VNR structure
A VNR shouild be prepared with the same thought as a marketing video, but with a different target audience in mind - namely the news editors, producers and reporters who decide whether or not to incorporate it in their programme. It doesn't need to be flashy, tightly-edited, full of graphics - just useful to the newsroom decision makers.
Here's our VNR guide
- Keep it short. Time is always short in a newsroom and editors need to reach the vital shots immediately. Ten minutes should be a maximum
- Don't edit too tightly. There is always a temptation to make VNRs easy on the eye by cutting shots. Editors need building blocks and any shot under five seconds is difficult to use.
- Include a variety of shots. Different wide, medium and close-up shots make a programme interesting and mean that the VNR is more likely to be used. Unusual shots such as crash-zooms and camera tilts are rarely used in news bulletins
- Don't forget your branding. Editors always want to use shots without branding but there's no such thing as a free lunch. You're paying for the video and need to benefit - even if it's a logo on a factory wall or a company overall on an employee.
- Try and deliver electronically. The best news cameras are now solid state and newsrooms quite frankly find it irritating to take their input material from tapes.
This is where Footagefile comes in - see how we can make VNRs work for you....more
