If you
listen to radio at least once in a while, you may remember a few programmes.
You remember them because you liked them. You liked them because they were
interesting. You do not remember a majority of programmes because what is heard
is fast forgotten. We have already discussed about this feature of radio in the
lesson on ‘characteristics of radio’.
To make a programme interesting, it has to
be produced well. Radio production is a very vast subject. Due to constant
change in technology, the techniques of radio production keep changing. But the
basics remain the same. You may have the best of ideas, the best of scripts and
the best of voices; but if the programme is not produced properly it will not
be interesting to listen to.
In this
lesson, you will learn about the process of radio production and its different
components.
OBJECTIVES
After studying this
lesson, you will be able to do the following :-
z
describe
the qualities required for a radio producer;
z
explain
the main elements of radio production;
z
distinguish
between three different types of microphones;
z
identify
music and sound effects for radio production;
z
classify
the different stages of radio program production;
z
state
the improtance of a script in a radio programme.
QUALITIES OF A RADIO
PRODUCER
You may
have observed that anybody can be a cook, but only the food prepared by some
turnout to be very tasty. Similarly all people who produce radio programmes may
not come out with good and interesting programmes.
You need certain qualities or skills to be a radio producer.
The qualities you need include the following:-
(a)
ability
to see and hear what is happening around you. This would mean a keen desire to
know more about things. We may call this inquisitiveness. Unless a person is
inquisitive, he or she cannot be a good radio producer. This is because you
need ideas to produce interesting programmes. How do you get ideas? Let us
think. Firstly, we need to observe things to get ideas. Remember the story of
Isaac Newton who observed an apple falling? This observation led him to wonder
why the apple fell down from the tree and why it did not go up. The result was
Newton’s gravitational theory.
Let’s take another example. James
Watson was boiling water in a kettle. When the steam gushed out with force, he
realized that force or power could be used. The result of this paved the way
for the invention of the steam engine.
So you can get ideas by:
(i)
observing
things as discussed above.
(ii) drawing from experiences : We have good and
bad experiences in life. People who have written stories, novels, poems and
plays draw their ideas mostly from their experiences. The great poet Kalidasa
saw the dying bird and its pair which was sad and took to writing poems. The
English poet Wordsworth observed flowers (daffodils) dancing in the air and
wrote one of the best pieces of poetry. So from our own experiences or going
through the experiences of others, we get ideas.
(iii)
You have just read about the experiences of
others. How do you come to know about them. Well, you need to talk to others to
find out and understand their experiences.
(b)
Ability to conceptualise ideas: You may
get any number of ideas, but you need to turn them into concepts and
then in to radio scripts.
(c)
Creativity : What is
creativity ? Are you creative? This is a quality which is found in
almost everyone. But you need to be creative in putting together an idea in a
manner which can attract people .Creativity would mean, doing something new or
different. The same idea can be made into a radio programme differently by
different people. If everyone does it in the same way, they will all be the
same and not interesting.
A
good user of words. You need the ability to use the right word at
the right time in the right manner. Radio programmes depend on a good
script and that depends on your ability to write well. For this you need a very
good knowledge or stock of words or a good vocabulary. You have to be using
words in the appropriate manner. We shall deal with this aspect later.
ELEMENTS OF
RADIO PRODUCTION
You have already studied about the ingredients of a radio
format. Can you recall them? They are:
(a)
Human
voice or spoken word.
(b)
Music
(c)
Sound
effects
The various elements of radio production flow from the above
ingredients of a radio format.
So let us look at the main
elements of radio production.
(i)
Studio : In the previous lesson,
you have learnt that the radio studio is a room where radio programmes
are recorded. For producing a radio programme, you need a ‘sound proof’ studio
where human voice can be recorded or broadcast in the best manner.
(ii)
Microphones: For our
voice to be recorded in a studio, we use a microphone. You might have
used or at least seen microphones. They amplify or in other words ,increase the
volume of your voice. When you speak before a microphone, you don’t have to
shout. You speak normally and it will be made louder if you use a loudspeaker
to listen to. When we think of radio, the microphone is the most important
element using which you present your programme.
There are basically three types of microphones and they are
known by their directivity. As you go through the following text, you will
understand the term ‘directivity’.
(a)
Uni-directional microphone : As the name
suggests, this microphone picks up sound from one direction. As you
speak in front of it, your voice is picked up. If you speak from the other side
of the microphone, your voice will not be picked up properly. In a radio
studio, the announcers, presenters and newsreaders use this type of a
microphone.
A microphone is very sensitive and you need to use it
carefully. You should be at the right distance from it when you speak.
Otherwise, your voice will not sound good. Even if you turn a paper or breathe
heavily, the microphone will pick up that sound and your programme or your
voice will be affected.
(b)
Bi-directional microphone:- Here
again as the name (bi) suggests, the voice or sound is picked up from
two directions. If you are recording an interview in a radio studio, you may
use this type of a microphone.
(c)
Omni-directional microphone: You may
be familiar with the word omni. We say god is omnipresent, which means
‘present everywhere’. In the case of an omni-directional microphone, it picks
up sound from all directions. This type of microphone is used when a number of
voices are used in a single programme like a radio discussion or a radio drama.
There are many other types of
microphones which come in different sizes and lengths. If you watch television
programmes, you may find a small microphone clipped on the collar. This is
called a lapel microphone which is actually a uni-directional
microphone. These microphones are not normally used in radio. Then there are
long microphones called gun microphones used in sports
production. These microphones are often omni directional ones. There are also cordless
microphones. You might have seen them being used in stage shows. They
do not have any cables or wires attached to them. They have a small transmitter
in them which can send the sounds to an amplifier.
Think of a crowded market or
temple. If you are creating that scene in a radio programme, you do not have to
go to a crowded market or temple to record. Well, you can record those sounds
and use them. But in most cases, you use sound effects which are already
recorded. Sound effects can be used in two ways:
(a)
spot
effects or effects that are created as we speak and
(b)
recorded
sound effects.
If you are recording a radio programme in which someone knocks
at the door, you can make a knocking sound either on a door or a wooden
partition. Or you want to show that someone is pouring water from a bottle into
a glass; here again you can use the actual sounds produced on the spot. But if
you want a lion roaring or a dog barking, you probably cannot bring a lion or a
dog to the studios! Here we use recorded sounds which are kept on tapes or
discs. Almost all sounds are available on CDs which you can try and use. There
are also certain types of computer software available for this.
You can also create sound effects.
You can use two coconut shells to
produce the sound effects of the sounds of horses’ hooves.
Take a piece of cellophine paper
or aluminum wrapper and crush them in front of a microphone. Record the sound
and hear. It will sound as if fire is raging. You can think and create many
such sound effects.
However, there is a word of
caution. If you record an actual door opening, you many not get the real
feeling of a door opening when you record it. What matters is what it sounds
like and not what it is.
(iv)
Music : Music is the soul of
radio. It is used in different ways on radio as already discussed in the
earlier lesson. Film songs and classical music programmes are independent
programmes on radio. Music is also used as signature tunes or theme music of
various radio programmes.
Let
us see what music does to any programme.
a.
Music
adds colour and life to any spoken word programme.
b.
Music
can break monotony.
c.
Music is used to give the desired effect of happy
or unhappy situations, fear or joy.
d.
Music can suggest scenes and locations. For
example, you have to create a bright early morning situation. This can be done
by playing a pleasing note on the flute along with the sound of chirping birds.
Artificial
echo:- If you enter an empty building or fort and shout, your voice
will come
back to you. This is called on echo. An echo is used in radio programmes. This
is a technical input.
(vi)
Filter or distort: If you
listen to someone speaking to you on phone, the voice would not sound
normal. This sort of effect called distort is produced using technology. Some
times distort is used along with echo. Think of someone speaking from a mine
100 feet below the earth. To make it realisitic, distort and echo are used.
(vii)Human voice: The main
stay in any radio programme is the human voice. Think of the voice of an
announcer or newsreader on radio. You often find them very pleasant and nice to
listen to. That is because of the quality of their voice and the proper use of
it. There are two aspects of the use of human voice in radio production.
Firstly, there has to be a well written script to be spoken and then someone
has to speak or read it before a microphone in a studio.
RADIO PROGRAMME PRODUCTION
Now let us learn about the different stages of
radio programme production.
Whatever we do, there has to be a clear
plan. In the case of radio production also, there is a well accepted process of
production which is carried out in three stages.
Let us list them out.
a)
Pre-production
b)
Production
and
c)
Post-production
a)
Pre-production
As
the title suggests, this is the first stage before the actual production.
i)
An
idea is born : This phase
includes how a programme is born as an idea and its conceptualization.
The topic or subject matter is decided.
ii)
Plan of action : After the
topic is decided, a plan of action is worked out. Here the format of the
progamme is determined i.e whether the programme is a talk, discussion,
interview, drama, documentary etc.Once that is clear, the right person for
writing the script and the performers are decided. The plan of action would
also determine the equipment for outside recordings that are required. The time
and venue of the recording are also worked out.
iii)
The script is examined to make it
suitable for broadcast. It is examined according to the principles of
writing for radio or in other words ‘for the ear’. We will discuss this is
detail in the next section.
iv)
Paper work : If people
who are not working in the radio station are involved for writing or providing
voice for the programmes, they have to be invited with an agreement to accept
the job or assignment. This type of agreement is referred to as a contract.
Similarly, permission is often required to interview certain people if the
programme is based on such interviews. Therefore, as you can see, there is a
lot of paper work at the pre-prodution stage.
v)
Rehearsing
the voices of speakers is also part of this stage.
b)
Production : This is
the actual process of recording and editing a radio programme. Proper
studios, microphones and computers are required to record and edit the
programme.
c)
Post production : Writing
to inform people involved in the production is a major activity during
this phase. The progamme has to be given publicity both on radio and in other
media. This is done to ensure that people know about the programmes and also
listen to them. The announcements for the presentation of the programme are
also written and provided for the actual broadcast of the programme.
WRITING FOR RADIO
In the
previous section you have learnt that the script is examined according to the
principles of ‘writing for radio’. Let us discuss about the importance of the
script in a radio programme.
What happens when you
listen to your favourite announcer speak on radio ?
You may say that you would
like to continue to listen to the announcer.
But why ?
Well, because you like
what they say and the way they say that.
Don’t you ?
What they
say is in most cases drawn from a script.The way in which they say it is about
the whole idea of using their voice.
We shall now discuss about
the language we use in radio.
When we
refer to the language used in radio, we are not referring to any particular
language like English or Hindi but the style of any language used in radio.Here
in radio, you find that it is different from the language used in newspapers
and magazines or what is referred to as print media.
In the print media, everything is written down or printed and
they exist in the pages of the newspaper or magazine.You can keep them for as
long as you want. You can take your own time to read them.If you do not understand
them in one reading, you can read them again and understand . If you do not
know the meaning of any word, you can refer to a dictionary to understand the
meaning.
Now think
of radio. You hear programmes as they are broadcast. You hear them only once.
Ofcourse, you may say that you can record them and listen to them. record it
and listen to it later. Well, that generally does not happen. In our day to day
conversations, we speak, someone else listens, or someone speaks and we listen.
It is a momentary experience. You may or may not remember what you said or
heard.
Similarly,
what you hear on radio is heard only once and then forgotten in a majority of
cases. Do you remember all that you had spoken yesterday ? Do you remember all
that you heard from others yesterday ? Ofcourse, the answer is a big ‘no’.
In our day to day conversation, we do not use the words and
expressions found in a newspaper editorial or a feature article. Have you
wondered why this happens? It is because those words and expressions are
neither friendly nor easy to understand. Now compare that with your daily
conversation. You use simple words, sentences and familiar expressions. You
also take into account the person to whom you are speaking. Your gestures and
movements add to what you speak.
Now let
us go back to your favourite announcer. You don’t see the person. But yet you
feel that the person is speaking to you. You may not say anything but you may
feel that there is some familiarity with that person. Interestingly, in most
cases, what you hear on radio is written down or scripted. It is spoken and is
heard only once.
From what you have read so
far, we can come to certain conclusions.
z
First
of all, when it comes to radio, you listen to a person who is not seen.
z
The
person speaks from a script written down earlier.
z
You
feel that the person is talking to you.
z
The
person sounds friendly and you have no problem in understanding what
is being said.
z You can call the language or the words used
in a radio script as the spoken word as against the written word or the printed
word used in the print media.
z Unlike
the printed word which is written for the eye, the spoken word is written for
the ear.
Let us list out the main
characteristics of the spoken word.
i)
Though
it is written, it is spoken
ii)
It
is written for the ear not the eye.
iii)
It is heard only once. The listener normally does
not get a second chance to listen.
iv)
It is conversational and should therefore sound
like one and have the following qualities :
a)
It
should be simply worded without any difficult or unfamiliar words.
b)
The
sentences should be short and simple and not complex.
c)
There
should be only one idea in a sentence and not many ideas.
d)
Though
there are thousands of listeners, what is written should be meant for just one
listener. At the listening end, there are generally only one or two persons and
not a crowd.So it should be speaking to one person.
e)
The words chosen should denote the exact meaning
and not be vague or abstract .
f)
The
words should make pictures in the minds of the listeners.
g)
Abbreviations or short forms should be avoided. If
an abbreviation is used, then its full form should be given.
h)
If the script consists of big numbers it can be
rounded off to the nearest whole number.
i)
While referring to more than one person, avoid
using ‘he’ or ‘she’. It can confuse the listeners.
