RTV 240
Television News Fall 2006
Instructor: Professor Pat
Hahn
Office: U-11
Phone: 744-1150
ext 2964 Email: phahn@palomar.edu
Office hours Tuesday 11-12
noon, T Th 1-2pm, Monday & Wed 2-3pm
Web page http://daphne.palomar.edu/phahn/default.htm
Messages: voice mail, (24
hours) ext. 2964; or communications administrative department assistant, ext.
2440
Class meetings: Tuesday and
Thursday 2:00-5:50 in Q-1 along with one Saturday for live broadcasts.
Required text: Broadcast News Handbook 2nd edition
Tuggle, Carr, Huffman
Course
description:
You will learn the
principles of producing, scripting, news gathering, photojournalism, studio
work, broadcast news ethics and editing of television news. You will have
practice in planning, writing, editing, reporting, video shooting, and
producing television news broadcasts. The above will prepare you for production
of newscasts for airing on cable television. You will learn the R.T.N.D.A. Code
of Ethics.
Overview
Welcome to the Primetime Palomar staff. This
course is designed to give you professional training in the field of TV news
and to provide the campus and the local community with a high quality weekly
television newscast. Being a part of the Primetime Palomar, news team is
a tremendous responsibility. Everyone on the staff will be counting on you.
Missed deadlines and absences without prior notification will not be tolerated.
You can expect to work a lot of long and hard hour. With all this in mind,
remember you will not only gain employable experience but you will have fun at
the same time.
GRADING PACKAGES: MAJOR & MINOR
GOALS
This semester’s package grading will involve a mastery-based system,
which means you must demonstrate your ability to reach certain industry
standards. The system is based on a
combination of major and minor achievements/goals. The following grading scale will be used:
TV Producing - Package Grading Scale:
A = All major and minor goals achieved (95)
B = All major goals achieved; Some minor goals not (85)
C = Most major & minor goals achieved (75)
D = Some major goals achieved; some minor
ones achieved (65)
F = Few major and minor goals achieved (55).
For each grade, the instructor reserves the right to reward
excellence and hard work w/in the grade category by assigning a plus. The plus will add 5 points to an A (bringing
the total grade to a 100) and 3 points to B’s through F’s. The professor also reserves the right to
assign minuses in cases where students are on the border of achieving the goals
but don’t quite fulfill requirements.
Teamwork: While each of you will receive
your own grade, it is VITAL you work as a team.
Reporters need to share their vision of the story with their
photographer before the team goes into the field. Reporters should also consider their
photographers’ ideas and suggestions.
The same is true in the editing process.
In our effort to constantly improve our craft, we should all be open to
input and feedback from others.
So, what makes an exceptional story? What constitutes high quality work? The following is a list of criteria (major
and minor goals) by which your work will be judged.
PACKAGE EVALUATION: REPORTER/PRODUCER (Separate Page)
MAJOR GOALS:
___ Solid Story Subject/Idea
___ Multiple & Diverse Sources (reflecting various
perspectives, taking care to
include
non-dominant groups/voices whenever possible)
___ Good personalization (when appropriate)
___ All Facts Correct, issues researched, no major questions left
unanswered
___ All statements attributed to sources
(when necessary)
___ Clear & Concise storytelling.
Strong organization/story logic/flow of info.
___ Effort at visual storytelling. (Visual opportunities provided for photog at
varied
locations)
___ Writing to video (No wallpaper)
___ All deadlines met: SDF, outline, and
tape & script in on time.
MINOR GOALS:
___ Best Stuff First
___ Strong Sots: Sound Bites
for color/emotion/context/detail, not facts
___ Natural Sound scripted in (when appropriate)
___ Logical transitions into and out of bites
___ Conversational & Active Writing (avoid clichés)
___ Standup In Context of Story; Appropriate
dress and demeanor for story
___ Well-paced and voiced reporter track
___ Appropriate Runs time for subject (scope) of story
___ Appropriate use of graphics, following
standard procedures (if needed)
___ Borrowed video properly credited
___ SOP: Finished script follows guidelines for copy, supers, hit times, trt.
NOTES: (See attached)
PACKAGE EVALUATION: PHOTOGRAPHER/EDITOR (Separate
Page)
MAJOR GOALS:
___ All Video and sound of broadcast quality
___ Visual variety provided: Sequences with more than two
shots/angles/povs
___ Proper mic used for interviews
(Hand-held vs. Lav; Not Nats
Mic!!)
___ Clean Edit: No flash
frames, major edit glitches, or dirty video/sound
___ Standard pad procedures met (:02 front/:05 back)
___ Audio location correct (Ch 1
primary/Ch 2 nats) and split channel
___ Audio levels correct and consistent
___ PKG Package makes deadline; Tape labeled correctly & cued
MINOR GOALS:
___ All shots stable, in focus, proper
horizon/not crooked
___ Color correct on all video (proper white balance - no blue or
yellow video)
___ No “hot” or exceptionally dark video
___ No unmotivated tilts, pans, or zooms (
___ No violation of the 180 degree rule
___ All interviews well-framed, well-lit, and have good sound.
rule of 1/3rds followed- looking room;
subject in context with story with
good background and depth of field;
good mic placement; no hand-held
mics or black mic
cords in shot (unless conditions warrant); headphones
worn during interview
___ Nat Sound captured, used, and audible; Does not conflict w/
reporter track
___ Available video is edited to reporter’s track/script (Say Dog:
See Dog)
___ No Jump Cuts (Cleanly-edited match-action sequences)
___ No unmotivated dissolves or special effects
___ No clipped audio
In addition your final grade will be based on
completion of Text Book chapter assignments.
REMEMBER
Completeness (who, what, where, when, why, how answered)
Active Voice (noun=>verb=>object)
Conversational style. Write like you speak.
CG Cut Sheet
Anchor intro and tag included
Timing/Deadlines (pkg length meets time given by producer, done on time
Completion of assignments and deadlines
Each member of the class
will complete numerous lab exercises covering the topics presented in the
class. On several of your lab assignments, you will be a member of a production
team. You are required to participate fully on each lab assignment given to
you.
Any package that does not
make air is an automatic F.
You are required to complete
all assignments on time. This includes not only the due date but also the time
deadline. Any package if your assignment is not ready. There can be no excuses as
to why an assignment is not completed on time. The assignments you are given
through out the semester are extremely important to the success of each
broadcast. Your colleagues are counting on you. Further more employers will
expect this discipline.
This is a news production class. Nothing can be late. Everything must be
on time. No excuses.
The quality of your work is
also vital. Remember, the work you do reflects on the entire staff. Everything
you and your colleagues produce will be seen and scrutinized by the viewing
public.
Writing
Through out the semester you will write numerous news
stories. These will vary from 15-20 second readers to full packages. Writing is
the foundation of any news story. You will learn to write in conversational
broadcast format.
Resume tape
and string book.
This is a highlight tape of everything you worked on
over the semester along with all written work you have completed. The tape
should be no longer than five minutes in length. This tape along with your
written samples can be used to show examples of your work to potential
employers.
Participation
1) Attendance
is vital to your success in this class. Good attendance is not only required by
the college but will be expected by your future employers. Good attendance includes
being on time. The television production industry lives and dies by the clock
and so should you.
2) Improvement and dedication. This part
of your grade is based on how you approach your assignments. Do you meet
deadlines? Are you creative and thorough? Are you a team player? Do you try and
improve your skills? Do you demonstrate a complete knowledge of journalistic
ethics and professional standards?
Story
assignments:
The instructor
and assignment editor may assign stories to you for inclusion in the Primetime
Palomar newscast, but in the absence of specific story assignments, you are
expected to enterprise your own. This is why beat checks are so important.
Stories must have a solid news angle and be feasible to obtain. Story ideas
must be approved by either the instructor or news director.
The date of
assignment begins when a story idea presented by the reporter has been approved
by the instructor.
Package
productions will be closely monitored by the instructor.
1) At least two sound bites must be included
in each package, and they must be of different people.
2) The word-processed script must be approved by the instructor or news
director before editing begins.
3) Inferior shots (poor lighting, bad framing, etc.) and inferior audio may not
be included in any package production. reshooting/rerecording
may be necessary to meet minimum standards.
4) No packages will air until all standards for production and writing are met.
Quizzes:
The textbook should
be read during the first half of the semester. Quizzes will be given for the
various chapters.
Attire: you must dress appropriately on those days when you are scheduled to appear on-camera or conduct interviews. Business dress is required for studio appearances and all interview assignments.
Equipment/Edit Suites
Equipment: Through out the course you will need to check out and use expensive and delicate broadcast equipment. You are responsible for this equipment while it is in your possession. Follow all guidelines and policies for equipment check out. Copies of these guidelines are posted in the U building.
Disregard for policies of use or the lack of proper care of equipment in the labs will result in the student being prohibited from using the lab equipment.
Edit suites: The
majority of the footage you shoot will be shot on beta sp. Therefore to save
time the primary edit suite for Primetime Palomar will be the
Instructional Associate: Mr. Greg Baker Room U-1 EXT. 2447
The primary responsibility of this person is to support and assist students checking out equipment and scheduling necessary lab time for editing. It is strongly recommended that you use Mr. Baker’s expertise and services. His job however is not to do your work for you. If you need special help, please see me at posted office hours or schedule time with Greg Baker.
Beat Assignments
A reporter's “beat” is his or her established area of coverage. Since the reporter is the person “in the field,” they should know more about what’s happening than anyone else. To “walk your beat” is to seek out all the news about a department on foot and by phone in order to cover it thoroughly. This must be done at least once per week. The beat reporter must inform the producers and the assignment editor of any and all story leads.
Your primary sources are: Directors, chairpersons, instructors, deans, and department secretaries. Beat sheets need to be completed and turned in each Tuesday at the start of class.
To Cover A Beat
1) As soon as you are assigned a beat, get to know your primary sources and establish regular times to check with them each week. Be sure to tell them where they can reach you or leave messages.
2) Make the rounds of all the basic sources. Introduce yourself to them; let them know you are interested in anything that is happening, regardless of whether you think it is newsworthy.
3) Department secretaries are your best friends. They know everything that goes on in a department and can help you gather information, which can be passed on to you.
4) Make a point of listing the correct spellings and identification of all your beat contacts/sources. You should have their phone numbers, e-mail accounts, and office hours.
5) Have your reporter’s notebook and a pen with you at all times. Always be prepared to take notes, even during casual conversations or during one of your classes. This is a good habit to make.
6) You may let a sources see part of a story to check facts and figures for accuracy. NEVER let them see your final story before it airs. This is against Prime Time Palomars policy. Remember the source has no right to demand approval of your story before it airs.
7) Never make promises to a source regarding the airing or editing of a story: these matters are beyond your control.
8) If at anytime a source pressures or hassles you, refer them to the instructor.
9) Always think in terms or your audience. Is this a story they would like to see?
10) If you make mistakes-and everyone does-admit them and correct them promptly
Prime Time Palomar Beats
Associated Student
Government (ASG)
Facilities
Campus Police
Public Information Office
Governing Board
Faculty Senate
Boehm Gallery
Athletic Department
Communications Dept
Performing Arts – Music
Performing Arts – Theater
Performing Arts – Dance
Inter-Club Council
Education Centers
Presidents Office
Cafeteria
Community Education
Worksite Education
KKSM Radio
Health Services
Disabled Student Programs
and Services
Library
Educational Television ETV
Speech Team
Fashion Department
Art Department
EOPS
The foundation
Local Community
Writing /Editing a package -Step by Step
1. Choose
Story
2. Set
up interview with subjects/sources. Time and place.
3. Research
story and come up with an angle for the story.
4. Compile a
list of ten questions to ask during interview. Questions are based on your research.
You should already know the answers to most of the questions.
5. After
interview, shoot b-roll needed for your story. B-roll is based on answers given
during interview. This should include your interview subject doing things such
as walking, talking on a phone, doing a variety of things. These are great cut
away shots.
6. Record a
minimum of: 60 of Nat sound in the room where the interview took place. You may
want to hold a piece of paper up with the words not sound in front of the lens.
This helps identify it later.
7. Log all of
your footage. Use the log forms. This should include a brief description of
each piece of video including In and Out time codes. Basically, a new shot is
every time the camera starts and stops.
Exp. In 1:01:12:00 – Out 1:01:41:00
Sound
bite President Deegan
“I think eating at the
In
1:07:03:01 b-roll Pres. Deegan eating a hamburger
8. Once you
have logged all your footage, decide on the angle of your story. Example:
Eating at the
9. Your next
step is too narrow down all your footage to only what you will use for your
story.
10. To do this
use an “EDL” Logging sheet.
11 Go to your
Window-Burn log sheet and locate sound bites that can be used to tell your
story.
12. Transfer
information to your EDL logging sheet.
13. Next, write
your story using the information on your EDL logging sheet.
14. Start with
locating your first sound bite. Most stories start with a problem. Remember
most news stories use the diamond method however you can write it in narrative
chronological form.
15. Write lead-in
to first sound bite. Be careful not to write an echo lead.
Example:
Narration: “Forget leaving campus for lunch and losing your parking spot, a
great meal is as close as the
B-Roll-
Students running to their car, standing in line at fast foot restaurant,
pulling out their wallets, driving back to campus, searching for a parking
place. Running to their next class.
Sound
bite student at
Narration: The
Sound
bite Pat Barret director of cafeteria: “We now have
Chinese, Pizza, and even a vegetarian meal”
Narration
tag: Yes, the next time you have the munchies and not a lot of time head over
to the
16. Tell the
story using narration and sound bites.
17. Basically it
is narration, sound bite, narration, sound bite.
18. Use the
narration to summarize the story and explain the details of the story.
19. Use the sound
bite to emphasize the points of the story.
20. Use the
diamond method.
21. Be sure you
answer the five W’s.
22. Keep in mind
the ANGLE OF YOUR STORY.
23. Keep it
simple.
24. Now that you
have written your story, it is time to edit.
25. If using a
digital editing software, log and capture only the media required from your script
onto the hard drive.
PAGE F TEST
P- ARE THE WORDS PRECISE? Read Appendix word usage in the book
A- IS THE STORY ACCURATE?
G- IS EVERY ELEMENT GERMANE OR RELEVENT TO THE STORY?
E- ARE ALL ACTORS TREATED EQUITABLY?
F- DOES THE STORY FLOW? Use Tie-writing-each part of the story must flow seemly into the next
Connect the Story to
Deeper Themes
Project
for Excellence in Journalism
"The
best stories reach us on some elemental level. They talk about a mother's love
for her children, a husband's pride in his country…There's something very
important that's always going on in a very simple way in good stories."
NBC correspondent John Larson
Look for the story of why things happen the way they do and then look for a way
to tell that story. One way to do so is the way Robert Caro
told the story of the re-making of
Robert Caro's The Powerbroker isn't just a
biography of Robert Moses. It's about how power works, how the most influential
man in the country's biggest city never won election, about urban planning, the
unseen forces of power.
The deeper theme here is that someone behind the scenes is often more important
than the public official.
What is the fight really about? Why is Tom Delay suddenly allied with a liberal
on this? Or why has this tiny difference over policy threatening to scuttle a
bill that was all but finished. Why is it John McCain and Pat Robertson hate
each other so much even though both are quite conservative?
Or consider these two consructions: Tim McVeigh may
be the most important influence in public architecture today.
Osama Bin Laden is the primary architect of American foreign and domestic
policy today.
Prime Time Palomar Staff Descriptions
News Director
The News Director of Prime Time Palomar supervises the management of the entire news program. This person is responsible for the overall effectiveness, look, feel, and accuracy and content of each newscast produced during the semester.
The News Director works with their team of producers in deciding the types of stories that are run. Examples: Hard News, Sports, and Entertainment. They also decide the amount of coverage of each category. The News Director may decide example to increase the amount of entertainment news and lessen the amount of hard news.
This person is in charge of script approval. For Prime Time Palomar the News Director prior to editing must approve all scripts. The News Director will check for accuracy, quality, content, and story length with the reporter. The script is first approved by the Producer.
All staff members report to the News Director. This person has the final authority in all cases.
A student may hold this position for no more than
two semesters. This allows other students to hold this position.
Producer
The Producer of Prime Time Palomar supervises and coordinates the overall content and flow of a newscast they are assigned. They help determine the story selection and story order with-in a newscast.
The Producer decides how much time each story will get. This is determined at the producers meetings, which the producer must attend along with the block producers and assignment editor.
The Producer decides which reporters will cover which stories.
The Producer writes the teases and show open.
One of the biggest jobs of the producer is producing the rundown sheet.
The Producer plans graphics needed for the newscast.
The Producer keeps track of time of the newscast and makes decisions on the rundown schedule based on that time.
The producer must be able to make split second decisions.
The Producer must have the ability to minimize mistakes and overcome them.
The Producer will check all scripts for accuracy, quality, content, and story length. Afterwards the scripts are turned over to the New Director for final approval.
Assignment Editor
The Assignment Editor is the coordinator and scheduler of the reporters, photographers, and writers.
They decide who is covering which story, where they go and when. This includes reporters, photographers, and writers.
The Assignment Editor is the HUB of the news operation. They must be informed of every single story thru out its development. Another words they must be kept in the loop.
All reporters, photographers, and writes must report to the Assignment Editor on a daily basis as to the status of their assigned story.
The Assignment Editor must know the status of any stories at any given time. The News Director, Producer, and Block Producers rely on the Assignment Editor for this information. It is vital.
The Assignment must make sure that everyone gets the
information, time, and assistance needed to complete their assigned tasks.
Reporters
The reporter is the eyes and ears of the public. They are on the street each day generating stories of the day’s events.
The reporter’s job is to inform.
The reporter gathers all the facts of a story and then summarizes them in a clear and concise report to the audience.
A reporter must be driven to be the best and the first with any story.
The reporter is not the story and should avoid being so at all costs.
The reporter writes each story they report on.
The reporter in many cases also will edit their stories.
The reporter works closely with their Photojournalist and Editor
Photojournalist
A photojournalist has the responsibility of video taping everything that goes on the air except what occurs in the studio.
A Photojournalist must think in terms of gathering the pictures that help to tell the story. They must think like a reporter and an editor.
A Photojournalist always asks themselves the question, “what can I shoot that will help clarify and enhance the story.
A Photojournalist many times conducts interviews while shooting the video. A Photojournalist many times works alone and therefore is responsible for gathering information.
A Photojournalist can work alone but a reporter cannot work without a photojournalist.
A Photojournalist job is many times thankless despite its importance.
Anchors
The Anchor is the central focus of a newscast. Every story is either read by them or introduced by them. They are very much like a master of ceremony.
The Anchor must be clear and concise. They must have the ability to grab the attention of the viewer.
The Anchor is the key sales person of the newscast. They sell each and every story to the viewer. They also sell themselves to the viewer.
The anchor must understand the news they are presenting, have the ability to write well and be trusted by the viewer.
The anchor must be a great communicator.
Chief Editor
Chief Editor is responsible for
assigning editing assignments to the editing crew.
The Chief Editor makes decisions on who will edit what stories, packages, promos, and graphics.
The Chief Editor is responsible for the technical quality of each editing production. This does not mean they need to view each package but they must instill in their editors that everything must meet NTSC standards. They are ultimately responsible for any problems.
The Chief Editor is the editing suites problem solver.
Editor
The Editor is a master storyteller and vital to every newscast.
The editor combines narration, video footage, Nat sound and interview segments to tell a compelling story.
The Editor works directly with the reporter to produce the best story possible. They may offer advice or suggestions to enhance the story.
The Editor is the last line of defense before a story is aired. They not only put the story together but must also make sure it meets NTSC technical requirements.
The Editor follows direction from the Chief Editor.
Field Producer
The Field Producer helps coordinate the logistics of an interview with the reporter, photographer, and interviewee.
The Field Producer is first to contact the interviewee to set up time and location for the interview.
The Field Producer offers suggestions for interview questions and b roll shots.
The Field Producer is in charge of field logs and release forms.
The Field Producer contacts the Assignment Editor as soon as interview is completed.
Before Reporting, Ask
These Three Questions
Project for Excellence in Journalism
For each story,
before you start your reporting, when you are just conceptualizing coverage,
begin this way:
Ask,
- Who are the audiences for this
story? Some people call these multiple audiences stakeholders.
- What information do they need
to have in the story so they can make up their own minds about what to
think?
For instance, if the story is discussing a piece of legislation, can a citizen actually understand how that legislation would affect them from the story? - What is missing?
How do you make local connections to the Asian economic crisis, for instance? The Portland Oregonian by following an
This approach has another virtue. It not only helps you think about the audience. It helps you reconsider your source list, where you go for news. Most likely, our source constituency is not broad enough.
NEWSWORTHINESS
1.
TIMELINESS
2.
IMPACT
3.
PROMINENCE
4.
CONFLICT
5.
SIMPLICITY
Prime Time Palomar
Reporter Beat Sheet
Reporter:________________________________
Beat:____________________________________
· Story Suggestion
· Background Info
· Sources to Contact: Include
name,Ph#, best time to contact
· Time Element (When should
this run)
· Ideas for visuals, graphics
etc.
NOTE: Beat Sheets must be turned into Beat Bin by Monday at
5pm. This is worth valuable points towards your grade, and is of vital
importance to the news gathering process. Don’t fail to turn this in.
The Demo Reel
April 30, 2004
From Andy Neil, Chief Editor,
Fox 6
Demo Tapes
Hi Pat,
I consider myself a teacher in my current capacity as
Chief Editor, and enjoy taking part in discussions about editing theory,
practice, and/or the television industry.
I guess the number one rule above all others when preparing a demo reel has to
be honest about your role in a particular project. And I'm not talking
about euphemistic wordplay to make you look as good as you can to a prospective
employer (we all do that, and all employers know that we all do that).
What I'm talking about is don't call yourself the editor of a film or video
project, when all you did was log footage for the editor. Don't pretend
knowledge or experience for equipment you don't truly know. If you
somehow make it on smoke and mirrors through the interview process it'll be
readily apparent early on that you don't actually possess the skills you had
indicated, and you'll not only get let go, but you'll have burned yourself for
a job that you could have really benefited for. One of the best-kept
secrets about industry jobs is that with a few exceptions, the employer will be
willing to teach you the equipment so long as they feel you have the
foundation. That's certainly true with me. If all you know is Final
Cut Pro, but you're a good editor, I don't mind teaching you the Avid
environment. In fact, in my position, there are very few editors
(including experienced news editors) that know that system. I very nearly
have to train everyone when I hire them anyway.
Looking back at my last paragraph, I noticed that I tend to be rambling a bit,
which might not be constructive in answering your email so I'll try to be more
brief from here on out.
Be honest and include all pertinent, credited work for each project on the
reel. The best way to do this is a small lower third or graphic overlay
over the first few seconds of the clip. (eg: The World's
Best Movie/editor, photographer)
Lead with your VERY BEST project. Don't try to build up to the best
work. As soon as I'm bored, I'm going to stop the tape and never see the
best stuff.
It's OK to start with a slate with your contact information, but you should
definitely always end with it.
Never put bars and tone at the top of your demo reel. They are annoying,
and most people will stop watching right there. Bars and tone are for
calibrating video for broadcast, nothing more.
Always use a VHS tape unless the employer specifies otherwise or you make
arrangements beforehand. VHSs may be a lower
quality than Betas or DVDs, but there's no guarantee that the employer will
have access to those. Personally, I like DVDs since they are non-linear
in nature, and I can control what order I watch things, but I'll never send one
out unless I've checked with whom I'm sending it first.
Make your VHS dubs from digital material so there is a minimum of quality loss
in the dub process, and clearly label the tape with your name and contact info.
Don't show entire projects, just 30 sec to 60 sec clips from a particular
project. I'm not interested in the story, just your ability to tell
it. If the clip ends and I find myself wondering what happens next, I'll
likely call you. As an addendum, you could put longer clips on a DVD so
long as it's easy to navigate the menus to watch different projects. When
I'm finished watching a clip, I'll hit the menu button and move on. The
idea is not to give a prospective employer a reason to stop the tape.
Quick cuts/MTV style effects/jumpcuts are not
synonymous with good editing. Storytelling, pacing, and solid
foundational skills are what I look for. Also, don't think that music
makes you look better. Anyone can cut a music video. But finding
the natural beat of a story without music takes real skill. Having said
that, there is a place for quick cuts, jump cuts and all the rest.
Knowing WHERE they go separates a good editor from the mediocre ones.
Create transitions between clips and weave the clips together well. You
are an editor, and if your demo reel isn't of the highest quality, then you're
exposing your limitations, and likely your work ethic as well. Be
particular about every little thing. I can't tell you how often I see a
reel where the editor dissolves between one clip and another and there is a
flash frame during the dissolve. Being an editor means living in the minutae as much as in the big picture.
When creating your slate, often times editors try to distinguish themselves
from the pack with the look of their slate and info. They also create
complex transitions between clips, and creative graphics to inform of their
credit on a particular work. The overall demo will have a
"look" to it. This is fine. In fact, it can really show
the skill and maturity of an editor in a way that the clips themselves might
not be able to. However, be careful. Do not substitute style for
substance or clarity. If I have a hard time reading your info because
there some amazing effect flying on the screen, you've lost any
advantage. Choose elegant over exotic. Don't use cliche'd techniques or overly iconic images (here's where
people put their slates over SMPTE color bars). Try to look at it from
the point of view of the employer. You're trying to tell a story with the
demo reel. The story of you and I am the audience. Just like any
other project, the way you cut it together will either get your point across
that you're a wonderful person who'd be a dream employee, or else it'll be
confusing, uneven, poorly paced, boring or any other number of things that will
prompt me or anyone else to press stop.
Take care,
Andy