Appendix 4:
Excerpts from One-on-One Television School Follow-Up Training

Note: One person who attended the group television school illustrated in Appendix 3 received one-on-one, on-camera training at a later time. What follows are excerpts from an analysis of the person’s television performance, written by the trainers.

Post Media Training Review
Our media professional didn’t think that there was a lot to be improved on but was pleasantly surprised by your growth from our earlier session. The reviewer felt that the makeup added greatly to an attractive and positive appearance. She stated that your smile, literally, lit up the screen and the colors in your tunic really brought out your skin tone.

Our reviewer agreed with our "practice makes perfect" axiom. She noted that the message segment got better as you become more relaxed at delivering it. However, she said that the message loses its effectiveness when it comes across as memorized. She suggested that you write down key words on a 4x5 card that will trigger certain thought processes. Our reviewer stated that you know this subject better than anyone -- so when you speak from the heart, it has a powerful effect.

The eye contact in your taped session was much better than in your television segment which was reviewed prior to your training. Your tone was stronger following the training and more confident and your message was interesting and compelling.

Summary
You are a natural star. Your warmth, sincerity and enthusiasm radiates when you speak. It is important to keep that quality which is inspiring and effective with audiences. Now the hard stuff. The most important task for you is to keep on your message and learn how to get in all of the information in the short period of time allotted. To help ease anxiety over media appearances, embrace each one as an opportunity to tell your very impressive story. It will greatly help for you to memorize your message and practice it.

You will also need to negotiate with the television program and/or sponsors for greater support, including scholarships, sponsorships, as well as concessions -- assuring that your organization’s phone number is on the screen, that you have adequate time to talk about your program and that you are paid AFTRA rates for some of your appearances.

The Message
The opening message that we worked on contains the information you most want people to remember about your organization. That same information should be expanded upon and repeated wherever possible throughout the program. Your vehicle is perfect. Everyone understands the concept of cooking food. When you relate what people already are familiar with, your concept of teaching academic subjects through the cooking, you’ve captured their attention. (Say why it’s necessary to read, write, divide, multiply, add, subtract and do fractions, understand some basic principles of science, geography and history to be a good chef.)

Tips To Remember
Following are some important items to memorize to include in your key points:

• Program was started by you and your husband.

• Program gives kids a new lease on life, helps steer them through the troubled waters of today.

• Develops marketable skills while learning math, reading, speech, social studies, geography and confidence.

• Your organization is part of a coalition of grassroots groups giving our youth a fair chance at life. After all, it does take the whole community police, schools, doctors, families to raise a child -- a village.

• Always include anecdotes -- success stories -- in your presentation. (This will open the door for the interviewer to ask about the young men who failed to stick with the program (if there are any) . . . so be prepared with a positive response. Please don’t allow any discussion of failure to take much of the time and be careful not to let this kind of focus be the last word. Remember, people often will remember most what they hear last about such a program.)

• During an interview, remember that because you may be finished with what you have to say, the camera may not have finished with you! Please don’t look away from the camera or your interviewer. Continue to hold your beautiful smile or make small talk with the interviewer . . . additional information about the program, perhaps . . . until the interviewer indicates the segment is finished.

• Open your show with your message.

• Remember to find out pertinent information before you do your show including:

• Who is going to interview me?

• What is the exact format?

• When will I be on? How much time I have? How often will I be on? Will there be other guests? Who?

• If there is a taped piece or is the film about our program being shown? Where is the film being played immediately before my interview or after or during a longer segment prior to my appearance? Is the film being excerpted or shown in its entirety?

• Please put my phone number on the screen as well so that people can contact me.

• What information can I leave with the station for calls for viewers for recruitment?

• Can you send a car to pick me up?

What To Wear
Tunic styled blouses with graceful sleeves narrowed and/or buttoned at the wrist would work really well on camera with you. Round neckline or small mock turtleneck look in the style of the blouse you wore on Sunday are also flattering. As stated during the session, you should stay away from open jackets.

Colors should be earth tones or compliments of earth tones -- including russets and blue-greens, muted or bright.

A smock could be a standard option. Actually, a smock with a seamless front (panel covering the zipper of buttons) will free you from the concern of having to wear something of a complimentary color to the apron. A smock styled in the same fashion as described for the tunic styled blouses will work extremely well. The color of the smock will be in the color ranges as described for the clothing. The teal smock with lettering in a strong contrasting color that will not be washed out by the lighting will be very interesting.