Nice graphics on the news broadcast, but please how about either memorizing the page or having your notes at camera level. Funny to see you constantly look down while doing the news. Maybe get a teleprompter.....you can get cheap ones online or just use a computer to do it. Just my thoughts
There is a teleprompter on his computer screen with the camera on top of the computer. That is why he is looking down.
What is really funny, and I don't know if Scott noticed this, that during the program his green screen on the lower left corner blows up a little revealing what is behind the screen.
Very nice, but I think you should rethink the camera setup What I think is you should take the setup outside, to a nice, scenic area. Have your lines memorized and shoot it there That would be cool if you're willing to take the work of memorizing the script! Other than the looking down however, these are VERY nice Great job!
I have a hard time remembering my name and usualy my pants There is no way I am going to memorize a script and have all the exact facts given.
The way it works now is that I set up my camcorder on top of my 21 inch monitor (thats problem number 1, my monitor is TOO big)
The greenscreen is setup hanging from the wall and is attached to my painting easel. (I am actually a good nature painter)
I am sitting on the edge of the of my bed with 3 to 4 pillows under my butt so I am high enough so it sort of looks like I am looking in the camera, when it reality I am looking at the top of the teleprompter. (In real TV There is a glass over the lens in to which the teleprompter is fed onto, this is why it look like the new guy is looking at the camera, well because they are looking at the camera.)
I could correct things by sitting back futher in the middle of the bed and by zooming in. The problem with this is I do the news reports while no one else is home (I need the quiet) and I have no way of framing myself up in the middle of the bed.
I will be working this weekend to make things better I will be moving the computer equipment around in my bedroom.
Another thing which annoys me about the newscast is I do all the graphics myself, using the built in CG. While the software package is nice, the CG has a lot to be desired. The biggest problem is there is no way to set a font size, when your typing the letters adjust to the size of the screen.
This makes things hard when putting in text such as the new gold members feature (anyone like that?) Because the text it all different sizes.
The company that makes the Communicator software has actually be responsive to my suggestions which is cool hopefully they will fix the CG program.
All the editings (Wipes fades and graphics) are automaticly stuck in the video as I am reading the script. My timing has to be really good of the graphichs and fancy stuff won't look correct. The ultimate hardest part is saying the closing before the closing graphic comes up, If I say it too fast there will be a few seconds where I am just stairing at the camera waiting for the closing graphic to come up, if I say the closing too slow then my closing is cut off by the music and graphic while I am in the middle of saying it.
It does take some practice but I am getting use to it. Hopefully it will be cooler this weekend so I can work on making a more real studio type setup.
"I could correct things by sitting back futher in the middle of the bed and by zooming in. The problem with this is I do the news reports while no one else is home (I need the quiet) and I have no way of framing myself up in the middle of the bed."
Do you have an object you could prop up there about the size of the part of you you want to frame in? That would help a lot, because of the fact that you'd have less of a difference between the angle of your screen and the camera
"I have a hard time remembering my name and usualy my pants There is no way I am going to memorize a script and have all the exact facts given."
LOL, I understand completely Some people are just not that good at memorizing stuff, and others (like myself if I'm allowed tosay so ) can pick up a few minutes of memorizations pretty easily!
This is an awesome new feature, and I have to say that it's looking really good. Nice work. One thing that would be cool is to have a two-person news team (your reporting is good, but in real TV news, there are always several people). You'd still be the main reporter, but maybe have Chris announce certain changes to the forums or something (and then you'd be able to say something like "and now... over to Chris with the Weather, oh wait, the forums updates"). Great job! Good luck and have fun
Content: Excellent. You hit the key points and it was a top notch production.
Delivery: I thought you were blind at first to be honest, but realized that wouldn't make sense as your watching DBS and PQ comments would be hampered by this. Try putting the text off to the side of the camera, not above or below. Also try memorizing segments and and cutting away to a clip in between. A smile once in a while would also help.
Another technique is to bounce between the text and the camera so the audience thinks you're looking at them, even if not constantly, and don't bounce too often.
Can you do a one-way mirror and reflect the text like a teleprompter? Probably not too hard to do - angled glass, upside-down TV.....
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