ARRANGING  TRANSPORTATION “You can’t get there from here.” That is exactly what will  happen  if  you  do  not  plan  your  transportation requirements  early.  The  availability  of  transportation varies   from   command   to   command.   Regardless   of whether your unit has its own vehicle or you rely on a motor pool, advance coordination is necessary. In some cases, the organization you are assigned to cover may provide   transportation.   However,   you   should   not depend  on  it.  Getting  to  the  interview  site  is  your responsibility. EQUIPMENT  CONSIDERATIONS LEARNING  OBJECTIVE:  Identify  the  equip- ment  considerations  that  apply  to  radio  and television interviews. You must pay particular attention to the technical aspects  of  interviews,  especially  those  for  television.  As you  discovered  in  Chapter  14,  any  television  production is  a  complex  team  operation,  which  means  a  lot  of planning will go into the interview. TELEVISION As  the  talent  of  a  studio  interview  for  television, your   involvement   with   the   actual   setup   procedures (lights, cameras, etc.) will be limited. You must remain focused   on   the   task   at   hand   —   preparing   for   the interview. The opposite is true when you shoot interviews at remote locations. You will be accompanied by another member of the ENG team, and between the two of you, you must handle the duties on both sides of the camera. The following is a checklist you can use to prepare for a television interview at a remote location: l l l l Check your equipment cables to make sure you have the right ones and they are all working. Check all batteries the day before the interview. If  they  are  not  sufficiently  charged,  you  can charge them overnight. Pack  a  sufficient  amount  of  videocassettes  and make sure they are either new or bulk erased. Check   the   condition   of   the   camera   and   the camera lens. l l l l Run   a   test   with   the   camera,   recorder   and microphones   to   make   sure   each   component functions  properly. Inventory   all   of   your   gear   —   the   camera viewfinder,  cables,  microphones,  spare  batteries, spare videocassettes, headsets, lighting gear and other necessary equipment. Run a test of the lighting kit to make sure it works properly. Check  your  transport  cases  and  containers  to make  sure  they  are  available  and  are  in  good condition with working latches. RADIO Use the following checklist to help you prepare for a  radio  interview: Check the record and playback functions on your reel-to-reel or cassette tape recorder. Make sure you are recording at the right speed. If necessary, clean the heads or have it done by an engineer. Make  sure  the  microphones  are  working  and check  the  quality  of  the  audio.  You  may  have state-of-the-art equipment and the best technical crew around, but it is best for you not to leave anything  to  chance. If  batteries  are  used  to  power  the  recorder  or operate the microphone, make sure they are fresh and take along spares. If you plan to use AC current, make sure there is an electrical outlet close to the interview location and that the power cord will reach. Spot-check the playback after the interview to be sure you have something on tape, but do not give the interviewee the opportunity for a retake. HELPFUL INTERVIEW HINTS LEARNING   OBJECTIVE:   Recognize   the helpful   hints   used   in   radio   and   television interviews. You have selected the interview method and format, arranged   the   interview,   researched   the   subject, formulated  the  questions,  arranged  transportation  and checked  your  equipment.  Everything  is  on  track  and pointing   toward   a   successful   interview.   What   else should  you  do? 15-6