Television news is often reaction reporting. The first step is to get the facts - often from other sources. The second step is to get the tape. Third - write the script and decide what to say.

Television is a team game - possibly using a reporter; editor; camera person; light person; sound person; and producer. The camera operator shoots news to be edited.

1. Shoot the temporary first (eg. fire).

2. Shoot an establishing shot, showing overall view, location, size and scale.

3. Shoot a long shot, medium shot and closeup.

4. Use tripods whenever possible; don't abuse pan and zoom. For editing, hold shots five seconds head and tail.

5. Get people's faces.

6. It's important to record natural sound and ambient sound.

7. Interviews can be shot over the reporter's shoulder - ask the interviewee to ignore the camera and look at the reporter.

8. The camera operator should get a variety of shots for editing purposes.

A. Inserts or cutaways
(i) Additional visuals of the scene.
(ii) Cover or establishing shot (eg. buildings, signs).
(iii)Reaction - audience reacting to an event.
(iv) Reask - shoot the reporter after the interview asking questions in order with appropriate facial expressions.
(v) Reverse - shoot the audience from over the speaker's shoulder.
(vi) Effect - wide angle, extreme closeup or different angle.

B. Transition - logically takes the viewer visually from one scene to another.

9. The reporter should list a description of shots in a notebook.

10. Edited, the television news story often uses the W format -start with the strongest image (the lead) - up in the middle (interview, news maker) and up at the end with a standup by the reporter.

Know where you are going before you write the actual script. What is the purpose of the video? Who is the audience? How will your audience be changed after experiencing the video? What is the sequence of shots making up your story?

Television news stories often follow a "w" format. They begin with the strongest image, then decline in force with background information, up again in the middle with perhaps a statement by a newsmaker, down again only to come on strong at the finish. An ideal TV news story would have no script, just visuals and actual sound.

At any rate, a video story should begin by orienting the viewer with an overall picture, and after presenting the story's sequence of parts, end with a strong summary. As someone once said, tell them what you're going to say, tell them, and then tell them what you said.

If you have a definite message to get across, try presenting it in different ways in the video. You might also try having the close echo whatever visual/audio you chose as an introductory "tease" to ensure your audience is going to want to watch.

A script for television is divided in two columns - audio on the right and video on the left.

The audio column varies from a one to three second line (timed as you read but consistent so you can visually time your script). It should be typed in upper case and double or triple spaced.

Don't overwrite. Keep your sentences short and simple. Write as you speak not as you write. Use contractions and everyday speech.

Remember the audio should interact with the video. It should not describe the video but rather add to the impression gained by the viewer. Wherever possible, let the video and actual sound do the talking. Remember audio edited over visual transitions helps the flow of the story.

Always read your copy as you write. Speak to your typewriter. If it's difficult to speak, it will be difficult to understand.

The video instructions in the left column can be typed or hand printed. The amount of instruction for (or by) the director/camera person can vary but a specific direction in the video column should be placed opposite the audio to which it refers. Arrows can be
drawn from the video direction to the relevant positions in the audio script.

Abbreviations for video directions should be standard so all concerned will understand.

Directions might include types of shots such as: two shot (2-S: two people); three shot; establishing/extra long shot (ELS); long shot (LS); medium long shot (MLS); medium shot (MS); medium closeup (MCU); closeup (CU); and extreme closeup (ECU). Individual shots can be numbered in sequence and timed in a shooting script.

Camera and lens movements may be indicated such as pan; tilt; zoom; dolly; truck, and arc.

You might also indicate video transitions such as cut; mix; wipe; or fade and special effects such as still; negative; pause, mosaic; or paint.

Titles, graphics and superimpositions are also indicated in the video column.

Tape can be sound on tape (SOT - tape with the natural sound shot during recording) or silent tape (SIL - video only). Silent tape will require a voice over (VO) by the narrator. These directions should be noted in the video column as well as dubbed music.

Besides using arrows drawn to sentences in the audio column, times of the video shots may also be indicated in the left column. For example: LS: Ice Fisherman. SIL/VO. runs: 30 sec.

In a multi-camera shoot, the number of the camera which is live will be noted with arrows drawn to the audio script.

Talk to your typewriter.

Rules for physically typing a news story exist in order to make it easy to read on-air.

1. All broadcast copy must be typed.

2. Type upper case.

3. Only one story to a page - centre the story on the page.

4. Type copy 40-45 characters hard right on the page leaving room for the video column on the left side of the page (see example).

5. The visuals are more important than the story so don't overwrite (if you are using visuals).

6. Use simple, everyday words.

7. Slug copy (at top of the page) with story identification; date; community station; time of broadcast and name of writer.

8. Write one sentence to a paragraph.

9. Use (more) at the bottom of the first page; first add/slug at the top of the second, and -30 - at the end of the story.

10. Use ellipses (...) for a pause and dashes to set off a phrase.

11. Directions are needed in the visual column to indicate precisely when visual clips begin and end as related to the news script. Clips must be slugged with identification: runs: time and outcue if there is voice on the clip. Tape without sound is noted SIL. Tape with sound is noted SOT. Clips on the visuals where the anchor is expected to speak are noted VO and should be accompanied by arrows drawn to the precise point in the audio script where the clip ends and begins. The camera aimed at the anchor should be noted in the visuals as C1 or C2 [don't forget camera shot CU or ECU] so he/she knows which camera to expect at the end of a clip or during a talking head performance. A standup at the end of the package would be noted as STANDUP SOT, runs: time and out: last word.

12. Feature clips making up a package should be noted in the visual column with slug, time and type of shot - extreme long shots ELS, long shot LS, medium long shot MLS, medium shot MS, medium closeup MCU, closeup CU and extreme closeup ECU.

13. Music used in features should be described and timed on the left side of the visual column.

Theme music and graphics should be noted and timed in the appropriate columns.

Leads - the first sentence of a story - often give the writer the biggest problem. Don't spend a long time trying to get the sentence right. Write the story and fix up the lead later. Often the lead turns out to be the last sentence written.

What should leads do?

1. Catch the attention of the reader; stress the most unusual and interesting angle.

2. Answer the question - what's the story about? Summarize the story properly.

3. Good leads are brief and not boring.

4. A lead put the latest news first.

Leads are a big problem; make them clean and snappy in the present tense. Go for the meat of the story.