Count Down

Flirtatious: "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways! One, Two, Three, Four. I think that's about it."

Real Mood: Driven

Prediction: Someone will go along with this.

This IS the week of the anniversary of PaulsModestMusings. There is no turning back now. When Duane and I were chatting? He wonders if I might have gone a little too far with the promotion.

"What if people are disappointed?"

Actually I'm covered on that issue. In fact some of my media friends who know my AVERSION to misleading headlines and teases? They may be expecting a "shaggy dog," "chicken little," or "little boy who cried wolf" end result.

But a funny thing happens on the way to the anniversary.  Somewhere along the way "The Tale  (tail) starts Wagging the Dog!"

In this case?  I would be that dog.  I am becoming the victim of my own FLUFF.  I've started believing my own press releases. I think I REALLY do want to come up with something special for Friday. We'll see!

So here's my plan.  I'm making an effort to slowly but surely turn out some broadcast TV journalism before your eyes.

As I tell my students in that class, TVJ is all about moving pictures and sound, both  AMBIENT and NATURAL. You won't find this distinction in a dictionary, but Ambient is background sound, while Natural sound is BIG enough, or DRAMATIC enough to help tell the story.

Now I can only produce that NAT SOUND here with some ONOMATOPOEIA. And you are going to have to imagine the pictures are moving.

I'm going to share with you some of my favorite digital snapshots of the past year. The captions will include NAT SOUND and SOUNDBITES (Words spoken by the subjects in the story. Sometimes the speaker will be seen in the picture. Sometimes the speakers words will be covered with what they are commenting on.)

What won't be there will be words the reporter would write to pull the story together. The secret to a really good TV story is to keep those transition phrases to a minimum. As I tell my students the secret is to UNWRITE your story.

So here's the game. Why don't you tune in EVERY DAY this week, and start piecing together your own story using the pictures, sounds and captions I provide.

And I'll be doing the same thing.  And on Friday, the Anniversary of PaulsModestMusings?  We can all compare. What fun, eh?

So, now go back up to the pictures and captions (make sure you see and read them all) and get started. What fun we're all going to have.

WILL YOUR STORY MAKE THE GRADE? WILL THE AUDIENCE STAY TUNED? Or during your story will everyone reach for the remote, and head for the FRIDGE. DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS ONCE IN A LIFETIME CREATIVE OPPORTUNITY. THE STORY RACE IS ON! Or you can just send $29.95 and get the CLIFF notes.

here we go!