Special Opens
Every newscast begins with an Open.
Opens utilize visuals and sound to capture the viewers’ attention and generate interest in the stories they’re about to see.
A Special Open is more that that. They’re typically used when a show is dedicated entirely to one topic or story. A Special Open captures the emotion of what’s happening, usually through the use of as many community voices as possible.
These are the Special Opens I’ve written for some of the biggest stories of my television career.
Special Opens: My Process
When creating a Special Open, I always begin with the voices.
I spend as much time as I can listening to the interviews gathered by my reporters and photojournalists, jotting down sources and time codes for the pieces of sound I might use.
I pinpoint my best visuals, then write a script that weaves those elements together. After making any necessary graphics, I send my script to the anchor for a voice track, then to the video editor.
Below is my script for the first Special Open seen in the above video.
In the left column, you’ll find detailed instructions for my editor which include time codes, sources, and specific shots to use for each piece of the script. The script is in the right column.
