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TEASE /tez/:
To annoy.
To entice.
Make sure you're the second definition, not the first.
What would a woman 25-54 find interesting?
What would a woman 25-54 find interesting?
Many of the tips for strong tease writing apply to writing intros as well: Find a hook. Reel in the viewers. Don't give everything away.
"Sell don't tell."
The best advice for strong tease writing that producers always ignore:
DON'T SAVE THEM 'TIL LAST! Then they're often slammed together, rushed, and not thought-out.
If you've found a particularly teasable story - write the story - then write the tease. Think about what it was that attracted you to the story. That's the hook. OR - throw some notes into the tease script to remind yourself about the teasable element of a story.
Always consider what's NEW NOW NEXT WOW about a story.
Write your tease - then read it to yourself.
Would you stick around to watch?
Did you give too much away?
What did you promise the viewer?
Does your super or video give away your tease?
Can the anchor sell it - or is it too convoluted?
Can you start with, "FOX4 is working for you....."?
Remember…….a tease is a promise…
Do NOT tell the entire story in the tease
Do NOT waste the viewer's time by stating the obvious or use video that gives away the story
Do NOT insult the viewer's intelligence
Do NOT try to be clever
Do NOT confuse the viewer
NEVER use …….”we’ll have the story” or “we’ll have the highlights” (Obviously!)
DO make a CLEAR PROMISE of coverage
DO create compelling cliffhangers
DO use compelling SOUND
DO start with video and REFERENCE it directly. Don’t write your copy and not know what the video is going to be.
DO put a fact inside the tease. Be SPECIFIC…what surprised you? What is cool about the story? Why is the viewer going to come back for the story? ENTICE……DON’T EXPLAIN.
AVOID THESE 5 PITFALLS:
Don’t do an "obvious" tease. If I can figure out the answer or the story, I don't need to stick around.
Avoid asking questions…instead, promise specific information.
Don’t give so much info in a tease that it’s overloaded.
Don’t do the “We’ll talk about it…” tease. Been there/done that.
Don’t give the story away that you’re trying to tease by having a graphic on screen that gives it away.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Be specific: ”Freezing rain will be a factor tomorrow. We’ll break down what your drive is going to be like at 6, 7, and 8am." With a weather tease - or ANY tease - be specific about the "thing" we're tracking/following.
For great weather teasing, use the “ICE” method:
Immediacy (I’ve got new snow totals that just came in)
Complexity (things you can’t get on your phone…be descriptive)
Expertise (show your knowledge in the tease).
Always ask yourself: what problems are we helping viewers deal with our solve??? Craft your teases to pull out some detail that you’ll deliver on.
Deep Teases vs. Next Teases
Deep Teases vs. Next Teases
"Deep" teasing is teasing a story that is much later in your newscast. A "next" tease teases something that is in the very next block.
Viewers hate the "deep tease" - they don't want to wait. But sometimes, the story is SO good, it needs a deep tease.
How do you decide which to do? Which has the better tease? Are you about to go into a super short block with stories that are important, but just not teasable? Don't force a tease.
Always consider:
Are you choosing the BEST story to tease? Something I’d actually make a point to stick around to see?
Is there some compelling sound/nats to grab someone's attention?
Are you choosing LOCAL? Sometimes, teasing national stories tells the viewer, "local news is over," and the viewer may tune out.
Headlines vs. Teases
Headlines vs. Teases
There is a difference! Headlines are like bullet points of some of the best content in your show. They are often written more like "statements" than teases. A tease can be a headline ... but a headline should not be a tease. Confused? Keep reading.
HEADLINE EXAMPLES:
--Right now, flooding is threatening businesses in Platte County - we're there live! SUPER: Flooding Threatens Businesses
--Today money may show up in your bank account that you weren't expecting! SUPER: Money in Your Account
--And this just in: Patrick Mahomes is a new dad! FOX4 News at 6 starts now! SUPER: New Dad
(Note how short and sharp the headlines are.)
SAME STORIES, AS TEASES:
--This rushing water is threatening businesses in the northland - we're there live to show you just how close it is! SUPER: Live Look at Flooding
--Ready for a raise?! We'll break down who is getting more money monthly from the government - next. SUPER: More Money
--QB-ONE is now has another title: daddy! And we just learned if it's a boy or girl - that's next. SUPER: Boy or Girl?
*Note: Read headline two out loud. Doesn't roll off the tongue real easily. Should be more like, "More money every month! We'll explain who's getting a bump in the bank account and why."
**Note: I hit a pitfall in tease three. If people really want to know - they'll look on their phones, and not necessarily stick around to watch. I'll leave that like it is to make that point.
Tease Video and Supers:
Tease Video and Supers:
Yes .... the words are important - but so is the video! Reference it! Perhaps you've heard of, "See dog, Say dog." It's an old consulant-y way of saying - "If you see a dog in the video - say dog in the script." Same with the super -- in this case -- it would be "See the Dog?" They should all tie together.
GIVEAWAYS: You could write an absolutely stellar tease ... only to have the video or the super ruin it by giving it away.
The worst is "Wait 'til you see the catch! The shot! The Fish!" (whatever) and the video SHOWS it. Or your words are good, "Patrick Mahomes' wife just had her baby...and we've just learned if its a boy or girl! That's next." Your video is good, (video of Patrick and wife), but your super says "It's a Girl!" and gives away the story.
Everything seems to come in threes ... and teases, do, too: remember WORDS, VIDEO, SUPER. All key.
"Crafting a rundown" instead of stacking-and-packing.
Beefing up big coverage and specific tease-ahead elements.
The Sell:
The Sell:
One other thing can kill a tease: not warning the anchor if it needs a special "sell." If the wording has to be said in a certain way to make the sell...the anchor needs to know in advance. Maybe you're teasing something about Tony the Tiger and you write, "This news is grrrrrreat!" The anchor needs to know to give it the "Tony the Tiger" growl.
ultimate tease takeaways:
ultimate tease takeaways:
News and weather teases can be extremely effective tools for attracting viewers, and improving audience retention from segment to segment in our newscasts.
o Make a promise in every tease and promo.
· Promise the unique and unexpected content that only we provide.
· Avoid the obvious. Don’t promise the line. Promise the “points on the line.”
· Don’t ask the viewer to come back and watch us do our job. Avoid promising “more”, “details”,
“the latest,” etc.
o Avoid using questions to convey a reason to watch.
· Turn questions into promises by removing the question mark and rearranging the words. For example the question, "Will it rain tomorrow?” becomes “When you can expect the heaviest rain in your neighborhood."
· Promises are exact. Questions are less direct and can be vague. Leave no doubt that you have specific answers.
o Avoid the “deadly teasing sins.”
· Giving away the forecast.
· Promising the obvious.
· Withholding. (This usually occurs when we ask a question.)
· Wishy-washy language. (Talk about what we know, not what we don’t.)
· Jargon
Click above for a video on great teasing with examples.
Special thanks for input and content:
602 Communications -- Liz Montijo -- Kelly's File
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