Advanced Video Reporting

RTV 460

Advanced Video Reporting

Scope: This is an advanced broadcast class, with strong emphasis on reporting, producing and writing.

You will produce a weekly edition of UM News, an update of what’s happening on campus. You’ll spend each week reporting, writing and producing this show in tandem with directing students in RTV 450. The programs will air on television stations across Montana and on the internet.

Class Time: The class officially meets Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10:10-11:00 in DAH 210. But you will find out we will be meeting in a variety of locations including DAH 101 and 109. You will also meet during lab hours 3:30-5:00 as assignments dictate.

There are class periods when the two classes will meet together Please check the attached class schedule.

Instructors: Ray Fanning, assistant professor, Journalism/Radio-Television

DAH 409

Phone: 243-4747

E-mail:

Office hours: Tuesday & Thursday 8:30-10:30 am (or by appointment)

Attendance: Mandatory. You must notify one of us in advance if you expect to miss a class. The only acceptable excuses are University business or severe illness. We reserve the right to require students with unexcused absences to drop the course.

Successful RTV 460 students will:

Research and report interesting, character-driven stories appropriate for the UM News audience

Meet professional standards for producing, anchoring and directing UM News.

Successfully perform production crew assignments

Demonstrate good news judgment in reporting stories and producing shows

Write clear, concise and accurate scripts.

Demonstrate strong and creative storytelling skills

Demonstrate an ability to re-purpose UM News stories for the web and add additional content

Master various script formats including reader, voice-over, voice- to- sound-on-tape, and reporter package

Demonstrate an ability to use newsroom software programs, and to shoot and edit video tape.

Work well with others and meet all deadlines

Think critically and creatively

Report fairly and accurately

Diversity Initiative

The School of Journalism has undertaken an initiative to create opportunities for students to tell stories of more varied and diverse groups of people. You will need to integrate one of these groups into one of your news packages. We will discuss the groups of people and some possible story ideas during the preparation of the assignments.

Greening UM Beat

This semester we will incorporate a “green” beat into our coverage of the university, called “Greening UM”. As part of your reporting assignments, you will produce at least one television news story focusing on ways the university is working toward sustainability. These stories will air in our regular “UM News” broadcasts on KECI and KPAX. We will collect the QuickTime versions of these stories and compile them on a DVD at the end of the semester.

Grades: Grades will be based on your ability to meet deadlines, teamwork, story ideas, class participation, writing, shooting, editing, producing and research. You will be given a grade each week for MontanaPBS Newsbrief and UM News work:

Weekly Grade for UM News/Newsbrief-90% of grade
Attitude/Class Participation-10% of final grade

100-93%
A- / 92-90%
B+ / 89-88%
B / 87-83%
B- / 82-80%
C+ / 79-78%
C / 77-73%
C- / 72-70%
D+ / 69-68%
D / 67-63%
F / Below 63%

Same Work for Multiple Classes in J-School

You may not submit for this course any assignment that has previously or will be concurrently submitted for another class unless you receive prior approval from the professor for this course. To do so without permission will result in an “F” for the assignment and could result in an “F” for the course.

Academic Honesty

All students must practice academic honesty. Academic misconduct is subject to an academic penalty by the course instructor and/or a disciplinary sanction by the University. All students need to be familiar with the Student Conduct Code. The Code is available for review online at

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

This course is accessible to and usable by otherwise qualified students with disabilities. To request reasonable program modifications, please consult with the instructor. Disability Services for Students will assist the instructor and student in the accommodation process. For more information, visit the Disability Services website at

RTV 460

Advanced Video Reporting

UM News

(Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10-11)

Each week, the class will produce two television news segments focusing on campus news. The 3:30 program will air during the morning newscasts in Montana. Additionally, all packages will be turned and posted onto a blog site for the web. UM News will concentrate on news about The University of Montana including campus issues & security, ongoing research, faculty and student news & concerns, performing arts and special events. The audience is not students; it’s western Montanans. We’ll be taping segments on Monday and Wednesday during class time. On Fridays, we will review and critique the newscasts and packages. You will also meet during daily lab time to pitch story ideas, get scripts and first edits reviewed, etc. A good portion of your grade will depend on your ability to research and pitch solid story ideas that become good news pieces.

Directors and Producers: You are primarily responsible for the productions and meetings. We expect you to communicate, cooperate and create a memorable show. Stick to your deadlines. Be flexible. Work together on all aspects of the program.

Job Descriptions:

Producer-Runs story meeting, reviews stories throughout the week, builds rundown, works closely with director on graphics, delivers program to the television station
Director-Runs story meeting, reviews stories throughout the week, creates graphics, direct.
Reporter-Researches story ideas BEFORE CLASS and pitch. Shoots, logs, writes, edits.
Photographer-Researches story ideas BEFORE CLASS and pitch. Shoots, logs, writes, edits.

Everyone will also work as part of the production crew on taping days.

Anchors

10:00am or earlier- in newsroom

familiarize yourself with stories and pronunciations
clarify any questions with producer

10:05 am- on set with mics and IFBs

10:10am- Rehearsal and taping begin

Assistant Director/Assistant Producer

10:00am or earlier- in newsroom

Check with producer and director to see if they need any help

10:05am- in control room ready to time the show

10:10am- Rehearsal and taping begin

Audio

10:00am or earlier- in control room

10:05am- ready for mic checks

10:10am- Rehearsal and taping begin

Camera

10:00am or earlier- in studio

10:05am- at your camera with headset on, ready for rehearsal

10:10am- Rehearsal and taping begin

10:00am or earlier- in control room- graphics loaded

10:05am- ready for rehearsal

10:10am- Rehearsal and taping begin

Director

9:00 am- Pick up copies of the rundown from producer

9:05 am- Check on video in Thunder and load sequence

9:15 am- Pick up scripts from producer and mark scripts

Troubleshoot any problems

9:30 am- Review graphics with producer on Dekko

10:05 am- Make sure crew is in place and ready to rehearse

10:10 am- Rehearse and tape show

Floor Manager

10:00am or earlier- in studio

10:05am- headset on, ready for rehearsal

10:10am- Rehearsal and taping begin

Producer

8:30 am- Have rundown and scripts ready for Ray to review

9:00 am- Print six copies of the rundown for the director

9:15 am- Print one copy of scripts for director

9:30 am- Load graphics into Dekko and review them in control room with director

9:40 am- Print two copies of scripts for anchors

Load prompter

10:05 am- Make sure anchors are on set and miced

Be in the control room- Check IFBs

10:10 am- Rehearse and tape show

10:30 am- Archive show and load template for next week

10:00am or earlier- in control room- go over show with director

10:05am- ready for rehearsal

10:10am- Rehearsal and taping begin

Thunder

10:00am or earlier- in control room- check Thunder sequence

10:05am- ready for rehearsal

10:10am- Rehearsal and taping begin

VTR

10:00am or earlier- in server room- get instructions on recording the show

10:05am- ready for rehearsal

10:10am- Rehearsal and taping begin

Next Week Producer and Director

10:10am or earlier- in newsroom- going over story ideas in iNews

10:25am- print story ideas

10:30 am- Begin story meeting

RTV 460

Course Outline

(Subject to Change)

Monday, August 31h

Welcome/Syllabus

Class/Work Schedules

Phone/e-mail lists

Program Schedules

Editing/Equipment Checkout and Responsibilities

Assignment-Formats, Supers and Opens

Lab Time: Maroon iNews Review

Lab Time: Maroon Camera/Avid Review

Tuesday, September 1

Lab Time: Silver iNews Review

Lab Time: Silver Camera/Avid Review

Wednesday, September 2

Program/Individual Schedules

Lab Time: Maroon- story research

Thursday, September 3

Lab Time: Silver- story research

Friday, September 4

Team Maroon Story Meeting

Lab Time: story meeting followup

Monday, September 7

NO CLASS OR LAB-LABOR DAY

Tuesday, September 8

Newsbrief-Production Begins

Lab-Review Silver Open/Graphics

Lab-Maroon Open/Graphics

Wednesday, September 9

10am Team Silver Story Meeting

Lab- story updates

Thursday, September 10

Lab-Maroon Script Review

Friday, September 11

Maroon Edit Review

Monday, September 14

Team Maroon Taping

Wednesday, September 16

Team Silver Taping

Friday, September 18

Team Silver and Maroon Review

Monday, September 21

Team Maroon Taping

Wednesday, September 23

Team Silver Taping

Friday, September 25

Team Silver and Maroon Review

Monday, September 28

Team Maroon Taping

Wednesday, September 30

Team Silver Taping

Friday, October 2

Team Silver and Maroon Review

Monday, October 5

Team Maroon Taping

Wednesday, October 7

Team Silver Taping

Friday, October 9

Team Silver and Maroon Review

Monday, October 12

Team Maroon Taping

Wednesday, October 14

Team Silver Taping

Friday, October 16

Team Silver and Maroon Review

Monday, October 19

Team Maroon Taping

Wednesday, October 21

Team Silver Taping

Friday, October 23

Team Silver and Maroon Review

Monday, October 26

Team Maroon Taping

Wednesday, October 28

Team Silver Taping

Friday, October 30

Team Silver and Maroon Review

Monday, November 2

Team Maroon Taping

Wednesday, November 4

Team Silver Taping

Friday, November 6

Team Silver and Maroon Review

Monday, November 9

Team Maroon Taping

Wednesday, November 11

No Class- Veterans’ Day

Friday, November 13

Team Silver and Maroon Review

Monday, November 16

Team Maroon Taping

Wednesday, November 18

Team Silver Taping

Friday, November 20

Team Silver and Maroon Review

Monday, November 23

Team Maroon Taping

Wednesday, November 25

NO CLASS-THANKSGIVING BREAK

Friday, November 27

NO CLASS-THANKSGIVING BREAK

Monday, November 30

No taping

Wednesday, December 2

Team Silver Taping

Friday, December 4

Team Silver and Maroon Review

Monday, December 7

Team Maroon Taping

Wednesday, December 9

Team Silver Taping

Friday, December 11

Team Silver and Maroon Review

December 14th-18th

FINAL EXAM WEEK