Take 2

[NonPersa]

Okay sorry for the audio issues....here is my first version of my resume tape. Please, let me know what I did right/wrong and what I should change.

I would REALLY appreciate it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSjDBaPuTsQ

[overthehill]

The format for your resume video is fine. Slate, Montage, several stories, slate. I often wanted to see a tidbit of anchoring sample following your pkg samples, before the final slate.

I'm assuming you don't have any LIVE or even look-live clips, eh? Those certainly would make your resume video "jump." While you look professional, for some reason, I don't sense a level of intensity in any of these examples. I wish there was something a little "harder" or something that showed more excitement that what I see. Your vocal delivery seems the same in all three samples.

A few technical issues:

The interview with the guy in pkg 1 is pretty dark. Can you lighten/brighten it any? I also see what I consider a jump-cut or two--the guy's SOT, then a shot of him working at a computer. Could you put some kind of shot in between to buffer the transition?

In the package about the dog, I see a repeated shot--the girl walking into a store with dog on leash. Don't repeat shots.

It's a clean video, follows the proper format, but I don't get any sense of intensity or excitement from you--mainly your voice. Sorry.

[NonPersa]

Okay do you think it would help if i re-tracked my packages and tried to make it more conversational and give it more excitement? I could definitely do that. I've known for a while that is something I should work on

And I will take out that repeated shot. I don't know how that got past me.

I don't really have anything live...i could probably fake something?

I didn't put any anchoring on there because our sets/cameras are pretty old and bland. Do you think I should anyway, even if I'm applying for a reporter position?

And I'll work on those technical issues as well.

Thanks so much for taking the time and watch it and give me feedback!

And ECP, please don't put cherry bombs in my mailbox or anything like that :)

[overthehill]

Don't fake it--for (live shots) on this tape or otherwise ;) Simply dishonest.

It'd be nice to hear more energy, intensity in your narration, but then these stories don't necessarily lend themselves to high energy. Remember, your voice should reflect the mood or tempo of the story itself. You'd narrate a story about an exciting fire differently than a story about new sewers at the city council meeting.

If you have a way to edit around the repeat shot, I would. Always bothers me when I see a reporter/photog trying to stretch the story by repeating the same shot. "Hey, I've seen that before!"

I like the walking and movement in your standups, but do they all "make sense?" Don't walk for the sake of walking. The movement must have a reason to be there. (Your standup at the elevator does it fine.)

Keep in mind--throughout the resume video--the emphasis should always be on YOU. How do you look, how do you sound, how are you perceived by the viewer? In this case, you're trying to showcase YOU, not so much your journalism. The ND is looking at how you present yourself, how you'll fit in with his/her staff, how you carry yourself in standups, etc.

Up to you whether you want to use some anchoring samples. No you're not likely to anchor off the start, but some NDs still want to see how you look on the set, reading TP, etc. Don't worry so much about the quality of your set. Put the emphasis on how YOU look ON the set.

[that's life]

If you put some NAT sounds in there, it'd really spruce up your pieces.
But don't put in NAT for the sake of NATting up your pieces. I did that once... I think my ears bled that day.

[ISTHISTHINGON?]

NP, much better with the audio linking up. That said....if you can add a little something to your delivery it will help you stand out. OVERTHEHILL has great points....I think you stand a great shot in a smaller market where you can work on everything(even get that 'live' experience ND's like to see on a tape to show you can do it.
A couple of my notes...
-In a pkg....try writing shorter sentences. It can help spruce up your delivery. Gives you better chance of adding a little more energy.
I think the saying is "Keep it tight".
-Video Editing....keep it flowing with 'tight' edits.
For example, after your standup in the 'Seizure dog' story...there's a lenthy pause(2-3 seconds), then nats of the dog barking. Butt that "Nat break" as close as you can to your standup without it looking odd. It will keep the story moving.
Assuming this market clears up...you got a great shot at getting in the business. Use this down time(slow job market) to polish your delivery. Add a little more energy to your words.
Look in the mirror, and repeat the same sentence/stand up a few different ways...and pick the style that makes you(if you were a viewer) think "If she's that interested in it, maybe I should listen."
Again, these are just my thoughts, I'm an Anchor/Reporter, not an ND...but that's how I look at my stories whether on the desk or in the field.
Why should someone care about this story?
If I can answer it in delivery....that's a major player.
Don't make it fake though....:cheers:

[Quagmire]

I might recommend a PO Box or leaving the full address part off of the online version. Anyone who likes you a bit too much would have no problem finding you.

[FrontierMan]

Very nice tape, especially for a first timer. Your tape looks much better than some of the kids who've already been working for a few years. You've got a great look and I could see a personality, which is great. The writing isn't perfect, but it's good enough to send around. I don't think you'd have a problem finding a job, but remember that times are tought and it could take a while.

Best of luck to you. But seriously...consider your options because the TV news biz isn't the best right now. Please do that while you spruce up your tape and consider going to grad school.

[Fake Post]

I watched your tape and two thoughts came to my head....
1. Looks professional.
2. Standard stuff.

Well, you've got the first one covered well.
You may want to challenge yourself more on your stories.

Show me what you can do with a B.S. story like a city council or school board meeting.

For example...The University facing rising energy costs.

Find me a student who is on the edge of dropping out of college due to rising tuition costs. Link that with the rising cost of energy and I may care that the university is raising costs.

Just about anyone can cover a fire, murder, etc proficiently.
Show me why I should care about the less glamorous stories and you will go far.

Good Luck!

[TokenWhiteGirl]

Kate,

First of all it is a good first tape. Much better than mine was! A couple of things I noticed echo what was already said.

For one, give me some excitement in your standups! While you don't mess up or anything, you just sound kind-of bland. Spice it up!

Your movement in your standups is good. NDs like that.

You look professional, and you're pretty. Two pluses.

I wouldn't use the University heating story as my first package. Video and interview are boring. Talk to a student! They're probably paying enough as it is, and cuts would likely mean students' tuition would go towards it. Either way, the video is still rather blah for a lead story on a tape. There is nothing "harder" you can use?

Your standup in the university pkg appeared in your montage. That's a no-no. Always use different things; don't repeat!

Your second story intro stand-up is dark. Can you lighten it? Also, did this one appear in the montage? Lose it in the montage, then.

In your intro you say "every year this happens, and every year it ends with BC speaking." Okay, so why do I care? What makes THIS year different? What was exciting about THIS conference? Tell me up front! If not...:click:

OK, so we get to the middle school hook of the Clinton story -- but there's no students! I don't want to look at this administrator with weird hair. Let me hear from the teacher of the class who made the difference, or a student who feels a real sense of pride.

Good personalization in the puppy story right off the bat. However, I noticed with your stories that you track way too much and you don't let the characters speak enough. When you say "for some this sound may be annoying but for Tiffany Sudd it could save her life." GIVE ME A BYTE HERE! Let me hear her say something like "oh I don't know what I'd do without freckles" or "she's such a blessing" or whatever. THEN continue your track.

Repeat shot in the puppy story. Lose it.

Tiffany's audio is low. Can you raise it? It sounds like it's on the wrong channel.

Pause after the standup in the puppy story is too long. And I think the standup looks odd. Tiffany just laying there looks a little bizarre to me. Can you try something else?

It's not a bad first tape AT ALL! In fact it's pretty good for a first one. This should get you a first job pretty easily, however I hope you seriously consider some of the advice I gave you. I wish someone would have told me some of this stuff instead of hearing it from EPs and News directors!

Good luck!

[NonPersa]

First off, thanks so much for watching and taking the time to give feedback. If I could bake everyone virtual cookies, i would. Well, since everyone now knows where I live, I guess you could all come over and I could bake you real cookies.

I really should have taken that off. I didn't even THINK about it. Oops. I think I'll take quagmire's suggestion and put a P.O. Box

The number one thing I've been told is to tighten up my writing. So I think I'll try re-writing some packages and try to make them tighter.

I'll also re-track them to try to give them energy. I've known for a while that that is something I need to work on. I'm pretty low-key in person, and that translates a little too much on the screen. I do have one live shot from election night that I forgot about that I'll try to include. It was definitely high energy that night.

Fake Post, that was interesting about showing what one can do with a mundane story, like the rising costs story. Gave me something to think about.

Token White Girl,
Unfortunately, I had Tiffany's audio raised as high as it would go. It was recorded on Channel 1, but for some reason it recorded really low. Ugh.

Fortunately, I was unsure about the stand-up for the seizure dog story, so I recorded two versions. The other one doesn't have Tiffany lying on the ground. I was going for demonstration, but I've been told it doesn't work. I'll just switch the stand-ups out!

The rest of the editing stuff I should be able to fix. Tighter editing, taking out that repeat shot (Still can't figure out how I watched that thing a hundred times and didn't notice I had that shot in there twice!!), and more nats should be easy.

As for the Clinton story, I can't really fix any of that. I did that at KATV this summer and the photog went out and shot it for a reporter, and I took the footage later that evening and an editor and I sat down and played with it. So I didn't have any students or teachers to choose SOTS from , just that one admin.

I REALLY can't thank you guys enough. I wanted to put my tape together early enough to where I could get all this feedback and incorporate it and make my tape as good as I can. I know I have SO MUCH to learn, and you guys have helped so much!!!

[NonPersa]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw8PvTg68IM

Hello all!
Well I took most your tips and tried to re-work my resume tape. So if
you're really bored one day with nothing else to do, and you don't mind
helping a young, poor college student find her first job, please take a
look and tell me what you think..

OvertheHill, I added at least one live shot and re-tracked my packages
to add more energy. I don't know how much good it did. what do you
think?
I also completely re-edited the pkg with the dog and took out the
repeat shot and I brightened the interview on the first pkg. I also put
in some anchoring samples, although I'm a little embarrassed by our
lack of proper lighting/unattractive sets.

IsThisThingOn, I went back and tried to tighten the writing in all
three pkgs and use shorter sentences. I also tried to tighten the
editing. Does it look/sound better?

TokenWhiteGirl, unfortunately, these are my three best pkgs. I will try
this semester to get something "harder" that isn't so bland, but this
is what I have for now. I took out the stand-up from the montage that
was also in the pkg. I also tried to add more SOTS in the seizure dog
story and less tracking. Unfortunately, I can't touch the Clinton story
since that one was done on my internship and I don't have any of the
video or anything with me to play with. I also tried to raise Tiffany's
audio in the seizure dog story.

And I took out the weird, what-was-i-thinking standup in the seizure
dog story where she was laying on the ground. I hope you guys like the
new one better. Plus I only put the slate at the end.

So that's where I'm at now. I'm going to be applying for a
reporter/morning show anchor position in a starter market soon, so I hope this tape looks better than before. I appreciate your comments!!
Kate

[ISTHISTHINGON?]

You should be fine in a starter market....but here's my thoughts.
One thing that can speed up a story(in a good way) is to move a sound bite closer to the beginning of the pkg. The coal story had too many tracks before we heard something....and that SOT keeps the story from sounding monotone.
Honestly, and I'm not an ND, but I'd move the Dog story to the first pkg.
It's not hard news, but I say that because it had more elements of human interest(nats, sots, person not expert). I'd also take a few of your anchor spots off the montage....there were some repeats(at least similar shot). Keep it shorter...maybe 45 seconds max. The ND will get the picture fairly quick and can then see your writing/reporting. I know you want to show your anchoring...but first time gigs, I'd think you'd wanna show more reporting.
Sometimes you can write a track, then let the sot tell your next track, then you say another track. That keeps the flow going. Once you get your first job, these are all things that will become easier. Hope that helps, you should be fine.

[Roy Hobbs]

Looks like you have all the skills Kate. I dunno about the odds of somebody named Kate making it out of Little Rock though. Oh wait a minute...
http://www.bigapplegreeter.org/01-big_apple/images/AuctioneerKateSullivan_000.JPG

[adam & doctor drew]

you've got potential Kate and seem to have a good attitude.
keep plugging and keep writing.
good luck.

[NonPersa]

I'd also take a few of your anchor spots off the montage....there were some repeats(at least similar shot). Keep it shorter...maybe 45 seconds max. The ND will get the picture fairly quick and can then see your writing/reporting. I know you want to show your anchoring...but first time gigs, I'd think you'd wanna show more reporting.
.

I agree with you 100 percent. The only reason I put those on there because there is a job opening right now in a starter market that is for a morning show anchor/reporter. Do you think I should take them off? the montage does feel a little long. I have another version of this but without the anchor spots for when I am applying for JUST a reporter position, not reporter/anchor

Thanks for the encouragement, Roy Hobbs and Adam & Doctor Drew. :)

[ISTHISTHINGON?]

I agree with you 100 percent. The only reason I put those on there because there is a job opening right now in a starter market that is for a morning show anchor/reporter. Do you think I should take them off? the montage does feel a little long. I have another version of this but without the anchor spots for when I am applying for JUST a reporter position, not reporter/anchor

My thoughts on long montages? Basically, anyone can put their best bits and pieces together and look great. I did it. We all have and do still. But NDs know this....so don't overkill....a montage is just a tease so they know whether or not to continue to watch. Too much could be, well TOO MUCH. For an anchor position....show the shorter montage, then anchor stuff, then reporter.....and vice versa for reporter gig. But I think in smaller markets, my critique is nit-picking(sp?). But you definitely have 45 seconds worth of good standups and anchor shots to not have to overkill.:cheers:

[NonPersa]

Great. I'll do that. Thanks so much :)

[NonPersa]

Oh, and how big of a deal is it that my hair is two different colors? I'm really worried about this. Some say it shows versatility, others say the ND wants consistency. What do you guys think??

[TokenWhiteGirl]

As far as the hair thing, I wouldn't worry about it. I personally think it's okay to show different looks (I do) because it shows you're open to change (although some NDs will disagree saying viewers like consistency). I guess everyone is different. Again, that's my opinion.

You should definitely get a gig in a starter market. Good luck! Keep us posted!

[Desert Rat]

Kate,

You are already smart enough to take advice from people on this board who know what they are talking about....:)

Good luck