terminology

[Entourage]

I was wondering if someone is willing to help me. I’m an intern and was wondering if there is a guide or key somewhere to broadcast terminology. Things such as VOTOPS, VOSOT, SOT etc.

I was wondering if someone can provide an explanation of what these things are and any other terms or point me to a place where I can find this information.

[SpxGrunt]

Let me the first to reply: fake post.

[teenreporter]

Actually... I would like to know too.

[s'news]

Surely an Internet search will find that stuff.

Here's vosot.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=vosot

[s'news]

Things such as VOTOPS...

The Votops were a band in the 60s.

[newz2me]

The most used term always seems to be: FUBAR

[Spike]

I don't think this is a fake post. None of us are born knowing these things.

B-roll - Any video of a scene that is not an interview. Interviews are the a-roll, although people rarely call it that.

VO - Voice Over, as in voice over video. This is where an anchor or reporter talks as b-roll is seen on screen. There are two distinct meanings for the term. VO can refer to any video in which a reporter or anchor talks over it, for example the VO portion of a package (see below). It can also refer specifically to a story that is told entirely in voice over.

SOT - Sound On Tape. Essentially, this is the same thing as a soundbite, a snippet of an interview.

VOSOT - Simply a VO followed by a SOT. Sometimes there's additional VO after the SOT, sometimes not.

VSV - Occasionally also known as VOSOT-VO. Specifies that there is VO after the SOT. Some stations don't make any distinction between a VOSOT and a VSV, calling them all VOSOTs.

Bite - A soundbite.

VOB - VO followed by a soundbite. This is just an alternate name for a VOSOT.

Package - VO, b-roll and interviews all edited together into a self-contained story. Typically a package has more than one soundbite in it and the voice over is prerecorded and edited into the package. A package may contain a standup as well.

Standup - A prerecorded piece in which the reporter addresses the camera directly.

Intro - An on-camera introduction to a package or other element in a newscast.

Toss - Part of an intro in which the talent refers to the next element. An anchor may toss to a reporter ("Suzie joins us now with more...") or directly to video or an interview.

Tag - A conclusion after a package or soundbite, usually on camera.

Nat Sound - Natural Sound, audio that is captured while shooting b-roll. Often heard under VO in a VO or package.

Nat Break - A pause in a voice over track to allow the nat sound to be brought up to full volume briefly.

Nat Pop - A short nat break.

Nat Pack - Nat Package, a package assembled without a voice over track, consisting entirely of b-roll and interviews.

MOS - Man on the Street. An interview soliciting the opinion of someone in the community who has no direct connection with the story. These are usually accomplished by standing in a high-traffic area and asking people who pass by how they feel about a particular issue.

What else?

[Entourage]

Thank you. That is a big help.

I'm not sure why you guys would think that was a fake post. Why would someone ask a question like that and not want the answer? If I knew the answer, I wouldn't have asked.

[vuphinder]

More of a movie term..

When telling your photographer to shoot the subject and use a

"Mickey Rooney" = a little creep

[s'news]

This ought to help.

http://openline.medialine.com/showthread.php?t=12380

[Mighty Dyckerson]

I'm not sure why you guys would think that was a fake post.

Because folks 'round these parts aren't used to seeing a legitimate question.

[Republican Hater]

Moron-Egbert Roscoe Murrow or New York'rr

[ISTHISTHINGON?]

Reader: Anchor reads script without any video.
Cold Open:Video tease at beginning of show.

[DoneThatToo]

VOSOT - Simply a VO followed by a SOT. Sometimes there's additional VO after the SOT, sometimes not.

VSV - Occasionally also known as VOSOT-VO. Specifies that there is VO after the SOT. Some stations don't make any distinction between a VOSOT and a VSV, calling them all VOSOTs.


Since most shops now edit vo and sot to seperate sources you are more likely to run into a sotvo. If there is a vo prior to the svo then it would be two elements in the script / rundown.

How I do not miss the days of single tape vosot!

[Spike]

Since most shops now edit vo and sot to seperate sources you are more likely to run into a sotvo. If there is a vo prior to the svo then it would be two elements in the script / rundown.

I've seen "SOTVO" in scripts, but I don't think I've ever heard anyone say, "I need you to cut a SOTVO." It's usually referred to as a VOSOT, whether there's VO after the SOT or not. You're not likely to hear anyone tell you to go out and shoot or write a SOTVO.

[SamG]

Since most shops now edit vo and sot to seperate sources you are more likely to run into a sotvo. If there is a vo prior to the svo then it would be two elements in the script / rundown.
If there is a VO prior to the SOT, that's still a VOSOT (the STORY is a VOSOT).


How I do not miss the days of single tape vosot!
When done well, single tape (or clip) vosots look (and sound) good. No different than a DJ "hitting the post" to a song.

[Spike]

When done well...

And when she was bad...

[!]

MOS - Man on the Street. An interview soliciting the opinion of someone in the community who has no direct connection with the story. These are usually accomplished by standing in a high-traffic area and asking people who pass by how they feel about a particular issue.
...after first explaining the issue to them.

[Another OMB]

...after first explaining the issue to them.

Ain't THAT the truth! I don't know which I hate more about doing MOS stories--having a bunch of people turn me down when I ask if I can talk to them or having to explain the issue or question OVER and OVER and OVER.

[Bureau Chief]

One of our newbie producers is all about sot/vos and frequently has two for a story. Leads each vo off with a sot "for impact". #!%#@@ film school twits.

[The Fedora]

How I do not miss the days of single tape vosot!

These were a HORRIBLE idea. Very happy not to have to deal with them. I am not a DJ, nor do I want to have to worry about getting cut off by a SOT.

And we use Cold Opens as taped SOTs or Stand Up Teases instead of VOs.

[!]

These were a HORRIBLE idea. Very happy not to have to deal with them. I am not a DJ, nor do I want to have to worry about getting cut off by a SOT..Didn't you get countdowns?

[!]

Ain't THAT the truth! I don't know which I hate more about doing MOS stories--having a bunch of people turn me down when I ask if I can talk to them or having to explain the issue or question OVER and OVER and OVER.And the way in which you explain it affects the answers you get, too.

[DoneThatToo]

If there is a VO prior to the SOT, that's still a VOSOT (the STORY is a VOSOT).


When done well, single tape (or clip) vosots look (and sound) good. No different than a DJ "hitting the post" to a song.

Well, yes I know that (vosot). I meant to get across the point that a vo followed by a sot/vo would more likely be vo - sotvo, not vosot-vo, since the two elements of video/sound when cut would be a vo then a sotvo instead of a vosot - vo. And yes when an editor or producer has worked with the same talent / read rate long enough you can edit vosot and it will work.

I would imagine (since I have never worked in radio) that the DJ is more free form and has a clock in front of them where the TV person has a preset number of words to say and maybe a count into the sot. How would a single element vosot look or sound better then a properly executed two element vo sot??

[SamG]

I would imagine (since I have never worked in radio) that the DJ is more free form and has a clock in front of them where the TV person has a preset number of words to say and maybe a count into the sot. How would a single element vosot look or sound better then a properly executed two element vo sot??
I don't know if the DJ has a clock or not. When I did college radio (long ago), the only clock I had was on the (few then) CDs.

*WE* have a countdown clock that appears on the prompter monitor counting the anchor down to a SOT.

As far a looking/sounding better, it's reaction time. The director needs to hear the roll cue, roll the server/tape, and take/wipe to it. Could lead to a long (relatively speaking) pause.

Granted, a one tape VOSOT (if mistimed) can result in clippling a mic or also a longer pause. That's why I mentioned it needs to be done well.:thumbsup:

[The Thrill]

Here's another helpful glossary (http://www.photogslounge.net/glossary.html) from Photog's Lounge. :cheers: