RTV 215
So what does it take to be successful
in Media Performance?
Chapter 6
Successful performers…
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Oprah Winfrey
Jimmy Kimmel
Pat Sajak
Howie Mandel
Ellen Degeneres
Dr. Phil
Who else?
What led to their success?
Characteristics
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Authority
Integrity
Personality
Likeability
Sense of Humor
Attractiveness / Physique
What else?
Who is successful ‘anyway’
What our chapter says…
In talking about how to succeed as a performer,
they say ATTITUDE
makes the difference, and that you should be
AMBITIOUS
desiring to reach a specific goal.
Chapter 6
• They say the most ambitious contenders for
success are obsessed, while
• a second group consists of those who have the
ability to succeed at whatever they do, and
• a third group is made up of
specialists in subject matter -- who may
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not be as distinguished as performers.
What’s going on?
• While a DJ is live on air?
• While a news anchor reads the stories and
produces the radio newscast?
• While a TV anchor reads the prompter?
• While an on camera interview is taking place?
• While a reporter does an on location live
report?
– All the stuff in the background, so…
• A performer has to be good at
CONCENTRATION
which means paying attention to what you
are doing to the exclusion of everything else.
° continue to focus on what you’re saying
despite background distractions, time cues,
unexpected events, etc.
….and what about cues for TV?
A few major ones…
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Quiet on the set
Stand by / cue
Stretch
Speed up (watch for variations / wrap up)
I, 2, etc. minutes remaining
30 seconds / 15 seconds (no time)
Wrap up
‘half way’ – one we have adopted
In Chapter 6…
• Broadcast and video production often begins
with the phrase
• quiet on the set,
• that focuses attention, stops unwanted noise,
and assists performers in concentration.
• This one is spoken aloud – others cannot be
Intercom
• ‘Headsets’ / wired or wireless
• Director can talk to you
• During production, you cannot talk to director
if you are crew or talent
• ‘IFB’ for talent
And so you’re the face of the show
• Can you do ‘image control’ and not worry
about who’s depending on you?
• Actors / celebrities comparison: Kanye West,
Mariah Carey, Val Kilmer, January Jones (Mad
Men), Jennifer Lopez, Bruce Willis, Shia
LeBeouf, Katherine Heigl, Charlie Sheen,
Others?
• In news, talk shows, DJs, sports? Who are the
jerks?
Chapter 6 says
• DEPENDABILITY…
• is sometimes more highly prized in a
performer than unusual or exceptional talent.
• Taking over a radio shift following someone
• Showing up to do your reporting
• Being prepared when you show up
• Arriving early
• No excuses
So how do you measure this?
• CHARISMA…
• is the ability of a performer to intellectually
and/or emotionally reach, stimulate, or
fascinate another person and, through the
media, perhaps millions of people.
• ’Q scores’ -- historically: Johnny Carson,
Walter Cronkite, Bill Cosby – now…
Recent high Q scores
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Jim Parsons
Kunal Nayyar
Michael Weatherly (NCIS)
Shemar Moore (Criminal Minds)
‘You’re On…’
• Thousands are listening…
• Millions are watching...
• How are you feeling? Self-confident, or
butterflies and sweaty palms?
• NERVOUSNESS
• is something Chapter 6 says a performer may
have because of fear of failure, or when you
begin a new project, but must be identified
and overcome in order to be a successful
performer.
How to solve nervousness?
• Fear of (snakes) (heights) etc.
– ‘sink or swim’?
• Preparation and practice
– ‘pre-production’ / show prep
• Visualize success (putt, field goal, shot)
• Observe other successful people
• Use to your advantage: adrenalin, desire to do
well, concern about being seen as competent
Dealing with stress
• Chapter 6 talks about writing down a
stress hierarchy
• for yourself, where you
• write down the problems you are trying to
eliminate, like not being conversational on
camera…
• prioritizing your anxieties, then
• working through them methodically.
Bottom line
• ‘To both career performers and non-career
performers,
CREDIBILITY
is essential,” which on TV is based on the
voice, the manner, and the message that
convey honesty and rationality.
NPPA: Find a way to care.
If you don’t care, no one will.
Looking ahead, and next
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TV news reporter: live shot interview
5 minute on-camera demonstration
7-minute on camera Information Interview
On camera anchoring – you are a co-anchor
with someone
Getting started in TV
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TV studio
Cameras
CG
Server
Audio
later, prompter
Sign up for training or certification
Meet in TV studio Wednsday
An now…
Review of News
• Timeliness, Proximity, Conflict,
Prominence, Human Interest (and others -‘what makes it news?’)
• Spot News, hard news, routine news (note
news releases and VNRs), soft news,
features, investigative
• Types of TV stories
– Package, Vo-Sot, VO, reader
Basics of News
– Live shot variations
• Look Live
• Scene Scan
• Live Interview
• Produced story (VSV/PKG)
• Wraparound
– Live Truck, Sat Truck, Fiber, Backpack /
cell phone
– Why go live?
Basics of Video
• Stages of production
– Importance of pre-production
• Points of view
– Objective,
– subjective
– Reportorial / presentational
• During an interview
– Open / close: reportorial
– Interview objective 2-shot
Live Shot Interview Example
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Open, Q&A, close
Open: do not say who you are – do a ‘lead’
What is a Lead?
:15 story reprt, then Introduce guest by name
and title – turn, start with planned questions
• Time cues
• Turn, close story, SOC
• Schedule a ‘real one’ as a video project
Posture and presence
• Handheld mic
• Stay on your mark, turn, turn
• Watch the guest’s eyes and hands as you
extend the mic
• Close mic / close mic
• Maintain eye contact with the guest
• Ignoring the distractions
More Video: Shot composition
• Rule of thirds
• Shot composition
– XCU, CU, MS, LS, WS
– 2-shot, group shot, crowd shot
– OTS
• Cut off lines
• Look space, lead room, nose room
• Shot depth z-axis, foreground / background
– Depth of field
Camera angles
–Eye level
–low/high level
–low/high angle
–Canted angle
Camera operation
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Pan & Tilt ‘drag’ / lock
Pedestal lock
Eye level shots
Critical focus
White balance
Where to power on / off
Movements & commands
Camera operation
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Pan
Tilt
Truck
Dolly
Arc
Zoom
Boom / Pedestal 
Camera operation
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Look space (host change)
‘what’s in the shot’ (2-shot guests ex.)
Foreground / background
Mic location and ‘dressing the mic’
Lighting
‘Center up’
Headroom
Rule of thirds
Transitions
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Fade
Cut (take)
Dissolve (lap)
Wipe
DVE
Commands of preparation
Commands of execution
Director talking to who?
During production
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NO NON-SHOW CONVERSATIONS
NO LEAVING THE SPACE
NO CELL PHONES – turn it off
Pay attention to your position
Be conscious of how we’re treating
guests
During Production
• Audio Board
– Ride levels, match video
• Server
– Record and playback, 3 channels, playlist
• Switcher
– Preview, program, DSK, key settings
• CG – prepare slide, follow rundown
• Prompter – news / control approach
• Cameras and Floor Director
In the studio -- training
• Understand how / where to turn on lights
• Understand camera operation, tally lights, when to
make adjustments
• “air monitor’ location on/off
• Studio sound during content playback / mute
• Switcher, CG, server, audio operation
• Floor director / director / cameras—hand signals
• Intercom -- connections – charging
• Cables on the floor
• Set up. Striking the set. Re-plugging headsets.
Everybody is responsible
• Do not leave until studio is re-set
• Grading – everyone’s grade is
lowered if headsets are not
plugged in correctly and things
are not correctly put away
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