[Chicago Slices raw: How To Be On TV]

This video begins five minutes of footage featuring everyday people on Michigan Avenue reading a promotion for the television show Chicago Slices. This is followed by footage of a Community Media Workshop hosted by various professionals who work in media, including Hank Dezutter, Tom Brune of the Chicago Sun-Times, Laurie Glenn, Valerie Denney, and Hope Daniels. This is the last day of the 6 part workshop which is designed to prep non-profit spokespersons how to effectively use media to further their cause. The workshop includes instruction and mock interviews that are recorded. Presenters play the interviews back and offer feedback to the participants. 

00:00Copy video clip URL A series of people are recorded on South Michigan Avenue reading a promotion for Chicago Slices. “Do you have a funny, interesting, or out of the ordinary story you’d like to tell on TV? If you do, call (312) 321-6594 and tell us about it. If we think your story works on TV, we’ll come over and videotape it for you. So dial the number, tell us your story in 30 seconds or less, you could be on Chicago Slices.”

04:45Copy video clip URL Cut to a conference table with 2 standing presenters at Malcolm X College.  The presenter asks, “How did you get on TV?” They talk about how some shows skew things to either the far left or the far right.

06:20Copy video clip URL Tom Brune of the Chicago Sun-Times, one of the presenters of the workshop, walks one of the participants down the hallway to a room where a woman, Christine Hartman, is sitting in a chair, preparing to be taped by a video crew. They begin taping, but are interrupted by the cameraman to make some adjustments.

07:45Copy video clip URL Doug Sawyer, the videomaker, asks her how she’s found the workshop. She explains that she has learned a lot about how to contact and work with people in the media. She speaks with the interviewer, Hope Daniels, about how to target the message to the appropriate audience in the correct media outlet.

10:59Copy video clip URL Daniels begins the taping by introducing Hartman, and asks her to describe the Teachers Task Force. Hartman talks about how the organization formed after the School Reform Act of 1988, and talks more about the function of the organization. She explains that a main goal of the organization is to focus on leadership development with teachers and curriculum development in schools. She uses the example of Harper High School which has developed a “school within a school” model, which is a new method in the Chicago Public Schools.

14:17Copy video clip URL Interview take 2.

16:47Copy video clip URL Daniels asks Hartman about problems that they’ve had to overcome in the process. She explains that lack of cooperation and gridlock are the main problems and barriers in her work. Daniels wraps up the segment, and they talk briefly about her performance.

19:30Copy video clip URL Doug Sawyer, still taping, sits down in the interviewee’s seat and asks Daniels what she looks for in an interviewee.

21:30Copy video clip URL Another interview begins with Bonnie Rice of Greenpeace. Rice speaks about the organization and the challenges of chlorine in the environment. She says that she looks for people who articulate well and are calm and composed.

22:35Copy video clip URL Back to the conference room, where the presenters coach attendees on what to do if they are invited to be on a television show. They go on to talk about how to book people on a television or radio show, including how to deal with people who cancel or how to prevent cancellations. They discuss options for getting TV coverage, talking in detail about the different stations and ways to pitch a story.

32:20Copy video clip URL Cut to the hallway, where Brune walks Brenda, one of the interviewers, down to the taping room. He explains what Chicago Slices is as they walk.

33:30Copy video clip URL Brenda sits in a chair across from the camera operator, who asks her what she looks for in an interviewee. She says that she looks for confidence, comfort, and concise and clear communication.

34:40Copy video clip URL Cut to a close up of another woman, Lisa Smith of the Crossroads Fund, who is being interviewed by Daniels and is speaking about U.S. foreign policy and grassroots organizing.

37:05Copy video clip URL Brief cut of Brenda interviewing Steve Perkins of the Center for Neighborhood Technology.

37:53Copy video clip URL Cut to Daniels, who begins discussion with Margaret Compton of the Center for Conflict Resolution. She explains how the Center started and then goes on to discuss how the Center works with the legal system.

39:55Copy video clip URL Cut back to the conference room, where Valerie, one of the presenters, starts a video.

41:00Copy video clip URL Cut to end of video, and conversation among participants. Cynthia, a participant, talks about the power of using video to promote an organization or issue.

42:44Copy video clip URL One of the participants walks down the hall and explains her interest in the workshop and her reflections on the experience. She also talks about her experience on the Geraldo Rivera show.

44:06Copy video clip URL Cut back to the conference room, where Hank is discussing a grassroots video project used in news production that was extremely effective. Laurie, another presenter, gives some instruction on Video News Release as a way to build credibility for their organization.

46:00Copy video clip URL Chris D’Anti, another participant, walks down the hall and explains that she is nervous about what she is going to say. Brune coaches her in the hallway about what to present and how to present it. She walks into the room and meets Daniels. She sits down, and Daniels comments and laughs about her skirt being too short.

50:04Copy video clip URL Daniels begins the interview with D’Anti, who represents Uptown Habitat for Humanity, who explains what her chapter does and how it works.

52:15Copy video clip URL Cut to conference room where Christine Hartman reflects on her experience of being interviewed in front of the camera.

54:10Copy video clip URL D’Anti comes in and avoids the camera saying, “I don’t want to talk to you.” She comments and laughs about her skirt being too short for TV.

54:40Copy video clip URL Margaret reflects on her experience of being taped, and asks Barb to give her some feedback about what she did well.

55:40Copy video clip URL Brune speaks to the group about getting copies of each person’s tape, and asks them to fill out evaluations of the program. He then plays the tape of Christine Hartman. The camera pans to Hartman as she watches herself. He pauses the tape and asks her “How do you think you did?” She says it’s not as bad as she thought. He offers feedback and opens it up to the crowd.

01:00:18Copy video clip URL Daniels coaches the group on eye contact and also how they should get their agenda across in short sound bites.

01:02:44Copy video clip URL Brune starts Bonnie’s video, they watch and give commentary and feedback. She also chimes in and offers ideas about what she’d do differently.

01:07:15Copy video clip URL Brune starts the video of Lisa. He pauses it and asks Daniels to comment on clothing that should be worn on television. He adds to the commentary as well. He plays more of the tape, and then they give more feedback.

01:14:10Copy video clip URL Brune plays the tape of Margaret. He provides information about interviewers, noting that most of them are not like Phil Donahue, who often tries to confront or trap people. He says that most of the budgets of these talk shows go into equipment, not into sets. They continue viewing the tape.

01:18:30Copy video clip URL Brune says that one of the best ways to deal with a difficult question is to smile, which keeps the audience on your side.

01:20:00Copy video clip URL They view the tape of Steve. Presenters give feedback about how to present oneself with regard to clothing and appearance. Brune also gives input, saying that you should bring a graph or another visual to break up the monotony of viewing a talk show.

01:24:15Copy video clip URL They view the video of Cynthia. Brune pauses the tape and says that she’s come a long way. They discuss the frustration of forgetting your points as you are trying to convey your point of view. Brune says that rather than getting so tied up in the language of a grant proposal, to focus on storytelling and personal stories, which are often more effective in interviewing. The other presenters also give some feedback.

01:30:15Copy video clip URL A video interview regarding child abuse is started. Brune pauses and offers tips on how to “sell” your organization. Brenda talks about the importance of defining your terms early on in the interview.

01:34:30Copy video clip URL Another tape is reviewed, and commentary is made on appropriate dress. Valerie also encourages him to use more eye contact.

01:37:59Copy video clip URL They offer commentary on D’Anti’s tape, again referring to appropriate dress in terms of her skirt. Brenda offers some commentary on use of language, as well.

01:41:30Copy video clip URL Quick shot of Lisa’s tape and quick cut to commentary. They talk about the illusions of television, including the fact that television makes people look flat and two dimensional and adds weight to people.

01:43:00Copy video clip URL Yolanda’s tape is started. Laurie talks about the wearing of jewelry and how the sounds it makes can be a distraction.

01:45:00Copy video clip URL Brune says that everyone did great and that this is a great graduation day, and that he expects everyone to be on the air in the coming weeks. He also offers some announcements to the group about their continuing connections beyond the workshop.

01:47:45Copy video clip URL Brune explains the workshop in front of the camera, saying that it is a six part workshop that is for community groups to help them become more media savvy. He says that non-profit groups have media worthy stories, but they need the skills to help get their message across. He explains the format of this final day of the course, and how valuable it is in terms of giving them experience. Sawyer asks him for the top three tips he can offer. He says that first is to have three main points planned and to get those across as clearly as possible. These should focus not on funding proposal points, but on human interest and story points that will captivate an audience. The second point is to dress appropriately so that you are visually pleasing and taken seriously. He jokes that he couldn’t come up with a third point, so his three points were not prepared.

01:50:15Copy video clip URL Interview with Hank Dezutter, who comments on how there are so many great stories out there that people are not reporting on. He explains that people don’t often realize that they have a story of interest to others and shy away from the media. The result of this discovery was to develop this workshop.

01:54:26Copy video clip URL End of tape.

 

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