Friday, February 19, 2010

Memo to Tiger

If you're going to insist on a pool camera, make sure the camera works.

Tiger's "press conference" is all about b-roll

So, let me get this straight... a news conference with a pool camera, selected coverage by three media outlets, and no questions from reporters.

As reporters, you'll run into stuff like this. Why no questions? Well, it's obvious, because we all know what the questions would be. And we pretty much know what the answers would be as well.

So if you're stuck covering something like this, what can you do to make your story better? Sometimes the most profound statements are those that are never spoken.

Words can be crafted by spin doctors. Sincerity can be faked. But sometimes a look, a glance, something natural that can't be controlled, can give you the true meaning behind the words.

In most of these "stand by your man" news conferences, the most telling looks come from the wife. Reaction shots, cutaways, and other little things can tell the story. The misting of the eyes, wringing of hands, biting of the lower lip. Look for things like this, as they'll often tell the true story. And when including stuff like this in your story, you don't need to say a word, since the video does it for you.