Movies for TV - Early Television Foundation

PROCESSING NEWSREEL SCRIPTS 299
narrator does not look at it at all if he does, he will probably
lose his place. After some practice runs, the film is started and the
director cues the narrator to start reading. If the latter runs slow
or fast he is given cues by hand signals on his shoulder or other
prearranged
code. It is not as difficult as it sounds and it is as-
tonishing how proficient a man can become doing it.
It is in the creation of the script that the thoroughness of the
research work done by the producer or cameraman or editor shows
up. Here is the place where misspellings or mispronunciations or
other misinformations are aired to the world, and if there are any
errors it does not take long for the world to point them out. The
delivery must be slow and clear. Everyone has heard the frenzied
voice of the sports reporters on radio and newsreels. That style of
delivery is not required for the average scene in a news film, apart
from sports. Remember that television sound is not always very
clear and insist that your narrator watch this point.
If it is desired, of course, there is nothing to prevent the sound
from being recorded on the film. But this entails a double process
in that after the film negative has been edited, the sound is re-
corded on some form of synchronized or semi-synchronized medium
such as tape or discs. This is then transcribed onto the posi-
tive which is made from the negative film. Thus, there is not only
more time taken in the double printing and processing but the cost
goes up greatly which is even more important in many stations.
Although the following may perhaps come more nearly under
the heading of production of newsreel rather than writing, it is
included here because so much can be said by the leaving out of
words as well as their inclusion and even more so can words be
implied in the way film is cut. As will be seen in the editing chapter,
a good editor with well-shot film can tell most stories without
words. As usual, get signed releases, if possible, if anyone is fea-
tured. And most important of all, refrain from poking fun at any-
one or making fools of them. At football or other public games
the members of the audience are part of the general scene ; by their
very presence they form the public. Therefore, a pan shot of them
in the stands or bleachers is quite in order, but beware of returning