radio and tv packaging tips

TV & RADIO PACKAGING

20 tips

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20 TV & radio packaging tips

Before you start editing have a clear idea of how long your finished item is likely to be

Know approximately how much of your interviewees you are likely to use

1: ClarityMeasurements & quantity

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Map out a structure for the piece

Try to work out a possible order for the interview clips

List the points they will address

2: Format Piecing the story together

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Try to limit yourself to no more than three key points for one item

Too many points could cause confusion

Remain focused on the three points throughout

3: Limitations Stay focused

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Try to make sure each of these three key points is addressed by a different interviewee

Three points = three interviewees

4: Key points Different interviewees

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Listen or watch the interview in full from start to finish at least once

Note the time on the recording of each potential interview clip

Log the words that begin the clip and the words that end it

5: Review Examining your material

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Return to the structure you planned to see if it is still coherent

Be ready to change the order of the clips if needed

Ensure the piece makes sense

Get a colleagues opinion

6: Coherence Does it make sense

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Put the strongest interview at the start of the piece

Ensure you capture the attention of the audience

Encourage them to listen to or watch entire item

7: Strength Grab attention

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Choose interview clips which give opinion rather than those which relay information

Non controversial information can be summarised in your links

People want to know what people think

8: Selection Opinions & information

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Try to leave a half beat at the start and end of each clip

Life isn’t breathless; a radio or television package should reflect life

What you produce should be easy to listen to

9: Pace Life isn’t breathless

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In television avoid using noddies and walking shots

They are boring to look at and do not make use of the medium

It’s a lazy option

10: Clichés Don’t stage manage

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Don’t internally edit clips

Never take one part one answer and edit it to another part

It is dishonest and sounds bad

Create separate clips

11: EditingRetain the original meaning

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Never use an answer from one question and use it in response to another question

This is taking things out of context

It is unfair to the interviewee and the audience

12: Context Avoid mix and match

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Avoid using the same words at the end of your text as those used spoken by the interviewee at the beginning of the clip

For example: John Smith said he was delighted..

[John Smith] "I am delighted ..."

13: Commentary Repetition

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Avoid summarizing everything in the text that is going to appear in the clip

The introduction should set the clip up, not duplicate it

Make the best use of the time you have by using words carefully

14: Summarising Avoid duplication

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In TV alternate the direction in which the interviewee

(First interviewee looking left to right, second right to left, third left to right etc)

It is easier to watch

15: Positioning Think continuity

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Try to avoid running two clips back to back without a commentary between them

Where it’s unavoidable, for example in the case of vox pops in radio, try to alternate between male and female voices

16: Voices Male female mix

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Make sure you have the correct title for your interviewee

Spell their name correctly in the TV caption

If they have a particularly long job title, try to agree a shortened version before you return from the interview

17: Titles Accuracy

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Try to avoid ending a report on a clip of one of the interviews

In TV this looks untidy; In radio, it complicates life for the studio presenter

It also gives one side or another of an argument the last word

18: EndingDon’t leave the job unfinished

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If you are editing an interview as a stand-alone item, try to put as much of the non-controversial information in the intro or lead-in to the item

Always remember to make sure the intro ends with a question and the piece begins with an answer to that question

19: Answers ... ... and questions

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For stand alone interviews always give an option of an early out, with a shorter duration and the right outwords

This will help the production team in case more urgent news breaks or they need to cut back your item

20: Options And mean it

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Using material from a training module specially prepared by Jaldeep Katwala for Media Helping Media

http://bit.ly/bG1u3F

Acknowledgement Jaldeep Katwala

Image courtesy of Jaldeep Katwala

http://www.mediahelpingmedia.org/



http://www.mediahelpingmedia.org/

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