No matter what kind of show your staff is producing, you must think about how you are going to tell the story before you pick up a camera or microphone.
Most scripts are written in two column format, but don’t let the formatting of the script turn your news writers off before they get started. The most important thing to remember is that there must be a focus to the story. And it is the job of the reporter to find that focus. Too many students think that the story will magically appear after everyone gets back to the studio and edit bay, but this unfortunately doesn’t happen.
The text in the two column format should follow this guide:
The text in the right column is what the reporter or the person being interviewed is saying. The reporter voiceover (VO) should be written down so that the reporter can read it on or off camera. The rest of the text will be what the microphone picks up during the interview.
More to come…
Broadcast Staff Manual For The Scholastic Press 