Lisa Coxon and Ronan O’Beirne
We asked some Canadian broadcast reporters to share some helpful tips they’ve received from camera operators, editors and the like over the years. From serious to silly, here’s what they’ve been told:
“When you are doing particularly sad stories, if you don’t feel the emotion of those you are interviewing, you aren’t doing your job . . . it’s not about being a robot; it’s about telling the best story.”
—Quinn Ohler, Global News Edmonton
“It’s exceedingly simple, but it’s so true: when you do an interview, the most important thing is to listen to the answers. So many times, you’re caught up in asking questions, thinking about what you’re going to ask, that you don’t really listen to the answer and sometimes, that’s the most important thing—it leads you to what you should be asking.”
—Christina Stevens, reporter, Global National
“The shorter, the better—keeping it concise, keeping it tight. And nobody likes to see a talking head. So if you have enough B-roll to cover that, do it.”
—Aaron Streck, reporter, Global Saskatoon
“You want to dress for the job that you want, not the job that you’ve got. People always have first impressions; they can’t help themselves. It’s instinctual to automatically judge someone based on what they’re wearing. If you really want to present yourself as credible and professional, it’s important.”
—David Gerow, reporter/anchor/videographer, CBC Ottawa
“I was told once by an audio guy to stop wearing turtlenecks because the microphone was echoing on my chest. The funny thing was, my mic was actually on my jacket. Never understood that one, but I think he just didn’t like turtlenecks.”
—Quinn Ohler, Global Edmonton
“I once had a cameraman tell me I’d look a lot better if I faced away from the camera.”
—Ed Watson, reporter for CTV B.C.
Remember to follow the Review and its masthead on Twitter. Email the blog editor here.