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Writing for Media. WEEK 5: Writing & Producing TV Commercials. Criteria for Broadcast News. Timeliness Info Audio or visual impact People. Writing for Broadcast. Other things to consider when writing for broadcast: Need to be interesting/entertaining Summarizing is key Fleeting
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Writing for Media WEEK 5: Writing & Producing TV Commercials
Criteria for Broadcast News Timeliness Info Audio or visual impact People
Writing for Broadcast Other things to consider when writing for broadcast: Need to be interesting/entertaining Summarizing is key Fleeting Immediacy is major advantage over print Use of conversational style Tight phrasing
Print vs. Broadcast Writing for ear, not eye Written word different than spoken word Shorter leads Length measured in time rather than space Chronology is more critical
Dramatic Unity Climax Cause Effect
Key Questions to Ask When Writing a Story for Broadcast What is the dominant theme? What facts develop the dominant theme of the story? What is the primary impression you want to leave with the viewer? What is the most significant or interesting aspect of the story? What is absolutely critical for understanding the story? What can I omit without significantly impacting the viewer’s understanding of the story?
News Broadcast Leads Hard news lead Soft news lead Suspended interest lead Question lead Unusual events lead Other leads that play on words
Tips to Keep in Mind for News Broadcasts Know your audience Accuracy & attribution still critical If using quotes, indirect preferred Same rules for present vs. past tense Active voice Word usage Key: read your copy aloud and listen – Does it make sense? Is it concise? Is it accurate?
Writing Copy for TV Newscasts 40 characters/line Triple spaced 2-3” top margin & 1-2” bottom margin Copy written on right half of page Left half is used for audio or video # stories and pages Date first page of script Include last name on all pages
Other Tips for Writing TV Newscast Copy • Well known names not given in full • Write out names phonetically as necessary • Abbreviation rules (p. 283) • Write out: • Symbols • Numbers one through nine and eleven • Thousand, million, and billion • Fractions and decimal points
Other Tips for Writing TV Newscast Copy • Typically use indirect quotes or paraphrasing • If do use direct quote, introduce quote • Use commas, periods or hyphens to indicate pauses
Writing TV Commercials Say it Explain it Repeat it
Writing TV Commercials Same advertising principles as radio commercials People Audio should tell your story; video compliments it Audio & video should match Know your talent
Examples Volkswagon Darth Vader BJ Raji Discount Double Check Olive Garden :15 Pepsi :60
Storyboarding Goal = main idea of the commercial is made clear Storyline should include a clear reference to the product/service and purchasing information Sequence of events should be clearly illustrated or written out (or both) Can include approximate timing to help you ensure it fits within the :30 time limit
Storyboarding: Video Use rough sketches, drawings, or clip art to demonstrate what the visual elements of the commercial will be Write out descriptions to further clarify your video ideas
Storyboarding: Audio Write out the following: Narration Voiceover script Dialogue between persons Sound effects Music Any other sound in the commercial