BROADCAST BIBLE
10 FINGER RULE
Left Hand
Action: this should be the movement in the shot
Reaction: this will be the emotions in reaction to the main action of the shot
*make sure action and reaction are balanced
Shot sequences:
Wide – full range shot - use this as the establishing shot – 2 seconds or so
Medium – get rid of the background
Tight – close up shots
Right Hand
Background: pay attention to what is happening in and/or on the background
Lighting: avoid shooting into the light, having harsh light behind your subject, or creating shadows
over your subjects face – hold your hand up in the light and see where the best light is hitting your
hand and ask your subject to move there – don’t be afraid to do this
Sound: are you getting it? ALWAYS use your headphones to monitor your audio
Nose: ALWAYS have more room in front of the subject than behind the subject even if it means
tucking their head in the corner of the frame – think “nose room” – Pinocchio
Eyes: The eyes should be at the top third of the screen no matter what type of shot you are doing –
okay to cut off the top of the head to make sure the “eyes are on third”
BEFORE YOU GET THE STORY:
Focus statement – one short, concise statement that sums up the idea for the story
Hot seat – the reporter and videographer sit in front of the room and pitch their story to the class – it
is not a tool to criticize or humiliate – everyone asks questions about the story (including myself),
gives suggestions, but most importantly…this is a tool to make sure the story is going to work and
that it fits the ‘mission’ of the show
Story board – visual map of story idea – must be completed before any footage is shot or interviews
are made
Script – interview questions/audio for the story - must be completed before any footage is shot or
interviews are completed
Schedule – when, where, and how are you going to complete your story - must be completed before
any footage is shot or interviews are made
WRITING TIPS:
- AIM FOR THE HEART
-SAY IT? – WELL, PROVE IT THEN! Use soundbites
avoid fantastic, unbelievable, fabulous subjective adjectives – only use ones that can be proved
-avoid generalizations – they can’t be proven
ex. The elementary school children were frightened as they watched their mother slam their drunken
father over the head with a 7lb iron frying pan
-use active voice, not passive – make things do things
-give credit first. Ex. The BC police said, NOT ……, said BC police
-watch covering a story vs. promoting something in your story
- don’t give away the story, draw the viewer in, sprinkle gold coins, create question/mystery, save
the surprise
-as a reporter….Shut up….let the story do the ‘talking’…less from you is always better
-Keep it short, keep it simple
- don’t say “If you went to homecoming last night, WOW….” consider those that didn’t go
-don’t give ages unless it is truly relevant to the story
-Give information before identification if the WHO is the most important part of the story – don’t
start with the name right off the bat – provide some lead in before giving names
--use strong characters to cover difficult/emotion filled topics
-when doing a longer feature, make sure to establish your main character before getting into the
story telling
PARTS OF A STORY:
Soundbites – short, little pieces of interviews – video/audio
B Roll – everything other than interviews – video/audio
Standups – reporter ‘spots’
Scripts – what the reporters will say in their ‘spots’
Copy – the expanded, more detailed version of the video story
INTERVIEWING – FORMAL & INFORMAL:
**START EVERY INTERVIEW WITH THE SUBJECT STATING THEIR FIRST AND
LAST NAME AND SPELLING IT***
Formal:
- use three light studio lighting whenever possible, have both seated, use lav mics only
-start interview just talking with your subject about anything but what you want the interview to
really be about – do this to get them comfortable
-while you are talking that is when the lights and camera can be set up - establish a signal with the
camera person so you know when they are ready to really begin – THEN start talking about what
the interview is really about
-frame the shot bust up with eyes on third – okay to cut the top of the head off
Informal:
-use the best available light, both standing, use lav or stick mic
-camera should be to the right or left of the reporter
-make sure the mic doesn’t show up in the shot
-frame the shot bust up with eyes on third – okay to cut the top of the head off
GETTING THE VIDEO:
-USE A TRIPOD
- IT’S ALWAYS AUDIO
-DON’T PUT THE SUBJECT IN THE CENTER – rule of thirds
-ENERGY TO SERIOUS TO ENERGY
-review your ‘10 hand rules’ & remember WALLDO: wide, angle, low, linking, depth, opposite
-4 camera positions: from the shoulder, overhead, from the hip, from the floor
-use natural (nat) sound whenever possible for soundbites
--make sure to shoot interview subject doing their thing – not just to get the audio: “If we weren’t
talking right now, show me some of the things that you would be doing right now.”
-start with an establishing shot – try to have audio of some sort
-make sure you have a beginning, middle, end – come full circle
-when possible, focus manually – zoom in – focus – zoom out
-set your white balance
-make sure to record at least five minutes more than you think you need -‘mop-up’
-NEVER use preset effects
-Don’t cross the axis – you & your tripod stay on the same side of your subject while shooting to
avoid confusing your viewers
-when switching between wide, medium, and tight, use the pause then frame your shot, then record
again. NEVER frame your shot/use the zoom while you are recording unless you will lose the
action/reaction. Move your FEET!
-if in the middle of interview and the subject moves, it is okay to shift camera while rolling
-ask your subject if they have any photos/videos related to your story that you can use to enhance
your story
-get camera level with your subject – if it is a young child, get down on one knee – if it is a tall
person, stand on something
-you can’t be a wallflower….the best zoom is your FEET
-use tight shots to avoid jump cuts
-make sure main subjects do not wear sunglasses & make sure to put your subject in the shade of a
tree or building whenever possible – try to avoid shooting in direct sunlight
-if you have multiple people in the shot, like two anchors, try to make sure that all of their eyes are
close to being on the same level
IN THE EDIT BAY:
MAKE CONTROL S YOUR BEST FRIEND – SAVE CONSTANTLY
-NEVER USE DISNEY IMAGES
- IT’S ALWAYS AUDIO - ALWAYS LAY THE AUDIO TRACK BEFORE THE VIDEO- listen
to it without watching the video…does the audio make sense? If not, rework it THEN lay the video
Keyboard shortcuts: shift z – puts all clips in view on the screen, command Z – undo, command H –
hides program being used
-5 sec. slug at the beginning and end of every segment
-watch pauses – clip them out
-the reporter DOES NOT have to be in the story – you can, and 99% of the time should, use just
his/her voice
-don’t use copyrighted music – make your own with garage band or ask a friend that is a musician
and give them credit
-Use ‘snap’ to avoid flash frame
-put a ‘face’ on every story
-beginning, middle, and end of every shot as well as every story
-time issue: allow for enough time to read any text used on screen
-make sure sequences are seamless – wide, medium, and tight
-engage the audience – don’t give the story away – save the surprise!