Anchoring: Radio Presenting

Radio News Presentation

A Radio news presenter must:

·         have excellent presentation and performance skills

·         be able to generate original ideas, and to think creatively about how to communicate them to audiences

·         understand how to use the voice effectively for radio

·         be able to learn how to use a variety of recording equipment and to operate different radio studios

·         be able to present while operating studio controls and co-ordinating a range of simultaneous technical activities

·         be able to communicate knowledgeably and engagingly with audiences

·         have excellent communication skills and be able to draw information from people

·         be able to work calmly effectively under pressure, react quickly, and meet tight deadlines

·         have knowledge of the law, ethics and industry regulations around radio production

·         understand when it is necessary, and how to acquire, the relevant clearances and licences, including copyright and music clearances

·         understand the requirements of the relevant health and safety legislation and procedures

·         have strong IT skills, including word processing and data handling - and, ideally, audio editing and image manipulation software

·         have knowledge of the radio market, different station and programme styles, and audience demographics

What does a Radio Presenter do?

Radio Presenters are the voice of a station or programme, whether they work in speech-based or music Radio. They create the tone and style of radio output and establish a relationship with listeners. They may work for the BBC, commercial or community radio, on local or national stations, or for independent production companies.

Most presenters are self-employed, working on fixed term contracts. Although the greatest concentration of jobs is found in London and the South East of England, Radio Presenters work throughout the UK. Working hours are varied and may involve early mornings, late nights and overnights, as well as working weekends or holidays. In some roles Presenters are expected to travel to work on location, both within the UK and abroad.

Presenters in music radio work for a range of stations and programmes, catering for all musical tastes. Presenters in speech radio work in all genres, from topical talk shows to documentaries, light entertainment and comedy.

A Radio Presenter’s specific duties vary depending on the programme or station. They may present live or recorded shows, scripted and unscripted. They may write scripts and links or work from a brief supplied by other members of a production team. They may conduct interviews with contributors in a studio or over the phone. They may handle debates or phone-ins, or host live events. They should be able to operate various radio studios, and to record audio both in studios and on location.

They must understand the disciplines of the production process, particularly with regard to timings. They work closely with other members of a production team and may be expected to take direction from a Producer or Editor. They are expected to review their own output and to seek and accept feedback on their performance. They are also expected to monitor listener feedback, and contribute to responses to comments, or programme complaints

Tips for radio presenter

1.  Control Stress & Moods

You never know what’s going to happen live on air, whether that’s an angry listener relentlessly shouting at you or one of your shows goes haywire during a broadcast – Whatever the case it’s your responsibility to get a handle on the mood of the station to turn negatives into positives, essentially being the hero in a crisis.

2.  Well Read & Not False

People like to listen to presenters that know what they’re talking, so it’s important to find time to research topics for upcoming shows or guests you’ve invited along.

One thing you want to avoid is coming across as false, for instance reading an article on Wikipedia right before a show does show, so be to set a chunk of time aside to read up on what you’re going to discuss.

3.  Always Pre-Read Scripts

Pre-reading scripts gives you ground to stand on so you know exactly what you’re going to say and are well prepared in advance.

4.  Prepare Before & Paperwork After Shows

Trying to juggle too many things at once can be disastrous, instead structure your time by:

§  Preparing before your shows so you’re well rehearsed

§  Focus on your show and enjoy it

§  Finish any paperwork afterwards

Breaking your day up and planning ahead allows you to concentrate and each activity so you can make the most of them.

5.  Can Laugh at Yourself

Never take yourself too seriously as life’s too short, instead learn to kick back and laugh at yourself as it’s fun for everyone.

6.  Well Turned Out & Always on Time

The beauty of radio is that you’re heard, but never seen, however this doesn’t mean you should come to the office in your pyjamas and slippers.

Dressing nicely, relaxing before a show, and always being on time or earlier makes you feel professional which ultimately comes across to others, even if they can’t see you..

7.  Friends with Everyone

I think it’s important to be friends everyone at your station so you’re kept in the loop and overall have a more enjoyable time.

No matter if it’s commercial, sales, or producers, try to put in face time with all the people involved in making your and other presenter’s shows.

8.  Learn New Skills

Think of your radio station as your command centre with many buttons and dials, to effectively run your hub you have to know all the ins and outs of what they do, so put your thinking cap on and learn what everything does so you’re well prepared and on top form.

9.  Paint Pictures with Words

Radio is unique, it’s the only medium where you paint pictures with words and it has boundless possibilities that are only limited to the listener’s imagination.

Bring your shows to life with the power of story telling to engage and inspire your audience.

10.             Know Your Audience, Live their Life

As the old saying goes “walk a mile in my shoes”, it means to get a better understanding of someone you need to do what they do, talk to the people that they talk to, and so on.

If your audience are into the latest TV show, watch it, if they’re complaining about traffic in the city centre, find out more about it.

The point is to understand and relate to who you’re talking to, even if that means doing things you wouldn’t normally do.

11.             Talk to 1 Person, Not The Entire Audience

Many people on YouTube refer to fans as “YouTubers”, introducing videos with “Hey YouTubers”, this way they aren’t addressing one person, but instead an audience, however this doesn’t feel personal and can lead to viewers switching off.

Instead, frame what you’re saying in a way like you’re talking to one person like a friend, for instance “Hope your weekend was great, we’ve got some fantastic tracks coming your way soon, so stay tuned”.

12.             Air Check Your Shows

When you think shows have gone well, but later on you realise didn’t, is something you really want to improve, which is rather easy to air checking shows.

Once you’ve finished a broadcast, go back and listen to what you’ve said. Think of what went well and what didn’t, then see how you address these issues the next time you’re on air.

13.             Have Something to Say

Who wants to listen to a boring person?

Radio personalities should have something to say and be passionate when saying it as it makes for great radio content, above all else it’s fun to hear someone who genuinely has interesting stuff to say live on air.

photography Syllabus

PHOTOGRAPHY

Objective: To train the students in photographic skills

Unit I

Introduction to photography, dynamics of light, image formation, types of cameras : compact vs. digital SLR camera, parts of a digital camera.

Unit II

Camera controls: shutter, aperture, light meter, depth of field control, how shutter and aperture work together, f numbers, ISO numbers, Light in photography, indoor and outdoor photography, creating effects with the use of light,

Unit III

Photography ideas, Photo composition, rule of thirds, balance, tonal balance, content balance, weighing squares, composing portraits, composing landscapes, point of view, simplicity, use of tripod.

Unit IV: Types of Lenses, influence of lens aperture or f-number, Macro Lenses: Magnification, Depth of Field  and Effective F-Stop.

Unit V: Camera Lens Filters, Camera Lens Filter: Polarizers, Graduated Neutral Density (GND) Filters,  Neutral Density (ND) Filters, Qualities of Digital Photos, Bit Depth, Sharpness, Image Noise, Dynamic Range.

Suggested Reading:

1. Scott Kelby (2006) The Digital Photography Book, Peachpit Press.                     

2. MukeshSrivastava (2012) Digital Photography: Ultimate Field Guide for Photographers, Unicorn Books.

3. Bruce Barnbaum (20120) The Art of Photography: An Approach to Personal Expression, Rocky Nook.
4. Tom Ang (2008) Digital Photography Masterclass, Dorling Kindersley.
5. John Freeman (2010) Photography: The New Complete Guide to Taking Photographs: From Basic Composition to the Latest Digital Techniques, Collins and Brown.
6. Michael Langford (2000) Basic Photography, Focal Press.
7. Bert.P.Krages (2005) Photography: The Art of Composition, Allworth Press.
8. Michael Freeman (2008) The Complete Guide to Digital Photography, Sterling Publishing Company.
9. Ferrell McCollough (2008) Complete Guide to High Dynamic Range Digital Photography, Lark Books.
10. Ben Long (2012) Complete Digital Photography, Cengage.

Anchoring Syllabus

ANCHORING FOR RADIO AND TELEVISION

Objective:To train students in anchoring.

Unit I

Voice Over: Rhythm of speech, Breathing, Resonance, VO for TV commercials/corporate videos/ radio commercials/ TV Documentaries

Unit II

Radio Presenter: Radio Presenting, Voice Projection, Scripting, Mike Technique, Public Speaking: holding attention of audience, awareness of voice and its function, controlling body language, Breathing and articulation, Acting and singing to strengthen personal and vocal confidence.

Unit III

Theory of Dubbing, On-air Essentials, writing presenter scripts for TV, a look at personality, style and general show presentation, recording voice, digital editing & recording, studio autocue reading, audition techniques

Unit IV

News Reading for Radio &T, the basics of fluency, Voice: pitch/tone/intonation/inflection, Duties and responsibilities, Understanding the news scripts and news agenda

Unit V

Talk Show Host - Talk Radio & Presenting phone ins, TV Interviewing, presenting and reporting techniques, Multi-camera facing, Legal pitfalls in anchoring

Suggested Reading:

1.      Strutt, John Williams, Baron. The Theory of Sound. Rayleigh. 1996.

2.      AlecNibet. The Use of Microphones. Oxford: Focal Press, 2004.

3.      Salkin, Glyn. Sound Recording and Reproduction. Oxford: Focal Press. 1996.

4.      Michael Talbot – Smith. Broadcast Sound Technology. Oxford: Focal Press. 2002.

5.    Basic TV Staging –Millerson Gerald, Focal/Hastings House, New Delhi. 
6.      TV Sound Operations –Glyn Alkin

New Trends in Indian Cinema

New Trends in Indian Cinema

Today Bollywood is going through a stormy change. Filmmakers in India are producing films with small as well as big budgets. In 2010 films like Kites, Raavan, Guzarish and Veer had big budgets, big stars and big banners. However, these films did not do well at the box office. On the other hand small budget films like Peepli Live and Ishquiya proved hit. The point is what audience likes is the story. What they want is healthy entertainment, not big star or big budget. Therefore, big budget, banner or star is not the key for the success of films. The story should touch the heart of the audience. 8 Nagesh Kukunoor and Madhur Bhandarkar made Hyderabad Blues and Chandni Bar respectively with small budget and these films proved that what you say is equally important as how you say it. Big budget films like Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, directed by Karan Johar and Taj Mahal directed by Akbar Khan did not do well at the box office despite big star cast. Now films have become a planned set of activities starting from idea to the final product from the point of view of economy. Filmmakers are planning films in such a way that the result is profit. For example, filmmakers usually hesitate to release any film during Diwali or Durga Puja and examination days in March-April. The content of the films is shaped in such a way that if it does not work in India, it will definitely work in the overseas market. Today, distributors and exhibitors also influence the content of the film. The revolution in digital technology has made it possible for small and independent filmmakers to make a film. Now it is possible for any creative person to exploit the medium of cinema to tell good, great and memorable stories. Monsoon Wedding, a film by Meera Nair was made with digital camera and it was well received. Digital technology has given the chance to new filmmakers to experiment and produce films they want. Technology has changed the face of cinema; experiments are being made continuously in India in the field of cinema. A film like Krish could be possible because of technology. The film was commercially successful. However, content is still important. Whether it is small budget film or the use of latest digital technology, content is the king. Films like Teesri Kasam, Shri 420, Pyaasa, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Aandhi, Ijaazat, Mausam, Koshish, Megha Dakha Tara, Pather Panchali, Sholay, Deewar and Swaas are still in the memory of the people because of their story. Audiences these days are more aware of the content of the films. Filmmakers cannot befool the audience by cheap comedy and unbelievable, unconvincing actions. Recently, there was one ‘fresh’ regional film titled Shwaas – directed by Sanddep Sawant in Marathi. It was completely a different film. Shwaas is a film about human relationships. India produces more than one thousand films every year but few films work at box office and get critical acclaim. This is mainly because of weak script and immature direction. Now the film industry has realized the need of good scripts and stories. Even some Insititues in India are running scriptwriting courses. Film and Television Institute of India (FTII,website:wwwftii.com), Pune, and Whistling Wood (www.whistlingwoods.com), Film Institute being run by Subhash Ghai- a well-known filmmaker, also offer screenplay writing courses. 9 The last few years have seen the change in the way films are promoted. For example, Twinkle Khanna fixed Akshay Kumar’s zipper to promote his film. Amir Khan travelled across the country to promote his film 3 Idiots with TV cameras with him. He even went to attend a marriage ceremony in one of the villages in Punjab all of sudden. Ram Gopal Verma had offered to pay viewers to watch Phook-2 alone in the cinema hall. Filmmakers are using these techniques to promote their films and it has become a very clever venture. However, all these techniques could help to fetch money to filmmakers but if the content is weak, these techniques do not turn the films into classics. The audience has proved that film is an art and cannot be treated like any other products. Today most of Indian classics and milestone films are available on CD and DVD format. The revolution in digital technology has made it possible for audience to watch and enjoy all kinds of films at home. Few years ago, this was not possible to have access to old classics. These DVDs and CDs are available at very reasonable prices. In the 70s and 80s, Doordarshan was the only source where one could hope to see some old classics made by Mehboob Khan, Guru Dutt, Raj Kapoor and Bimol Roy. Today the films of these legends have become the part of any film buffs personal video library. Impact and relevance of films Films are relevant because films entertain, educate, enlighten and inspire audiences. As far as India is concerned, one cannot imagine life without films. Films have become part of Indian life and culture. The difference between reel and real life is disappearing day by day. Bollywood is making films on different issues and aspects of Indian life. Films like Munna Bhai MBBS, Taare Jamin Par, and 3 Idiots have affected the people in a great way. These films comment on the educational system of the country and have positive message. India is a country where people worship film stars like Amitabh Bachcan. This is a country where thousand commit suicide if their favourite star faces defeat in the election. At public functions, people wait for film stars. Political parties have been using actors or stars in political campaigns for many years. Film stars have the charisma to attract the crowd. In a country like India, where people still live under poverty line and cannot read and write, mass medium like cinema plays a very important role. Watching movies are a cathartic experience for audiences. People identify themselves with the characters of the films and release their anger against injustice and existing systems. Even illiterate people can enjoy films. However, to understand and examine cinema properly and deeply, one needs to have the basic understanding of the art and craft of filmmaking. 10 Some Institutes like Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune in collaboration with National Film Archive of India (NFAI), Pune are conducting Film Appreciation courses to teach interested and serious film lovers how to appreciate good cinema. Every year around 70 students from different fields (particularly from fields like Television, Cinema etc.) participate in this course. Apart from film appreciation, the students are given the basic knowledge about script writing, cinematography, music and sound, direction etc. Mumbai University also runs a Film Appreciation course. Federation of Film Societies of India (FFSI) is running a film appreciation movement throughout the country. FFSI was established in 1959 as an apex organization of all film societies in India. Shri Shyam Benegal- a well-known filmmaker is the present president of FFSI. The main objective of the film society is to propagate film as an art form by way of screening films, organising seminars and film appreciation courses. At present, there are 300 Film Societies in the country. From the facts given above one can easily understand the importance, relevance and the impact of films in our daily lives. Today, cinema is an economic activity. It has become a multi-crore business. Thousands of artistes, technicians are earning their livelihood in this business. In India, film industry is the third biggest industry after steel and coal. Cinema is the medium, which provides economical entertainment for masses, both literate and illiterate. Now most of the people keep some money for movies from their monthly income. Films also have the healing impact on patients or people who suffer from traumas. The cloudburst tragedy in Leh town in 2010 created fear in the mind of those who saw it closely. Children also suffered trauma because of the tragedy. However, films helped them to recover from the shock. Mr. Prasad Eledath, Principal of Druk White Lotus School where 3 Idiots was filmed, says, “To help students overcome their horror, we have started special co-curricular activities and movie screenings.” 

Brief history of Indian Cinema

Brief history of cinema in India

Cinema is one of the most important inventions in the 19th century. From a mere silent movement of black and white photos it has become talkie (a film with speech and sound in it) and then with the developments in science and technology cinema has adopted new look and presentation with improved and manipulated sound and visual effects. For many people, cinema is like a magic and filmmakers exploit this magic to tell stories in different ways at different times. Therefore, the development and innovations in cinema continue to make an interesting history. A look at the brief history of cinema in India is worth here in connection to the present study. The history of cinema in India has its roots in the late 19th century. In 1886, the Lumière Brothers’ Cinématographe unveiled some soundless short films in Bombay. After this, Hiralal Sen in Calcutta and H.S. Bhatavdekar in Bombay had started making films. Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of Indian Cinema, made India’s first feature film Raja Harishchandra in 1913. Alam Ara, made in 1931, was the first talkie feature film in India. It was the time when every year around two hundred films were being made in India. The Imperial Movietone of Bombay produced Alam Ara and Khan Bahadur Ardeshir M. Irani directed it. The film was released on March 14, 1931. Alam Ara brought revolutionary changes in Indian Cinema. The film also featured Prithviraj Kapoor. The 1930’s was the decade of social protests in the history of Indian Cinema. Social injustice was the dominant theme in some of the films made during this period. Films like Duniya Na Mane, Aadmi and Padosi, Franz Osten’s Achut Kanya, Damle & Fatehlal’s Sant Tukaram, Mehboob’s Watan, Ek hi Raasta and Aurat were made during this period. Ardeshir Irani made a color picture in 1937 with Kisan Kanya. It was the time when first talkie films were made in regional languages. Films like Shantharam’s Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani, Mehboob’s Roti, Chetan Anand’s Neecha Nagar, Uday Shanker’s Kalpana, Abbas’s Dharti Ke Lal, Sohrab Modi’s Sikander, Pukar and Prithvi Vallabh, J.B.H. Wadia’s Court Dancer, S.S. Vasan’s Chandralekha, Vijay Bhatt’s Bharat Milap and Ram Rajya, Rajkapoor’s Barsaat and Aag, were among those made in the forties. The 40s also witnessed two important events of the history- the Second World War (1939-45) and India’s freedom in 1947.

The golden era of Indian Cinema

The golden era of Indian Cinema started after independence. Satyajit Ray made Pather Panchali (Song of the Road) in 1955- the first of ‘Apu Trilogy’ and with this film Indian cinema made, its presence felt all over the world. Satyajit Ray who also assisted Jean Renoir on The River made Aparajito (The Unvanquished) in 1957 and Apur Sansar (the world of Apu) in 1958 thus completed the Apu trilogy. Gurudutt’s Pyaasa and Kagaz Ke Phool, B.R. Chopra’s Kanoon; the first Indo-Soviet co-production Pardesi by K.A. Abbas were made during the fifties. Some outstanding films of 50s include Bimol Roy’s Do Bigha Zameen, Raj Kapoor’s Awara and Mehboob’s Mother India. The beginning of sixties saw the release of K. Asif’s Mughal-E-Azam. This film is one of the milestones of Indian Cinema. The film very beautifully highlights the poetic aspect of Salim’s personality. In one scene, Salim is standing and his army is moving after the battle. He is very quiet and thinking something. He is a poet and forgets everything- even the battleground and his army. Some of the significant films of this decade include Rajkapoor’s Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai and Sangam; Dilip Kumar’s Gunga Jamuna, Gurudutt’s Sahib Bibi Aur Gulam, Dev Anand’s Guide. Bimal Roy’s Bandini, S.Mukherji’s Junglee, Sunil Dutt’s Mujhe Jeene Do and Yaadein, Basu Bhatacharya’s Teesri Kasam, Pramod Chakravorthy’s Love in Tokyo, Ramanand Sagar’s Arzoo, Shakti Samantha’s Aradhana, Hrishikesh Mukherji’s Aashirwad and Anand, B.R. Chopra’s Waqt, Manoj Kumar’s Upkar, and Prasad Productions’ Milan. Therefore, 60s is very important decade in the history of Indian Cinema. Apart from the mainstream, the 70s was the time of Parallel and realistic cinema. The 70s was the diamond period of Indian cinema and in this period, Gulzar began his celluloid journey and made his finest films. Therefore, Indian cinema witnessed the emergence of one of the finest filmmakers and lyricist. Gulzar directed his first film Mere Apne in 1971 and made his presence felt as a writer-director in the film industry. Before writing and directing his films, Gulzar already had established himself as a lyricist in the film industry. Parichay and Koshish were made in 1972 and Achanak in 1973. Gulzar directed Khushboo in 1974, Aandhi in 1975, Mausam in 1976, Kinara in 1977 and Kitaab in 1978. Gulzar made nine films in the 70s and each film played a big role in the growth of Gulzar as an artist. In the 70s, mass media did not reach all the corners of the country and cinema was still the popular medium of entertainment. Some of ambitious filmmakers like Ritwik Ghatak, Satyajit Ray, Shyam Benegal and Govind Nihalani etc. were the pioneers of Parallel Cinema. Whether one calls it ‘New Indian Cinema’, ‘Parallel Cinema’ or ‘Alternative Cinema’- it was 5 a cinema of social shade and importance. It was meaningful and at the same time entertaining. Mrinal Sen’s Bhuvan Shome, which was different from formula films and was commercially successful, set the stage for the new wave cinema. Mrinal Sen’s notable films are Chorus, Mrigaya, Ek Din Pratidin, Akaler Sandhane, and Kharij & Khandahar. Satyajit Ray, after Apu Trilogy, made Pratidwandi, a film about the unemployed educated youth, Jana Aranya and Shatranj Ke Khiladi. Ritwik Ghatak was one of the well-known filmmakers of Parallel Cinema. Some of his films are Meghe Dhaka Tara, Ajantrik, Komal Ghandhar and Subarnarekha. Among all the films, Meghe Dhaka Tara is a multi-layered and most complex film. Basu Chatterji’s Sara Akaash was another film, which falls into the category of parallel cinema. Rajinder Singh Bedi’s Dastak, Mani Kaul’s Uski Roti, Duvidha, Kumar Shahani’s Maya Darpan, Avtar Kaul’s 27-Down, M.S. Sathyu’s Garam Hawa made in 1973 on the theme of partition, are some notable films of parallel cinema. Garam Hawa is one of the best films ever made on the theme of India’s partition that took place in 1947. Shyam Benegal’s Ankur, Nishant, Manthan, Bhumika, Kondura and Junoon; Govind Nihalani’s Aakroshi, Ardh Satya, Tamas - TV serial on the partition of India, are some of the milestones of parallel cinema. With Saeed Mirza’s Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai, Mohan Joshi Hazir Ho, and Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro, Rabindra Dharmaraj’s Chakra, and Ketan Mehta’s Bhavni Bhavai, Mirch Masala and Maya Memsahib and Sardar etc. parallel cinema reached its high point at the end of the 70s. The 80s gave some romantic and big canvas and star films like Sholay that had western genre features in it. Bobby made in 1973 was a hit mainstream film about teenage love. Sholay, which was released in 1975, was based on the protest of villagers against exploitation by decoits. This film glorified dacoit-Gabbar Singh. Amjad Khan played the role and it immortalized the character. The dialogues, character traits and names are still on the tongue of the people. During this period, Indian Cinema gave birth to the stream of cinema of angry young man. The Bombay film industry became almost oneman industry, and Amitabh Bachchan dominated the film industry for the next many decades. His films like Deewar, Sholay, Amar Akbar Anthony and Muqaddar-ka-Sikandar were great hits. Salim and Javed scriptwriters of Sholay and Deewar played very important role in the success of the films. These scriptwriters proved the script more important than stars. The 80s also witnessed Gulzar’s best movies. Gulzar made Angoor in 1980 Namkeen and Meera in 1981, Ijaazat in 1986. The 90s saw Gulzar’s three films- Lekin…, Maachis and Hu Tu Tu made in 1990, 1996 and 1990 respectively. 6 Dance, music and disco started to be special attractions of the films since the 70s. Feroz Khan’s Qurbani was a hit and most popular film of the genre of films with dance etc. The nineties was the time when family drama dominated the scene. Sooraj Barjatya’s films like Maine Pyrar Kya, Hum Apke Hain Koun and Aditya Chopra’s film Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge were commercially the most successful films. Films like Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge were planned keeping in mind the NRI audiences and this started a new trend in Bollywood. Apart from this Subhash Ghai’s Pardes, J.P. Dutta’s Border, Yash Chopra’s Dil To Paagal Hai, and Ram Gopal Verma’s Rangeela did very well at the box office. Therefore, history of Indian Cinema is a history of ups and down, different colours and shades. Today more than one thousand films are being made in India. Important legends of Indian Cinema India has produced many legends in the field of cinema. These legends have become Institutions in themselves. They have left a unique signature in the field of cinema. They have inspired many other filmmakers in India. They are the lighthouse for the next generations who believe in quality cinema. 

Film Studies: Cinema as a medium of communication

Cinema as a medium of communication and mass communication

Cinema is one of the most popular media of communication. Through cinema, the director communicates with the audience. Audience is equally important in this process of communication. The action on the screen does not take place between actors of a film; rather the action takes place among the actors and the audience. Cinema is an audio-visual medium and uses images, sound and editing to communicate. It is a combination of several arts like, literature, (story, poetry) painting, music, architecture, sculpture, photography, dance etc. Merging of several arts makes cinema more complex as well as an effective medium of communication. Even illiterate people can understand what is happening on the screen. Cinema does not tell, it shows. Cinema has a magnetic hold on the mind of the audience. Cinema is also a medium of non-verbal communication. In other words, cinema speaks through silence, facial expression, body language etc. Cinema shows the anger on the face without the use of verbal language. For example, Gulzar’s Koshish is about a deaf and dumb couple. They live in society like normal human beings. They communicate through hand movements, facial expression, gesture etc. Facial expressions make cinema more effective. Cinema is a very powerful medium of mass communication. Through this medium, different people like producer, director, story or scriptwriter, songwriter etc. want to communicate with the masses. It is a collaborative medium. It has the potential to reach the heterogeneous audience. Filmmakers produce films for masses not for individuals. In a single cinema hall, hundreds of people can enjoy a film. Cinema is truly a mass medium. Language is not a barrier as far as cinema is concerned. Cinema has its own grammar. However, the visual grammar of cinema is not a barrier for the audience. To understand any other language, one has to learn the grammar of the concerned language. That is not the case with cinema. In other words, the nature of cinema makes it more powerful mass medium. The literacy rate in India is still low. Therefore, cinema as a medium of mass communication is very important in a country like India. To communicate and entertain illiterate masses, cinema as compared to other media of mass communication, is the best.

Cinema as an art form

Cinema, the fusion of several arts including painting, dance, music, poetry, sculpture, architecture, photography, editing etc, is a unique art. What makes cinema unique is its life like quality. People on the screen can be seen walking, talking, laughing, weeping, dancing, singing, sleeping, driving etc. as it happens in real life. Although the actions of a cinema do not take place in real time or in real life, yet it is believable. What distinguishes cinema from other arts is its ‘movement.’ The ‘movement’ makes cinema life like. Cinema does not look artificial. Through frontal shot, a director can make a character to ‘talk’ to the audience. No doubt, it is one-way communication. However, the audience becomes the part of the action that takes place on the screen. A house cannot move. Painting cannot move. The tree on a canvas cannot move. The photograph cannot move. Each image or frame is static. When twenty-four frames/photos per second are projected on a screen at a particular speed, the images appear to be moving. There is no physical movement on the screen; it is an ‘illusion of movement.’ What gives movement to cinema is the concept of ‘persistence of vision.’ Life consists in movement. A dead body cannot move. Any person in deep sleep also has movement. When any person breathes, s/he moves. Therefore, it is the motion of events, which gives the cinema a unique identity of being life like. The nature of cinema to record the undirected objects also distinguishes it from other arts. For example, sun cannot be directed to set or rise in a particular way. The director cannot direct a falling leaf in a particular desired way. Some undirected objects are also recorded when the director shoots a film. When the action is being recorded and a leaf falls, the camera records the natural movement of the leaf. Rudolf Arnheim says that film, “…reproduces motion and events as accurately as it does the shape of things…the arts are greatly concerned from the beginning with things in action: hunting scenes, war, triumphal processions and funerals, dances and feasts.”1 As compared to other arts, films have high commercial value. Today cinema has become an industry. An industry can be set up only where a large number of people consume the ‘product.’ Cinema has become a multicrore industry. It is an economic activity. Today it is impossible to imagine a world without cinema. In this connection, Satyajit Ray says, “Somebody - I do not remember who - has defined the Cinema as the highest form of commercial art. After ten years in this profession, I have no quarrel with that definition.”

Cinema makes people laugh and cry, sad and happy etc. Today good quality literature is being translated into cinematic narratives. The director taken for the current study, Gulzar bases 3 most of his films on literary stories. For example, he bases his film Khushboo on a story by Saratchandra Chattopadhyay. 

Anchoring: VO for Radio/TV commercials/ documentaries

Whenever there is a new product on the market, or there is an upcoming series, promotion is necessary to get the word out. The advertising can be done through two major media: radio and television. However, it’s important to know that TV ads and radios ads differ, and the voice over approach differs as well.

Television Advertisements

·         Visuals are important in TV ads. The right actors, scenery, text and other visuals are important to an advertisement’s effectiveness. Additionally, the audio must match the visual content for a coherent ad. TV ads are generally more expensive, but can target a larger audience. The voice over for a TV spot enhances the spot rather than driving the spot. The voice is there to support the visuals, and should not overpower them. Copy for a TV spot is often much shorter than for a radio spot, and it can even be as little as one word.

Radio Advertisements

·         Unlike TV ads, the audio is the most important aspect of the radio advertisement. The voice behind the ad must be persuasive yet suit the subject matter. The voice creates a picture in the listener’s mind. It is what catches and holds the attention. The attitude and tone of the spot depends completely on the voice over performance and any music or sound effects which are added afterwards in post-production.

Voice Over for a great Documentary Narration

The quality of a documentary narration can make or break a film.

Although the voice narrating a documentary is not necessarily at the forefront of the viewer’s mind, a poorly narrated documentary can significantly detract from the audience’s viewing experience.

No matter what the topic of the documentary, there are three things to remember to make a great documentary voiceover.

1) Attract Audiences with a Great Voice

Great voiceovers are an art, and not everyone can deliver a good one.

This is especially true for documentaries, where the challenge is to capture the audience’s interest with an appealing voice, while at the same keeping them focused on the content of the documentary as a whole. It’s vitally important that production teams select the right voiceover talent.

A good documentary voiceover reads smoothly and clearly, and enunciates well. Documentary narrators often have particularly engaging voices and are unlikely to exhibit any kind of displeasing characteristic — like shrillness — which would make listeners want to tune out.

While keeping the viewer interested, documentary voiceovers should never become the main focus of the film. You want audiences to walk away talking about the documentary’s message and content, not the narrator!

2) Narrate to Match the Documentary’s Tone

These days, you can find documentaries about all kinds of topics, from global warming to the lives of pop stars. Most documentary filmmakers know to choose a documentary narration that fits the content and tone of the film (sometimes this even means choosing an accented voiceover).

Traditionally, you’re probably not going to hear the voice of a teen girl narrating an environmental documentary, just as you’re unlikely to find a solemn professorial voice narrating a Beyoncé documentary.

This isn’t a hard and fast rule, obviously, and the choice of voice talent may depend on the target audience as well. For instance, an environmental documentary aimed at kids would not be ill served by a youthful voiceover.

3) Enhance Your Documentary Narration with Localization

In the interest of appealing to different audiences, some documentaries may choose to localize documentary narration for different areas of the world.

The documentary “Planet Earth,” for example, used professional narration by David Attenborough for the original BBC version, while Sigourney Weaver provided the voiceover for the Discovery Channel’s US version.

Localizing documentary voiceovers by using more than one narrator may be recommended for films hoping to reach audiences from diverse language backgrounds.

While subtitles can be used, the viewing experience is likely to be more personal — and powerful — if audiences are hearing the documentary narrated in their own language.

Why Professional Voiceover Talent Is a Must

A great documentary narration takes talent and hard work. It’s best to work with professional voiceover talent who have the voice needed to do the job right, and who know how to prepare for their part.

Great documentary narrators know that you can’t just walk into the studio, read off the script and call it a day. A true professional will take the time to go over the script, familiarize themselves with its content and give an excellent performance.

In this way, the right voice actor can take a documentary narration from acceptable to outstanding.