Create the Reporter Track (Chromebook Mini-Documentary)

Once your script has been approved, you are ready to record the reporter track for your story. In a TV news story the reporter track has some parts showing the reporter speaking on camera, but most of the track is narration covered by b-roll footage. In this modified version of a Mini-Documentary you will record all of your reporter track as narration.

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Practice

Before you record your voice, practice reading all parts of your script that are indicated as the reporter’s words. Sometimes while reading your script out loud you may discover parts that need to be modified. If a sentence is too long, it may need to split into more than one sentence. If something sounds confusing, it may need to be adjusted it so it will be clear to your story’s viewer.

You most likely do not need to make any changes to your script. However, if this final review shows more than minor adjustments are necessary, re-submit your modified script to the teacher before you record your narration.

When you read your script make sure you are sitting upright and smile. Although no one will see your face, smiling will add more energy and warmth to your voice. (If you are reading a very serious part of your story and think smiling makes your voice sound too upbeat, do not smile.)

Whichever method below you use to record your voice, remember that if you make a mistake while reading, do not stop recording. You do not have to return to the beginning of your script. Just back up to the start of the sentence where you made an error, then continue reading. Once every portion has been read correctly you may stop the recording. Any mistakes that were recorded will be easily removed during the audio editing process.

Once you have practiced reading the reporter parts of your script out loud and are ready to record, you have two options: a phone or your Chromebook.

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Record with a Phone

As was the case with your interviews, the best way to record your narration is using a phone.

If you have an iPhone, use your Voice Memos app.
If your Android phone did not come with an audio recording app, consider installing Smart Recorder. It will show a lot of ads while using it, but it works well.

Whichever phone app you are using, do a test recording with your phone before you record your script. After completing your test recording, follow this procedure:

Find a quiet place to record. If you can, place the phone on a stable surface no more than 6 inches from your mouth. If this is not practical, make sure you hold the phone still while recording so your hand does not add any extraneous noise.

When you are ready, sit up straight and start recording. Read the reporter parts of your script at a pace that is conversational but not too fast. If you make a mistake do not stop the recording. Instead, return to the beginning of the sentence where the mistake was made and start reading again. Once all of your reporter parts have been read correctly, stop the recording.

Send the recording to your school email address. Do not do any editing of your recording on your phone. Make sure you send the entire recording to your email.

On your Chromebook download the recording from your email to your Google Drive News Project’s recordings folder. Click here for the editing process.

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Record on Your Chromebook

If you are unable to record with a phone, you may use your Chromebook.

Keep in mind that, when you listen to Chromebook audio on its speakers, your recording may not sound as good as it does when you are using earbuds or a headphone.

This video tutorial shows how to use AudioVoiceRecorder.com opened in your Chromebook web browser. While the script being read is for a public service announcement, you may use the same technique to record all of the reporter narration from your mini-documentary script.

When you are done recording your reporter track, remember to save the file and move it into your project’s recordings folder.

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Edit the Reporter Track

Once you have your narration recorded and placed in your Google Drive project folder, use twistedwave.com/online to edit the recording on your Chromebook. The process is similar to what you did to pull sound bites from your interview recordings.

Open the Audio Editor

Open the Chrome browser and navigate to the twistedwave.com/online website. This audio editor is similar to Audacity, the program you used earlier this year.

Return to your recordings folder and select your reporter track recording. Drag the recording file onto the TwistedWave Online Drop a File button.

If you receive a Too many channels message click the Cancel button.

With your sound file open, resize the edit window so it fills the left two-thirds of your screen. Open your Google Doc Script and re-size it so the audio column fills the right third of the screen. You will want to refer to your script as you edit.

Remove Unwanted Recording Parts

Return to your sound file in twisted wave and press your keyboard’s spacebar to start and stop playing the file. As you play the file, listen for parts that need to be cut out. After you identify something that needs to be removed, you may click and drag to select it. An alternative is to click just before the part that needs to be removed and press the i key on your keyboard to choose the Set Selection Start option. Directly above where you clicked on the waveform you should see a marker indicating the selection start. The area above the large waveform shows which part of your sound file is visible in the main timeline. It is highlighted with a salmon color.

Play to the end of the section that should be removed and stop. Press the O key on your keyboard to choose the Set Selection End option. The part of your recording you selected should now be highlighted.

Whichever way to made your selection, play the selected section to make sure you want to cut it out. When you are certain is should be eliminated, press the backspace key. Repeat the process to remove all parts of your recording that are not needed.

Select reporter track sections

Click in the waveform and press the Search and left arrow keys to go to the start of your edited recording.

Press the i key to mark the Set Selection In point. Look at the first reporter section of your script. Play the recording of this narration and stop at the end of the last word. You should now have the recording of the first section of your reporter track selected.

With this section of your narration selected, open the File menu click on the Download option.

In the Audio Export window make sure there is a checkmark next to Export selected audio and for File format choose the MP3 Audio option.

For the Title enter Reporter1. When everything is correct click the Download button. When the download window opens check that the file name is correct and ends with the .mp3 extension. Make sure you are saving in your Google Drive Project Folder Recordings folder, then click the Save button.

Repeat the process for each part of your narration, using a different number for each section. For example:
reporter1.mp3
reporter2.mp3
reporter3.mp3
reporter4.mp3
reporter5.mp3

Once you have the recordings of all of your reporter track segments edited you are ready to start creating your story’s soundtrack.

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