Producer's Checklist
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Pre-production
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Identify your viewer. The viewer is the person who will watch your
story. Think about this person's cultural level, likes and dislikes, etc.,
as you work on your story.
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Write down a one-sentence goal for your piece in terms of your viewer.
Plan for your viewer's reaction. You want the viewer to understand, be
convinced, take action, or be entertained--or a combination of these. For
example: I want the viewer to understand how this government program affects
him, be convinced of its value, and, if he's qualified, take action to
participate in the program.
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Make a connection between your story and your viewer. Think of ways
to humanize and personalize the story. Instead of dry statistics, use specific
examples that touch the viewer. For example, for a story about changes
in interest rates, talk to people who are buying a house or people who
depend on interest from their Certificates of Deposit.
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Don't be afraid to ask your research sources for help in personalizing
their story: ask how their program affects the ordinary person; ask them
to arrange for you to tape a typical participant in their program.
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Every story should have a human face. Show the viewer someone to
identify with; or show the viewer a problem he or she can understand, then
show the solution.
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Plan for texture to tickle your viewer. Texture is changing ideas,
pictures, and sounds that tickle and stimulate your viewer's continuing
interest. Avoid the sound-bite/narration/sound-bite structure. Plan on
using natural dialogue and sound effects up from time to time.
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Think of interesting and different visuals to get your ideas across;
for example, illustrate a piece about the importance of coffee exports
with someone picking dollar bills from a coffee tree.
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Plan for the best pictures. Ask people who'll appear on camera to
avoid wearing the following: red, white, stripes, tiny patterns of any
kind. When possible, arrange to do interviews at an activity site, rather
than in an office.
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Make a shooting plan! Before you start shooting, have a plan consisting
of, at least, a good opening, a good closing, and a good sequence in the
middle. Also, have a list of interview questions focusing on your goal
in terms of the viewer. In addition, make a list of the types of natural
dialogue scenes you'd like to shoot.
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Don't forget the possibilities of computer-generated graphics to
clearly get your message across to the viewer.
© 2008 All rights reserved, Tom Schroeppel,
3205 West Price Avenue, Tampa, FL 33611-3720 (813) 831-0947
Author/Publisher of
The Bare Bones Camera Course and
Video
Goals
E-mail: Tom@TomSchroeppel.com - Home Page: www.TomSchroeppel.com
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