Broadcast Announcing Worktext, 3rd Edition: A Media Performance Guide

353 Pages·2009·4.17 MB·English

by  Alan Stephenson

BROADCAST ANNOUNCING WORKTEXT
i
This page intentionally left blank
BROADCAST
ANNOUNCING
WORKTEXT
A Media Performance Guide
Third Edition

Alan R. Stephenson
David E. Reese
Mary E. Beadle
AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON • NEW YORK • OXFORD
PARIS • SAN DIEGO • SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO
Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier
Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier
30 Corporate Drive, Suite 400, Burlington, MA 01803, USA
Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP, UK
Copyright © 2009, Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier’s Science & Technology Rights
Department in Oxford, UK: phone: ((cid:2) 44) 1865 843830, fax: ( (cid:2) 44) 1865 853333,
E-mail: mailto:[email protected] . You may also complete your request on-line
via the Elsevier homepage ( http://elsevier.com ), by selecting “ Support & Contact ”
then “ Copyright and Permission ” and then “ Obtaining Permissions. ”
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Application submitted
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN: 978-0-240-81058-4
ISBN: 978-0-240-81059-1 (CD-ROM)
For information on all Focal Press publications
visit our website at www.elsevierdirect.com
09 10 11 12 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in the United States of America
Dedication
To my parents, Roger and Ethel, who, despite a Depression,
unemployment and a war, found the money to send me to college.
– A.R.S.
To Gail, for support, encouragement and love
– D.E.R.
To my parents Millie and Bert Beadle, for all the years of love and support.
– M.E.B.
This page intentionally left blank
CONTENTS
Preface xvii
Acknowledgments xix
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO PROFESSIONAL ANNOUNCING 1
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 Announcer, talent, or personality? 1
1.3 Announcing: an historical perspective 2
1.4 Announcing: an employment perspective 2
1.5 Announcer specialization 3
1.6 Is a college degree necessary for an announcer? 4
1.7 Key physical requirements for announcers 5
1.8 Key emotional requirements for announcers 6
1.9 Is practical experience necessary for an announcer? 6
1.10 Announcer responsibilities 8
1.11 Role model announcers 10
1.12 Conclusions 12
Self-Study
Questions 13
Answers 15
Projects
Project 1 Interview a local announcer 17
Project 2 Profi le a renowned announcer 18
Project 3 Complete a self-evaluation 18
CHAPTER 2 THE AUDIO PERFORMANCE ENVIRONMENT 21
2.1 Introduction 21
2.2 The audio studio 21
2.3 Microphones 23
2.4 Working with a microphone 25
2.5 Mic fright and why broadcast performers get it 26
2.6 The broadcast console or audio mixer 28
2.7 Music playback sources 29
2.8 Digital audio equipment 30
2.9 Conclusions 32
Self-Study
Questions 33
Answers 35
vii
viii CONTENTS
Projects
Project 1 Operate audio equipment 37
Project 2 Practice microphone technique 38
Project 3 Investigate ‘‘mic fright’’ 39
CHAPTER 3 THE TELEVISION PERFORMANCE ENVIRONMENT 41
3.1 Introduction 41
3.2 The television studio 41
3.3 The television production crew 43
3.4 Television terminology 43
3.5 Camera panic 44
3.6 Working with a camera 44
3.7 Communicating in the studio: hand signals, cue cards, prompters, and IFB 48
3.8 Makeup 51
3.9 Conclusions 52
Self-Study
Questions 53
Answers 55
Projects
Project 1 Practice camera performance 58
Project 2 Practice taking hand signals in the television studio 59
Project 3 Record a movie review utilizing a teleprompter script 59
CHAPTER 4 VOCAL DEVELOPMENT 61
4.1 Introduction 61
4.2 How sound is produced 61
4.3 Diaphragmatic breathing technique 62
4.4 Proper breathing posture 63
4.5 Avoiding thoracic breathing 63
4.6 Key elements of vocal development 63
4.7 Volume 64
4.8 Pitch 64
4.9 Rate 64
4.10 Tone 65
4.11 Articulation of sounds 66
4.12 Pronunciation 67
4.13 Substandard pronunciation 69
4.14 Common vocal problems 70
4.15 Maintaining a healthy voice 72
4.16 Conclusions 73
Self-Study
Questions 74
Answers 76
Projects
Project 1 Practice articulation 78
Project 2 Practice proper pronunciation and avoidance of substandard enunciation 79
Project 3 Practice pronunciation 80
CONTENTS ix
CHAPTER 5 PERFORMANCE DEVELOPMENT 81
5.1 Introduction 81
5.2 Developing a broadcast delivery style 82
5.3 Performance elements 83
5.4 Copy marking 86
5.5 Word usage 88
5.6 Language changes 90
5.7 Avoiding amateurish announcing and inept delivery 92
5.8 Audience rapport 93
5.9 Conclusions 93
Self-study
Questions 94
Answers 96
Projects
Project 1 Copy mark and record a script 98
Project 2 Compile jargon, cliche, and redundant word lists 99
Project 3 Practice pronunciation 99
Project 4 Practice infl ection (pitch variation) 100
Practice Material
One-liners (Deliver with lots of energy) 102
More quickies 102
CHAPTER 6 COMMERCIAL ANNOUNCING 103
6.1 Introduction 103
6.2 Sources of broadcast commercials 103
6.3 Commercial forms: radio 103
6.4 Commercial forms: television and cable 104
6.5 Considering the basic structure of the commercial 105
6.6 Other factors to consider when analyzing a commercial 106
6.7 Importance of timing 107
6.8 Energy: hard sell versus soft sell 109
6.9 Gestures and facial expressions 109
6.10 Ad-lib commercials 110
6.11 Acting 111
6.12 Commercial voice-overs 112
6.13 Public service and promotional announcements 113
6.14 Conclusions 114
Self-Study
Questions 115
Answers 117
Projects
Project 1 Analyze and record a radio commercial 119
Project 2 Record a television commercial 120
Project 3 Ad-lib a radio commercial from a fact sheet 121
Practice Material
Fact sheets: ad-lib commercials 123
Commercial copy 124
Dialogue copy 125