Cdc 3N0X2 Volume 3. Broadcast Operations

Front 1

401. Teleprompters
How does the size of a studio prompter compare to a portable prompter and why?

Back 1

401
Studio prompters tend to be larger so they can be read at a greater distance. The increased size allows the system to use a larger monitor, in turn increasing the size of the font as seen on a larger screen. A large pane of glass reflects the monitor’s image in front of the lens toward the newscaster.

Front 2

401. Teleprompters
How does the operator scroll the copy up or down?

Back 2

401
Using a hand-held control.

Front 3

401. Teleprompters
What are some tips to remember when using a teleprompter?

Back 3

401
(1) Position the camera far enough back so the viewer can’t see your eyes move back and forth.
(2) You can also enlarge the text font if changing the camera position isn’t optimal.
(3) Practice with the prompting device you’ll use or with the person who will operate it for you.
(4) 4. Practice transitioning smoothly from prompter to hard copy in case the teleprompter fails.

Front 4

401. Teleprompters
Why should the reader keep the text on a prompter about one-third of the way down the screen?

Back 4

401
This allows the reader to reread something and allows them to scan ahead to be aware of subject context and warning cues for changes coming up in the program.

Front 5

402. Waveform monitor and vectorscope
With the raster zero reference aligned to the zero reference line on the graticule, how do you adjust TV black?

Back 5

402
So the +7.5 percent line (TV black) sits at +7.5 on the graticule.

Front 6

402. Waveform monitor and vectorscope
When using your colorbars, where do you set the peak video level (the pure white bar on the left third of bottom row of the colorbars)?

Back 6

402
At 100 percent.

Front 7

402. Waveform monitor and vectorscope
What does the chroma adjustment on the vectorscope affect?

Back 7

402
The intensity or saturation of the colors.

Front 8

402. Waveform monitor and vectorscope
What is the most common mistake when setting up color bars using the vectorscope?

Back 8

402
Adjusting the hue vectors 180 degrees out of phase.

Front 9

402. Waveform monitor and vectorscope
If your vectors are not all hitting their respective marks, which vectors should you favor and
why?

Back 9

402
You should err in favor of the red and yellow vectors. Flesh tones typically fall on the I-axis in the top left
quadrant and are composed of the red and yellow colors.

Front 10

403. Video monitor
What colorbars do you use to adjust a video monitor?

Back 10

403
Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) colorbars.

Front 11

403. Video monitor
What is the objective when setting up the color parameters of the monitor?

Back 11

403
To get the SMPTE colorbars to have four dark blue bars separated by three light blue bars. The dark bars
should all appear the same darkness with no two dark bars side by side. They should alternate across the
monitor: dark, light, dark, and so forth.

Front 12

403. Video monitor
How do you fine-tune the phase and chrominance levels?

Back 12

403
Adjust the phase (hue or tint) and chrominance (color saturation) controls. The larger vertical bars sit over a
narrow row of middle bars reacting exactly opposite of the upper bars when the controls are adjusted. As
you move the controls, eventually the upper and corresponding middle bar become the same color. When
the upper and lower bars match each other exactly, your color is set perfectly.

Front 13

403. Video monitor
How do you make adjustments to a portable monitor on a shoot?

Back 13

403
To make adjustments the monitor has to be connected to the camera’s video output. Select the color bars output on the camera/color bars switch to see them on the monitor. It’s also important for you to record at least 30 seconds of color bars on your videotape so you can set the equipment in the edit cell to the same
calibrated color bars you’re using in the field. This goes a long way towards ensuring “what you see is what
you get” in the field and in the edit cell.

Front 14

404. Video switcher
What piece of equipment is used to select and combine video sources?

Back 14

404
The switcher.

Front 15

404. Video switcher
What are the two types of switchers?

Back 15

404
The broadcast switcher and the production switcher.

Front 16

404. Video switcher
What is a single row of buttons on the switcher called?

Back 16

404
A bus.

Front 17

404. Video switcher
What is the primary function of the program bus (PGM)?

Back 17

404
To determine which source leaves the switcher.

Front 18

404. Video switcher
Which transition allows you to switch instantaneously between video sources?

Back 18

404
A cut.

Front 19

404. Video switcher
What does the preset bus (PST) allow you to do?

Back 19

404

Preset your next source, see it on a PST (sometimes called preview) monitor, and make any shot or picture
adjustments necessary before placing it on-air.

Front 20

404. Video switcher
What button normally performs transitions between the PST and PGM buses?

Back 20

404
The TAKE button; however, many switchers can be programmed to perform a variety of transitions, beside
the cut, using the TAKE (or TRANSITION) button.

Front 21

404. Video switcher
What is the fader bar used for?

Back 21

404
Making smooth, gradual transitions known as fades, dissolves, wipes, and supers, between its
corresponding buses.

Front 22

404. Video switcher
What sources are used for a fade in or fade out?

Back 22

404
Two video sources are required—the incoming video source and TV black.

Front 23

404. Video switcher
What is a dissolve and how is it like the fade?

Back 23

404
It is a simultaneous fade in on one video source while fading out another. The dissolve is performed exactly like a fade except you use another video source instead of TV black.

Front 24

404. Video switcher
To perform more complex transitions and special effects, you need at least two more buses (EFF A and EFF B) with a fader bar between them. What is this area called?

Back 24

404
The mix bank or mixer.

Front 25

404. Video switcher
What is a bank?

Back 25

404
When two buses are designed to work together to produce a single image.

Front 26

404. Video switcher
What is the term key effect referring to?

Back 26

404
A group of video effects where a portion of the video signal from one image, the key source, is electronically ”cut out” and the signal from another image, the insert source or key fill, is inserted or ”keyed” into this newly created space.

Front 27

404. Video switcher
What are the three types of key effects?

Back 27

404
Luminance, matte, and chroma keys.

Front 28

404. Video switcher
What triggers a chroma key?

Back 28

404
A specific color.

Front 29

404. Video switcher
What does a downstream keyer do?

Back 29

404
It permits video material to be inserted or keyed over the output of the PGM bus at the point just before the
signal leaves the switcher.

Front 30

405. Nonlinear editing cells
How does linear and nonlinear editing differ and how hard is it to make changes in each?

Back 30

405
In linear order with segment A then B then C; with few exceptions, it is difficult to go back and make major
changes, especially in the middle, without starting over. Nonlinear editing is a process where your media is
edited in any order with few obstacles presented by changes. You can begin at the end and work your way
back to the beginning if you like. Or, as some editors choose, you can edit sections and bring them all
together into one final sequence.

Front 31

405. Nonlinear editing cells
What do master clips do?

Back 31

405
Serve as pointers (location information), pointing towards the actual media files (digital data making up the audio and video) stored on large, fast hard drives.

Front 32

405. Nonlinear editing cells
What is digitizing?

Back 32

405
The process of playing your video using a VCR, pumping the signal into the NLE, and converting it to a digital format for storage as a media file on a hard drive or in the RAID.

Front 33

405. Nonlinear editing cells
Name some common compression ratios. What affect do they have on the video?

Back 33

405
2:1, 4:1, 8:1, 16:1, and others. As these compression ratios throw out information, they affect the picture resolution, which relates directly to the quality of the video.

Front 34

405. Nonlinear editing cells
What provides a graphic representation of your sequence?

Back 34

405
The timeline.

Front 35

405. Nonlinear editing cells
How much of your video clip should you digitize and why?

Back 35

405
More of a video clip than you think you may need; this allows you room to expand your clip in the timeline if necessary and it also allows enough room to add transition effects.

Front 36

405. Nonlinear editing cells
How does the overwrite mode affect material on your timeline?

Back 36

405
Overwriting simply wipes out what was on the timeline at the edit point for the duration of the new
segment. The old material on the timeline is lost when you cover it with the new clip.

Front 37

405. Nonlinear editing cells
How does splicing affect material on your timeline?

Back 37

405
Splicing cuts the existing material on the timeline at the point you determine and inserts your new clip at the edit point. The old material to the right of the edit point slides down the timeline and tags itself to the end of your newly inserted clip. No material on the timeline is lost.

Front 38

405. Nonlinear editing cells
How does an NLE render a dissolve? What happens to the original video?

Back 38

405
The NLE takes the two clips, performs the transition in its memory and saves the new transition to insert it
when the effect is called for. The original clips are maintained in their entirety untouched with a new effect
created in the memory and stored in the RAID.

Front 39

405. Nonlinear editing cells
What are image effects?

Back 39

405
Image effects or segment effects are effects placed over an entire segment of video on the timeline.

Front 40

405. Nonlinear editing cells
What is the real power of using audio in a NLE?

Back 40

405
Audio weaving to enhance story telling is easily accomplished by placing different sources on one of any
number of available audio tracks.

Front 41

405. Nonlinear editing cells
How do GPI triggers factor into the NLE world?

Back 41

405
They are not really a factor in the NLE world. Everything used within the NLE framework must be digitized or imported as a digital file. GPIs in the on-line world are used to trigger all sources hooked up to the edit controller but the NLE does away with this necessity.

Front 42

406. Satellite receiving equipment What is the key issue dealing with satellite programming?

Back 42

406
The key issue dealing with satellite programming is meeting it at the appropriate time; in other words,
having your programming end at the exact second a break opens up for you to join the satellite signal.

Front 43

406. Satellite receiving equipment
What steps will you need to take if you ever have to switch television programs manually?

Back 43

406
(1) Watch the program currently on air in the program monitor and have the next source ready in the preview monitor.
(2) If the satellite is on the air, your local program should be cued to the black just before the program.
(3) When the satellite video fades to black, transition to the local video source.
(4) If the local program is on-air, have the satellite standing by in the preview monitor.
(5) When your local program fades to black, you have two options––(1) fade to black until you see the satellite signal fade to black then transition to it, or (2) wait in the black on your videotape (hopefully you recorded enough black at the end of your local program) until you see the satellite fade to black, then join the program stream.

Front 44

406. Satellite receiving equipment
What is the purpose for the 10x1 Bridging Switcher?

Back 44

406
It is used for monitoring the signals.

Front 45

406. Satellite receiving equipment
What does a video patch panel do and how can it help you while airing television programming?

Back 45

406
It allows patching of incoming and outgoing signals which allows flexibility in circumventing hard-wired configurations.

Front 46

407. Television spot management equipment
In television spot management, how do typical daily operations begin?

Back 46

407
Typical daily operations begin with downloading schedules from AFN-BC and utilizing local database information to fill availabilities. These schedules (also known as playlists) must then be uploaded to the automation system prior to, or following, local manipulation.

Front 47

407. Television spot management equipment
What is the intent of video monitors in a television spot management system?

Back 47

407
The intent is to provide confidence monitoring that the system is receiving, generating, and airing the intended signals.

Front 48

407. Television spot management equipment
What is the purpose of the operator console in a television spot management system?

Back 48

407
Houses various pieces of hardware. Another key part of the puzzle, the console keeps the keyboards, monitors, control panels, and so forth off the operators lap.

Front 49

407. Television spot management equipment
What equipment does most of the work for you when dealing with the product database and where is it stored?

Back 49

407
The computer; in the on-air TV automation system.

Front 50

407. Television spot management equipment
What is the most common problem appearing in the warning box?

Back 50

407
“Media offline,” which tells you a line in the playlist is reserved for a product that has not yet been recorded, such as the evening newscast.

Front 51

407. Television spot management equipment
Where are the system trigger cues generated to air products according to their airtimes?

Back 51

407
AFN–BC.

Front 52

407. Television spot management equipment
What are trigger cues and what do they sound like?

Back 52

407
Low frequency audio tones embedded in the broadcast signal before transmission from the Broadcast Center. They’re inaudible to the human ear, but strong enough for the automation system to sense and react to according to the type of cue.

Front 53

407. Television spot management equipment
What are most common trigger cues used for?

Back 53

407
To play local elements (spots and newscasts, regional spots, and IDs) and then return to the network signal.

Front 54

408. Television news section duties
What is the reporter’s job, their relationship with the events on which they report and the people
to whom they report?

Back 54

408
To observe events and tell people about them. We don’t participate in events; we watch them. We stand in for viewers who live vicariously through us. We separate fact from opinion and relay all sides of any given issue.

Front 55

408. Television news section duties
What are some decisions reporters typically make before arriving on the shoot scene?

Back 55

408
Story angle, video selection, method of gathering natural sound, and so on.

Front 56

408. Television news section duties
Which stories should have a central focus or commitment? What are the characteristics of a story that has one?

Back 56

408
Every story. That focus must be clear throughout the report. It should address one subject and one subject only and not bounce from one angle to another. The story should be crystal clear to the audience and not leave anyone confused or any question unanswered. Any question raised in the story must be answered. All intrinsic questions (who, what, when, where, why, and how) must be answered. The story must be complete.

Front 57

408. Television news section duties
How should your script handle sound bites?

Back 57

408
By setting up or paraphrasing, without echoing or repeating the bite.

Front 58

408. Television news section duties
What kind of material should you provide your talent for a lead-in?

Back 58

408
Substantive material. Make sure you provide a solid anchor lead-in or good raw material for a lead. The lead doesn’t give the story away, nor is it excessively soft, commonplace, or unclear.

Front 59

408. Television news section duties
What is a journalist?

Back 59

408
The journalist is a one-person band who does it all…an artist, journalist, and technician.

Front 60

408. Television news section duties
As a photojournalist, what must you know before you can apply the art of photojournalism?

Back 60

408
You must know the technology.

Front 61

408. Television news section duties
To perform your job as a photojournalist effectively, what must you purposefully do?

Back 61

408
Apply the long list of basics to every product you shoot, write, and assemble.

Front 62

408. Television news section duties
What makes up a story, taking a viewer from beginning to end?

Back 62

408
A logical flow of sequences.

Front 63

408. Television news section duties
Who is directly responsible for the overall newscast?

Back 63

408
The newscast producer.

Front 64

408. Television news section duties
Who is in charge of all new operations and bears ultimate responsibility for the newscast?

Back 64

408
The news director.

Front 65

408. Television news section duties
What is the most important role of the news segment producer?

Back 65

408
That of storyteller.

Front 66

408. Television news section duties
To whom is the segment producer responsible?

Back 66

408
The newscast producer.

Front 67

409. Talent’s responsibilities
What can result from relying solely on the teleprompter to provide your script?

Back 67

409
It invites trouble and results in poor performance.

Front 68

409. Talent’s responsibilities
How you present the news directly correlates with how the audience receives it. What determines how well the viewer receives, understands, and accepts what you’re saying?

Back 68

409
Everything you do, every movement you make, the rate at which you speak, how well you articulate and use inflection, and many other aspects of presentation.

Front 69

409. Talent’s responsibilities
Since the camera lens represents your entire audience, how should you relate to it?

Back 69

409
You must look directly at it to establish eye contact.

Front 70

409. Talent’s responsibilities
Why should you not glance off to the side, even slightly, when on-camera?

Back 70

409
Any break in eye contact, other than to look at your copy, breaks the continuity in your communication.

Front 71

409. Talent’s responsibilities
If more than one camera is used, how do you move from your current camera to the hot camera?
What does this do?

Back 71

409
Look down at your copy before looking up into the hot camera. This allows the viewer time to prepare for, and adjust to the change without breaking continuity in communication.

Front 72

409. Talent’s responsibilities
What are the hardest skills to master as a talent?

Back 72

409
Appearing relaxed on camera and the ability to have a conversation with the camera lens, as if you’re actually talking to another person.

Front 73

409. Talent’s responsibilities
List four tips for using a teleprompter.

Back 73

409
Position the camera far enough back so the viewer can’t see your eyes move back and forth. Enlarge the text font if changing the camera position isn’t optimal. Practice with the prompting device you’ll use or with the person who will operate it for you. Practice transitioning smoothly from prompter to hard copy incase the teleprompter fails.

Front 74

409. Talent’s responsibilities
What says a great deal about you; even before you ever open your mouth when performing a broadcast?

Back 74

409
Your appearance, image, and neatness.

Front 75

409. Talent’s responsibilities
How could jewelry possibly a problem in television?

Back 75

409
Due to its reflectance.

Front 76

409. Talent’s responsibilities
How can you convey alertness and a better presence on TV or radio?

Back 76

409
Hold your back and neck erect, shoulders back comfortably, and head held level.

Front 77

409. Talent’s responsibilities
If you are interviewing a person for either radio or TV, what do your non-verbals do?

Back 77

409
Communicates information to them or your audience regarding your opinion or reaction to the particular person or topic at hand.

Front 78

409. Talent’s responsibilities
What is considered effective body movement on camera?

Back 78

409
Free and purposeful.

Front 79

409. Talent’s responsibilities
On what does demeanor focus?

Back 79

409
Your conduct or bearing.

Front 80

409. Talent’s responsibilities
What are the three common means of communication when working with a floor manager?

Back 80

409
Three common means of communication are hand cues, written cues, and audible cues.

Front 81

409. Talent’s responsibilities
Where is the hand cue usually performed?

Back 81

409
Under the lens of the camera you are facing. However, if you are not facing a camera (i.e., talking to a guest on the set), the floor manager must move to a position in your line of sight before delivering the hand cue.

Front 82

409. Talent’s responsibilities
What do written cues consist of?

Back 82

409
These are small cards containing a very brief hand-printed message in large type.

Front 83

409. Talent’s responsibilities
What is important to remember when using an IFB?

Back 83

409
To set the volume levels before the production begins so the talent doesn’t have to strain to hear low volume, or is not blown away by high volume.

Front 84

409. Talent’s responsibilities
What things should you keep in mind when working with cameras as the talent?

Back 84

409
Physical location, sequence of camera shots and the type of shot, know where the on-air camera is at all times, telegraph your moves to the camera operator before you make them, always prepare yourself for close-up shots.

Front 85

409. Talent’s responsibilities
How do you switch from one camera to another when given the director’s command of execution?

Back 85

409
Briefly look down then look up on the new on-air camera. If everything worked correctly, the director cuts to the new camera as you begin to look up. This way the change looks very natural on-screen.

Front 86

409. Talent’s responsibilities
How can the talent help the audio operator during production?

Back 86

409
By handling the microphone properly, understanding the mic’s characteristics, and helping maintain correct audio levels.

Front 87

409. Talent’s responsibilities
If you must move around with a wired lavaliere or hand-held mic, how do you work with the cable? Why?

Back 87

409
Try to work with the mic cable in front of you and tuck some slack cable behind you in your waistband or belt. With the cable in front of you, you can be sure it is free from obstructions. Should the cable snag, the loop behind you provides enough slack to prevent the mic from being jerked out of your hand.

Front 88

409. Talent’s responsibilities
What is the most accurate way to help your audio operator set levels?

Back 88

409
The most accurate way to set a level is to read something from the program’s script

Front 89

409. Talent’s responsibilities
What do you do if your studio uses swivel chairs?

Back 89

409
Train yourself to sit still and warn guests to avoid swiveling back and forth during the program.

Front 90

409. Talent’s responsibilities
Why do experienced broadcasters use an outline typed on 5x7 inch index cards?

Back 90

409
The index cards are large enough to hold oversized typed copy and yet small enough to allow easy handling

Front 91

409. Talent’s responsibilities
What happens when you read an on-camera script word for word?

Back 91

409
The first two things that suffer are eye contact and the appearance of spontaneity.

Front 92

409. Talent’s responsibilities
Why should you never staple or clip your script together?

Back 92

409
Folding pages over the top is awkward and you’ve got to continually hold them there. This limits the use of your hands.

Front 93

409. Talent’s responsibilities
As a TV show host, while you may not have a hot clock, what are you expected to control?

Back 93

409
You are expected to control all of the activities on your side of the camera.

Front 94

409. Talent’s responsibilities
As a spot or liner announcer, depending on the circumstances, how might you use your voice?

Back 94

409
In ways you never dreamed.

Front 95

409. Talent’s responsibilities
What is the spot announcer’s job?

Back 95

409
To take words penned by the writer and bring them to the listener in a way that encourages them to listen and act as asked by the spot announcer.

Front 96

409. Talent’s responsibilities
How is voicing a spot like theater acting?

Back 96

409
You have to use what you can to take the audience to the place where all of the activity is. You have to use your voice to make them believe the scenario.

Front 97

409. Talent’s responsibilities
What should you remember when doing a stand-up?

Back 97

409
Avoid Staging. You want to appear relaxed and believable, staging has the opposite effect. Interact with the environment around you. If your story is about working dogs, be interacting with them in your stand-up. Relax, Relax, Relax. If you appear uncomfortable your audience will be uncomfortable.

Front 98

410. Technical duties
What jobs do technical duties encompass? Are they necessarily harder to perform?

Back 98

410
Those jobs in a production requiring a person to operate equipment. They are not necessarily more difficult than other positions.

Front 99

410. Technical duties
What does the technical director (TD), also called the switcher, do and what are they responsible
for?

Back 99

410
Operate the video control console, punching up whatever video source is called for by the director; the TD is responsible to the director for the overall technical quality predominantly of the video of the production.

Front 100

410. Technical duties
What makes a production look professionally produced?

Back 100

410
Purposeful application of the basics.

Front 101

410. Technical duties
As an audio operator, what is your objective?

Back 101

410
To blend all of the audio sources together and create an audio effect consistent with the original concept of the production.

Front 102

410. Technical duties
How does the audio operator know when to make transitions or switches?

Back 102

410
For many of the required segments, they listen to the director’s commands to the technical director. They then watch the program monitor and, as soon as they see the video transition begin from one source to the next, they also perform the same switch on the audio console. Audio always follows video even though they are microseconds apart.

Front 103

410. Technical duties
When is a camera operator a valuable asset to a production?

Back 103

410
While camera operators receive instructions from the director during both the rehearsal and the actual
production, an operator who has a strong sense of composition and visualization is a valuable asset to any
production.

Front 104

410. Technical duties
What is the biggest danger for a camera operator and how do they get into this position?

Back 104

410
Complacency or becoming engrossed in the production. As they watch the picture on their viewfinder, they get sucked into the video and listen to the person speaking on the set. When this happens, they no longer pay attention to what the director is saying, causing them to miss the director’s commands or shot corrections.

Front 105

410. Technical duties
What is the editor’s main objective?

Back 105

410
To be a storyteller.

Front 106

410. Technical duties
At most military outlets, in addition to being the most intimately knowledgeable on how to let the story tell itself, what other jobs does the editor do?

Back 106

410
The editor is normally also the videographer, reporter, interviewer, audio operator, writer, lighting director, and every other job required for getting the story on-air.

Front 107

411. Non-technical duties
There are numerous duties in studio facilities that are considered non-technical. What does this mean?

Back 107

411
This doesn’t mean they don’t require expertise or competence and it doesn’t mean they aren’t complex, it simply means they don’t require operating technical equipment.

Front 108

411. Non-technical duties
How are programs written at a local outlet built more often than not?

Back 108

411
In segments.

Front 109

411. Non-technical duties
How should your audience feel at the end of a production?

Back 109

411
The audience should feel they have come to the conclusion of the program and are not left hanging.

Front 110

411. Non-technical duties
What element is one of the writer’s greatest friends and what can it do for you regarding the viewer?

Back 110

411
Natural sound is one of the writer’s greatest friends. If you can write a script with B-roll and natural sound under your voice, you have gone a long way to keeping your viewer’s attention.

Front 111

411. Non-technical duties
Who is responsible for all operations on the studio floor during set-up, rehearsal, and the actual production?

Back 111

411
The floor director.

Front 112

412. Director’s responsibilities
What is the director responsible for and what does it entail?

Back 112

412
For both the creative and technical aspects of the production; overseeing the performance of the on-air talent and coordinating the activities of all technical crewmembers.

Front 113

412. Director’s responsibilities
For what topic must the producer and director be of one accord?

Back 113

412
Concerning the director’s basic interpretation and approach to the program.

Front 114

412. Director’s responsibilities
For what topic must the producer and director be of one accord?

Back 114

412
An overview of the entire studio; drawn to scale, to determine camera positions, angles, and shots; talent
positions and movements; and the positions of all production equipment.

Front 115

412. Director’s responsibilities
What is the backbone of every program? Why?

Back 115

412
The script. It determines the order of events for each program.

Front 116

412. Director’s responsibilities
As a director what should you do each time you read through a script?

Back 116

412
Attempt to visualize the program (as it would appear on the screen) and write down any ideas or possibilities of how to enhance its appearance and delivery.

Front 117

412. Director’s responsibilities
What should you use the floor plan for when talent-blocking?

Back 117

412
To visualize the set and establish the relationship between the talent and the camera(s).

Front 118

412. Director’s responsibilities
How do you use the imaginary action axis?

Back 118

412
As you change from one camera shot or angle to another, be sure you don’t inadvertently change the action axis (screen direction) or create a disturbing jump cut by stepping across the imaginary line.

Front 119

412. Director’s responsibilities
What can you do to achieve a straight-on view when shooting two people on the set talking to each other?

Back 119

412
Try cross shooting the cameras.

Front 120

412. Director’s responsibilities
What should you do if you need to break the camera?

Back 120

412
You estimate accurately the amount of time the camera operator needs to break and set up the next shot.

Front 121

412. Director’s responsibilities
What is the overall objective when marking a script?

Back 121

412
Clarity, legibility, and economy.

Front 122

412. Director’s responsibilities
What is the most common form of script notation? What should it identify?

Back 122

412
The camera shot. Include the camera number, type of shot, and the subject being photographed. If the camera operator must perform a zoom or rack focus during the shot, be sure to note this as well.

Front 123

412. Director’s responsibilities
What is a camera shot sheet?

Back 123

412
A complete description of each camera shot for a specific camera listed in sequence from the beginning to the end of the program.

Front 124

412. Director’s responsibilities
When does the most important production meeting occur? Why is it important?

Back 124

412
Just prior to the first rehearsal. This is when you assemble the entire television team and brief everyone about their responsibilities during production. This also enables team members to ask questions to clarify their individual roles.

Front 125

412. Director’s responsibilities
What do most experienced directors say is the secret of an efficient rehearsal?

Back 125

412
To rough-out talent and camera positions, basic shots, and transitions in advance; develop an estimated rehearsal time schedule; and try not to get bogged down with minor problems, which can take away time from the overall production.

Front 126

412. Director’s responsibilities
Into what two basic phases is the average studio rehearsal divided?

Back 126

412
Camera blocking and camera run-throughs.

Front 127

412. Director’s responsibilities
What are the advantages of camera blocking from the floor?

Back 127

412
If you wear an intercom headset, you can communicate with both the control room and personnel on the floor. If you need to see a camera shot, you can have it punched up on the studio monitor.

Front 128

412. Director’s responsibilities
How does a good director demonstrate leadership?

Back 128

412
By making firm decisions when necessary.

Front 129

412. Director’s responsibilities
As a director, what is one way to try to recover control of a program that is trying to become a runaway train?

Back 129

412
Try to slow the pace of the program.

Front 130

412. Director’s responsibilities
Why must a director stay cool when things go wrong during a production?

Back 130

412
You must be prepared to deal with them.

Front 131

412. Director’s responsibilities
Which type of production requires very little, if any, post-production work?

Back 131

412
Live or live on tape productions.

Front 132

412. Director’s responsibilities
When you have completed editing, what are you looking for when you go back and view the entire program straight through?

Back 132

412
Making sure the editing has not changed the pace of the program. It should remain consistent throughout the entire program. Also, keeping alert for flashes of black or small video segments that should be covered but weren’t.

Front 133

412. Director’s responsibilities
Who does a director primarily communicate with during a production?

Back 133

412
You talk primarily to the camera operators, the switcher, and the floor director during a production.

Front 134

412. Director’s responsibilities
Before putting a camera on-air or executing a camera move, what should you do?

Back 134

412
Give a standby or ready command to the operator.

Front 135

412. Director’s responsibilities
What should you do instead of calling for each camera by the operator’s name?

Back 135

412
Call the camera by using its specific camera number.

Front 136

412. Director’s responsibilities
Regardless of who operates the switcher, why do you always give verbal switching commands during a production, even when you are the operator?

Back 136

412
The other team members listening on the intercom for directions will not know about a video transition until it appears on the studio monitor.

Front 137

412. Director’s responsibilities
How should a director indicate the speed of a transition?

Back 137

412
With a hand motion or a verbal countdown.

Front 138

412. Director’s responsibilities
Why should you give the switcher as much notice as possible when transitioning using an effect?

Back 138

412
So the effect can be set up and checked on the preview or preset monitor.

Front 139

412. Director’s responsibilities
When you give a sequence of commands, in what order do you give them?

Back 139

412
Audio, talent (through the floor director), and switcher.

Front 140

412. Director’s responsibilities
How can the director ensure a smooth transition back to the studio for the talent?

Back 140

412
Have the floor director give the talent 30-second and 10-second time cues, and then a 5- to 2-second countdown.

Front 141

412. Director’s responsibilities
Why must the director be careful when using an interrupted feedback device?

Back 141

412
It is very hard for the talent to talk naturally while listening to another voice giving instructions.

Front 142

412. Director’s responsibilities
What are the three most common types of programs you will work with?

Back 142

412
Newscasts, interview programs, and remote productions.

Front 143

412. Director’s responsibilities
What is one of the most important and yet most difficult production variables to work with during a program?

Back 143

412
Time.

Front 144

412. Director’s responsibilities
Periodically during the program both the director and talent need to know how much time remains in the production. What is this process called and what variables do you need to know to calculate the time remaining?

Back 144

412
Backtiming; you must know the present time (how far into the program you are) and the program’s scheduled end time.

Front 145

412. Director’s responsibilities
Why may the director want two timing devices during the production?

Back 145

412
One to time the overall production, and another to time recorded segments played back into the production, and even a third tracking time remaining to the program’s end.

Front 146

412. Director’s responsibilities
What is probably the most common studio production situation you’ll encounter?

Back 146

412
The live or recorded local newscast.

Front 147

412. Director’s responsibilities
If a newscast follows an established format, what would an experienced television team not require?

Back 147

412
A daily rehearsal.

Front 148

412. Director’s responsibilities
What are you looking for when checking graphics?

Back 148

412
Accurate, correctly formatted, and in the right sequence.

Front 149

412. Director’s responsibilities
How are interview programs different than newscasts?

Back 149

412
Interview programs are normally only semi-scripted; the host’s questions are planned in advance, but the guest’s responses are spontaneous within the program’s format.

Front 150

412. Director’s responsibilities
In an interview program, since the program is not completely scripted, how would you select the sequence of camera shots during the body of the program?

Back 150

412
On-the-fly.

Front 151

412. Director’s responsibilities
What kind of production do we consider anything produced outside the studio?

Back 151

412
A remote or on-location production.

Front 152

412. Director’s responsibilities
What is a director’s part during electronic news gathering (ENG) coverage on a daily basis?

Back 152

412
ENG coverage is normally conducted on a daily basis without a director on-location.

Front 153

412. Director’s responsibilities
How does Electronic News Gathering differ from Electronic Field Productions?

Back 153

412
EFP is normally thoroughly planned out in advance before the team leaves the station.

Front 154

412. Director’s responsibilities
What is the text’s definition of news?

Back 154

412
A report of previously unpublished recent events.

Front 155

412. Director’s responsibilities
What makes information newsworthy?

Back 155

412
High impact or consequence, proximity, prominence, timeliness, human interest or conflict.

Front 156

412. Director’s responsibilities
Why isn’t it good policy to take ideas from the newspaper?

Back 156

412
Primarily because if the event already happened, you can’t cover it! Also, as storytellers, we want to show what happened, not just explain what happened from the anchor desk. To show something, you have to be there to videotape it as it happens.

Front 157

412. Director’s responsibilities
What must you remember about looking at publications like the Air Force Times (along with all the Service newspapers), Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report and others for ideas? Why?

Back 157

412
These publications are good sources of ideas, not information! They are not considered official sources of internal information.

Front 158

412. Director’s responsibilities
If the event you’re covering is scheduled for a certain time and date, what must you ensure is available before scheduling the event?

Back 158

412
Manpower and equipment.

Front 159

412. Director’s responsibilities
Why is it a good idea to schedule shoots in the morning if the story is needed for evening air time?

Back 159

412
This allows for production time in the afternoon.

Front 160

413. Producer
What is a producer ultimately responsible for?

Back 160

413
The entire production, from developing the program’s concept to evaluating the program to see if it met the
established objectives.

Front 161

413. Producer
What must you know as a producer?

Back 161

413
Enough about all production aspects to make informed and intelligent decisions.

Front 162

413. Producer
What are the producer’s responsibilities during postproduction?

Back 162

413
Approve final edited video. Coordinate with station promotion/publicity.

Front 163

413. Producer
When developing a program, what steps do most producers follow?

Back 163

413
Analyze the audience, research the program idea, and select the production mode.

Front 164

413. Producer

What should you always have in mind before you develop any idea?

Back 164

413
A target audience.

Front 165

413. Producer
What data should you know about your audience to help you plan your program?

Back 165

413
The potential size of the target audience; their approximate ages; whether they are men, women, adolescents, children, or a combination; and their listening or viewing habits.

Front 166

413. Producer
What question should you be asking yourself as you research your program idea?

Back 166

413
Is this idea best suited for radio or television and my production situation?

Front 167

413. Producer
What can happen to your program if your topic is too broad or to narrow?

Back 167

413
A program trying to cram in too much information can end up appearing to be very rough and incomplete. Similarly, programs with very narrow or specific topics can become dull and uninteresting once you have exhausted all there is to say or do about it.

Front 168

413. Producer
When might you discover what appeared to be a promising program or production to be completely unworkable or uninteresting?

Back 168

413
After adequately researching a program idea.

Front 169

413. Producer
When you have completed your background research and decided your program idea is both suitable and workable, what two major questions do you have to answer?

Back 169

413
1)Will the project be produced inside the studio or on-location?
2)Which production mode will be used–live or
recorded?

Front 170

413. Producer
What is the major advantage going live brings to any production?

Back 170

413
Immediacy.

Front 171

413. Producer
What is the major disadvantage to doing a live production?

Back 171

413
It offers the least control of all the production modes.

Front 172

413. Producer
Which production mode is the most commonly used?

Back 172

413
Recording a production.

Front 173

413. Producer
What is the busiest, most important part of a production for a producer and what does it
accomplish?

Back 173

413
Preproduction planning. This is where the program idea is refined and focused, the program’s objectives are established and relayed to the production team, and the entire production is planned and coordinated.

Front 174

413. Producer
Why is it important that key production team members meet regularly?

Back 174

413
To ensure a coordinated and cohesive effort is made.

Front 175

413. Producer
What must the producer become during the rehearsal stage?

Back 175

413
The “surrogate audience” and become the real audience’s ears and eyes, watching and reacting to the
production as the typical listener or viewer would.

Front 176

413. Producer
Why would a producer record the final rehearsal?

Back 176

413
This can be very helpful during post-production editing, especially if one segment of the production turned out to be a once-in-a-life time performance.

Front 177

413. Producer
What is the producer’s role in the editing process?

Back 177

413
Always listen to or see the rough-cut and make any comments or suggestions before the final edit is
performed.

Front 178

413. Producer
To avoid potentially serious problems for both you and your superiors, what must you make an
ongoing process––from concept to the final air product?

Back 178

413
Content review.

Front 179

413. Producer
As a producer what are you looking for during the content review?

Back 179

413
Looking for compliance with DOD, AF, and local policies (including host nation sensitivities).

Front 180

413. Producer
What should you always do before releasing a product for broadcast?

Back 180

413
Always make one final content review of the finished air product completely through from beginning to end before releasing it for broadcast.

Front 181

413. Producer
Who determines the ultimate success or failure of your production?

Back 181

413
The audience.

Front 182

413. Producer
What are some ways to evaluate your products with audience?

Back 182

413
Review the overall objectives of your production and see if the program has had any subsequent effect on audience performance, design a questionnaire measuring and providing the data you need to evaluate the success or failure of your program, more informal types or audience feedback include letters, telephone calls, and word of mouth.

Front 183

413. Producer
Normally, what benefits do in-studio productions give you?

Back 183

413
Maximum control over most production variables and they are less time consuming.

Front 184

414. Producing television spot announcements
Using the acronym RADIO, what are the things you need to remember when producing a spot?

Back 184

414
Refine your audience based on the topic of the spot. Analyze the likes and dislikes of your target group. Decide on a message offering something the target audience wants. Instruct the writer of as many details as needed so the final spot matches what you had in mind at the start. Outline your ideas on a sheet of paper so the writer can easily follow your instructions.

Front 185

414. Producing television spot announcements
What is an analysis of the results of your project called and what does it often require?

Back 185

414
Evaluation; feedback.

Front 186

414. Producing television spot announcements
What does cross-promotion mean?

Back 186

414
The radio part of the station lets the audience know what’s airing on TV and vice versa. It also means one radio show can promote special information about another show airing either on radio or television.

Front 187

414. Producing television spot announcements
What is the major advantage of postproduction?

Back 187

414
The flexibility and control it gives the producer.

Front 188

414. Producing television spot announcements
What method of recording gives a very high degree of flexibility and creative control and how does that change the team’s way of thinking?

Back 188

Recording in segments for later editing. The team no longer has to think in the beginning-middle-end sequence used for live productions.

Front 189

414. Producing television spot announcements
What does the terminology recorded live, or live to tape, mean?

Back 189

414
It simply means the program is produced in real time, as if it were live, except it is recorded for broadcast at
a later time.

Front 190

414. Producing television spot announcements
Into which two groups can we divide productions?

Back 190

414
Live and recorded for editing.

Front 191

414. Producing television spot announcements
What determines the time required to set up a production?

Back 191

414
The size and complexity of the program.

Front 192

414. Producing television spot announcements
What does taking too many shortcuts during the setup and rehearsal stage of the production process accomplish during the actual production?

Back 192

414
It wastes valuable rehearsal time and invites disaster.

Front 193

414. Producing television spot announcements
What kind of airing schedule would a critically important product have?

Back 193

414
You’d air it more often than a standard item. You would also choose several avenues to disseminate your information on both radio and television.

Front 194

414. Producing television spot announcements
Give an example from the text of improper treatment of information about a memorial service.

Back 194

414
You wouldn’t want to be light and jovial when presenting information about a memorial service for a
recently deceased service member at your base.

Front 195

414. Producing television spot announcements
What determines the type of product you use and whose needs must you satisfy to get the message through?

Back 195

414
The objective and your target audience.

Front 196

414. Producing television spot announcements
During which stage is it much easier and more cost effective to correct a problem?

Back 196

414
During the planning stage.

Front 197

414. Producing television spot announcements
When you have figured out your target audience, what does this do for your impact?

Back 197

414
This gives you a better idea on how to present the material for the greatest impact.

Front 198

414. Producing television spot announcements
What is the first type of question to ask yourself when working in the research phase of marketing?

Back 198

414
“What is my objective for this project?” or “What am I hoping to accomplish with this project?”

Front 199

414. Producing television spot announcements
What is the purpose of marketing?

Back 199

414
To get inside your head and make you desire or be like-minded with that product.

Front 200

414. Producing television spot announcements
While Air Force spots don’t actually sell merchandise or promote a private corporation, they can be selling spots. In our case, what types of things are we selling?

Back 200

414
An important community event, participation in base activities, school registration, or even an idea.

Front 201

414. Producing television spot announcements
What are the two types of spots?

Back 201

414
Informational and selling.

Front 202

414. Producing television spot announcements
What does a good middle section of a spot accomplish?

Back 202

414
Maintains the momentum generated at the beginning of the spot and starts filling in details.

Front 203

414. Producing television spot announcements
Good or bad, clear or confusing, what part of a spot makes a critical impact on the audience?

Back 203

414
The start of the spot.

Front 204

414. Producing television spot announcements
What must all good spots and stories have?

Back 204

414
A beginning, middle, and end.

Front 205

415. Preparing daily materials
When preparing daily program materials, what can help ensure your products deliver the intended message to the audience?

Back 205

415
Keeping a clear objective in mind at all times.

Front 206

415. Preparing daily materials
What are daily productions primarily designed to do? Give some examples of daily productions.

Back 206

415
To inform your audience of regularly scheduled events. Examples include military flight schedules, community bulletin boards, currency exchange rate info, theater schedules, etc.

Front 207

415. Preparing daily materials
The news segment category of CI contains a wide range of products. Give some examples. What is the common thread between them?

Back 207

415
Fully produced news stories, sound bites, voice-over-video (VOV) segments, and newsreaders. The common thread here is all are used within some type of radio or television newscast.

Front 208

415. Preparing daily materials
What are some resources that come into play as determining factors in the treatment you provide a news segment?

Back 208

415
Time and equipment, the urgency to get the information on-air and other workload.

Front 209

415. Preparing daily materials
What CI product has the most power to move the audience to act?

Back 209

415
A well-produced spot announcement.

Front 210

415. Preparing daily materials
What are typical spot lengths and what is their chief advantage?

Back 210

415
Normally fixed lengths of 15-, 30-, or 60-seconds; their extended airtime.

Front 211

416. Managing television spot announcement traffic
How do AFRTS facilities insert local CI into AFRTS radio and television programming?

Back 211

416
They use an automation system.

Front 212

416. Managing television spot announcement traffic
What does the shotgun approach of inserting spot announcements call for?

Back 212

416
Nothing but a random insertion of spot announcements in local availabilities.

Front 213

416. Managing television spot announcement traffic
What does dayparting do and why is it used?

Back 213

416
It restricts spots from airing except within certain time ranges during the day. This is often done to keep adult targeted spots from airing within children’s programming, and vice versa.

Front 214

416. Managing television spot announcement traffic
Why do we not target every single CI product by dayparting or inserting it into specific programs?

Back 214

416
This is just not realistic. The research required can be too time and resource consuming. However, any reasonable thought pattern used to schedule CI is at least one step better than the shotgun approach.

Front 215

417. Public Affairs research and preplanning considerations
What are some ways of obtaining research information?

Back 215

417
The World Wide Web, as well as local and base libraries, can supply information on a specific subject. Applicable technical orders (TO), Air Force instructions (AFI), and unit standard operating procedures (SOP) from unit publication files also may contain useful information. Another good avenue for research is the outside agency you are coordinating with.

Front 216

417. Public Affairs research and preplanning considerations
What does preplanning do?

Back 216

417
Preplanning helps ensure that your coverage is fair and tells the story as realistically as possible.

Front 217

417. Public Affairs research and preplanning considerations
Why should you always coordinate your activities with a contact?

Back 217

417
Your activities may take you into an area that was not cleared by the commander or your contact.

Front 218

417. Public Affairs research and preplanning considerations
What is involved in the storyboard method of planning?

Back 218

417
Storyboard methods involve analyzing the script, deciding on composition arrangements, and then working out how to get them.

Front 219

417. Public Affairs research and preplanning considerations
Why is a location survey essential?

Back 219

417
A location survey is essential to fully understanding problems you may encounter when you document a
semi-controlled scenario.

Front 220

417. Public Affairs research and preplanning considerations
What is the basic rule of thumb to figure out how much equipment you will need?

Back 220

417
The basic “rule of thumb” is to figure how much material you need and then double that requirement.

Front 221

417. Public Affairs research and preplanning considerations
What is the first step to avoid injury in your worksite?

Back 221

417
The first step to avoid injury at your worksite is an awareness of the hazards.

Front 222

417. Public Affairs research and preplanning considerations
Who is responsible for completing the multimedia work order?

Back 222

417
The requesting person or organization.

Front 223

418. The script
What does the script explain?

Back 223

418
In all cases, the script explains each of the various sequences of events.

Front 224

418. The script
What two parts is the script divided into?

Back 224

418
The script is usually divided into two parts, the scene number and description.

Front 225

418. The script
What is the purpose of the numerous read-throughs by the director?

Back 225

418
The director can anticipate production problems.

Front 226

418. The script
When does the director block the performance?

Back 226

418
After reading the script through several times, the director blocks the performers.

Front 227

418. The script
What does the director do after performer blocking?

Back 227

418
Use the script and floor plan to develop the camera shots.

Front 228

418. The script
Who prepares the shot sheets for each camera used in the production?

Back 228

418
The director prepares shot sheets for each camera used in the production.

Front 229

419. Production recording techniques
Explain what is meant by “recording in segments.”

Back 229

419
In the segment technique, a program is broken down into scenes, recorded in its entirety, and then edited
and assembled into a completed program.

Front 230

419. Production recording techniques
What are some things to consider before deciding to use the recording in segments technique?

Back 230

419
a. Does the program lend itself to the segment technique?
b. Is it more efficient to produce the program in segments?
c. Do you have the facilities necessary and the time required for post-production editing?

Front 231

419. Production recording techniques
What camera shooting technique does most electronic field productions and electronic news gathering assignments use?

Back 231

419
Recording with one camera.

Front 232

419. Production recording techniques
What is the disadvantage of recording with one camera?

Back 232

419
The post production phase can become quite involved, depending on the number of scenes recorded.

Front 233

419. Production recording techniques
What can a multiple camera shoot create at smaller facilities?

Back 233

419
Scheduling problems at smaller facilities where the number of cameras is limited.

Front 234

419. Production recording techniques
What kind of information do production and camera logs contain?

Back 234

419
The details of clothing worn, performer actions, props used, direction of movements, and so forth.

Front 235

419. Production recording techniques
When are script notes made? Who makes them?

Back 235

419
When something happens during the recording of a scripted sequence that operates to change the exact
situation as described, make a note of it in the master script.
In a formal production situation, script notes are made by, or at the instructions of, the director. In routine
production, in the absence of an assigned director, the broadcast journeyman is responsible for ensuring that
any changes to the letter of the script are duly noted.

Front 236

419. Production recording techniques
What are some things to consider before deciding to use the live to tape method?

Back 236

419
a. Can the program be produced without editing?
b. Will the program require post-production editing?
c. Do you have the facilities necessary and the time required for post-production editing?

Front 237

420. Back to grammar school
In broadcast journalism, you write for the casual listener’s ear. How should you draft your sentences and what should the internal sentence order be?

Back 237

420
Conversational sentences in the style used in everyday language—the way we talk. Normal conversations are made up of concise statements with the usual internal sentence order: subject, verb, and object.

Front 238

420. Back to grammar school
What kind of verbs does the broadcast news copy use?

Back 238

420
Short and easy verbs.

Front 239

420. Back to grammar school

What sense should the broadcast copy convey, and how do you accomplish this?

Back 239

420
A sense of timeliness or immediacy. Use the present tense whenever possible and appropriate.

Front 240

420. Back to grammar school

In what voices can you write a sentence? What is the difference?

Back 240

420
Either active or passive. When the subject performs the action, the voice is active. When the subject receives the action, the writer is using the passive voice.

Front 241

420. Back to grammar school

In what voice should you write the broadcast copy?

Back 241

420
Active voice.

Front 242

420. Back to grammar school

Give two examples of when you would use passive voice.

Back 242

420
a. When the “doer” or “actor” is unknown.
b. When the receiver of the action is more important than the “doer” or “actor,” you want to emphasize the receiver.

Front 243

420. Back to grammar school
How should we use contractions? For what purpose?

Back 243

420
We use contractions naturally in day-to-day conversations. Use them liberally whenever possible to add conversationality to your copy.

Front 244

420. Back to grammar school

What is an alliteration?

Back 244

420
When you compose sentences with several words beginning with the same vowel or consonant, you have what is called alliteration.

Front 245

420. Back to grammar school
Why should you avoid including the word “not” in your script?

Back 245

420
The word NOT can easily be dropped from your script inadvertently and leave listeners wondering whether they heard it or not.

Front 246

421. Story basics
What are the six basic rules in writing broadcast copy?

Back 246

421
The copy has to be clear, concise, conversational, complete, current, and, most important of all, correct.

Front 247

421. Story basics
When dealing with accuracy, what are its two phases?

Back 247

421
The first is the outgoing message. Was the information you delivered accurate? The second phase happens when the audience receives the message. What did they understand from the information you delivered?

Front 248

421. Story basics
How does television give you greater scope to provide information than radio?

Back 248

421
It allows you to show the audience exactly what you want them to see.

Front 249

421. Story basics
What is the basic rule in broadcast writing?

Back 249

421
The basic rule in broadcast writing is to write the way you speak.

Front 250

421. Story basics
What other skill can you improve to improve your writing? How does good writing imitate this skill?

Back 250

421
Improving your listening skills improves your writing skills. Good writing talks the way people listen, so you have to hear the way people express themselves before you can write that way.

Front 251

421. Story basics
What is at the core of communicating your facts?

Back 251

421
Is writing, the words you choose to relay information.

Front 252

421. Story basics
How does broadcast journalism writing style differ from that of print journalism?

Back 252

421
Broadcast copy is written and designed for the ear; print for the eye.

Front 253

421. Story basics
What are two aspects to writing right (correctly and appropriately)?

Back 253

421
Placing the right information in the script, and using the right format to place it on paper or the prompter.

Front 254

422. Reporting
What can happen if an assignment editor hands you the pre-interview information and you don’t
research it further?

Back 254

422
This is not normally sufficient for most stories, since it can make your news hollow and turn you from a
television journalist into a simple spot announcer.

Front 255

422. Reporting
How do you determine which stories get your dedicated attention?

Back 255

422
All stories deserve the same dedicated attention from you, the reporter.

Front 256

422. Reporting
How can detailed research make a difference in your story?

Back 256

422
Detailed research makes the difference between a story recording an event and a story teaching, explaining,
and enlightening about an event.

Front 257

422. Reporting
How much of an event should you try to document? How broad should your focus be?

Back 257

422
Commit to keeping a tight focus on a single topic.

Front 258

422. Reporting
What is a good interviewer looking to gain from an interview?

Back 258

422
A good interviewer looks for revelation or an insight, a thought, or an interesting viewpoint worth listening
to, not commonly heard, and not already known.

Front 259

422. Reporting
What can result from the pre-interview?

Back 259

422
It allows you to prepare more in-depth, useful questions; helps you get to know your interviewee; can help guide your research; and can also scare your interviewee into backing out of the interview.

Front 260

422. Reporting
How closely should you adhere to the questions you’ve prepared?

Back 260

422
Never stick strictly to your questions. Use follow-up questions. Listen to your interviewee and pull in-depth
questions out of their answers. Your initial question is “just for starters.”

Front 261

422. Reporting
To what should you limit your questions? Why?

Back 261

422
Limit the interview to questions related to your story commitment. This keeps you from going off on tangents and recording excess material you never use.

Front 262

422. Reporting
When is the interviewer most effective?

Back 262

422
When he or she is listening to the answer.

Front 263

422. Reporting
What is the purpose of an investigative interview in the Air Force?

Back 263

422
AF purpose is primarily disseminating internal command information; discovering and revealing information about us, to us, that’s beneficial for us.

Front 264

422. Reporting
Describe the inverted funnel approach to an interview.

Back 264

422
The inverted funnel approach attempts to reach an opinion by working from a specific topic to a general consensus.

Front 265

422. Reporting
Where does the “unexpected question” come from and how is it developed?

Back 265

422
The unexpected question is developed from information given you in answers to previously asked questions, as a result of following up on answers given by your interviewee. Thought must go into the question and it should be a natural offshoot of preceding information.

Front 266

422. Reporting
What should you do about giving your interviewee your prepared questions in advance? Why?

Back 266

422
Try not to give your interviewee your prepared questions in advance. Many times interviewees preplan their answers in detail. When they give their answers they sound prepared and might even sound like they’re reading them, even if they are memorized. Obviously, the best answers are spontaneous since they sound more natural.

Front 267

422. Reporting
When you’re conducting the interview, what is your interview about and what must you do?

Back 267

422
It’s about the person in front of you and the answers he or she has to offer. Therefore, it’s critical that you LISTEN!

Front 268

422. Reporting
What are open-ended questions good for?

Back 268

422
To allow the interviewee to expand a topic.

Front 269

422. Reporting
What type of question is very restrictive and limiting?

Back 269

422
A closed-ended question.

Front 270

422. Reporting
What are the best questions?

Back 270

422
The best questions are those you carefully develop to get an interesting answer.

Front 271

423
1. What can standardized line spacing, sentence lengths, and characters per line (font size) make possible to a trained announcer?

Back 271

423
1. To determine the amount of time a given piece of copy is likely to require when read aloud.

Front 272

423
2. What is the line-spacing rule for radio and TV broadcast copy, and how does it differ with a video change on a TV script?

Back 272

423
2. Double-space. However, triple-space TV script whenever a video change occurs.

Front 273

423
3. How long should sentences be for a TV broadcast script? Why?

Back 273

423
3. Keep sentences short. Listeners understand brief sentences better. Short sentences are easier to read. The lead sentence should contain no more than 20 words. Remaining sentences should be no longer than 25 words. Generally, sentences in broadcast news and feature copy should average 17 words. Your goal, however, is to vary the length of the sentences and avoid giving the release a singsong sound.

Front 274

423
4. What are the guidelines for using line count in a radio copy, and how can you tell how long your copy reads?

Back 274

423
4. Set your margins for 60 spaces or characters per line. Seven to eight lines of radio copy average 30 seconds; 14 to 16 lines are roughly 60 seconds.

Front 275

423
5. What is another good way to determine the length or time of a broadcast copy? How can you tell how long your copy reads?

Back 275

423
5. To do a total word count. On short items, that’s not as time consuming as it sounds. Although announcers read at different speeds, the average is 2½ words per second. This means 75 to 80 words for a 30-second radio news release and 150 to 160 words for a 60-second story.

Front 276

423
6. What rule is violated when we begin and end a quote by saying “QUOTE” and “END QUOTE”?

Back 276

423
6. The rule of writing as we speak.

Front 277

423
7. What is dangling identification and how can you avoid it?

Back 277

423
7. Waiting until the end of the sentence to identify the source of your quote or paraphrase. Begin the quote with the source.

Front 278

423
8. What guidance should journalists use regarding rounding off numbers in a story? When do you use exact numbers?

Back 278

423
8. Round off most of your numbers when the exact figures are not of specific importance to the story. You can use exact numbers in stories when they are important, such as when dealing with deaths.

Front 279

423
9. Who is helped by punctuation in a broadcast copy and how are they helped?

Back 279

423
9. Punctuation in broadcast copy has to help the announcer perform smooth-sounding, understandable communication.

Front 280

423
10. What is an ellipsis and when is it used?

Back 280

423
10. An ellipsis (…) is a series of three dots or periods that indicate a pause longer than a comma. The dots are used for dramatic effect.

Front 281

423
11. How do broadcasters handle hard-to-pronounce names?

Back 281

423
11. If a hard-to-pronounce name is not important, use the person’s title.

Front 282

423
12. What is the rule to remember about abbreviations in a broadcast copy?

Back 282

423
12. “When in doubt, write it out!”

Front 283

423
13. What is the goal when writing a broadcast copy?

Back 283

423
13. Absolutely clean copy—free of errors—is the goal when writing the broadcast copy.

Front 284

423
14. When you find a misspelled word, how would you correct it?

Back 284

423
14. Completely block out the misspelled word and rewrite the entire word atop the block.

Front 285

423
15. How do you insert a word or phrase into your copy?

Back 285

423
15. Print or type the desired words above the line and indicate the point of insertion.

Front 286

424. Developing script content
1. In a well-written broadcast copy, how is the listener affected by script content?

Back 286

1. It is personal and has a sense of immediacy; it involves the listener and makes the listener feel like he or she is part of the event being reported.

Front 287

424. Developing script content
2. For whose ear do you write the broadcast copy?

Back 287

2. For the civilian ear.

Front 288

424. Developing script content
3. Explain the upright pyramid style in news writing.

Back 288

3. At the peak of the news pyramid is a single, central fact: What happened? The what usually comes first and attracts the listener’s attention immediately. The news story stems from this single point of information (what) instead of from a summary lead. The remaining four “W’s” and the how are secondary to the all-important what and are added in the body to complete the news item.

Front 289

424. Developing script content
4. Radio, TV, and newspapers are considered different in their information delivery ability. From the text, give a one-word description of each.

Back 289

4. Radio is considered the “alerting” or “headline” media; television, the “involving” or “emotional” media; and newspapers, the “informing” media.

Front 290

424. Developing script content
5. What is the advantage of broadcast and print media?

Back 290

5. The broadcast media is more immediate while the print media is more detailed.

Front 291

424. Developing script content
6. What is the four-to-seven-word slug line in a broadcast news story designed for?

Back 291

6. To be used as a headline or tease.

Front 292

424. Developing script content
7. What is the lead or first sentence of a broadcast news release designed to do?

Back 292

7. To gain listener attention, inform the listener of what happened, and prepare the listener for what’s to come.

Front 293

424. Developing script content
8. Why could putting an essential piece of information in the beginning of your story cause your listeners to miss what happened?

Back 293

8. Listeners are commonly inattentive until they hear something interesting and often mentally join a newscast in progress.

Front 294

424. Developing script content
9. Why is it important to localize the lead?

Back 294

9. Localization immediately makes the report vital to listeners on that base; the story becomes something occurring in their own community.

Front 295

424. Developing script content
10. How should a studio lead sound?

Back 295

10. A studio lead should sound as if you finished your story and then tore off the first paragraph and passed it to the newscaster.

Front 296

424. Developing script content
11. After you’ve written the lead, what does the body of your release do?

Back 296

11. The specifics of the story are logically developed in the body, supporting the lead by telling the story in detail. It explains and elaborates the main facts presented in the lead and adds features not summarized in the lead.

Front 297

424. Developing script content
12. What are the three methods of logical development of the body of a news story?

Back 297

12. Chronologically, expanding the “W’s,” and descending importance.

Front 298

424. Developing script content
13. What do features do within a newscast and on what do they focus?

Back 298

13. They provide a change of pace and often focus on soft-news items.

Front 299

424. Developing script content
14. What are the characteristics of a broadcast feature?

Back 299

14. It does not need to be timely or local, it is written and delivered in a narrative style, it has colorful and descriptive language and characteristics, and its structure is flexible; the most important facts may be placed anywhere for maximum effect—provided it makes sense to the ear.

Front 300

424. Developing script content
15. How long is the average feature?

Back 300

15. 2 to 3 minutes.

Front 301

424. Developing script content
16. In searching for story ideas, on what angle of the story is it important to concentrate?

Back 301

16. The human-interest angle.

Front 302

424. Developing script content
17. When we write a different kind of spot called a PSA, what are we trying to do?

Back 302

17. We’re still selling or persuading, but we’re trying to influence (sell) our listeners toward a way of conduct, an organization, an activity, or even an attitude. As military broadcasters, we don’t sell products; we sell ideas and services.

Front 303

424. Developing script content
18. What are the three steps of a selling spot?

Back 303

18. Attention, appeal, and action.

Front 304

424. Developing script content
19. How is an information spot different from a selling spot?

Back 304

19. There is no action step in an information spot.

Front 305

424. Developing script content
20. To what does propriety refer?

Back 305

20. It is a term dealing with the standard of what is socially acceptable in conduct or speech; the customs of a polite society.

Front 306

425. Evaluating television products
1. How can you definitively declare your CI mission accomplished?

Back 306

1. Only through feedback from your customers and audience.

Front 307

425. Evaluating television products
2. What is the most accurate way to measure the success of your CI productions?

Back 307

2. Record start and finish metrics.

Front 308

425. Evaluating television products
3. For some customers, why is simply getting their message on the air enough?

Back 308

3. It’s simply not possible for you to keep perfect track of every CI effort. Many topics are difficult to measure, and many topics require extensive research and input from your customer. Gaining cooperation is not always easy, as some customers do not have the resources or desire to collect and provide the information you’ll need.

Front 309

425. Evaluating television products
4. What is the downside to conducting audience surveys?

Back 309

4. They are extremely manpower intensive to create and administer.

Front 310

425. Evaluating television products
5. Who determines the standards of product quality?

Back 310

5. The broadcast industry as a whole sets the standard of quality for some products with benchmarks productions and AFBS has its PQA program to provide feedback to broadcast producers to tell them when a product is meets the minimum production standards.

Front 311

425. Evaluating television products
6. What is most important tasks regarding setting product standards and who bears the brunt of this responsibility?

Back 311

6. That a standard is established, training is conducted to that standard, and then products are reviewed on a regular basis to see what progress is being made; operations managers and supervisors.

Front 312

425. Evaluating television products
7. As the producer in the trenches, what responsibility do you have regarding your practical and technical knowledge?

Back 312

7. To learn as much as you can, advance your knowledge in your chosen field as far as possible, and apply the techniques taught to you. You may even, at times, have to train yourself through manuals or other self-study or distance learning programs.

Front 313

426. Television news product quality assessment
1. While working in a television news section, how do you make sure a story is timely?

Back 313

1. By checking the latest releases from public affairs and other approved releasing authorities.

Front 314

426. Television news product quality assessment
2. When you are developing story ideas of interest to your audience, what critical questions do you ask yourself?

Back 314

2. (1) Does the story enlighten? (2) Does the story educate? (3) Does the story convey information our audience can use? (4) Does the story inspire? (5) Does the story provide information that will enhance their quality of life? (6) Does the story inform? (7) Does the story support the public affairs objectives of the command? (8) Does the story represent our audience?

Front 315

426. Television news product quality assessment
3. What is the length of a short and long newscast?

Back 315

3. A short newscast is considered 1-7 minutes and a long one is considered 8 minutes or more.

Front 316

426. Television news product quality assessment
4. What traditional transition helps the newscast seem as seamless as possible?

Back 316

4. Cut transitions between sources.

Front 317

426. Television news product quality assessment
5. How can graphics be helpful in telling a story?

Back 317

5. By showing locations, listing numbers or statistics, or providing bullets to help a viewer grasp complex issues.

Front 318

426. Television news product quality assessment
6. In presenting a conservative military image, how is a news anchor judged? How can the individual earn credibility?

Back 318

6. The talent is judged initially by appearance. Credibility is earned though image, knowledge, and presentation.

Front 319

426. Television news product quality assessment
7. When discussing voice qualities what is considered good use of inflection?

Back 319

7. Emphasis is placed on proper key words and phrases. Appropriate range is consistent with age and sex. Optimum pitch level throughout the broadcast

Front 320

426. Television news product quality assessment
8. Describe a voice-over-video (VOV) piece.

Back 320

8. Video of a news story is run on air while the anchor concisely reveals the story's basic events.

Front 321

426. Television news product quality assessment
9. What are the six product quality elements the PQA evaluators are looking for on television news casts?

Back 321

9. 1) Communicative skills, 2) newscast elements, 3) voice skills, 4) editing, 5) basic writing/scripting, and finally 6) graphics.

Front 322

426. Television news product quality assessment
10. What qualities must the information be written to in order for the audience to understand the material? What is the most important quality and what will be lost if it is not present?

Back 322

10. Clear, concise, correct: the information must be correct and if not, credibility is lost when the newscaster presents errors as fact.

Front 323

426. Television news product quality assessment
11. What weather standards are evaluators looking for?

Back 323

11. At least a 24-hour forecast, 48 hours for weekends.

Front 324

426. Television news product quality assessment
12. What are the seven qualities evaluators are looking for when evaluating voice skills?

Back 324

12. Authority, Inflection, Pace, Articulation and punctuation, Interpretation, Conservative military image, and Overall credibility.

Front 325

426. Television news product quality assessment
13. Why should you avoid using jargon or slang in your writing?

Back 325

13. Jargon and slang may lose a significant portion of your audience. Avoid using it. Using clichés suggests a lack of creativity and initiative to find words that offer a fresh approach.

Front 326

426. Television news product quality assessment
14. What helps your over-the-shoulder graphics achieve consistent treatment?

Back 326

14. That the graphics match throughout the newscast, including fonts, backgrounds, and colors.

Front 327

426. Television news product quality assessment
15. What is the best way to write to a civilian audience?

Back 327

15. Write to the dependent spouse.

Front 328

426. Television news product quality assessment
16. What makes up research and pre-planning for a video shoot?

Back 328

16. Adequate advance work gathering information as the reporter planned the shoot before going out, or at least decided on all aspects (angle, video selection, nat sound, etc.) before arriving at the shoot scene.

Front 329

426. Television news product quality assessment
17. What makes up a good color balance for a video?

Back 329

17. Video has the proper hues, chroma, and skin tones.

Front 330

426. Television news product quality assessment
18. Effective standup are used as transition, when no video is available, as a chance to show and tell and establish yourself in a location, but what aspect of stand-ups should you avoid?

Back 330

18. Avoid beginning and ending stand-ups.

Front 331

426. Television news product quality assessment
19. When shooting your video, why are minimum pans and zooms preferable?

Back 331

19. Zooms and pans must have a purpose. Avoid unmotivated camera movement. Any zoom or pan must have a beginning and an ending.

Front 332

427. Editing
1. When does the editing process begin and what does it affect?

Back 332

1. The moment you select a news event for ENG coverage and it affects every decision made on the story’s content, shape, and focus.

Front 333

427. Editing
2. What are the five functions of the planning scan?

Back 333

2. 1) Provides the opportunity to compare the actual recording with the recording records to cross-check accuracy; or permits additions, corrections, or deletions to the records needed to reflect the actual content of the coverage. 2) Shows the editor what there is to work within the scope and quality of the overall coverage and identifies both the usable and the outstanding scenes for special consideration. 3) Dictates the editing theme of the final recorded semi controlled- and uncontrolled-action projects. It also verifies that all shots called for in a controlled-action script are contained within the coverage and are of usable quality. 4) Gives the editor a general overview of the subject in terms of the specific shots that are available and usable. This is needed for tentative planning of individual shot sequences, as well as for the overall order of sequences that are required to make up the final recording. 5) Begins the scene-logging and breaking-down procedures needed to eliminate unusable, duplicate, and excess footage. It also identifies and isolates wanted individual shots and shot progressions.

Front 334

427. Editing
3. How does having a good scene log help you in the digitizing process if you are working on a nonlinear editor (NLE)?

Back 334

3. Prevents you from digitizing the entire tape, saving time in the overall process.

Front 335

427. Editing
4. What is on the A-roll and B-roll, respectively?

Back 335

4. The A-roll contains the primary video and audio of the news event you were sent to cover. The B-roll contains supplementary video, like the reporter’s questions shot from a reverse angle, cut-ins, and cutaway.

Front 336

427. Editing
5. What rules apply to all camera movements in regards to zooms, pans, and tilts when shooting and editing?

Back 336

5. All of these movements must be motivated and have a definite beginning and end. Cutting to a new shot during any camera movement results in a very confusing jump cut.

Front 337

428. Motivation
1. What should you develop to guide you in every facet of your work as a journalist and how is it formatted?

Back 337

1. A simple commitment statement. A commitment statement is a simple subject-action verb-direct object sentence identifying what you hope to convey to your viewer.

Front 338

428. Motivation
2. What are the four basic transitions?

Back 338

2. The cut, fade, dissolve, and wipe.

Front 339

428. Motivation
3. What transition is an instantaneous change from one shot to another?

Back 339

3. The cut.

Front 340

428. Motivation
4. What does a fade transition signal?

Back 340

4. The beginning or end of the program element much like the curtain in the theater is used to signal the beginning or end of an act.

Front 341

428. Motivation
5. How should you use dissolve transitions if they are to produce the desired effect?

Back 341

5. Sparingly.

Front 342

428. Motivation
6. What happens on-screen during a wipe transition?

Back 342

6. A new shot is literally wiped across the screen to replace the existing shot.

Front 343

428. Motivation
7. Why would you normally cut to another shot?

Back 343

7. To show the audience something new, to reveal the on-camera image from a different angle, or to vary the emphasis and direct the audience’s attention to another element within the production.

Front 344

428. Motivation
8. What are the alternatives to cutting you might want to consider?

Back 344

8. Camera movement, talent movement, use of focus and depth of field, and other production techniques.

Front 345

428. Motivation
9. Typically, in a news story, how would you use what would traditionally be considered effects? Why?

Back 345

9. You won’t use them, especially the razzle dazzle twirls, spins, colorizations, mosaics, and the like. The effect overcomes the original purpose of informing the audience of an event and the message is lost.

Front 346

428. Motivation
10. For simplicity in the edit cell, how would you have your movement start and end? Where are the natural edit points?

Back 346

10. Have your movement start off screen then move into the screen or have your movement take place onscreen and then move off-screen. The first frame where the movement begins entering the screen or the last frame where the movement moves off-screen are the natural edit points, as long as they match the natural flow of what comes after the edit point.

Front 347

428. Motivation
11. What has happened to the guidelines for the length of time between edits and why?

Back 347

11. They have become shorter as the viewer’s desire for more visual activity has increased.

Front 348

429. Importance of audio in video production
1. What are the three areas of audio mixing?

Back 348

1. Sound levels, balance, and operating techniques.

Front 349

429. Importance of audio in video production
2. Define sound levels.

Back 349

2. The level of loudness you hear.

Front 350

429. Importance of audio in video production
3. What does over modulation produce?

Back 350

3. Distortion.

Front 351

429. Importance of audio in video production
4. What is audio balance?

Back 351

4. The difference in loudness between two or more sources.

Front 352

429. Importance of audio in video production
5. How can you avoid acoustic feedback?

Back 352

5. Reduce the volume level, move the microphone, use a directional microphone or processing.

Front 353

429. Importance of audio in video production
6. What sound qualities will reverberation give your audio?

Back 353

6. The classic reverb, delay, echo, spatial effect, and duplication (chorus) faculties.

Front 354

430. Using your nonlinear editing system
1. What are the steps to take when organizing a nonlinear editing project?

Back 354

1. Designate a project area, create a work bin, log the source material into the bins, and then digitize the material.

Front 355

430. Using your nonlinear editing system
2. What is the function of the TIMELINE key?

Back 355

2. The timeline is a graphic representation showing some, or all, of the edits associated with the segment being worked on. Timelines give the editor the ability to easily see the relationship of audio to video when performing split-edits (L-cuts), video only with fill for audio, dissolves or wipes, or common sync audio/video edits. An additional timeline option is to display the edit list in pictorial frames instead of a graphic sequence.

Front 356

430. Using your nonlinear editing system
3. What is the function of the SPLICE key?

Back 356

3. The SPLICE key adds the marked source material from the Source window to the edit list in the Record window after the point marked in the edit list.

Front 357

430. Using your nonlinear editing system
4. What happens when you put the NLE in trim function?

Back 357

4. Selecting an edit and putting the system into Trim function changes the Source and Record windows into displaying the last frame of the outgoing edit and the first frame of the incoming edit.

Front 358

430. Using your nonlinear editing system
5. What should you do when editing to hit an exact program length?

Back 358

5. Build into your program an area or areas where you can be sure to shorten or lengthen your program.

Front 359

431. Graphics
1. How should visual materials for television be designed?

Back 359

1. Simple and direct so new ideas to be presented aren’t lost in unnecessary detail.

Front 360

431. Graphics
2. What factors must you consider when designing graphics?

Back 360

2. Aspect ratio, edge loss, letter size, and styles.

Front 361

431. Graphics
3. What do studio cameras, character generators, and other image generating equipment do to the images they produce as they send the images through the system? What happens during the rest of the process that follows?

Back 361

3. Crop some area from the images they produce. The broadcast process crops more image area, and the receiver or monitor itself does some additional cropping.

Front 362

431. Graphics
4. What is essential area?

Back 362

4. Also known as the safe title area, it is centered within the scanning area vertically and horizontally and allows for approximately a 10-percent loss of video due to image manipulation and broadcast.

Front 363

431. Graphics
5. What is the simple criterion for graphics?

Back 363

5. ”If the graphic can be seen clearly enough to illustrate the point, your sizes and styles are appropriate.” If the graphic isn’t clear, you must change the letter size and style.

Front 364

431. Graphics
6. What directions should text flow and how should effects reveal it?

Back 364

6. From left to right and top to bottom just as if you are reading it from a book; first from the top left then to the lower right.

Front 365

431. Graphics
7. When creating your graphics which is the best method to use? Why?

Back 365

7. When creating your own graphics the best method to use is a vector based graphic because it gives you more flexibility with your projects.

Front 366

432. Finalizing your editing session
1. What determines the quality of your media in a DVD authoring program?

Back 366

1. Your export settings on the NLE.

Front 367

432. Finalizing your editing session
2. What is the difference between lossy and lossless codecs?

Back 367

2. Lossy codecs discard part of the video and audio information in order to keep the file size smaller. Lossless codecs preserve all the information when the file is compressed.

Front 368

432. Finalizing your editing session
3. What is the standard codec for transmitting to the Air Force Media Center?

Back 368

3. H.264

Front 369

432. Finalizing your editing session
4. When a producer begins working on a project how do they name the master folder?

Back 369

4. Name it with the date, their initials, and a slug.