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Anatomy of a News Package

Right now I am an Associate/Lives Producer for CNN International. I started working for them about 2 months after I graduated. Your class is the only reason that I was able to succeed as an AP at CNNI without having been a VJ first.

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Anatomy of a News Package

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  1. Right now I am an Associate/Lives Producer for CNN International. I started working for them about 2 months after I graduated. Your class is the only reason that I was able to succeed as an AP at CNNI without having been a VJ first.

  2. Out of everything that I learned in college your class truly helped me the most…Lives producing is extremely stressful so knowing how all of the different positions work really helped. I really can't thank you enough for everything that you taught me! Georgia State needs more classes like yours.

  3. Anatomy of a News Package

  4. Kinds of Packages • Complete Package--Self contained. AVOID starting with reporter on camera!! May have on camera bridge or standup close or no reporter on camera at all. • Donut or Insert Package--Reporter starts LIVE at the beginning and/or at the end with the taped piece rolled in between.

  5. Anchor Lead in (or lede) • The anchor will read a little copy to introduce the report. This is called the lead in or the “toss” to the package. • Sometimes this copy tells the main idea or the headline of the story. • Sometimes the copy may not and this will make the viewer want to stay tuned to learn more. • Example: There was a lot of shady business going on at the World Congress Center today. Sean Ellis has the story.

  6. The Package: The Beginning • Usually starts with an establishing shot or wide shot (WS) with your narration of the copy. • Can be more powerful by starting with your most visually interesting or most compelling shot. • Can also start with natural sound (nat/sot) or a sound bite (sot) if compelling enough. • Example: chain saws busily cutting up fallen trees in piece about ice storm cleanup.

  7. The Package: The Body • Narration continues…covered with B-roll or cover video. Shots of video that help explain the story. • Static shots will serve you well. Zoom or pan only to follow action. • Packages often have graphics included to help explain complicated concepts of the story

  8. The Package: The SOT • Narration will be interrupted by a sound bite of an interested party, but your narration will need to lead into the sound bite. • You can put 2 sound bites together, called a butt bite, maybe from the 2 sides of an issue. • Make sure you have at least one authoritative sound bite and one other sound bite from an involved party.

  9. The Package: The Middle and the Close • Narration will pick back up after the sound bite. • Or you can use a standup bridge (reporter on camera delivering part of the narration or the copy) • Another SOT if you wish • Concluding narration. On camera if you wish or straight narration. • Sig out: Andree Grogan reporting for GSU-TV.

  10. How to produce your package • First, do as much research on your subject as you can. Think visually. Think about the b-roll or cover video that can best show the viewer what you are talking about. • Decide whom you want to interview for your sot’s. At least one authority on the subject and then at least one person affected or involved in the story. Line up the interviews.

  11. How to produce your package • Shoot the interviews and the b-roll. Shoot in the best light possible. Remember color balance. • Pay attention to the audio! Wear the headphones and listen for good sound.

  12. How to write your package • First, screen your footage and make a log sheet of what you have. • Note the best footage and the best parts of the interviews. • Consider starting with the most compelling video or audio or a SOT. • Write your script, filling in information from your research around the SOTs. Let your subject emote. You as a reporter report facts.

  13. Your script

  14. Your script

  15. How to edit your package • You can write a rough draft of the script before you shoot, but you will need to fine tune it after you have finished shooting. • Then you should record the audio narration. Take the camera to a quiet place and record yourself reading the script. Use the headphones to determine how best to speak into the mic.

  16. How to edit your package • Try to make your delivery interesting by emphasizing certain key words. See handout information about narration and standups. • Then you will digitize that footage into a clip. It will be audio and video and you will cover it with B-roll.

  17. How to edit your package • You will interrupt the narration with the sot’s. You may need to “lead into” those sot’s. • Example: “The dean of students was not amused…” then go to the sot of the dean. • If the sot goes too long, but you still think it is useful information, you may want to cover it with related b-roll.

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