The Devil is in the Details

So, by this time in the semester, ATVN producers should have a pretty great grasp on the major aspects of putting together a news cast. But then there’s a little word called“detail” that could make or break a newscast. For years during my time at Annenberg TV News, I have always been told to remember CGs, outcues, runs times and TRTs. Those little words and numbers may not mean much to the worker bees typing them into iNews, but they mean a whole lot to the Director trying to get the show flawlessly on the air. They mean a lot to the assistant director trying to time the show and make sure she knows when the sound bites will end. They mean a lot to the viewers who will have no clue who’s speaking unless identifiers are correctly placed in the lower third of the screen. They mean a lot! I’ve also found that the little letters composing acronyms such as SOT, VOSOT and SOTVO are key directions for the MJs, editors, video teammate and lead producer. If there is a miscommunication and difference between the rundown and the video itself, the anchors will get confused and so will the control room.

The devil is in the details. Some of the best advice I can give future producers is to leave enough time at the end of the day to check, check and check again your show. It may seem scary at first to start at page one and work your way down, but believe me, being focused and careful, especially at the end of the day, will save you and your show from uncertain demise. The mind may be weary towards the end of the day, but as they say in sports: push through the pain. A 30-minute polished newscast will be a fabulous reward for you and your team if you can ensure details are not forgotten. Most importantly, a positive attitude is one of the most crucial details in a newsroom filled with the need for teamwork and smiles.