Storytelling on Camera
Television news interviews are a wonderful opportunity to share your organization’s story. Being on camera---whether in a special feature segment, a documentary, or even in your own YouTube video---is a chance to strengthen public perceptions about what your organization does and how it's making a difference in the community.
The next time a journalist wants to put your story on the news, seize the opportunity! Here are some simple tips to help you shine in the spotlight.
Be prepared. Have a protocol in place that identifies who from your organization is responsible for acting as the company's spokesperson or “chief storyteller.” Have a “deputy” spokesperson in place too so that there's always someone on hand to answer questions from reporters, journalists, and high-level officials.
Be open and accessible. Remember, every encounter with the media is an opportunity for positive public exposure. Don’t hide from reporters when they call. Get out there in front of them. You never know when the news media is going to call on your organization again.
Keep it simple. Use plain language when you tell your story on camera. Plain language includes using short sentences made up of clean, concise words. Using plain language to share your organization’s mission, vision, and values creates stronger sound bites that news editors can work into their segments. If editors have to untangle complex sentences and try to make sense of your insider language, you might get cut out of the news hour. Editors are working on a tight schedule and if they can’t find a clear statement from you in their film footage, they'll find it from other organizations.
State your expertise. You want the people watching the news to
know you're an expert in your field even before the red banner shows up on screen with your name and title. Speak authoritatively. Try to mention the name of your organization as often as you can so that when your interview gets edited, your name has a better chance of being heard.
Wear the right clothing on camera. Avoid black and white clothing and stripes and dots. Go for solid colors, except for green. Wear minimal or discreet jewelry. If you're a woman, always wear some make-up. TV cameras have a tendency to drain colour out of your face and lips. Even if you don’t normally wear make-up, keep some blush, lip colour, and mascara in your desk and apply them lightly before the reporters arrive.
If your office attire is normally casual, keep a blazer hanging on the back of your office door and throw it on when the media calls. For women, a colourful pashmina can be used to dress up a casual outfit. Since you're normally filmed from the chest up, a shawl draped around your shoulders can make a plain T-shirt look sharp and stylish.
Notice your surroundings when you're telling your story. Pay attention to where you're being interviewed and what is going on behind you. If you're being interviewed outside, try to position yourself so you don’t get 'photo bombed' by a stranger or an animal in the background. (The last thing you want is for your segment to get ruined by a dog 'being messy' on camera behind you.) If you're being filmed inside, try to have your logo or business name positioned behind you.
The next time a journalist wants to put your story on the news, seize the opportunity! Here are some simple tips to help you shine in the spotlight.
Be prepared. Have a protocol in place that identifies who from your organization is responsible for acting as the company's spokesperson or “chief storyteller.” Have a “deputy” spokesperson in place too so that there's always someone on hand to answer questions from reporters, journalists, and high-level officials.
Be open and accessible. Remember, every encounter with the media is an opportunity for positive public exposure. Don’t hide from reporters when they call. Get out there in front of them. You never know when the news media is going to call on your organization again.
Keep it simple. Use plain language when you tell your story on camera. Plain language includes using short sentences made up of clean, concise words. Using plain language to share your organization’s mission, vision, and values creates stronger sound bites that news editors can work into their segments. If editors have to untangle complex sentences and try to make sense of your insider language, you might get cut out of the news hour. Editors are working on a tight schedule and if they can’t find a clear statement from you in their film footage, they'll find it from other organizations.
State your expertise. You want the people watching the news to
know you're an expert in your field even before the red banner shows up on screen with your name and title. Speak authoritatively. Try to mention the name of your organization as often as you can so that when your interview gets edited, your name has a better chance of being heard.
Wear the right clothing on camera. Avoid black and white clothing and stripes and dots. Go for solid colors, except for green. Wear minimal or discreet jewelry. If you're a woman, always wear some make-up. TV cameras have a tendency to drain colour out of your face and lips. Even if you don’t normally wear make-up, keep some blush, lip colour, and mascara in your desk and apply them lightly before the reporters arrive.
If your office attire is normally casual, keep a blazer hanging on the back of your office door and throw it on when the media calls. For women, a colourful pashmina can be used to dress up a casual outfit. Since you're normally filmed from the chest up, a shawl draped around your shoulders can make a plain T-shirt look sharp and stylish.
Notice your surroundings when you're telling your story. Pay attention to where you're being interviewed and what is going on behind you. If you're being interviewed outside, try to position yourself so you don’t get 'photo bombed' by a stranger or an animal in the background. (The last thing you want is for your segment to get ruined by a dog 'being messy' on camera behind you.) If you're being filmed inside, try to have your logo or business name positioned behind you.