• Home
  • About
    • Our Team
    • Community Involvement
    • Mission and Values
    • PRecision Curriculum
  • Services
    • Public Relations
    • Content
    • Chambers Law Firm Rankings
    • Crisis & Litigation PR
    • Supreme Court Litigation
    • Media Training
    • Digital
    • Video
    • Poston Programs and Webinars
    • Podcasts
    • Public Affairs
    • CEO and Executive Leadership Communications
    • Internal and Employee Communications
  • Industries
    • Legal
    • Financial Services
    • Real Estate
    • Health Care
    • Architecture, Engineering and Construction
    • Associations & Professional Societies
    • Other Professional Services
  • Results
  • Blog
  • Careers
    • Openings
    • PRecision Curriculum
  • Contact
  • Search
  • Home
  • About
    • Our Team
    • Community Involvement
    • Mission and Values
    • PRecision Curriculum
  • Services
    • Public Relations
    • Content
    • Chambers Law Firm Rankings
    • Crisis & Litigation PR
    • Supreme Court Litigation
    • Media Training
    • Digital
    • Video
    • Poston Programs and Webinars
    • Podcasts
    • Public Affairs
    • CEO and Executive Leadership Communications
    • Internal and Employee Communications
  • Industries
    • Legal
    • Financial Services
    • Real Estate
    • Health Care
    • Architecture, Engineering and Construction
    • Associations & Professional Societies
    • Other Professional Services
  • Results
  • Blog
  • Careers
    • Openings
    • PRecision Curriculum
  • Contact
  • Search

Be Your Own Newsroom: How to Make a Professional Video News Release (VNR)

  • Posted by Poston Communications
  • On February 14, 2020
  • journalism, video, video news release

Share This...

Newsrooms are busy. Journalists are asked to do more and more with less time and resources, and they are on tight deadlines. Company leaders and their marketers must get creative to ensure their stories are told. One way you can do that for your company or client is to be your own newsroom and create a video news release.

At Poston Communications, we often are asked to help professional services firms, nonprofits and other companies tell their stories. That may may be an expert talking about a current event or perhaps a business giving back in meaningful ways to the community. Delivering professional content to newsrooms exponentially enhances the chances that a story will be shared on a newsroom’s multiple platforms.

Adhering to standards are important. Here’s how to achieve the look newsrooms want:

  1. Use a tripod. Even if you’re shooting on an iPhone (and that’s okay, if that’s all you have as a resource), use a tripod. The video needs to be steady with wide, medium and tight shots. Shaky video won’t make air.
  2. If content is king, audio is the queen. Ever try to watch something with crackly audio, static or loud background noise? You’ve probably turned it off – or at least turned it down. The image may be beautifully captured, but if the audio is bad, it won’t be used. Minimize background noise and use a lavalier microphone positioned just below the chin (on a lapel or collar) and tuck in the mic cord. You won’t see a professionally shot video with any wires showing. Plug in your headphones to ensure you’re getting good audio.
  3. Shoot your interview using the Rule of Thirds. Frame your subject proportionally so there’s plenty of room in the space where your subject is facing. This look is easy on the eye, and that’s why it is an industry standard. When editing the interview (and we highly recommend you do), make sure to leave two seconds of lead-in time to the interview soundbite and as much as possible after. It makes everything much easier on the editor.
    Rule of Thirds
  4. Do your best with lighting. A journalist won’t expect a perfectly composed shot, but try to get your subject in natural light. If it’s indoors, find a window and ensure the subject’s face is well-lit where there aren’t shadows. Avoid shooting against windows, which make the subject become a silhouette.
  5. Provide B-roll. This will have journalists singing your praises! Supplemental video they can use to introduce a person, or perhaps mention your company is greatly appreciated. If possible, shoot wide, medium and tight shots to give the journalist multiple options.
    Wide Medium Tight Shot
  6. Never present video in slow motion. If you’ve seen a clip in slow motion on the news, it’s a well-intentioned move – usually to point out something the viewer may not see in real time. Let the journalist make this decision.
  7. Do not add any music to the video. Using music in journalism to evoke a particular emotion is a carefully considered (and often controversial) conversation that happens within newsrooms. Footage will not be used if there is music on it.
  8. Avoid creative, moving shots. Anything that looks or feels promotional will not be used in news coverage.

Following these tips can help you deliver a professional VNR. At Poston Communications, we do not send any “raw” footage. We send a polished b-roll and interview package. We only send out what we would want to air. It may seem like an obvious thing to point out, but we’ve seen plenty of VNRs that have strange breaks and seemingly random soundbites – the “outtakes” if you will – and you don’t want to risk that it could make air.

We separate ourselves from other agencies because we set our clients up for success. Before our clients ever step foot near the camera, we do media coaching and media training sessions to help our clients develop key messages. We cover best practices for on-camera presentation, ensuring our clients will always tell their best story.

0 Comments

Recent Posts
  • Listen Now: Best Practices for Media Pitching and Building Relationships With Journalists
  • Poston: Achieving Success When Seeking Coverage by National Business Journalists
  • Chambers USA Research Schedule Now Available
  • Poston Communications Adds Three Seasoned Members to Growing Team
  • Poston’s Kali Hammond Elevated to Vice President
Archives
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • November 2017
  • September 2017
  • July 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • October 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • April 2016

Poston Communications’ Megan Paquin Teaches Future PR Pros at University of Central Florida

Previous thumb

Say Goodbye to the Panic Button and Develop a Company Style Guide for Clarity and Inclusion

Next thumb
Scroll

What We Do

  • Services
  • Industries
  • Results
  • Blog

Who We Are

  • Our Team
  • Community Involvement
  • Mission and Values

Poston Communications is a public relations agency focused on professional services companies including law, accounting, architecture, associations, construction, engineering, financial services, health care, human resources, interior design, investment banking, management consulting, real estate, recruiting, technology and venture capital.

404-875-3400 | [email protected]

  • Sitemap
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy

©2022 Poston Communications LLC - All rights reserved