I'm back looking for more advice

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uOM9R4MkhQL

So, I do some short newscasts on the weekend, and they weren't much. However, for my spring vacation, since I'd already taken time off to go somewhere, I had a week to myself, so I promised everyone I knew to type in my name on YouTube and find a new newscast everyday this week.

I had a lot of problems uploading, for either FCP or YouTube would stretch the 16:9 video into 4:3. I somehow solved it.

The one above is a little old, but I still would like some advice.

Some notes:

>I sort of tried to mimic the style of CNN Today on the international feed of CNN. I think it's a very good programme with a good presentation.
>The intro is sort of boring, and I may change it later to include my own footage of world cities or something. I was originally going to use music from Frank Gari, as his news music is great, but I couldn't legally use it, but this GB podcast track gets the job done, even though you can here GB podcast music just about anywhere now.
>I tried making a virtual set. I've made a modified one with slimmer black poles.
>I like simple lower thirds.
>I tried speaking with an "international" accent. It's not really American, but it's not really anything distinctly British, nor is it Australian or New Zealander.
>The lighting is bad. I know. This was a rare production where I placed one light too close to me.

What do you think?

NickFalk said:

Well, not horrible and you seem to be aware of most of the shortcomings yourself. This is really commendable and a trick that eludes even the pros over and over. (At least it seems that way). The background however looks frightfully similar to something from Loreal's Studio Line of the 80's. Seriously!

Also: I realize you're just using these projects to train yourself but even 90 seconds of old news is something most people won't bother to sit through. That's probably not your fault though, just human nature. All I am saying is short is sweet, unless of course you have something you really want to share with the world.

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Haha, yeah, my "virtual set" was modeled after this, skip to about :50 to see their set.

My plan for this whole week was to do it as quickly as possible, in other words, have today's news. I've just had a lot of problems uploading, and I uploaded 23.3.08's episode merely to show people what I've been doing. I agree that ninety seconds of regurgitated news isn't appealing to everyone, but I'm still trying to come up with a better programme to produce with my resources. Any ideas?

puckhead193 said:

i take it you want to be on air...
Either way its still good practice to get up in front of a camera and do the news even if its old. I see that your reading from a script on index cards. Try not to look down. In the real world you'll have a tele-promoter. When viewing the video its obv. that your looking at notes - try to memories...
I think for what you have to work with its very good. As much as you try your not going to have the resources and or budget as CNN does

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I actually installed Prompt! on my old iMac, which was below the camera lens. However, it was going too slow, and I didn't have any of the controls in front of me, so at the end, I had to read from my copy.

I'm trying to come up with something to do instead of this with these resources that would be more interesting. I thought about doing a webcam show talking with people from around the world about various topics, but I don't know where to get these people. Someone also suggested to me that I should produce a program targeted at teens and explaining to them topics in the news, such as the US economy crisis.

Any other ideas for a program?

Hello.there said:

Whoops, sorry - you sound 100% American....not that there's anything wrong with that . But that's definitely not an 'international' accent, whatever the hell that is!

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Haha well I tried to fluctuate between my American accent and my English/Australian/etc. accent. I may go full on English/Australian/etc. next time, however.

puckhead193 said:

i think it could be popular as a 3/4 min vid. explaining the news and what it means to them. Like with the economy sucking now how it will be harder to get jobs because companies will be doing cut-backs etc.

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I could do that. My only concern is that it may be more work and more time-consuming than I can do, but I may make a "pilot" of sorts.

I'd really like to do my program comparing worldwide youth views, but I don't know how I could safely do that online. I'm going to Asia in a few weeks; perhaps I could try something similar when I'm out there.