A Tutorial for TV Proposal Division

Transcription

1 A Tutorial for TV Proposal Division

2 Content 1. Introduc+on (Aims of this Training Program) 2. Before You Begin 3. The Strategy of Knowing the Structure of the Proposal Document 4. Make the Educa+onal Goals Clear 5. The Role of the background 6. Be Tangible about the Elements and Composi+on! 7. How the background, Elements and Composi+on Relate to Each Other 8. Assess the Program's Feasibility Yourself! 9. Advice for Those Who Are S+ll Unsure 10. Before Sending Us Your Entry form

3 1. Introduc+on (Aims of this Training Program) The JAPAN PRIZE's Proposal Division receives a large number of entries every year. The forms sent in from every part of the world give striking tes+mony to the producers' enthusiasm to spread happiness through educa+onal broadcas+ng. Unfortunately, some+mes there are entries which end in disappointment because the author doesn't know how to write an effec+ve proposal; that is, the author isn't able to describe the visual medium of television in a wri@en document. Some+mes the ideas are not clearly expressed. Some+mes it all seems too abstract, without any concrete details. As a result, some poten+ally outstanding proposals go no further. How, then, should a proposal be wri@en to impress the jurors during the strict screening process, to demonstrate to them that this is a program that they keenly want to be made? Hoping to help those who are struggling at this stage, we decided to share the proposal wri+ng know how which NHK veteran directors and producers have acquired through their years of firsthand experience in produc+on of educa+onal programs. This short outline has been wri@en in the hope that it will help young producers rise to prominence and become new leaders in the educa+onal broadcas+ng field. We all depend on your spirit of endeavor!

4 2. Before you Begin 2. Before You Begin The entry form was dras+cally revised for the TV Proposal Division of the 2008 JAPAN PRIZE. Please first read this sec+on carefully. Be sure to fill in the name of your broadcas+ng organiza+on and other basic details correctly. The most important parts, though, are the following three items: Educa,onal goals to be achieved Background Elements and composi,on of the program Your proposal has a real chance to succeed if the jurors or other par+es reading it for the first +me can grasp these points simply and really imagine from your descrip+on just how the program will develop. Please take another close look at the entry form for proposals. This is the ring where you must display your power and ba@le for victory. Take special care over those three items just men+oned! Here are some basic +ps: With this format, it's essen+al to organize the informa+on compactly. Take your +me to choose your words well and re write as many +mes as you can before sending in your entry! It isn't true that longer is be@er! (Contrary to what some students and aspiring novelist might think.) It is important to be succinct: the phrases should be compact and their meaning crystal clear. Succinctness makes the proposal more tangible and persuasive. Let's repeat that: long winded explana+ons don't convince! First, make sure that the basic informa+on is short, clear and to the point, and then tell us about the program's structure and how it will develop. Always be thinking about "why it's important to present your idea in images" and "how the program will flow. The end product is intended for presenta+on via an image medium, but it's your words that must convince the jurors in order to be selected as a finalist.

5 3. The Strategy of Knowing the Structure of the Proposal Document The three main items all complement each other. Educa+onal goals to be achieved Background Elements and composi+on of the program Each of these items stands on its own. Don't forget, though, that your success depends on how well they interlock with each other to produce the unified image of the educa+onal program that you want to make. Taking them in reverse, the three items have this sort of rela+onship: Elements and composi+on of the program A producer collects specific details and organizes them into a program to send out a background. Background The producer presents the persuasive background through a sequence of images to achieve the program's educa+onal goals Educa+onal goals to be achieved Start by wri,ng the easy parts! The entry form lists these key items in the order of: Educa+onal goals to be Achieved; Background; Elements and composi+on of the program, but: You don't have to write them in that order! Tackle the easiest items first. Think back to your school days. You might have made good marks using this tac+c. The same can be said for wri+ng proposals. If you have tangible things to write, begin by describing them! You can explain the background and educa+onal goals as your ideas develop. The entry form itself is only a tool; the key point is that you must demonstrate your own ideas as a free and crea+ve producer. Discover the best ways to communicate your ideas! Let s now take those three items one by one to highlight their core characteris+cs.

6 4. Make the Educa+onal Goals Clear

7 5. Background 7

8 6. Show the Elements and Composi+on 8

9 7. How the Background and Elements and Composi+on Relate to Each Other The rela,onship between background" and elements and composi,on can be summarized like this: It is a rela+onship between ac+ve and passive; showing and being shown. The background is expressed by the elements and composi+on; the elements and composi+on express the background. Many proposals fail because this dis+nc+on is not presented clearly. If the "background, the program's purpose, is not separate from the "elements and composi+on," the reader won't understand what the producer is trying to say. If you can fill in these two sec+ons clearly, making a plain dis+nc+on between them, and can impart a vivid impression of what the program would look like if made, then you have a very good chance of being chosen as a finalist. More on what a proposal does: It is a way to win public approval for your personal idea. In effect, you must always be thinking of the readers when wri+ng your proposal. 8. Assess the Program's Feasibility Yourself! The Acceptability of the Program's background and Elements and Composi,on" Does your proposal transcend mere personal opinion and have the poten+al and persuasiveness to achieve broad acceptance in society? Budget, Equipment and Facili,es Es+mate the expenses carefully. Do you have the equipment? Must you rent it? Can the regular staff do this, or must new people be recruited? Are rights and privacy sufficiently guaranteed? Is the format appropriate? Will you use a studio invi+ng experts on the topic or will the whole program be edited using videotaped (VTR) materials? Please give careful thought to what format would be most appropriate for your program.

10 If you s+ll don't know what to do about: The theme you want to cover 9. Advice for Those Who Are S+ll Unsure First, consider the field and basic subject. Look for a subject that really interests you. Why is this theme important now? Think about it in a rather broad sense. In your country or region today, for example, what kinds of informa+on or story do people want or need to know? How does your chosen theme fit into that context? Approaches and points of access What triggers can you find? Grasp the informa+on available, whether directly from the people themselves or through newspaper reports, magazines, sta+s+cs, the Internet, etc. What scenes can you imagine? If this is a proposal for a single program, what images would you like to portray? Your proposal will be read, but keep those images constantly in mind while you write it in order to communicate their visual appeal to the readers! Please check: Does your form include all of the basic informa,on? Are you sure that you have lep nothing out? 10. Before Sending Us Your Entry Form Take another look at the first page! Have you filled in every item (Organiza,on, Name of person authorizing the entry, Address, Telephone number, Person to contact etc.)? Can all copyright issues be cleared if the program is made? Does your program have an axrac,ve,tle? We wish your good luck in the contest!