Class discussion:
We’ll listen to a handful of your practice exercises from last week, and address any problems that came up or lessons learned. (Issues with sound quality, for instance, or making sure you intentionally record both questions and answers so you have quality sound for both, sitting close to your subject, finding a place to rest your elbow so your arm doesn’t get tired and you don’t have to change hands, creating handling noise, etc.)
Upcoming dates:
- Class this coming Monday, Sept. 16, will be devoted to editing and production on your podcasts, recording your host intros and outros, equipment returns and checkouts, and/or time spent reporting, if that’s how it can best be used.
(Note: We have a makeshift studio in a room on this floor that I can give you access to, where you can record directly onto the computer, which is set up with a mic. If you plan to record at home, make sure you’re recording in a location that is as soundproofed as possible, like under a blanket or in a closet, or at the very least a room with carpeting and the air conditioning switched off.) - Completed podcast due by class time on Wednesday, Sept. 18.
- Pitches for Assignment #2, a 5-minute news radio feature (a “wrap”), will be due on Monday, Sept. 23. Pitches should be posted on the blog by class time.
A wrap is a scripted radio piece that weaves together natural sounds, interview clips (known as “actualities”), and reporter narration to tell a story. The trick is to choose your actualities carefully to get the most memorable, interesting, powerful, or colorful sound bites possible, leaving the bare facts and background info for your narration. In your narration, you’ll write in and out of the actualities and provide any context that is necessary to help the story make sense. The natural sounds evoke a sense of scene and place. It’s also the reporter’s responsibility to script an introduction for the host to read.
Examples of wraps:
When brainstorming pitch ideas, ask yourself these questions:
Does this story have news value? (What makes a story newsworthy?)
Is there potential for scene-setting natural sounds? (If the whole thing takes place in an office, the sound will not be very compelling.)
Can I confirm that I will have access in order to do the story?
Here is a sample script for reference: Aceh Punks