Journalism Writing

YOUR TASK:
Choose something that happened to you today (or any time in your lifetime) and write a paragraph in which you "cover" it as a journalist.  Post it to your blog as an assignment. 

If you have time, try to evoke this event in a brief work of literature. How are the two pieces of writing different? How are they similar? How might you write a third account that combines elements of journalism and literature?



Fire Muster Parade

It is a perfect summer day, and people line the streets for blocks with chairs and blankets. Children are waiting with bags and buckets to collect candy. Today is the yearly Fire Muster Parade for the Burnsville-Eagan area. 

Featured in the parade are groups from everywhere in the community. There is a karate school, and the giant signature grocery cart from Cub Foods. There are also many groups from area schools, specifically Burnsville High School. Some of the groups from BHS include the football team, the cheerleaders, the Blazzettes, Theatre Guild, and the Marching Band.

The Theatre Guild brought their pet dragon to the parade. The dragon is a life-sized puppet that will be controlled by crew members. It will be a prop in the high school's musical production of the movie Shrek this spring.

10 Steps to Writing a Story – Broadcast Journalism

10 Steps to Writing a Story – Broadcast Journalism

1. Find a topic.
-brainstorm on wall (big board)
-heve eyes and ears open
-sports/activities/people


2. Find an angle.
-more focused idea of topic
-meaningful version of topic
-


3. Collect data.
-Who/What/Where/When/Why/How Questions
-Collect information/ Do research
-Find interviewees


4. Conduct the interviews.
-Interview three people, 
-Ask interviewees three questions
-Questions are based on angle
-Questions do not have to be the same 


5. Shoot your reporter stand-up.
-Should appear in the middle of the story
-Validates the story
-Meant to be a transition piece in story


6. Organize your sound bites.
-DEFINITION:Piece of audio that can stand by itself
-Open ended questions 
-Get lots of details and ask What/Why/How Questions


7. Write transitions in your story.
-Reporter is not visible, but is still talking
-Order everything around the interviews
-


8. Write the introduction and conclusion of your story.
-Beginning and ending
-Write what you know
-Attention getter in the intro
-End story with something powerful; best sound bites
-Tagline for story/show


9. Write the anchor ins and outs (if necessary).
-Anchors talk to reporters to get information about the story
-Describe content of story
-Understand the transitions


10. Collect B-Roll to add to your story (throughout steps 4-9)
-Interview before you shoot the B-Roll
-Matching footage/B-Roll (Cut-aways)


*Steps 4-8 in your story are called the A-Roll.

Notetaking on Camera Techniques

Notetaking on Camera Techniques

INTERVIEWING:
• What seven items should you bring with you when you are shooting an interview? 
(Clocks Tick Tock Making Heads Pound Loudly)
Camera
Tape
Tripod
Microphone (to be heard, not seen)
Headphones ("hang loose" distance)
Power Source
Light Source (always behind camera)

• Shooting into a light source = causes a silhouette

Button to adjust = Backlight


• Where do you want your light source? Behind the camera


• On what object should you focus the camera? Subject's nose


• No tripod= bad shot


• Date and Time= Never shown on footage


• What's the difference between SP/EP? 
SP=Standard Play on tape
EP=Extended Play


• Camera shoots in: Highest possible setting.

• Pre-Roll: 3-5 seconds before starting (subject spells name)


• Post-Roll: 3-5 seconds after done filming


CAMERA SHOTS:

BACKGROUND: DYNAMIC= has some depth, not plain
Interviewee is at least 6-8 feet from wall
Interviewee IS the shot, not something in the background

• 1 Shot= through armpits to above head

• 1 Shot with graphic= over the shoulder, graphic over outside shoulder

• 2 Shot= only at beginning and end of show

• CU (Close Up)= To see details, interviews

• MS (Medium Shot) = Torso/waist

• LS (Long Shot)= Whole/most of body

• ECU (Xtreme Close Up)= to see fine details, faces

• Rule of thirds- Helps frame subject
 Imaginary lines dividing the screen into nine equal squares/rectangles


CAMERA MOVEMENTS:
• Tilt- moving the camera up and down


• Pan-moving the camera left and right


• Zoom-changing the focal length


• Dolly-physically moving the whole camera setup left or right, forward or back

LIGHTS
• Key- Main/brightest light, makes some shadows


• Fill- fills in shadows from front light


• Back-separates the subject from the background


MICROPHONES:
• Unidirectional- (Cardiod) most sound is coming from one direction/front
• Omnidirectional- Sound is picked up from all directions
• Cardiod- (Unidirectional) Heart-shaped
• Lav/Lapel Microphone- Unidirectional/Cardiod mic that can be clipped to clothing/shirt
• Boom Microphone- (Unidirectional) Sound from one direction. Used in movies and studios

9/6/2013 Basics of Broadcast Journalism

Define “Broadcast Journalism” in 1-3 sentences. 

The telling of current events that are newsworthy through television, radio, or the internet


List and describe the six criteria of newsworthiness. 

TITLE- DESCRIPTION- EXAMPLE


1. Proximity- how close you are to the event- daily weather

2. Timeliness- how recent the event is- weather or sports

3. Unusualness-something that doesn't happen every day- State Fair

4. Prominence- level of fame- famous people and celebrities

5. Significance- how many people are impacted by the event- war, natural disasters

6. Human Interest Story- feel good story- baby animals at the zoo, cancer survivor



What are the differences between print journalism and broadcast journalism?
1. Print goes into much more detail

2. Broadcast journalism is much more current, easier to change and correct

3. Print gives you the freedom to choose your news: when to read, what to read


How is the Internet impacting broadcast journalism?
More news is spreading to more places faster. People are free to choose what they want to see as news. Internet news can be instantaneous.