Requirements

The final project of the past semester for my class was a radio feature where I set certain requirements to meet, 6 minutes long, at least 1 interview, focused on music.  Some of the students found these requirements as limitations.  They worried so much about the requirements (so they could make the grade) they forgot about the story.

It’s understandable.  As a student your job is to get the best grade possible so you can get the best job possible after you graduate.  For some students, meeting these requirements is so important that they forgot the artistry in telling a story.

I find that requirements when creating a news story helps to make it more creative.  By limiting the time I can use, I am forced to remove all but the very best audio.  Since time is limited, even if it is 9 minute story, I make it a point to record as much sound as possible (interivews, sound, etc) so I have as much as possible to work with.  However, you are not going to record 25 interviews for a 6 minute story, but you might talk to that many to get the background you need.

I am not a reporter, so I am not concerned about the reporting aspect, but I am a producer.  I am interested in the art of telling the story.  I try to tell a story as clearly as possible.  If that means 6 actualities, then I will get them in.  If it means 25 actualities then I’ll make it work.

One of the “techniques” I saw in some of the projects was filling for time.  This drives me up a wall.  On the radio it tells me they didn’t work hard enough to tell the story.  In the classroom it tells me they only did the minimum to get the grade.

I told the class that the requirements I listed for the project would only earn them an 80%.  In order to do better they must “impress me.”  I gave some examples (more interviews, multiple pieces of music.  In the real world we are forced to “impress” our audience every time, or they will turn us off.  Every thing that goes on air, from a promo to a show, must make the listener say, “Wow!”  In the real world our grade is a 100% or a 0%.

So what’s the point?  No matter what you are working on, from a class project to a international show, work to impress every time.  Good enough doesn’t pay the bills.