How to Edit a News Reel

News reels are for journalists who are either aspiring to obtain their first on-air reporting job, or seasoned journalists who need to update their work. News reels must be edited to perfection, so that the News Director is focusing only on the journalist when reviewing the reel.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Tell a concise, visual story. The news pieces should be visually appealing. Once the news reporter has introduced the story, take this moment to cut to b-roll with a clear voice-over. Try to use the most captivating pieces of footage you have obtained to make the piece as interesting as possible.
2. Timing is everything. There will be times when the news reporter stutters over words or waits to speak after being given the queue. This is where your expertise as an editor comes in. As an editor, you are responsible for trimming away all unnecessary dead air. If the news reporter blinks their eyes three times before speaking, this is your time to cut the first two blinks out of the finished product. You will also want to count every second of dead air to make sure you trim down as much as possible, before dubbing a master copy for your client.
3. Check your audio and visual tracks. Syncing the audio and visual tracks is an integral part of completing a masterpiece. The idea is to have each word spoken or noise made, coincide with what is being seen visually. This is particularly important when it comes to voice-overs. If the news reporter is reporting on a burning house, you will want to show the house engulfed in flames at the exact time they are speaking about the fire.
4. Color correct any mistakes. Color correction is essential to good video. Take some time to lighten or darken the footage, so that it does not change drastically from one piece to another.
5. Review the timeline more than once. After you have decided that the cuts are correct and everything is synchronized on the timeline, review your finished product again. This will guarantee that there are no glitches in the edited news reel.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the best news pieces first.
• Make sure the tape deck is clean.
• Use durable earphones to ensure good quality audio.
• Make sure your audio levels are even.
• Do not go crazy with graphics! This is a news reel, not a music video.
• Be prepared for both positive and negative feedback. Some clients are more difficult than others, but this comes with the territory.