Everything You Need to Know about TV Cameras and Microphones
This is Part 3 in a series written by Dr. Karen Hayter, one of my favorite TV interviewers (used with permission).
Part 1: Key lingo you need to know before guesting on a television talk show
Part 2: 18 Important Tips on How to Dress for a TV Appearance
TV Cameras
The program you are doing could have one camera, or two, or even three or more. When you are talking to the host, it is best to look at the host, unless you are told to do otherwise. If you have an important point to make, you can always look right into the camera. (Note: the camera with the red light “on”—the tally light”—is the camera that is “on”).
Hint on communicating with the camera—and therefore with the audience: always look through the camera—like you look through your car windshield—not at it. And look right through the middle of the camera. Focus in on not looking away from the camera while you are talking “through” it.
You may want to put an imaginary picture on it, and talk to that. Or you may want to pretend that you are talking to the person behind the camera, or someone sitting in your living room. When you are not talking “to” the camera, try to remember that this is a conversation you are having, and try to forget the cameras and everything else that is going on around you.
Microphones
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS assume that they are on, and be careful of what you say.
Try to wear something that will make it easy to attach a microphone to-something with a collar, or a jacket, or blouse, with a skirt or pants, etc. Or a short sweater, a jacket, etc. One piece pullover dresses with no collar and long sleeves make it very difficult to hide a mic wire, and to get one on you in a graceful manner.
Men: when you get the microphone on, and are seated, be sure to pull your jacket (if you are wearing one) down in the back so it does not bunch up around your neck and shoulders.
IFB
The IFB is the piece that goes in your ear so you can hear audio. If you are doing a “call in” show and you cannot hear the audio, tell someone. They will probably have “audio” speakers on the floor of the set, too. Many, many programs will not provide you with an IFB.
Stay tuned for our next installment: How to behave when you guest on a TV talk show.
Tweet This!18 Important Tips on How to Dress for a TV Appearance
Last Monday, we introduced you to key lingo you need to know before guesting on a television talk show. Today, we continue with our series from Dr. Karen Hayter, one of my favorite TV interviewers (used with permission).
Clothing Tips
- The bright lights have a tendency to wash out colors sometimes, so choose what you wear carefully. If you are a blonde, and have on a beige outfit, you can fade into the background.
- You might want to apply your make-up a little heavier, if there is no one to do make-up. Always take a little make-up with you (males and females) to cover blemishes, powder any shiny spots, etc.
- Never wear all black or all white, or anything that “moves” like small plaids, houndstooth, etc. The camera does not see black or white as a color, so don’t wear them as a dominant or primary color-it confuses the camera.
- People always say not to wear red on camera, but the camera loves red, and you might want to add a little red somewhere, a scarf or tie with red in it, a shirt or shell with some red under a jacket, or even some demure red jewelry, or a red pin.
- Men, never wear a solid white shirt; a blue or pastel shirt is preferable. If you wear a tie, make it a power tie, one with some red in it.
- Always wear colors that look good on you.
- Never wear clothes that are too tight. When you get under pressure or nervous, they will appear and feel even tighter.
- Don’t wear clothes that are too short. You never know what kind of chair, bench, stool, or couch you will be sitting on.
- Check your teeth. Sometimes lipstick will fade off onto your teeth, or you may have something between your teeth.
- Closed heels or pumps are better than sandals.
- Men, keep your feet on the floor.
- Women, cross your ankles instead of crossing your legs at the knees.
- Never let the soles of your shoes show on camera.
- Sit up straight. Don’t slouch, but try to look comfortable. Try not to lean back into the seat. The camera is two-dimensional, not three-if you lean back in a chair, it can give the impression that you are almost lying down and that you are bored or uninterested. Push your bottom up against the chair and sit up straight, and then lean forward just a little.
- Try to breathe deeply, and relax. Try not to look stiff. Sometimes using appropriate hand and facial gestures will keep you from looking stiff. Be vibrant, be natural, be yourself.
- If you can wear something that fits your book, message, whatever, fine. Example: Richard Simmons always shows up in his exercise attire.
- Don’t wear flashy pins, noisy bracelets, large necklaces, “clangy” earrings, lots of gold/silver chains, etc. They distract the camera and the audience. The audience ends up watching your jewelry instead of you. Less jewelry is always better than more.
- “Class” is preferable to “fashion.”
Behind-the-Scenes Lingo for TV Talkshow Guests
The following is a wonderful quick start for authors who have rarely or never been on television. It’s written by Dr. Karen Hayter, one of my favorite TV interviewers (used with permission).
Congratulations! You are about to embark on an adventure that will stretch your boundaries, enlarge your view of the world, frustrate you, scare you, exhaust you, make you look at yourself, and increase your influence. It is easy to get sucked into the allure of media, so you will need to keep your perspective. Remember, this is television and not REAL life. Also, radio and television hosts make this look easy, but that is what they get paid for.
Selected Media Lingo:
Audio: the sound
IFB: Interruptible fold-back. The thing that goes in your ear so you can hear the audio portion of the program (if they give you one)
Mic: the microphone. Usually it is hooked onto a lapel, dress collar, tie, etc.
Sound check or mic check or check the mics: When your microphone is attached, someone will ask you to say a few words so audio can check the mics and get a voice level. You can say 1,2,3,4, or your name, or whatever you want to say. Someone will help you with your mic, or give you instructions about the microphone. If they don’t, ask for help, nicely. The idea is to have as little of the cord of the mike visible as possible. Also, don’t put the mike on a scarf or cover up the mike heads and clothes or you will get “clothing noise.”
Stand by: Be very quiet and get ready. Usually said by the floor director.
Floor director: The person in charge on the floor
Talent: You and the Host. You may hear the following at some point: “Get the talent on the set,” or “we are ready for the talent,” or “we need the talent on the set.” “Talent” is always said with a little condescension.
Set: The entire place where you do the program, the background, furniture, etc.
Director: The person in charge while you are on the air.
Producer: The person in charge up to that point. The Producer usually stays in the control room and interacts with the Director. The Producer or an assistant is usually the person who books guests for the program.
Time cues: How much time is left until a break. In a 30-minute program, there will probably be 2-3 breaks-breaks usually will last about 1 ½ to 2 minutes. You can always ask how many breaks there will be. The host is responsible for taking these breaks and if she/he doesn’t, the director will cut him/her off anyway. So, if you are interrupted because of a break, don’t take it personally.
Floor director: The person who gives the “time cues” and directs you and host to cameras, and is generally in charge while the program is in process. When the floor director says, “quiet,” that is exactly what he/she means. And when the floor director says, “clear,” that means that the mics are off and you can talk freely. However, NEVER, NEVER assume that the mics are off and so, watch what you say.
Green room: This is a “holding pen” for guests. It can be any color, and is very seldom green. There may be food, drinks, etc. Try not to eat anything prior to the program-just drink water. Drinking anything carbonated has a tendency to make you burp, so be careful! Also, if you are nervous, try some deep breathing. Take a deep breath, hold it about 10 seconds, and let it out to a count of 10. Do that about 5-7 times.
Control Room: This is where the television program is controlled and where the various crew members, director, producer, character generator, audio, technical director, etc., will be during the program.
Tally light: The red light on top of the camera. When the “tally light” is on, that camera is rolling.
Okay, now you know some of the lingo so when you arrive at the studio you won’t feel like you have landed on another planet!
Tweet This!5 Ways to Express Your Gratitude to the Media
Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.
–William Arthur Ward
By Robyn Williams
Have you ever made a list of what you’re thankful for—the small and the large? Maybe you’ve told loved ones how special they are to you and how grateful you are for them.
Have you thanked members of the media who have given your book publicity?
Our authors sometimes ask how to express their gratitude to these individuals or groups. Here are 5 ways to show your thankfulness to others for your publicity.
1. Send a hand-written thank you note.
This is a time-honored tradition which stands out in our days of electronic mail. A handwritten note adds a nice touch that takes only a few minutes to write. Mention something specific about the host or event (such as an interview, review, blurb, book signing, etc.) that you appreciate.
2. Thank your host both on and off the air.
The host invited you on his or her program. Let him or her know how much you appreciate that time by thanking the host before, during and after the interview.
3. Offer to provide signed copies of your book to the media.
Radio and TV stations as well as other organizations periodically host give-aways or fund raisers. Your book could help in these areas and also gain more exposure for your message.
4. Leave a sincere comment on the media’s blog when appropriate.
This is a thoughtful way to encourage other writers.
5. Add the media’s Web site link to your Web site.
Providing a link on your Web site helps the media gain exposure and is also a great resource for you. Readers can click to listen to your interview, read an article written about you, or read a book review, for example.
The ideas are limitless! Just be sure to take the time to thank others.
Thanks for reading!
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As a member of WinePress’ Publicity department, Robyn Williams’ goal is to help authors promote their message and make media contacts. She loves getting to know authors, learning why they wrote their books, and helping them share their stories.
Radio’s Role: Preparing for Radio Interviews
By Adam Cothes
With the rise of iPods, MP3s, and online streaming, radio has stood its ground. Millions of people still listen to radio each day; on the way to work or in the office. When the power goes out in a storm, people turn to radio.
Most authors should try and appear on radio interviews. While you may or may not sell books hand-over-fist, you can’t beat radio for its efficiency in getting the message out. Book promotion starts with exposure – telling large amounts of people about your book and your message. Consider:
Option A: Knocking door-to-door to tell everyone about your book. Just a few thousand houses to go before bedtime. . .
Option B: Sit in your living room and speak to thousands of people through a radio interview. Schedule multiple radio interviews and you just reached more people than you could ever do one-on-one.
So how can an author harness radio to get the word out about their book?
Here are five ideas to do that very thing.
1. Plan ahead
Think about local, regional, and national radio stations and shows you know.
2. Make a list
Compile this list on the computer. If you have access to the large media databases that many publicists subscribe to, you’ll be miles ahead of other authors. If not, start a spreadsheet and start hitting websites for contact info.
3. Sort your media contacts
Is your book a good fit? Not all shows do interviews, and not all shows fit your topic. Don’t contact media that’s not a good fit, that’s one fast way to look unprofessional.
4. Presentation
Do you have a professional media kit? That’s what producers expect to see.
5. Representation
Who’s your publicist? Relationships still rule in media, and who you or your publicist knows matters. If your publicist doesn’t know a media person, they’ll still have a better chance of landing that interview than the author. Radio and TV producers generally like dealing with a third party rather than the author.
At WinePress, our in-house Publicity Department has established relationships with media all over North America as well as access to exclusive media databases. (Several of our authors have radio interviews scheduled for this week; read our blog daily for news of their upcoming media appearances.)
Our team is ready to present just about any author to appropriate media in any state. If you’re writing a book, and don’t know how to plan for book promotions, give us a call for personalized advice.
Adam Cothes works in various aspects of publicity, advertising and marketing in the WinePress Publicity department. He also helps new authors get started with the publishing process.
