James Wicks Presents; The Top Ten Sexiest things about media writing
It’s easy to spend other people’s money.
The number one thing I will take from this class is often you are writing for a client. When you are writing for a client it is important to think about how you are spending their money. “As soon as possible the writer must gain a clear understanding of budget limitations.” (Hilliard 330) I think that if you address the budget as soon as you get brought on to the project and treat the clients money as if it is your own you will not have too many problems.
Who are you selling that to?
Commercials have been a part of my life as long as television has been. When I watch my little brothers look at commercials it takes me back to when I would see ads for Hot Wheels and Nerf Guns. One thing has not changed and that is children are still being targeted. “Commercial advertising can be used responsibly; it can also be used irresponsibly.”(Hilliard 72) We have forced Camel Joe off the air but I think the most important thing to get rid of is the announcer at the end of the commercial telling the children to run and ask their parents for whatever it is “right now”.
How do I sell this to you?
The fact is; people see things differently. I love bacon. Muslims think pork is dirty and a sin to eat. I love beef. Hindu people believe cows are sacred. And a vegetarian would disagree with me on both fronts. What I am getting at is that it is important to as Hilliard states, “Factor in what you know about the audience’s age, gender, income, political milieu, religious affiliations and other available information.” (Hilliard 5)
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What are you laughing at?
Have you ever sat down to watch a television show with someone either older then you, or younger? When I was a child sometimes I would be allowed to watch TV with my Grandfather he would laugh at things and they would go right over my head. Now I will sit down with my little brothers to watch cartoons and things that I think are stupid they will laugh at as if it is Dane Cook. That is because humor is always changing. According to Hilliard, “The gag or one-liner was once the staple of advertising humor, but now it has been largely replaced by satire and parody.”
So that’s what you want!
When developing a program there are two parties you must consider; the management and the audience. “To develop an idea for a program, the writer must know the programs purpose.” It is easier to find out what the management wants because they are usually going to tell you right up front. The audience is not going to be quite as easy.
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See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.
I think it is imperative that parents keep an eye on what their children watch. Parents would not put their child in torn clothing, or feed their child shoe rubber but many parents will sit their children in front of the television for hours not even knowing what they are watching. “Some childrens shows have become program-length commercials, making the product (for example, GI Joe) the actual content of the script.”(Hilliard 435)
A mile in someone else’s shoes.
Documentaries have long been one of my favorite types of entertainment. According to Hilliard, “Documentaries provide information and present a point of view.”(Hilliard 194) I like documentaries because it provides a point of view that can be different from my own. I feel that whenever I view a documentary I gain knowledge.
photo by: Len Payne, This photo was taken on September 9, 2009 in Osan-Si, Kyeongki-Do, KR, using a Nikon D40.
Shot through the Heart.
I really enjoyed learning about the different camera shots used in the production of media. I never really noticed how many different shots there where until one of the first days in class when we looked at a thirty second commercial with eighteen scenes. Hilliard says that, “Shot designations range from the close-up to the medium shot to the long shot.”(Hilliard 25)
Bulls eye
It has always been known throughout my academic life that it is important to accurately portray your subject, farther more you need to have documentation to back it up. I never really thought about having to cite sources after college but as Hilliard makes clear that concept is not correct. Hilliard says, “Whether writing a play, documentary, or news story, be sure you have the facts before you write.”(Hilliard 63)
Look how long it is!
Before this class I never really thought about how long commercials ran for obviously I felt that some dragged on but in the book Hilliard tells us how many different lengths you can purchase. According to Hilliard thirty and sixty second ads are currently the industry standard, “Although not as frequently, one also finds 10-second, 20-second, 90-second, two minute, and even longer spots on non-broadcast media.
