Your Public Best - Lillian Brown [101]
AT THE TELEVISION STATION
By now, you have arrived at the TV station at least fifteen minutes to half an hour early, well dressed, relaxed, and well prepared.
Upon your arrival at the station, you should give the security guard or receptionist your name and the name and the telephone extension of your contact (again, usually the producer who booked you) at the station. This will avoid your being needlessly delayed in the lobby.
After you have been greeted, go over last-minute details with the producer or program host. To be certain that your host will give your correct name, title, and organization when you are introduced—and that they will be spelled correctly when they appear as a subtitle under your face—give the producer your professional card before the start of your interview. Don’t be insulted if the interviewer asks you to pronounce your name a couple of times before air to ensure that he or she has it correct.
You will now, more than likely, be taken into makeup (see the section on TV makeup in chapter one) or be seated in the guest waiting room that is always called the “green room,” no matter what color it actually is. Most network shows provide makeup services to their guests (but rarely the services of a hairdresser), while most local stations do not.
On major network shows, you may be asked to sign a routine release while you are in the green room. The release will request permission to use your name, face, likeness, and comments for broadcast. The basic purpose is to keep you from suing later on. Occasionally, a guest who is a lawyer will carefully examine the fine print. Sometimes a guest will cross out a word or sentence. But most guests sign the release without reading or understanding the contents. The basic release is harmless enough, and you should sign it or you probably won’t be allowed to go on the air.
Before we get into the details of undergoing a successful interview and other on-camera tips, let’s take a look at some of the technical aspects of the TV station itself, what you can expect, and how they relate to your television appearance.
Television Terms
A complete list of terms used in the broadcasting industry would fill a small dictionary. This short list, although far from comprehensive, contains some of the more common terms that you might hear but not be very familiar with.
Announcer copy. Announcer’s script for the open, close, or continuity of a program.
Aspect ratio. Relates to the ratio of picture width to picture height of a TV set; currently four to three (i.e., four units wide to three units high).
Audio. The sound portion of a television event. The audio technician is responsible for the mix and sound level control.
Audio cart. A cartridge housing magnetic tape usually containing the opening and closing music, etc.
Audio check. Testing the sound of the voice on the microphone for tonal balance and assurance that the microphone is functioning properly.
Body turn. Turning the top half of the body toward the person with whom you are sharing the set, leaving the hips in place; gives the illusion that you are looking toward the other person, but keeps the camera from getting a flat profile.
Boom. Projecting arm for support of the overhead camera or microphone.
B roll. The second tape needed to perform an edit when using two tape machines as sources for material.
Bumper. A shot (usually wide) of the set or studio designed to connect a segment of a program to a commercial break, and vice versa.
Bust. A term spoken in the studio by a technician or floor manager to the person being taped to indicate that a take has to be done over. Sometimes the videotape person will then ask the director or producer: “Save or burn?” When this happens, he or she is asking if he should save that take until a better one is made, or erase or record over it (burn it).
Camera cable. Umbilical cord to a camera from associated equipment.