PRODUCTION SITUATIONS
The equipment that has been discussed in previous chapters can be used for many types of studio audio productions, including commercials, image enhancers, on-air shows, music recording, news, sports, traffic, weather, talk shows, drama, and variety. Although many of these program forms relate to radio, some can be used for other audio-based material, such as music CDs, club disc jockeying, and demo recordings for job applications. Entire books have been written about each of these types of material; this chapter will not give you the in-depth knowledge you need to perfect any of the program forms. It will, however, get you started in the right direction. Experience and advanced training can then provide you with more specialized skills.
People who work for advertising agencies and radio stations are likely to be involved with producing commercials. At some stations, dealing with commercials is a full-time position, and at many stations the disc jockeys spend a portion of their workday doing commercial production work. At their simplest level, commercials consist of straight copy that the announcer reads over the air. At their most complex level, they are highly produced vignettes that include several voices, sound effects, and music. In between are commercials such as those that feature celebrity testimonials, dialogue between two announcers, or an announcer reading over a music bed.
Commercials, because they are inserted within other programming, are usually an exact length such as 15 seconds, 30 seconds, or 60 seconds. Otherwise part of the commercial might be cut off if it runs long, or yield dead air if it runs short. At many stations, commercials are brought in and taken off by computers, which are very unsympathetic to anything that’s too long or too short.
Anyone reading commercial copy should use a natural, sincere style. Reading commercials in a condescending manner is definitely uncalled for. Commercials pay station salaries and should be treated with respect. If you’re to read commercial copy live, you should read it over ahead of time to avoid stumbling on words. If the commercial involves both reading live and playing a prerecorded segment, make sure you rehearse the transition between the two. Sometimes a prerecorded spot sounds like it’s ending, but it actually contains additional information—perhaps new store hours or a bargain price. If you’re to read material after the recording ends, you want to make sure you don’t read on top of the recorded information.
Probably the most basic form of commercial you’ll produce involves an announcer reading over a music bed or sound effects. The usual format for a commercial with music is that the music bed fades in or begins at full volume for a few seconds and then fades under and holds as the announcer begins reading the spot. The voice-over is read on top of the music bed, and then the music bed is brought up to full volume at the end of the voice-over for a few seconds until it fades out or ends cold (see Figure 9.1). Although this seems simple enough, it may not come easily until you’ve practiced. Not only must you be concerned with timing, you also have to determine how much music to use to establish the spot, balance the levels between voice and music bed, and correctly manipulate the broadcast equipment. Often you do all this at the same time, although it is possible to record the voice-over and mix it with music at a later time.
Reading over sound effects is similar to reading over music, in that the sound should fade up and down. Sound effects are usually short; they often need to be looped (recorded over several times) in order to cover the length of the commercial. This task is easy to accomplish with computer editing. The sound can simply be copied and laid on the time line as many times as needed.
Highly produced spots usually take a relatively long time to prepare. Minidramas, which often start with music and involve several people bantering to the accompaniment of sound effects, involve a great deal of preproduction, rehearsing, mixing, and editing. They are among the most challenging, creative products that an audio production person handles. Often different parts of them are recorded at different times. The talent record their parts and then leave, especially if they’re high-paid talent. Then the production person mixes the talent skit with music and sound effects.
FIGURE 9.1 A drawing that illustrates a commercial that consists of an announcer reading over a music bed that fades in and out.
Known as “spot production,” the attributes of commercial radio production can be applied to the creation of commercials (that promote a good or service), station promotional announcements (promo), and public service announcements (PSA). After the concept for the announcement has been determined, a script is prepared and production of the spot takes place. At times, the client for an advertising spot will have to be convinced as to what is needed to get the message across. Like all production elements (see the different imaging materials described below), these announcements should fit the format of the station so that they do not detract from the “sound” of the station, or even worse, serve as tune-out factors. Having a good working knowledge of both production techniques and advertising attributes will aid in producing effective messages. (See Sauls, S. J. (2007). Basic Audio Production: Sound Applications for Radio, Television, and Film, 2nd ed., Thomson Custom Solutions, Publisher, pp. 9-7 - 9-8)
PRODUCTION TIP 9A
Music Punctuators
For radio spots that consist of a mixture of the announcer’s voice and a background music bed, the voice should be dominant, because it conveys the important information of the spot. The music is in the background and helps convey the mood of the spot. You can make this basic radio production more interesting for the listener by raising the volume level of the background music slightly during natural pauses in the vocal track. This step will move the music from the background to the foreground momentarily. The listener will pay attention to this change, because our ears “follow” movement and will focus on the subtle shift. Make sure that you turn down the background music when the voice starts again. You can punctuate key phrases or concepts in your spot with this technique, and your production work will sound more lively than just keeping the music constantly in the background. Remember that music, like all production elements, should support the intended message.
Imaging (sometimes called branding) defines the station as a product so that the listeners know what to expect when they tune in. It involves many elements, some of which are printed material such as posters or billboard ads. But imaging is also heavily incorporated between program elements such as music, commercials, or news stories. People who can produce short, catchy material to help establish the brand are valuable to the station.
There are many types of imaging materials. They have been given names, some of which are:
Bumper: A prerecorded audio element that consists of voice-over music that is used as a transition between different forms of content. It might, for example, consist of music and the disc jockey saying his or her name in an unusual manner.
Jingle: A produced programming element that includes the singing of call letters, a station slogan, disc jockey names, or other imaging elements.
Liner: A sentence or sentences that a disc jockey says over the intro to a song or during a break between songs. An example might be “It’s always golden here at KAAA.”
Promo: Short for promotional spot, this is an announcement, usually the length of a commercial, that promotes an upcoming station event such as a concert or a contest. A promo for a contest, for example, might include excited reactions of past contest winners, the contest rules, the prize, and how this contest relates to the station programming.
Slogan: A short pithy group of words that help listeners remember the main image a station wants to convey (see Figure 9.2). An example is “All news all the time.”
Station ID: An identification of the station. The FCC requires that all stations identify themselves by call letters and city of license at least once an hour. Many stations also include how the station is known within their ID—for example, “WQSU, The Pulse, 88.9 FM” or “KNTU, 88.1 FM, The One.” Also many stations do station IDs more often than once an hour, but they do not need to include all the required elements when they do so.
Stinger: A sound effect or musical effect that punctuates so that it will capture attention. A station might, for example, play four chimes accompanied by its call letters at the top of every hour.
Sweeper: A recorded element of voice, voice-over music, or a sound effect that bridges two songs together or creates a transition from commercials back to music or vice versa.
Teaser: A short segment, usually broadcast before a commercial break, the intent of which is to keep the listener turned to the station. And example would be “Coming up—how you can win two free tickets to the Cowboys game.”
FIGURE 9.2 Here are ten slogans. Which do you think are most creative? Most effective? Most descriptive?
As you can tell, many of these concepts are similar or overlapping. In addition, the terms are not uniform. What one station calls a bumper, another might call a sweeper. The exact definitions are not nearly as important as the need for all these elements to convey something to the listener that will distinguish the station from all the other stations on the air and attract the target audience that the station wants to attract.
All these imaging elements are short. Although a station cares a great deal about how it is perceived, it can’t devote too much of airtime to establishing itself or it will lose its audience. If you are producing something to enhance a station’s image, you must make it compact, memorable, and unique.
Remember that very successful spot productions are sometimes very simple. Complex does not necessarily mean creative. Easy production and microphone techniques can make for great audio production.
Music constitutes the largest percentage of radio station programming and is usually introduced and coordinated by a disc jockey (DJ). If you become a disc jockey, you’ll probably be spending most of your time in the on-air studio doing your production work live (see Figure 9.3). On-air broadcasting is fast-paced, pressure-packed, and, for most people, a lot of fun.
Although the main element of the programming is music, the main duty of the disc jockey is talking. Much of this talk involves introducing music. For this, your announcing style must fit the format of the radio station. For example, fast-paced, high-energy, rapid-fire speech is not appropriate for a classical music or big band format but may be required at a contemporary hit or rock radio station. Develop a variety of ways of getting into and out of the music. Many beginning announcers latch onto one introduction and use it over and over (“Here’s a classic from the Beatles…”; “Here’s a classic from Bob Dylan…”; “Here’s a classic from…”). If you have trouble thinking of clever material, read the liner notes on the CD or research the artist on the Internet. This will often give you ideas for something to say that’s unusual or informative.
FIGURE 9.3 The radio disc jockey manipulates all the broadcast equipment and adds the element of live announcing within the style of the radio station’s format. (Image courtesy of iStockphoto, Lisa Kyle Young, Image #2286303.)
Your station may have certain policies regarding what you say and how you say it. For example, some stations require you to talk over the beginning and ending of every record. Other stations may require you to say the station call letters every time you open the microphone.
As a disc jockey, you’ll also be talking about things other than music. For example, you may need to give the time, temperature, commercials, weather, news, or traffic reports. Or you may introduce other people, such as the newscaster, who will give some of this information. Station policy will probably dictate whether you must be formal about these introductions or have the latitude to banter with the other person.
Regardless of what’s going on within the live production situation, always assume that the microphone is open. Don’t say anything that you wouldn’t want to go out over the air. This includes personal conversations and, of course, indecent language. Many studios have an on-air light inside the studio as well as the one outside the door. This inside light is to alert the announcer to the fact that the mic is live, but the best rule is to assume that the microphone is always on.
Obviously, as a disc jockey, you need to be proficient at operating the equipment so that you can cue up and play the music. You need to think ahead, because you are normally operating equipment and talking. For example, if you have to bring in a feed from a network, you must know exactly when and how to do it. It’s also good practice to have an alternative if something goes wrong. If the CD player you want to play doesn’t start, have a backup plan prepared in advance. A good announcer can overcome most miscues so that the listening audience doesn’t even know that anything went wrong.
Make sure you have previewed your music, especially to know how songs begin and end. This will ensure that you avoid walking over (beginning to “outro” a song before it’s really over) a false ending. Previewing also helps you know how much instrumentation there is at the beginning of the record before the vocal starts so that you can talk over the instrumental but not the vocal (referred to as “stepping on”). There is no excuse for a disc jockey playing music on the air that he or she isn’t completely familiar with.
Plan how you’ll get from one piece of music to the next if you play them consecutively. You might want to review the sound transitions mentioned in Chapter 5, “The Audio Console.” Remember to use a variety of ways rather than the same method time after time. Listen to the on-air monitor frequently, if not continuously. Most audio consoles allow the DJ to hear the program line, the audition line, or the on-air signal; however, only the on-air signal allows you to hear exactly what the listener hears.
Sometimes disc jockeys are not in an on-air studio announcing music live. Instead, they are voice tracking. Voice tracking is simply when an announcer prerecords the vocal portion of his or her air shift—such as song introductions, generic time checks, and so on—that will be mixed with the music, commercials, and other programming elements later. Often computer software that allows a station to automate its programming also facilitates voice tracking. In this way, rather than doing a 4-hour air shift in real time, the DJ can record in a much shorter period of time—often about one-quarter of the time. In addition, voice tracking allows announcers to record several shifts both for the local station and for stations in other markets. It is not uncommon for an air personality to voice track a number of different formats for stations in several markets in one session.
Voice tracking has been around for quite a while; the countdown shows heard on radio have long been voice tracked. But technology and radio consolidation of the last several decades has made it more prevalent and more controversial because the jocks who create this “virtual radio” have replaced live and local DJs. Using “cheat sheets” listing local names, places, and events, a voice-tracking announcer can sound like he or she is in Portland, Maine, when the announcer is really in Dallas, Texas. Many listeners may not even realize their favorite “local” announcer has never been to their market. One result of voice tracking is that DJ jobs are being lost because one announcer can cover several air shifts. On the other hand, top-quality DJs from larger markets can be heard on smaller-market stations, and stations can save money through voice tracking. There are pros and cons to this method of creating radio content, but it is a practice that anyone wishing to become a radio announcer should be familiar with and become proficient at.
No matter what the format is of the station, the goal of all on-air talent is to maintain the sound of the station. Of course, the number one rule is to follow the station format. If everyone on the air “did their own thing,” you would have a different sound every time a new talent came on-the-air. A word of caution: the quickest way to lose your job as a DJ is to not follow format. You are talent, not a programmer.
Learn to work in different formats. Chances are that over time, you will work in a variety of formats. Learn the techniques of different formats when it comes to delivery and announcing style, as well as specifics contained in different formats. The more versatile you can be, the more employable you will become. For example, don’t limit yourself to just one style of music. With today’s industry consolidation in the radio business, you never know where you will be needed. Flexibility will go a long way in placing you in positions.
All of the techniques for on-air personalities described can be applied across the many distribution methods being employed today. So, it doesn’t matter if you are on terrestrial radio, cable only radio, Internet radio, satellite delivered radio, or what is digital audio broadcasting (DAB/HD radio), learn techniques that will give you the professional edge. (See Sauls, S. J. (2007). Basic Audio Production: Sound Applications for Radio, Television, and Film, 2nd ed., Thomson Custom Solutions, Publisher, pp. 9-6 - 9-9)
Another type of job open to people with audio skills is that of recording musical groups. Most of these jobs involve recording and mixing songs to be distributed on CDs or over the Internet. Sometimes groups are recorded (or aired live) in radio station studios where the disc jockey interviews the group and then has them perform.
Recording music is a fairly complicated form of audio production that often involves numerous microphones and long hours of recording. You can record the whole musical group at once or you can record individual instruments and mix them at a later time. (Obviously, if the performance is live, you must send out the whole group at once.)
When you record a whole group, you must place microphones very carefully so that you achieve the proper balance. If the group is fairly small, you can place a mic by the sound hole of each instrument and, of course, mic the vocalists (see Figure 9.4). But if you place a mic the same distance from a trumpet sound hole as from a violin sound hole, the trumpet will drown out the violin—and probably everything else. There are no set rules on how to position the mics; it takes experimentation and experience. In general, for recording music, you want cardioid condenser mics with a large frequency response and dynamic range, and you want to position them on stands (see Chapter 4, “Microphones”). It helps if the output of each mic is sent to a separate input into an audio board. Then several audio technicians working at the console can make minor changes in the volume of various instruments as the sound is on its way to the recorder.
FIGURE 9.4 This is an effective setup for a person who plays guitar and sings. One mic is by the person’s mouth and the other is by the guitar sound hole.
Better yet, in terms of quality and control, is to record each instrument separately. You might, for example, start by recording the guitar player performing the entire song. Then, the singer, while listening to a playback of the guitar, would perform. The singer would be recorded on a different track than the guitar and you would not need to adjust for the differing volume levels because you will be mixing them together later. But you do need to make sure you have good sound quality in terms of being distortion-free, on-mic, rich in frequencies, and so forth. By the same manner, you could lay down a drum track, a clarinet track, and so on. Later you could mix the sounds together starting and stopping and adjusting as needed to obtain the best recording possible. You can also add effects, such as reverberation and equalization (see Chapter 8, “Signal Processing Equipment”) at a later time.
Recording each instrument at a different time, however, may not allow for the energy and flow that musicians in a band, for example, might exchange during a performance. This is especially true in the case of jazz music, where riffing off of and interacting between the various musicians is a hallmark of the form. However, the different musicians can be sonically isolated from each other, allowing for each instrument to be recorded separately, while the musicians can, by way of headsets, be fed the live mix of all the performers so as to be able to interact and react to the composition as it ebbs and flows among the musicians. Many studios are equipped so as to allow sonically isolated musicians to see each other through glass walls.
If you are recording a large group, such as a symphony orchestra, you can’t mic each instrument. Instead, you mic various sections of the orchestra (violins, drums, trombones), usually with mics that are hung from overhead. As with a smaller group, technicians at an audio console set and adjust volume levels, but it is also wise to record each mic on a separate track so that changes can be made in the recording after the fact.
There are many other possible steps related to recording music. Sometimes music recorded from real instruments is mixed with computer-created music. Sometimes several versions made from the same recording session are released. In general, the recording process is a very important aspect of the music business.
PRODUCTION TIP 9B
Miking a Guitar
If you are into guitar music, you might like to try this guitar-miking method used by professional sound engineer Bil VornDick. It is for someone who is just playing the guitar and not singing, but it uses two microphones. Bil uses different microphones, depending who the artist is, but one of his favorites is the Neumann KM84, a condenser cardioid mic that operates on phantom power. It has a switch that allows it to be used close to loud instruments, handling 130 dB without distortion.
Bil places one mic toward the right side where the neck joins the body of the guitar pointed between the hole, arch, and neck—the area where the higher transients are. The other mic looks down from where the musician’s right shoulder is, because most guitar players play to the right ear. This mic is pointed toward the sound hole and covers the area between the wrist and shoulder. It emulates what the guitarist is hearing and has a deeper tonal timbre than the first mic. He has to be careful about multiple-microphone interference, or keeping the mics far enough apart that they do not cancel each other’s sound.
9.6 PREPARING AND ANNOUNCING NEWS
If you’re involved with radio production, you’re likely to do news work at some point. In some instances, the disc jockey may just rip and read from the news service on the hour or half hour. Of course, most radio news is now read directly off a computer screen so “rip ’n’ read” just refers to the practice of reading a newscast cold or with no rewriting or preparation. As we’ll note in a moment, this is not good broadcast practice. At the other extreme are all-news stations, which have many people involved with the news, often including two on-air anchors at any one time (see Figure 9.5). Whatever situation you find yourself in, some knowledge about newscasting will prove useful.
Even if you’re expected to simply read a short newscast each hour, you should give some time and thought to your presentation. First, you must decide which news to present. When assembling the radio newscast, you must choose the stories and story order in terms of importance, immediacy, and geography. The first story becomes the “lead” story. You probably have a station news format to follow, but you should also try to select those items that are most likely to be of interest to your listeners. Thus, local items are quite often paramount.
FIGURE 9.5 This setup at an all-news stations is made for two anchors. KRLD Afternoon News Anchors Tasha Stevens and Chris Sommer both have their own audio controller and monitors. Note the adjacent studio. (Photo courtesy of Dan Halyburton, CBS Radio Dallas, Texas State Networks.)
You may find that you need to do some rewriting of the wire service news and write some transitions to take the listener from one story to the next, or to localize the story. Timing is important on a newsbreak. Beginning newscasters sometimes run out of news to read before the newscast time is up. To prevent this, you should pad your newscast with some extra stories that you can cut if you have to, but that also provide a cushion if you need extra material. You’ll usually need to get commercials in at an appropriate time during a newscast, so make sure that you know when this happens and be prepared for it. Don’t read a newscast cold. Read it over first so that you’re familiar with the material. Rewrite anything that isn’t natural for you, such as tongue-twisting phrases that you might trip over or long sentences that make you run out of breath. Avoid too many numbers or facts jammed into a single sentence. Whenever something is unclear, rewrite to make it simple and easy to understand. Remember, broadcast news should be conversational and written for the ear, not the eye.
When a news story includes the actual voice of the person in the news, such as the mayor commenting on the new city budget, that segment is called an actuality. Most radio news operations strive to include many actualities within a newscast, because these bring life to the news. It’s more interesting to hear the mayor’s comments than the voice of an announcer telling what the mayor said. Many of these actualities are gathered by field reporters (see Chapter 10, “Location Sound Recording”); however, you can also make use of the phone to gather them. Many small radio stations have one-person news departments, and in these cases the phone actuality is especially crucial. At some stations, a telephone interface is used to semipermanently hook up phones to an audio recorder or audio console. But you can also use a microphone that’s specifically made to attach to the phone. You must obtain permission to record someone for broadcast use, and your station newsroom probably has specific guidelines to follow for doing this.
Actualities generally need to be edited. For this, you should use all the editing techniques presented in Chapter 3, “Digital Audio Production,” and include one very important rule: Make sure that when you edit, you don’t change the meaning of what someone has said. Ethical news procedures dictate that a great deal of care be taken in this area because the elimination of a single word can significantly alter a news report. When you’re editing and need to eliminate part of what a person said, either because it’s too long or it’s irrelevant, try to match voice expressions where the statement leaves off and where a new one begins. For example, don’t make an edit that jumps from a fast-paced explanation a speaker was making to a measured response he or she was formulating. Edits are usually best if made at the end of thoughts, because a person’s voice drops into a concluding mode at that point. Be careful not to edit out all the breaths the person takes, because doing this will destroy the natural rhythm. Try to maintain a constant background level throughout the actuality. To do this, you may have to mix in background noise from one part of the recording to another.
9.7 REPORTING SPORTS, TRAFFIC, AND WEATHER
At some radio stations, the same person who reads the news also reports on other related elements such as sports, traffic, and weather. At other stations, especially all-news stations, there are separate reporters to cover these topics.
Sports announcers need to know sports in general, as well as the particulars of the sports for the area in which they are reporting. Unlike other reporters, they are allowed to show a bias for the home team and are expected to have an upbeat, hyper vocal presentation. At some stations the same people who report sports on a regular basis from the studio also cover play-by-play at various sports venues. The equipment setup at a sports box at a stadium is similar to that in a studio, in that there are microphones and a small audio board, but there are also differences, which will be covered in Chapter 10.
In cities with heavy congestion, traffic reports have increased in importance, with some major market stations reporting traffic 24 hours a day. But traffic reporting can be very expensive if it involves a helicopter and reporters driving the streets to report on conditions (see Chapter 10). In some cities, specialized companies handle traffic reports for a number of stations. Reporters change their tone and banter as they switch from reporting for a rock station to an all-news station to an easy listening station. In addition to obtaining details from reporters in the field, employees of traffic companies or radio stations can obtain traffic information by listening to police radios, by encouraging listeners to call in with traffic jam information, and by looking at Internet site maps that are tied to sensors in the highways that indicate how fast cars are progressing on the road. Someone involved with traffic reporting needs a knowledge of the area in order to know which traffic jams are most likely to impact listeners.
Weather is an important subject in most communities; particularly so in the morning, as people prepare to leave for the day and in the evening as they are heading home. Some stations require their forecasters to have meteorology degrees so that they can explain weather conditions and the weather forecast to the listeners. Other stations have someone who calls the weather service or checks one of the government or private websites that constantly update local and national weather (see Figure 9.6). At the simplest level, the person giving the weather report can simply look out the window.
Some stations also have a person who deals with business news, regularly reporting on the stock market and related items. There are specialists who report on other topics such as art shows, fashion, education, health, or movies, and there are people who give commentaries on current events. Often these people work on a contract basis for syndication companies who supply audio material to a host of stations nationwide.
FIGURE 9.6 This is one of many maps that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides on the Internet.
There are many types of talk shows—shock jock morning shows, public affairs programs that deal with local or national issues, sports talk programs, psychology and self-help programs, religious talk, right-wing and left-wing political talkers, and on and on. Some talk shows consist of one person talking, others involve a host and a knowledgeable guest, and many include call-ins from listeners (see Figure 9.7).
Not everyone is cut out to handle hosting a call-in talk show. You must be fast on your feet and able to ad lib in an entertaining and effective manner. For many programs, you’re expected to have more than broadcast production knowledge. For example, a sports program or radio psychology show requires a host with some expertise in those areas. Sometimes the call-in talk show host has an engineer handling the equipment and a producer screening the calls so that the host can concentrate on dealing with the callers, but this is not always the case, especially in smaller-market radio. A call-in show host has to be able to handle people tactfully (or, in some cases, abrasively, if that’s the style of the program).
The host must remain in charge of the program. You should keep the program moving, trying not to give too much time to any one caller. If you have a guest to whom people are posing questions, you should give information about the guest and redirect questions if they’re not understandable.
Research is crucial to talk shows. Even if the show is one host spouting his or her opinions, the audience will sense when the host doesn’t know what he or she is talking about. A good host will research the subject and the guest before doing a program that involves a guest. Not only will this provide background, but it should also enable the host to generate a list of questions to ask.
FIGURE 9.7 This public affairs talk show involves a discussion between the program host and a studio guest. (Image courtesy of Alan R. Stephenson.)
Asking the right questions really means asking good questions. For example, ask questions that require more than a simple yes or no answer. Rather than asking, “Do you agree with the mayor’s new policy regarding the police?” ask, “What do you think of the mayor’s new policy regarding the police?” Ask short, simple, and direct questions. The question, “Given the salaries of employees and the possible raises they will receive, what do you think the effects will be on the social security system and the GNP?” will most likely get a response of “Huh?” Break complex questions down into a number of questions such as, “How do you think increasing salaries 5 percent will affect the GNP?” Ask questions that don’t require very long answers. Don’t ask, “What would you do to improve the city?” Instead ask, “What is the first thing you would do to improve the city?” Don’t bias your questions, such as “You do believe that the mayor’s new policy is correct, don’t you?”
Asking good questions also means knowing how to handle the answers, whether they come from a guest or a listener. For example, if the answer is too wordy, ask the person to summarize the response. If the answer is muddy or unclear, ask the question over again in smaller parts. If the answer is evasive, come back to it later, or ask it again from a different angle. If the response gets off track, redirect. And if the response goes on and on, interrupt politely and redirect.
Listen carefully to what the guest or call-in person says so that you can ask appropriate follow-up questions. Sometimes interviewers become so engrossed in thinking about the next question that they miss an important point that could lead to something significant. Although you should organize your program ahead of time and jot down some questions or points you want to cover, you aren’t required to stick to your questions. In all probability, when you ask question one, the guest will also answer questions three and seven, for example, so you must constantly flow with the conversation. The more you can lead off what the guest or a listener says, the more natural the whole show will appear. But make sure you do get the information you want. Most talk shows are aired live, but if the material is recorded, it may be necessary to edit. As with news, be certain that you do not change the meaning of what someone said.
When you have a number of different guests, identify them frequently, because the listener may have difficulty keeping track of the various voices. Even a single guest should be reintroduced several times during a 30-minute program, particularly after returning from commercial or sponsorship breaks. Not only does this remind listeners who your guest is, but it introduces him or her to those listeners who joined the program while it was in progress.
FIGURE 9.8 Prairie Home Companion starring Garrison Keillor (right) involves many production elements, including sound effects performed live by Tom Keith (left). (Copyright Prairie Home Productions. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)
9.9 PERFORMING DRAMA AND VARIETY
Drama isn’t produced very often on radio anymore. Sometimes there are comedic skits within variety shows that also include music, jokes, quizzes, and other elements. But variety shows, too, are rather rare, occurring primarily on public radio (see Figure 9.8). When drama or variety shows are performed in a studio, they require some unique production skills. Usually actors perform several parts, so an actor needs to be able to create a number of distinct voices. Otherwise audience members will not be able to distinguish one character from another.
Sometimes sound effects are performed live or at the same time that the drama or variety show is being recorded. The people performing them are skilled in using their bodies, voices, and various implements to create a wide variety of sounds. Along with music, these sound effects establish locale, tell the time, create mood, indicate entries and exits, establish transitions, and add humor. Sound effects and music can also be prerecorded or taken from a CD and edited into the production at a later time. Dramas and variety shows are fun to produce, but they do not have the broad audience appeal they had during the 1930s and 1940s before television was available.
This chapter has been devoted mainly to audio productions that occur within the studio environment. But there are many times when sound is gathered at a field location, broadcast from a helicopter, played at a club, used in conjunction with video, or connected to a variety of media forms such as the Internet and podcasting. The following chapters will explore these varieties of sound recording. When you finish the book you should have a well-rounded view of a large number of audio recording possibilities and an appreciation for the fact that audio production can be an exciting career. It is certainly possible to have a great deal of variety in your day-to-day occupation and you will have numerous opportunities to be creative and innovative.
1. How would a radio DJ “walk over” a false ending of a song?
a) by leaving the microphone open when it should be off
b) by beginning the outro of a song before it is really over
c) by recueing a CD
d) by researching an artist on the Internet
2. What is the reason sound effects sometimes need to be looped?
a) They are too short.
b) They need to be recorded after the talent is recorded.
c) Then need to punctuate a minidrama.
d) They need to be created live for a variety show.
3. Which of the following might be used before a commercial break?
a) a sweeper
b) a teaser
c) a bumper
d) any of the above
4. Which of the following describes good radio talk show technique?
a) Give each caller all the time he or she wants.
b) Ask all your questions in the order you have them written down.
c) Ask complex questions so that you cover the topic thoroughly.
d) Ask follow-up questions based on the interviewee’s response.
5. A fast-paced announcing style would be most appropriate for a disc jockey working at which type of radio station?
a) classical music format
b) big band format
c) all-news format
d) contemporary hit radio format
6. Which of the following best describes what should occur for a commercial that consists of an announcer reading over a music bed?
a) The announcer will read with a condescending tone.
b) The commercial will always be cut off because it is not the prescribed length.
c) The music bed will begin at full volume then fade under as the announcer begins talking.
d) The balance between the voice and music bed will favor the music bed.
7. Approximately how long should it take an announcer to record a 4-hour air shift by voice tracking?
a) one-quarter hour
b) 1 hour
c) 2 hours
d) 4 hours
8. Which of the following are you least likely to do when you record each instrument of a band separately rather than recording them all together?
a) adjust the volume of each instrument so it is at a different level
b) record the guitar and then record the drums
c) make sure your recording is not distorted
d) mix the sounds together when you are finished recording and then add reverb
9. What does the term “actuality” refer to?
a) the voice of the news announcer
b) a pad for a newscast
c) wire service copy
d) the voice of a person in the news
10. Which of the following is true about the content of radio news copy?
a) It should contain as many facts and numbers as possible.
b) It should be written in simple, easy-to-understand sentences.
c) It should be sonically isolated.
d) It should be written using long, explanatory sentences.
11. Which of the following are you more likely to do if you are recording an orchestra than if you are recording a string quartet?
a) place mics by the sound hole of each instrument
b) place mics by sections rather than individual instruments
c) place mics carefully to achieve proper balance
d) record each mic on a separate track
12. Which of the following would not be a good reason for editing a news actuality?
a) to cut out a cough
b) to cut out material that is irrelevant
c) to change the meaning of the story
d) to shorten the length of the story
13. Which type of announcer has the most latitude to be hyper and biased?
a) a sportscaster
b) a traffic reporter
c) a stock market reporter
d) a news anchor
14. Which of the following is the best definition of a “jingle”?
a) a sentence that a disc jockey says over the intro to a song
b) a short imaging element that includes singing
c) a promotional spot that explains a contest
d) a sound effect that punctuates
15. Which of the following would be the best radio interview question?
a) Do you favor capital punishment?
b) What do you think will happen regarding an amendment against capital punishment being added to the Constitution after it has been discussed by the state legislature in light of the case pending in Florida at the present time and the one recently decided in Illinois?
c) What do you think will be the outcome of the present attempt to outlaw capital punishment?
d) You favor capital punishment, don’t you?
If you answered A to any of the questions:
1a. No. This is something that shouldn’t be done. (Reread 9.4.)
2a. Yes, this is the correct answer. They need to be recorded over and over to cover the length of something, such as a commercial.
3a. This answer is correct, but it’s not the best answer. (Reread 9.3.)
4a. No. This could get very boring. (Reread 9.8.)
5a. Definitely not. (Reread 9.4.)
6a. No. This should never happen. (Reread 9.2.)
7a. No. This is too short. (Reread 9.4.)
8a. Correct. You would adjust the volumes later.
9a. No. You have the wrong voice. (Reread 9.6.)
10a. Wrong. Audience members won’t be able to comprehend all of them as they go by quickly. (Reread 9.6.)
11a. No. That would take way too many microphones. (Reread 9.5.)
12a. Wrong. This would be a legitimate reason to edit. (Reread 9.6.)
13a. Correct.
14a. Wrong. This is more likely to be the definition for a liner. (Reread 9.3.)
15a. Wrong. This question could be answered “yes” or “no.” (Reread 9.8.)
If you answered B to any of the questions:
1b. Correct. That’s the definition of “walk over.”
2b. No. It wouldn’t make any difference. (Reread 9.2.)
3b. This answer is correct, but it’s not the best answer. (Reread 9.3.)
4b. No. You don’t want to stick slavishly to your questions. (Reread 9.8.)
5b. No, that wouldn’t be appropriate. (Reread 9.4.)
6b. Wrong. You can certainly make it the prescribed length. (Reread 9.2.)
7b. Yes. Usually an announcer can produce an air shift in about one-quarter of the actual time by voice tracking.
8b. Wrong. You would be likely to record one instrument and then another when recording separately. (Reread 9.5.)
9b. Wrong. (Reread 9.6.)
10b. Definitely correct.
11b. Yes. When there are that many instruments you place the mics by sections.
12b. No. That is one of the main reasons for editing. (Reread 9.6.)
13b. Wrong. Traffic reporters aren’t biased. (Reread 9.7.)
14b. This is correct.
15b. Wrong. This question is much too convoluted. (Reread 9.8.)
If you answered C to any of the questions:
1c. No. This has nothing to do with cueing. (Reread 9.4.)
2c. No. This would have nothing to do with looping. (Reread 9.2.)
3c. This answer is correct, but there is a better answer. (Reread 9.3.)
4c. Wrong. Complex questions are not called for. (Reread 9.8.)
5c. Wrong. There aren’t even disc jockeys for this format. (Reread 9.4.)
6c. This is the correct answer.
7c. No. This is too long. (Reread 9.4.)
8c. Wrong. You want to check distortion regardless how you are recording. (Reread 9.5.)
9c. No. It has nothing to do with wire service copy. (Reread 9.6.)
10c. No. Sonically isolated refers to recording music. (Reread 9.5 and 9.6.)
11c. No. You always want to place mics carefully. (Reread 9.5.)
12c. This is correct. You definitely don’t want to change the meaning of the story.
13c. No. A stock market reporter should be serious. (Reread 9.7.)
14c. No. This is more likely to refer to a promo. (Reread 9.3.)
15c. Yes. This is the best-stated question.
If you answered D to any of the questions:
1d. Wrong. This has nothing to do with “walking over.” (Reread 9.4.)
2d. Wrong. If they are live, they definitely don’t need to be looped. (Reread 9.2.)
3d. Yes. Many of these imaging terms have interchangeable uses.
4d. Correct.
5d. Right. This format is fast-paced.
6d. No. If anything, it’s the other way around. (Reread 9.2.)
7d. Wrong. This is as long as the shift. (Reread 9.4.)
8d. No. This would be something you do when you record separately. (Reread 9.5.)
9d. This is the correct answer.
10d. No. The audience needs shorter sentences. (Reread 9.6.)
11d. Wrong. You’d be more likely to do this with a string quartet. (Reread 9.5.)
12d. No. Shortening is a legitimate reason to edit. (Reread 9.6.)
13d. Wrong. News anchors should not be hyper or biased. (Reread 9.7.)
14d. No. This is the definition of a stinger. (Reread 9.3.)
15d. Wrong. This is a biased question. (Reread 9.8.)
Record an air-check tape.
Purpose
To instruct those interested in doing on-air broadcasting in how to make an audition or demo recording, something required when applying for a job.
Notes
1. To apply for on-air jobs in broadcasting, you may send your résumé and an air-check recording to many stations. An air-check is a recording of less than 5 minutes that shows how you handle on-air broadcast situations.
2. Ideally, an air-check is an edited-down sample of your actual on-air work, but if you aren’t on the air on a regular basis, a simulated air-check can be put together in the production studio.
3. Try to make the recording as general as possible so that it could be sent to several different types of stations.
4. Put those things you do best at the beginning. Many potential employers don’t have time to listen past the first 30 seconds and will rule you out if they don’t like the beginning. Don’t structure the recording so that it builds to a climax, because probably no one will listen that far.
5. Feel free to use things that you’ve done for other projects for this assignment.
6. Keep the pace moving. Don’t do any one thing for too long.
7. The website contains a sample air-check. You may want to listen to it before starting your own.
How to Do the Project
1. Plan what you intend to include in your recording. An air-check format might include ad lib introductions to a few songs (either fade out the music after a few seconds, or edit to the end of the songs so that the listener doesn’t have to hear the whole song), some production work (commercials, station promos, and so on), and a short newscast. If you can do play-by-play sports, you might want to include that. There is no standard format, so do whatever showcases your talent best.
2. Plan the order of your recording. Make it sound like a continuous radio show as much as possible.
3. Record the project and listen to it. Redo it if it doesn’t present good broadcasting skills.
4. On the recording, write your name and “Air-Check Project.” Turn in the completed recording to your instructor to receive credit for this project.
Record a 5-minute radio interview show in which you are the interviewer.
Purpose
To prepare you for this common type of broadcasting situation.
Notes
1. Your interview must be exactly 5 minutes. Meeting the exact time without having an awkward ending will probably be the hardest part of the project, but it’s a lesson worth learning because broadcasting is built around time sequences.
2. Don’t underprepare. Don’t fall into the trap of feeling that you can wing this. In 5 minutes you must come up with the essence of something interesting, and you can’t do this unless you are organized. You’ll also only be able to record the interview once. You can’t redo this project, so you need to get it right the first time.
3. Don’t overprepare. Don’t write out the interview word for word. It will sound stilted and canned if you do.
4. Five minutes is actually a long time; you’ll be amazed at how much you can cover in this time.
5. As the interviewer, don’t talk too much. Remember, the purpose is to convey the ideas of your guest to the audience, not your own ideas.
How to Do the Project
1. Select someone to interview. If you’re taking a course, it will probably be easier to do this project with someone in class.
2. Decide what the interview will be about. You may select any subject you wish. You could talk about some facet of a person’s life or his or her views on a current subject, or you could pretend the interviewee is a famous person.
3. Work up a list of questions. Generate more than you think you’ll actually need, just in case you run short.
4. Think of a structured beginning and ending for the show, because those will probably be the most awkward parts.
5. Discuss the interview organization with your guest so that you are in accord as to what is to be discussed, but don’t go over the actual questions you’re going to ask.
6. Record the interview, making sure you stop at 5 minutes. Listen to it, and check that it has recorded before your guest leaves. You are finished with the project once the interview is recorded. Even if it didn’t come out as you had hoped, do not redo this project.
7. On the recording write “Interview Project” and your name. Give the interview to your instructor to receive credit for this project.