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Introduction to Broadcasting MCM 411

LESSON 27

NEW SCRIPT WRITING AND DIRECTION TECHNIQUES

Though gradually, the TV programs started showing their own self. As the criticism got

intensified that TV is strictly following radio broadcast, the TV managers put their head down

and thought seriously to transform the radio broadcast to a TV broadcast.

It was a heroic effort on part of some TV producers to show imagination with very little support

available in the sense of equipment, finances and expertise, and take the TV broadcast to a

more meaningful level in rather a short span of time.

Since TV is a visual medium, it is more difficult to handle it. The techniques applied in radio

broadcast, particularly in writing script and directing different programs are totally different for

a TV broadcast.

TV Script

Script is always linked with the medium through which a message has to be carried. For print

medium a script will give full details of an action so that a reader should understand what the

script writer is intending to convey. Likewise, on radio the demand of the script is different;

since a listener is not seeing a performer or the things in the surrounding, he/she is made to

understand with the help of script.

For TV, there is hardly a need to put in words things which viewers can see. Here you may

say; why this (a chair, for example) is put in this room. The viewer will know `this' means chair.

But for a radio script, you have to say; why this `chair' is put in this room for the listeners need

to know what the word `this' means.

In the early days of TV broadcast, most script writers had come from radio, there had been

problems in description of feelings and objects. On TV you can show a person feeling

headache but on radio you have to mention the same in words. You need to say what a

beautiful red curtains these are for a radio play. For the one on TV you may say what a

beautiful curtain these are. The viewers would know the color of the curtains by seeing them.

News Script

Very soon it was realized that the news script for radio would no longer serve the purpose of

news casting on television. In typical TV news, the news reader may assume silence for more

than 10 seconds while footage runs to explain the event. On radio a silence of more than

three seconds may cause panic at the central control room!

Although an attempt is made to make news reading as much objective as possible and sans

sentiments, in practice it is difficult to execute. Now, on TV newsreel broadcasters are allowed

to pass a light smile to support certain news like victory of country's cricket team against arch

rival. Or cutting down petrol prices or news of rain after a long summer spell etc may also

accompany some facial expression.

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Introduction to Broadcasting MCM 411

Drama Script

More than any other area of TV broadcast, it is drama script which is drastically different from

the one meant for radio. There is always some scene, objects or action which do not need a

verbal expression to explain them, making matters rather easy for the script writer. Although it

may cause some problem as well for there may be something picture, wall-hanging or

telephone which the writer would not suggest but due to insistence of the set designer these

props have to be put there. Sometimes this leads to disputes between the playwright and

other staff engaged in making TV drama.

Running Commentary

Area which is generally ignored while finding points of difference for a talk on radio and TV is

the running commentary on games like hockey and cricket. For radio the commentator has to

give fullest description of the game and continue to speak even when game is stopped for

some reason, on TV it is altogether different. The most thrilling event in a game, which people

are seeing themselves, a commentator is required to utter very particular remarks which he

thinks may not be occurring to common viewers. No need to get louder with the pacing up of

the action, and absolutely no need to pass remarks which in any manner are contrary to what

most people can see on the screen. For instance there is no room the say that it was a case

of clear LBW, when one can see there was much doubt in giving an LBW decision.

Gestures replace words in Talk Shows

The talk shows are common for both broadcasts - radio as well as TV. But script which the

two talents would follow is different. On radio if the anchorpersons wants someone to speak,

he/ she would ask the speaker to say, or reply or comment. On a similar talk show on TV, the

anchorperson may be turning his/ her face to a speaker and with the gesture of hands may

urge the speaker to say something. There are so many other things which are there which a

TV compere doesn't need to explain but a radio talent would need to explain those in words

so that listeners may know what is in the surrounding, especially if a talk show is arranged

outside the studio.

Direction

A sea change has been observed in the area of direction with the arrival of TV broadcast. A

detailed overview of this change would be available in the course meant for learning TV

production but a brief account is given here.

A director at a radio drama studio is more concerned about the speech, distance of a

performer from the mikes and the sound effects given at a very appropriate movement for

conveying the total impact of the scene.

At a TV broadcast it is much different. A director is more concerned about the entry of a

performer, his/ her facial expression, body language and movement of hands and head as the

performer delivers dialogue. The sound effects are required but more than the sound effects,

the director in this case is more anxious about the lighting arrangement for a gloomy scene

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Introduction to Broadcasting MCM 411

or show cheerfulness different lighting effects are required. Any unbalanced lighting may spoil

the whole scene.

The color scheme of the set and contrast ratio of light which may highlight the color

arrangement is also very much in the view of the director who has to notice whether light-color

combination is in keeping with the demand of the scene and the story, or it just negates it.

To control shadows of the performers, acting under artificial lights at a studio is a hell lot of a

problem, a director has to fight again and again.

It is here that an answer is to be traced of a question raised at a previous sitting is it easy, or

difficult to communicate in a visual medium?