker 29
Checklist 30
ArethereanyExercisesIcanUse? 30
ExerciseforInterviewVariety 31
ExerciseforQuestions 31
ExerciseforListening 31
ExerciseforFlexibility 32
OneLastExercise 32
Practice,Practice,Practice 34
3
The Interviewee 35
KnowHowYouAppear 35
Prepare 36
Nerves 38
Monotone=Boring 38
KnowYourAudience 39
HaveaGoodTime 41
Checklist 41
ix
CONTENTS
On-Camera Reporting
43
4
Gathering the Facts 45
Nancy’sAccidentStory 45
It’sTelevision.GetVideo. 46
SeeIt.ShootIt 47
EstablishtheScene 48
Cut-Aways,ReversesandJumpCuts 48
JumpCuts 49
ReverseQuestions 51
MoreTricksoftheTrade 52
HowtoStartYourTapedOn-SceneInterviews 52
LiveInterviewsforOn-CameraReporters 54
Checklist 60
5
Writing the Script 61
Nancy’sClassFireStory 61
On-CameraFieldInterviews 62
Let’sWritetheScriptandMakeaPackage 65
ThisisaVisualMedium 68
Pace 68
LanguageisaTool 70
HardNews/LightNews 76
Useof“We”Versus“You”inYourScript 76
ReportingfromtheWarFront 77
FatHeadAdvice 78
FindingYourStoriesandDevelopingYourSources 79
ConclusiontoWritingtheScript 80
Checklist 81