How to Record a Voice for a TV News Report

News reporters and anchors voice several different types of stories. You can record a VO, which stands for voice-over. It's generally a 30-second piece of video. You can also voice a package, which is the long-format story a reporter does. It typically runs about 1 1/2 minutes unless it's a special, in-depth report. Follow these steps to record your voice for a TV news report.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Write your story, whether it's a short piece like a VO or a longer package. If it's a package, with interviews, weave your voice track through the story. Allow the person to tell the most emotional part of the story.

2. Read over your voice tracks. It helps if you read them aloud because you'll get a better sense of what they sound like.

3. Go into the audio booth to voice the report. Give a countdown before each voice track. Say, "3, 2, 1," and start the first track.

4. Redo it if you stumble or think your inflection or enunciation can be improved. Simply say, "Track 1, Take 2 in 3, 2, 1."

5. Move onto voice track 2 when you're happy with voice track 1. Say, "Track 2--3, 2, 1." Note on the script which take is the best of each track.

6. Save the computer file once you're done putting down the voice tracks. Your editor should be able to access it in the system when he's editing your story.

7. Know that it's often easier to restart the voice track from the top when you mess up. Instead of making your editor comb through several takes of each track, erase what you've done and start anew.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure your voice matches the tone of the news story. If it's a happy story, sound more lighthearted. If it's a death, make your voice show your concern.
• Use a microphone attached to the camera to voice-track if you're in the field. You likely won't have any other system to use.
• Make sure it's absolutely quiet when you voice-track so there's no background noise.