Joanne the Coach

TV Interviews - What to do When You Feel Nervous

It's been a while since we had an extract from The Beginner's Guide to TV Interviews, so here's another one to add to your collection.

It's all about what to do when you're experiencing pre-show nerves.

What to do if You Feel Nervous About Your TV Interview

Congratulate yourself – you’re a human being with feelings after all.  It is absolutely 100% normal to feel a nervous surge of adrenaline before you do a TV interview.  Even TV presenters who have appeared on screen every day for years and years still regularly get the jangles.

One of the things that used to amaze me when I was working in TV was seeing some of the most famous faces in the land chain-smoking and practically throwing up with nerves before doing a simple TV appearance to plug their latest venture. 

Actors are especially prone to interview nerves, which can be surprising because you’d think that they’re trained to perform.  But whilst that’s true, remember that they’re trained to speak other people’s words and can often feel on shaky ground when they’re asked to appear as themselves, with no script. 

An actor once told me that daytime talk shows are particularly nerve-wracking for his profession, because that’s what they all watch when they’re ‘resting’ between jobs.  He knew all his mates were likely to be scrutinising his performance when he was on This Morning. 

Personally, I think it’s kind of comforting to know that even big names get the collywobbles.  Think about that the next time you watch someone being interviewed on TV – 5 minutes beforehand they were probably a gibbering wreck in the green room

The kinds of things I’ve seen people use to conquer their TV nerves include:
• Alcohol – not as in getting blind drunk, though some do indulge in a discreet tot of brandy from a hip flask.  Probably not a good idea for the morning shows though.
• Cigarettes
• Bach Rescue Remedy
• Nail biting
• Caffeine
• Arguing with partners/agents/production crew
• Deep breathing
• Repeated visits to the toilet
• Illegal Drugs
• Walking up and down in the corridor repeatedly
• Rehearsing what they want to say

In truth, none of these responses is the definitive one, and I’m certainly not recommending that you take up booze and fags simply to make the passage into TV stardom a little easier.  But one of the most useful things you can do to prepare yourself for TV interviews is to take some time now to know yourself and how you best deal with nerves. 

One great book that will help you with this is Susan Jeffers’ classic Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway – I recommend reading this book if nerves are the only thing stopping you from going for TV success.  And even if you never read it, the title alone is a great mantra to carry with you.

Remember that your nerves will always be more apparent to you than anyone else.  They will see a gliding swan, no matter how madly the legs are kicking underneath.

(c) Joanne Mallon 2008

This article is extracted from The Beginner's Guide To TV Interviews.  The full ebook can be ordered via this page.

Getting into Television: Opportunities for Students and Newbies

Just got wind of these schemes.  Don't know much about them so leave a comment if you can enlighten us with more info:

1. Royal Televison Society Student Masterclasses.  Takes place on 16th May.  The masterclasses accompany the RTS's Student Television Awards, and offer a chance to grill a selection of TV's big kahunas on the secret of their success (and if you tell you anything other than that they're making it up as they go along, don't believe them).
2. ITV Factual & Entertainment Researcher Scheme.  Open to all, applications close on the 30th May 2008.  This scheme runs for 20 months from Sep '08 and promises working opportunities across a wide range of ITV programmes (not all of them presented by Ant and Dec).

Television Opportunities for Youngsters & Writers

So if the previous post hasn't put you off shimmying up the greasy pole of television, here are a couple of TV industry opportunities currently up for grabs:

• Applications are now open to join The Network (formerly TVYP) at the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International TV Festival.  Open to anyone aged 18+, it promises an orgy of masterclasses, career advice and the chance to work with some of the biggest names in TV.  No real orgies though (unless you get lucky). Closing date:  21st May.  Full details here

• The BBC is looking for a new bunch of writers for its Drama Writers Academy.  Application details here, closes 12th May.  They train you up for months, then you get to write dialogue consisting of "Rickaaaaaay" for EastEnders.

Freelance TV Work: Surviving and Thriving

A few years ago, there was a fairly vocal campaign to improve the lot of TV freelancers.  It seems to have gone quiet now, though from coaching TV people I don't get the impression that life is always rosy.

If you are a freelance TV worker (or are thinking of becoming one), you'll know that career support can be somewhat thin on the ground.  So have a look at this Freelance Survival Kit, which pulls together a range of resources to help you get started.

Other websites offering good pruck for TV freelancers include:

• Skillset
• BBC Training's free, downloadable  online courses
• The PACT directory, which will tell you who's doing what
• And the TV Controller Blog (yes it's back) will tell you who's doing who

So You Want To Be On A TV Show?

One of the most popular sections in my media marketing newsletter is when we list the TV stations' appeals for programme participants. 

So for anyone who's not a newsletter subscriber (and why ever not?  it's good y'know) here they are collected together:

• For opportunities to be in a BBC Show click here (My current favourite is the appeal for people who hate the Welsh countryside.  What a hoot.  Sounds almost as good as Fart Camp).
• BBC audience tickets are available here if you want to just watch and learn
• Appeals for ITV shows are listed here Booze and babies feature heavily.  Don't all rush at once.
• For Channel Four shows click here Some of them even require you to keep your clothes on.
• Shows on Five are listed here but it doesn't look as if this list is updated too often
• And for miscellaneous appeals from a range of channels click here

If you know of any more TV show listings, feel free to add them in a comment.  I know there are some appeals from US programmes here, but it would be useful to know of any others, for the benefit of worldwide readers.  Think of it as your good deed for today.

Remind Me Again, Just What Is News These Days?

Thanks to Jeremy Paxman for this hilarious Behind the Scenes at Newsnight film which confirms, as I had long suspected, that "News is what makes you go 'Oooh' ".

TV Presenter Sought & Opportunities for Budding Film Producers

This just in from the increasingly useful  Start In TV website:

TV PRESENTER SOUGHT

Pioneer Productions are looking for a presenter for a high profile TV documentary series about foetal development.

No previous presenting experience is necessary but YOU MUST HAVE A MEDICAL OR ACADEMIC BACKGROUND IN A RELATED FIELD.

So if your only experience of foetal development is having once been a foetus yourself, don't bother.

An engaging persona is essential.

No grumpy buggers then.  Darn it, that's me out.

Please send your CV and a showreel to;

Kirstin Dryburgh
Pioneer Productions,
32 Galena Road, London W6 0LT.
Email: kirstin.dryburgh@pioneertv.com

Closing Date 15th March 2008

Good luck to all who apply

And if the film business is more your bag, have a look here for details of Magic Light Pictures' Producer Placement Programme.  Applications for this one close at noon on Friday 7th March so get going, it looks like a goodie.

Television - Is It Ever What It Seems?

I have to own up to a bit of TV fakery.  You see that dashing cravat I was wearing on Between The Headlines last night?  Well, it's not mine.  It's the make-up lady's.  Despite having written an article on what to wear on TV, and a book on how to do a good TV interview, I still managed to pitch up to the studio in a top that was deemed too racy for the Press TV audience.

This was something of a surprise, as I have long been a fan of the 'wear as many clothes as you can, then pile some more on' style of dress.  (It keeps you nice and toasty in the winter, but can be something of an endurance test in the summer).

Ah well, I still maintain that it's good to get things wrong on a regular basis.  Making mistakes is a vital sign that you're alive and not just a robot in a wig.

Also on the box, it's good to see Ant and Dec back on Saturday night ITV.  During their short-lived pop career, I was once assigned to look after them when they came in to This Morning to promote their latest single.  Old hands at TM gave me the same advice repeatedly - Watch out for The Girls.

Apparently A & D were notorious for their band of female followers who trailed them everywhere they went.  One sniff of the boys in the studio and we would be beseiged by hundreds of screaming females.  Extra security, dogs, tanks etc would be needed for the imminent invasion.

So when I was talking to the duo's management about the arrangements for the appearance, I mentioned that I'd heard that they were usually followed by a manic fan gang.  Exactly how much extra security did they think we'd need?  "Oh don't worry about that" came the reply, "I haven't told the girls to turn up this week."

So it was all a trick!  A management ploy to give Geordie pintpots a Beatles-esque air.

And then the backing band turned up to mime to the track, and the drummer asked if he could borrow a copy of the single they were promoting.  Not only had he not played on it - he'd never even heard it before either!  Another trick.

I doubt if the lovely A & D were ever aware of the amount of camouflage surrounding them.  Or maybe there's only actually one of them, and the whole smoke and mirrors thing goes deeper than we thought.

Media Training: How To Look Good On TV

Here's a top notch post from the TV Insider about how to look good on TV.  A big head is important, apparently (literally, not figuratively, that is.  We're talking yer actual bonce, not your capacity for arrogance).

And once you've got your noggin dimensions right, you'll be wanting to dress appropriately.  Here's what The Beginner's Guide to TV Interviews has to say about what to wear when appearing on TV.

~

YOU LOOKING AT ME?
Your first TV appearance is a terrifically exciting event, and you’ll probably spend aeons carefully honing what you want to say. You’ll also probably spend quite some time preparing what to wear. This isn’t just facile preening.  It’s a vital part of the process because TV is primarily a visual medium - how you look is an important part of the package.

So, to save you some time, here are the rules:

• Don’t wear all black. You’ll look as though you’re disappearing into a hole.  This often throws women into a panic, as we love the slimming properties of black, especially when TV can make you look slightly heavier than you are in real life.  Black trousers or skirt will normally be fine as a filmed interview will generally concentrate on your top half, so do go for a colour on top if you can.

• Don’t wear all white. It makes TV lights bounce back and you’ll look as though you just descended from the heavens on a cloud.

• Don’t wear anything with a very small pattern such as pin-stripes, tweed or polka dots. Again, it has a strange effect on TV lights known as strobing.  Men should avoid pinstripe shirts – bring a change of clothes if you’re not sure.

• No visible logos of companies or brands (watch out for this particularly on sportswear) as this may be regarded as advertising.  You may be asked to change if a logo is too obvious.

• Avoid buying a new outfit the day before and acting as if you’re going to a job interview. If you feel too stiff and formal in your clothes this will affect how you express yourself.

• If you can’t decide what to wear, bring a change of clothes – plenty of people do and it can be a good idea if your original choice turns out to be unsuitable.

• Ask if there are any colours you should avoid wearing.  This can happen if they clash with the set, or if an effect called ChromaKey is to be used – this is the effect which is used as the basis of some special effects, where a particular colour is replaced by pictures.  The usual colours affected by this are green and blue (this is why it’s commonly known as blue or green screen effects).  So if you were in a studio where this effect was being used and you happened to be wearing a blue tie, you could look as if you had a big hole in the middle of your body, which will probably not enhance your corporate image.

• Look congruent with how you want to come across – if your message is sober and serious, dress appropriately. Likewise, if your message is fun and frivolous you can probably leave the navy suit at home.  Some TV professionals reckon that wearing pastel colours can make you look younger, but you may not necessarily want to look younger, especially if you’re appearing in an expert role.

It’s worthwhile bearing these guidelines in mind any time you meet a member of the media, even if it’s non-visual interview such as radio or print. How you look will still have an impact on how you are perceived, so make sure you give the impression you intend to on all levels.

And in case you were wondering, it is true that television can make you look as if you’re a few pounds heavier than you are in real life.  It’s all to do with the fact that a TV picture is made up of a series of horizontal lines, and other technical reasons I won’t bore you with.

Suffice to say, when you meet people who regularly appear on TV, they often look much smaller and slimmer than you might expect – this is because many TV presenters (especially female ones) decide to keep as skinny as possible in order to look regular size on the box. 

Now, how you regard this is up to you.  I’m not telling you this so you can all rush out and join Weight Watchers.  It’s just something else about the process to be aware of and take into consideration.  You really don’t have to look a particular way or be a particular weight to appear on TV, but it will help your over-all performance if you are happy and confident in your own skin, whatever size that may be.

~

(c) Joanne Mallon 2008 - Extracted from The Beginner's Guide to TV Interviews.  Full book available here.

The Joys of Media Interviews

I like to think that everyone nitcombs their hair before appearing on television, but on reflection perhaps I'm in a minority of one in that respect.  Parenting is full of unexpected bonuses.

Anyway, last night I was hoping that exceptionally clean hair would somehow give me superpowers when appearing on the Press TV international newspaper review show, Between The Headlines.

As usual, I had told the producers what my specialist areas of interest are (media/parenting/careers, if you're asking).  As is not usual, the producers had somehow accessed my un-list of topics I know diddly squat about, and had chosen these as the stories under discussion.  A discussion which was to be broadcast live to 57 countries and an audience of around 2 million.  Ho hum.  Not much pressure there then.

This un-list was sent to me at 2.40pm.  I had to leave at 3pm for the school run.  Have you ever tried to learn the whole of world politics in 20 minutes?  Hairy indeed.  Had a good old whinge about this to my neighbour, who concluded "You'll just have to give them a Joanne Opinion."  Well fair enough, I have plenty of those.

Luckily also appearing on the programme was David Smith of The Observer, who as it turns out did know plenty of actual facts about real stuff.  Have a look here and you can see how we got on.

And it could have been worse.  At least I had 20 minutes to prepare, which is more than freelance journalist Dave Lee got.

Then this morning I appeared on Colourful Radio talking about parenting.  This being one of my specialist topics, I rattled on for ages and practically had to be crowbarred off air.

Have you noticed we're only a few days into January and Prediction One is already coming true?