'FIVE MORE DAYS!"

Flirtatious: "Come on sugar, trust me! We don't need no stinkin' pre-nup!"

Real Mood: Dogged

Prediction: When Andy Roddick sees American Dreamz?  He'll be SOOO glad he dumped Mandy Moore.

Let's make one thing clear before former colleagues jump down my throat.  You should not make a practice of just going out and shooting random video, and talking to just anyone? And then turning it all into a story? You shouldn't! But I've heard it's been done ONCE or TWICE.  You should at least have something to connect it all to. ( An "aquaintance" of "mine" tells me almost anything can be tied to the weather.)

But there is actually some journalistic wisdom tied to being willing to shoot anything, and talk to anyone. Sure you want to get out there and get those What,Who, Where, When, Why and How issues into the equation?

But to approach a story with blinders on will often cause you to miss the REAL story altogether. I like to tell students the REAL NEWS? It is always at least a BLOCK away.

Here's two examples I use.  There was a big celebration when they finished up a ten year long highway project in town?  The MAYOR was there, the GOVERNOR was there, the HIGHWAY HONCHO was there, THE CONTRACTOR was there. There were BALLOONS, and a BAND, and SPEECHES GALORE. BACKS were being SLAPPED,  HANDS SHOOK,  RIBBONS cut, CAMERAS ROLLING!

But a wise reporter, not me unfortunately, spotted something the rest of us missed?

Down underneath the flyover we were all on? There stood a tired looking entrepreneur. Access to his business was still surrounded by construction cones.  There was a frustrated tear in one eye. The project had killed his business. He was declaring bankruptcy. Argue with me if you like, but that, I think, was the "REAL STORY."

This one is totally my own.

Every January first? A bunch of WANNA BE MEDIA STAR LUNATICS jump into an icy reservoir to be declared members of the POLAR BEAR CLUB. They dress up in odd costumes and pay a fee to jump into a hole cut in ice. They jump around for enough seconds to turn blue, and then run and get into a hot tub.  Every year it's the same; Same PEOPLE, Same OUTFITS, same SOUNDBITES.

Well I was sent up there one year and the photographer and I made a pact we were going to be different.  We really didn't have to try very hard.

In the middle of the reservoir sat three tightly bundled up "Ice Fisherman."  Wouldn't it be fun to get their perspective on the "Polar Bear Club?"  They were a pretty funny bunch of guys.  And somehow I was able to get the following soundbite on the air:

"All I know about water THAT COLD is what it does to your scrotum."

I guess the bottom line is? Know where you're going, but if you want the real story?  Plan on taking some detours along the way.

So let's take the next step in building our ANNIVERSARY story.

What?: A Bank Robbery, Kidnapping, High Speed Chase.

Who?: A escaped prisoner convicted of not paying back alimony. Kidnap Victim is unknown.

Where?: Last Federal Savings and Loan, 1st and Mulberry. Chase on I-53.5. Search perimeter set up near The Purple River as it flows into The Mukity Muck Golf and Tennis Club.

When?: Robbery 4 p.m. Search continues.

Why?: Neighbor says, (attribution is everything...always cover your bum) suspect is despondent over the pre-nup he signed.

How?: Police are confirming weapon was a red squirt gun. Escape vehicle a Swiss Army troop carrier adapted to street use.

Now we can get back to Pictures, Captions and Onomatopoeia ( I love saying ONOMATOPOEIA, but have a heck of a time remembering how to spell it.)

Now you have a journalistic road map to follow while picking your sound and video. But, remember, the story doesn't have to BE what it started out to be?  And remember try your best to unwrite...let the CHARACTERS...and the PICTURES and the NAT SOUND tell the story.

One more thing to remember! When you are out shooting and interviewing? You'll get a lot more than you need. The art of this form of journalism is effective selection.  Good Pickin's.

Even IF YOU ARE NOT PLAYING THE GAME, YOU WILL NOT WANT TO MISS THE RESULTS ON FRIDAY.  I KNOW SOME OF THESE MINDS! THEY'VE BEEN PLACES.  I ALSO KNOW WHAT MOTIVATES MANY OF THEM....SO I AM GOING TO AWARD 5 DOLLARS TO THE STUDENT I FEEL BEST COMPLETES THE MISSION.  AND ANOTHER 5 DOLLARS GOES TO ONE CITIZEN AT LARGE WHO TICKLES OUR FANCY. ( I was going to make it 10 apiece, but Peggy says NO WAY JOSE! And that's not even my name?")

just hope gas doesn't get up to 5 dollars a gallon by friday..