SHOWCASING

Examples:

Big/Little Box. Could show video in the big box and news conference in a little box. Could show scene video in big box and smoke from Scout cam in little box ... lots of options. A good one is weather video (or live) in big box and radar in little box.

still in development - more coming, including video/pictures

vo in OTS

STUDIO SHOTS

Showcasing is the concept of "crafting" a rundown, rather than just "stacking and packing." Stories flow from one to another - not just in how they are stacked, but how they are written. Producers often prefer to write their reporter intros so they flow in the rundown. (Or have a reporter give a suggested intro and tweak.) If stories don't flow from one to another, the producer will change reads to help with the transition.

Showcasing also involves how anchors present the stories. Use various studio shots to showcase a story. For example, you might put a weather person at the Kiosk with flooding video rolling in it, as they talk about flooding damage. You might put an anchor at the Big Board and reveal words one at a time in the top squares, with video rolling in the bottom squares.

(HOW TO USE POWER POINT FOR THE BIG BOARD.)

To cold open or not to cold open? Cold opens should be compelling and attention grabbing. They are often NATS-VO or SOTVO ... but they can also be voiced and have more than one quick SOT. Be intentional with how to you write and present a cold open. Some days, it may be best to just get straight to the story. Don't be predictable. Also, cold opens don't just start a show - they can start a segment.

Be creative with intros - don't start every toss to a reporter on a 2shot! Boring! How can you dress it up? Can you run some video to feature the visuals as INTRO VO then peel to the live reporter? Or make a map and put the live reporter in a small box on the map and then pull it full? Do you bullet point a set up on a fullscreen, then peel to the reporter? Or do you start with a SOT full (not just as a cold open) and come out to the anchor to toss? Take the time to think about how you might make the toss different than a 2shot or 1shot to a stinger or boxes.
TIPS ON WRITING INTROS

Reporters can showcase, too, with active liveshots or standups. (Click for examples.)

Example of SHOWCASING ideas from a real show:

Let’s take today’s top 2 stories for example…

Lead story:

Instead of coming out to a boring, routine 2shot right out of weather at the top of the show … have an anchor at a big monitor with the graphic “WannaCry” or “Hack Attack” or something that draws attention to today’s big story.

Wipe to the reporter in the monitor.

Have the anchor refer to his/her laptop “I opened this up this morning – knowing our company is doing a reboot to protect our computers. What can you do on your *own computer? Matt Stewart has some simple tips, Matt?”

Have the anchor at the monitor WITH his laptop to do a combination of the above

Wanna get crazy? Throw the anchor up in the conference room with Matt! “Here at Fox 4, we’re getting a big reboot to protect our computers. Matt’s showing one of the warning emails we received. Matt, what about personal computers?”

The best intros are producer intros – produced up as mentioned above. Just remember to tell the reporter the plan.

You should be asking yourself every time: how can I produce up this story? Reporters: have an idea? Share it! This could include intro vo, intro props/show-n-tell, intro bullets, etc. and a variety of tag possibilities, too. These breakout elements add oomph, depth, and content and make you look different from the other shows.

IMPORTANT: Make sure your showcasing is not the same between shows.

Today’s Second Story:

Bullets in house story: TOP VO “Take a look at this – those are bullet holes. Seven bullets pierced this home - a home full of children in KCK.” (You get the idea) Either come back oncam for a one line intro or keep going with the vo. Remember, our viewers often are not looking at the screen – so when there’s something interesting to look at, tell them to look. Should this story even be in? How old is it?

Continue the block .. move the anchors around. Use complementary graphics in monitors. Roll video in the monitors (when it is good and big enough.) TopVO moves things along at a faster pace.

*The routine 2shot is good for when there’s a story that could lead to a moment with the anchors … make sure you allow for that moment to happen.

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