Graphics

Week five at News Channel 3 has led me upstairs to the Graphics Department. Each day I had a better understanding of the importance for graphics in the news. It is visually appealing to all people who watch the news. Some people are too busy to fully listen to a story to understand it. Graphics has the ability to make the news visual.

On Monday, I worked with Eugene who taught me how to do an OTS. Which stands for Over the shoulder graphic. He says that knowing how to use Photoshop is very important in the department. It’s the determining factor for being hired in graphics. I also learned different terms for example a commercial is referred to as a spot and a MONWALL is where the graphic has to fit into a monitor perfectly. The department also creates banners for promotions and maps for locations.

Each item that is created has to be made to order. Yes, there is an actual order made to the department about the story and how the producers would like to see it portrayed. On Wednesday, I worked with Tony. He reminded me that you cannot fall in love with your work, because it can sometimes be killed in a show. Jo also mentioned that to me a few weeks back when I was in the Newsroom with producers. I also learned that animation has a set template for you to tell a story in words. It’s almost like a power point, words and a pictures can be on the same graphic.

This week was a good time for me to not only learn even more valuable pieces to the puzzle of news, but it was also for me to connect with others. A lot of people love News Channel 3. Stories and advice are just a few things I keep in mind for my future career as a reporter. Nothing but positive feedback and encouragement has continued to make this experience great for me.