Broadcast Beat Reporting: Legacy

This "Legacy" was written for Gary Hanson's incoming class of Fall 08.
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Welcome to this class! Relax and calm yourself. Because the soul of BBR settles only in a calm body. Did you just read ‘soul of BBR?’ Yes, you did! This class has a soul, a personality of its own that will become your part. And Gary will release bits of this soul into your life in a way a kangaroo rears its joey. Very soon, you will slip out of that BBR pouch and hop around on your own. Until then, stay in Gary’s pouch - fully protected, fully nourished as he shows you a glimpse of the broadcast world. He is the man who will teach you to stand just on your tail.

With a pack of legacy you also must have received a syllabus. Don’t be intimidated by its detail. You will get used to it eventually. But remember, the chunks of activities you see there are similar to the ways in which we compartmentalize our daily works. For this class the first thing you must learn is to chunk out your time for BBR so that you can fit other activities. Gary will tell you that you’ll spend at least 20 hours a week. In initial weeks, I spent 40!

Let me tell you three most important things you will need right from the start.

No. 1: Acquaint yourself with the basics of making a package. [A package is the actual story that you produce for TV2. You will find the story idea, write the script, do the shooting, and edit it. All by yourself!] Don’t be overwhelmed.

No. 2: Work on your script as much as you can.

No. 3: Learn to use your camera and practice getting stable shots.

As a reporter you are expected to know your beat well. Kent State has a lot of activities going around that you can cover. If you are short of any story ideas, ask one from a TV2 producer. Once you have the story, focus on how much information you can collect for your story. But remember, you may have wonderful stuff in your camera, but if you don’t use that, it means you didn’t have it. What comes out in the package is what matters.

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While covering your beats you will realize how difficult it is to get information. Keep the tape rolling and ask questions that you did not plan. If you planned three questions, ask ten. Get into conversation. That’s how you get good soundbites.

Sometimes you may have to follow up because you did not have the right shots. You may think why, after all, it’s a two-minute story. Why should you bother? No. it makes a difference. In broadcast, the right shot is called the ‘gold coin.’ If you have that, you made it.

When you do your Viewing Assignments, take notes. Observe carefully the packages produced by the giants. Identify the key production elements, like shots type, natural sound, and the use of those ‘gold coin’ moments. The earlier you can identify these elements, the sooner you will learn to use them.

Unlike print or radio, TV reporting depends mostly on visual support. For your package you must try to get as much visual cues as possible. This means that besides getting the interviews, you need b-rolls that speak for themselves. Shoot generic as well as specific stuff. Get a variety of shots. Wide, Medium, Close-up and very tight shots. This is a tough job. You will still learn to do this in a good way even when you are in your final packages. But as you work on your script, think of an audience who might be doing something else while keeping the TV switched on. Your script must have as much information for a person who cannot ‘watch’ the story without actually watching it.

Remember my kangaroo analogy at the beginning? As the joey dares to come out in the wild, the first thing it learns is to evade away from the enemies. Do you know what’s your biggest enemy in production? Shaky videos. A bad video is no video at all. Until you are absolutely stable without a tripod, always use it. Carry a bag that fits your camera and a tripod. If you are using a small camera (ZR800 Canon), you don’t need a heavy tripod.

Your survival also depends on getting the audio right. Toward the end of the semester we came to know about the concept of ‘Mic the dog.’ This means, if you want a good audio you need to have the mic as close and as always as possible.

As you critique your packages, see how successfully you have used these clues.

As a BBR student, you are automatically a TV2 reporter. Be proud that you are getting a chance to work for a station that has live newscasts. If you have any new ideas, you can have your own TV show. You will have a lot to learn while working for TV2.

This is great opportunity to work in a converged newsroom. Very soon you will realize you are working with a producer, videographer, graphics designer and others. Since the work you do will be used in the news, take this opportunity to do something that can be used in your own package. It may not always happen, but if you plan it out with your producer, it may work out. Get an opportunity to work either as a talent (people who do the newscasts) or as tech (people at the control room). That way you don’t just do the usual chores required by the course, but pick up skills in media in action.

You are in a great class with the most committed professor. Take advantage of it. Perhaps, one day you’ll learn to balance yourself on your tail like a kangaroo.

Good luck!