Profiles, Arts & Entertainment, and Sports

1. Profiles, Arts & Entertainment, and Sports

2. Why do a profile?

3. Profiles • Is the subject seemingly a random choice, or is it clear why the person merits a profile story? • You can go beyond simply doing background research on your profiled person. Consider interviewing others about them in advance. • This may help guide the questions you ask the profiled person. • It could help you figure out what NOT to ask about. • But use this principle with caution and with a critical mind. • Ask for facts and anecdotes rather than mere opinions.

4. Profiles • A good interview is key: • Put the person at ease. • Prior to the interview, you could set some ground rules to assure the person you respect their privacy. • Start with easier questions at first if you’re planning to ask some tough questions at some point. • Have one special question you’re confident the person will enjoy or want to talk about.

5. “My theory of interviewing is that whatever you have, use it. If you are confused, use that. If you have raw curiosity, use that. If you have experience, use that. If you have a lot of research, use that. But figure out what it is you have, and make it work for you.”-Terry Gross (NPR)

6. Profiles • Keep narrative structure in mind: • Don’t just tell us about the person. Tell us a story. • Showing someone “in action” or using an anecdote can be an effective way to lead a story. • Where/how did this person begin doing what they do? • Did the person have a major turning point in his/her story? • What’s on the horizon for the person’s future? • Usually, chronological order is NOT the best approach. • Is the story a “valentine,” or is it serious, thoughtful reporting?

7. Profiles • Multimedia Considerations: • Profiles should have at least one picture of the person. • Posed pictures are boring. Get a shot of the person in action. • In a video, be sure to compose your shot with enough room for lower-thirds (graphics with name, title, etc.), and be sure to watch for an unwanted microphone in the shot. • Audio (alone or with video) can be used as a way to let the person tell their own story. • Don’t interrupt. Unless it’s purposefully a sit-down chat-style interview, avoid saying “Uh-huh, mm-hmm” (hard to edit out).

8. Arts & Entertainment • Cover a wide range of art forms: • Music, literature, theater, dance, visual arts • Cover different genres within the art forms: • Rock, pop, classical, rap, metal, electronic, world/ethnic, etc. • Reviews, calendar of events, games • Besides audio, video, and photos, A&E provides great soundslide opportunities. • Keep audio and video in sync in the editing process.

9. Sports • Common approaches to sports content: • Event coverage • Press conferences • Analysis • Columns & blogs • Outlook/predictions • Rankings/grades • Discussion/debate • What opportunities are there at Evergreen?

10. Sports • Prominent use of multimedia is not a bonus, but a basic expectation for sports stories. • Get varied shots (wide angle, medium, close-up) for video and photography. • Music can be used effectively to amp up sports videos. • Infographics can really help with analytical stories. • Podcasts can deliver discussion/debate.