writing for television.pdf

Writing For TELEVISION Khalafallah Abdelmoneim  INTRODUCTION Television is about visual and sound. So writing for this medium involves both words and pictures. In writing the sound normally accompanies the images that appear on the screen. The writer should as such take n...

Writing For TELEVISION Khalafallah Abdelmoneim  INTRODUCTION Television is about visual and sound. So writing for this medium involves both words and pictures. In writing the sound normally accompanies the images that appear on the screen. The writer should as such take note that pictures alone would not make meaning to the audience.  When writing, the scriptwriter always indicates if there is a need for a close up shot. This will give the identity of the subject in question. Words normally play a complimentary role in pictures whether in documentary, news and drama or even in interview programs.  It is a rule that all figures above ten (10) must not be written in figures but in words. The reason is that the announcer does not have enough time in trying to make sure that the accurate figure indicated in the script are announced to the public. For example it would be difficult to read the following figures smoothly while on air. N2, 797,840,15. But when written in words. Two million, seven hundred and ninety seven thousand, eight hundred and forty pound and fifteen it would be easier to read and understand.  Definition of writing for TV Writing for television program is the blending of pictures with sound to produce a communication experience exhibited on the screen. It uses sound to explain the visuals presented on the screen, it addresses the emotion and intellect in a remarkable way as a dynamic medium, TV uses the movement of images in a particular pattern to give expression to the thought and feeling in an interesting and appealing manner.  Those who conceive ideas for writing for TV should therefore bear in mind at the start that what they are going to write must be accompanied with pictures, as words alone would not be sufficient to deliver the message intended for the targeted audience.  The pictures must be blended with the words to produce precisely what they intended for the viewers to see and hear. For the pictures and the words are used to Complement each other to point out the objective of the program. If for instance it was announced that a building has collapsed and killed a number of people in a town, the viewers would expect the news to be with sound and pictures e.g, : the reporter and the images of the collapsed building. In writing for TV since words go along with pictures, words have to be carefully arranged, selected and presented in such a way to make an impression on the minds of the stations audience.  Self assessment exercise: When writing for TV, why must pictures be matched with words?  Writing news for TV :There are many phases of news which involve commercial breaks, sports and weather for which a writer should not forget to include while writing news. In writing news the writer should use simple every day words and short sentences, how ever they must be consisted and accurate to the point.  The TV news writer does not have an easy task. He or she has to produce scripts within a short time. let the pictures describe: Its very irritating to hear extra un necessary description of news that can clearly be seen by viewers. Let the people and action speak for themselves.  Uses of tenses: In most cases the writer should use present tense, as it is sounds more simple and clear. Past tense can be used when the action is actually In the past for it reflect a completed action. The end