How Things Went

The newscast was not half as smooth as when I produced the entire thing. The show did not go very well for the other producers and the only reason mine was good is because I anchored it. My segment was good. It could have been better but our director did not really do to well on the videos this time. But overall it was an ok newscast. My video had more issues than anyone because when I was coding it it wold not go into the system, that was fun. I spent hours trying to make it work and finally it just started working.


This course taught me a lot of life lessons but more importsntly it taught me a lot about producing. Producing is a about 8 man job but one person can do it and do it very well with a lot of determination and desire. I've learned to edit far better than I could have ever expected and that I don't want to be an anchor. Possibly an actor but definitely not an anchor. So if I go into news I know where my place is. But I love producing and even after this experience, I still think it's what I will do for life.

Almost Here

It's almost time for the newscast. It has been a learning experience with this one because taking directions from someone who is making a mess of something is just wild for me. But today was a minute break through as we all had to sit back and take direction and instruction form a real producer and now everyone is starting to understand what should be done a little more and I think it will work out after all. This time I have to code my videos which is something associate producers sometimes do, all it is is putting numbers beside edited video so the director knows what to grab. The issue is finding the time to do so. As I write I am also producing a radio show but that's a whole other time and place.

2nd Newscast Prep.

This newscast will be different. I had to take a back seat on this one and allow someone else to drive. It's like riding with a 15 year old with a learners permit. This girl is not the best at producing but I'm feeling like it's more so that she doesn't care. So it's bothersome. Either way I am doing my part. I am producing only one block and line producing another... However, this time I am anchoring. This will be a different experience for me because it is different from West Ga where there is one camera to focus on as you read. This will help me a lot with my writing when I'm writing scripts because I will know first hand what is an easy and conversational read and understand what isn't. The newscast is next week.

RELIEF

The first newscast is over. It went extremely well. Internship coordinators told me numerous amounts of time this was the best prepared newscast they've dealt with theough the entire duration of the program. I produced the entire newscast. I had the help of an assistant producer who became an editor for the talent. The first thing I put together was the rundown, which I will show you a copy of. It was great for an essay but I changed it the day before. I started with the same type of news throughout each block but changed it to keep the audiences interest. This caused extra work on myself but it turned out perfectly.

Next I rounded up my troops and had them produce their own packages which I edited and re-wrote once I received them. After that I put together the VOs and VOSOTS for the entire newscast. I wrote everything. I am very happy with the chosen scripts and video. It all came together very well... which you shall soon see.

After preparing everyone else, ensuring scripts and video for all three block of the show, and talking a shy girl into ad libing weather(a project in itself) I produced and edited my packages. One I taped(actually held the camera for shots), edited and scripted fully. I did all of the work field and studio for my UWG package with the help of a WSBTV photog and another intern. I made a few mistakes so editing became very time consuming on this package. The lighting and sound were off completely. I also had a jumpcut that I put video over(never done before)

The second package I did I am very proud of because instead of shooting a stand up I did the intro and tag to the story live, you will understand when you see the full project. I received a lot of compliments on this.

Overall I am very pleased with the finished project and I really hope you enjoy and critique my writing and the production overall.

Getting the Job Done

Crunch time has officially arrived. Everything we've been talking about is being out into action. But we added an extra step for one package. As a producer I don't do packages. However, one of the other producers and I chose to do the ground work, so... We checked out a camera from school and taped the UWG protest. We produced the package together. Our camera work isn't as beautiful as the seasoned vets, but we did ok. I'm a bit better than her at being a camera person but since I did the reporting, I allowed her to do most of the camera work. Seemed disastrous at first. Anyway it will be on the first newscast so you will see it. Staying up late, all day, at the station writing, logging and capturing, and editing footage has been my week and will be the same next week. Here comes our best work.

Teaching

I spent this week teaching what I know and a little bit of perfecting it. I plan to be fair and give all the anchors a chance to be on camera in my production. To do so, They must all know how to produce a package which includes writing scripts, getting camera shots and editing with avid. This week we started with avid. To properly teach someone to edit anything with motion, you must first know it very well yourself. So I spent a day learning certain cuts, splices, and trims I didn't know. One other producer, our director and myself sat with the reporters and anchors for this newscast and taught them the necessary tools for avid.

Beginning of the First Newscasts

As I posted in the last response, a producer's first job is to get the right script. This week marked the first week of my highly anticipated midterm newscast for this semester, unprecedented of WSB-TV interns. I am preparing some SOTs and writing for the others. I have been searching for enterprise stories that will remain relevant for the audience in a few weeks. For example, the zebra escaping the circus and running down the expressway. The key for this story is finding the footage no one else has. since I wasn't at work that day I didn't get the opportunity to get my own shots but I'm hoping someone has close ups on the zebra running head on. This particular story will be different because I may have to write to the video instead of making the video speak and allowing the words to accompany. I also have to get together with reporters and anchors and choose whichj ones I want. Then figure out which shots are going to be best for which person. The one thing I don't want is a generic newscast that looks like all the other ones. so this week marks the embarking on one of two highlights of the semester.

ALL NIGHT LONG

This week has been slow. I did more intern type of activities like running scripts and answering phones. But I have been working on my writing. It's difficult to differentiate between different writing styles. When writing for film or plays the rules kind of transform from how you write for the news and vice versa. I have to change the writing here when producing. I have to remember to keep in mind the important aspect is conversation. It was easier the first week I did this. But I did produce a VO-voice over adn included a few SOT's-Sound over tape.

The Reporting Aspect

Sorry to get to you all so late but this process is time consuming. This week was a breif introduction to field producing. I shadowed a reporter/anchor and a photographer. The story was partially put together outside of the newsroom. This taught me what I need to ask for and look for as a producer receiving a story from reporters and photogs. We needed good film to write to so I was able to see excellent camera angles and how to get them. When to use the zoom and pan features for a story. This came from a guy basically running from us because he didn't want to comment on the story. We took the film back and wrote scripts and cut the film to match it.

Audio

This week was an easy going week at WSB so I was able to learn a something that I already thought I knew well. This was the week of voice and audio. I did my first VO this week and learned that my voice sucks. I was rather monotone and that won't work for news production.

In news the biggest struggle is to keep the viewer interested. It is especially difficult because producers and reporters don't choose the news, they are the messengers. It is their job to get you the info you you need and keep your attention. Therefore, when it comes to your voice on something like a VO, the reader, wheter it's a reporter or producer, must maintain a conversational style... ie monotone is not useful.

So I recorded the audio five or six times. In the process I learned how to work audio, compress and save in to the track. I used tracks from each of the recordings to make the VO. None of them were perfect but parts of each of them were. As producer audio and voice are two things I have to understand to be succcessful. I'm getting better at it.

The First Week at WSBTV

This week showed me just how rigorous being a producer will be, especially if I continue in my path to producing news. This week I shadowed Damien who just happened to be producing the 11p.m. show. Damien arrived at the station at about 3p.m. and we still experienced a seemingly major issue which, as the producer, Damien fixed. He sat for about six hours deciding what stories still had new value since most of them in the run-down were just revolving from the morning, noon and afternoon news. Stories like the idiots pick pocketing old people and of course the break-ins in Clayton County homes made the cut. He also made the decision not to lead with the Haiti like other stations because at the time there was no new information to report. So everything was going well. Damien assigned reporters to stories, entered time for stories, read over scripts, approved new stories, wrote teases etc. Everything is running smoothly until 10:45. As I previously stated, we wanted to treat the sensitive Haiti situation with special attention and not show the same thing broadcasted on every news station across the world. So the deal was, our reporters on the ground in Haiti would send us a new package. Damien had already talked the graphics department into making a new Haiti template and all was well. Then along came the dreaded phone call... "can someone let them know the Haiti package won't be ready by 11?" Every person near me stood still like the entire news cast was at stake. Then it was a simultaneous stirke into action. Everyone tried to figure out different ways to still have a Haiti segment. In the end we cut and edited the old package to fit the new script. It was exactly what we did not want, but the viewers had no clue there was even an issue.