12 classes | 1.5 hours per class
The aim of this practical course is to help those who aspire to work in broadcasting to use their voices to communicate successfully in a professional media context. The course is designed for people planning to work as broadcasters in radio, television and online - news, current affairs or entertainment.
It has very specific goals - better breathing, stronger voice support, and a clearer understanding of what it means to broadcast.
Upon successful completion of this course participants will receive a certificate.
Presenter
Shane Fitzgerald is a professional voice trainer to broadcasters and students, and has been the Sydney based voice coach at ABC News/Current Affairs since 2005. Shane has worked as a presentation skills trainer for the past 17 years. She has taught in various institutions, and worked as a broadcaster, performer and performance coach.
Enrolment
Dates
- 9 April to 25 June, Tuesdays
- 3 September - 19 November, Tuesdays
Fees: $1,050 full fee | $945 ACIJ Members | $800 (concession - students and low income) | $700 UTS staff and students.
Places avaiable: 14
Location: UTS Bon Marche Building 3 (map). Further details on room location will be sent prior to the course starting. First week assessments held at the ACIJ, Level 5 Bon Marche.
To discuss this course or for more information please contact acij@uts.edu.au or call +61 2 9514 2488.
Course outline
- Week 1 - Individual assessment
(Level 5, Room 503 ACIJ Office)- This is a 10 minute individual assessment. Your time will be allocated then you can go.
- Week 2 - What is a good broadcasting voice?
(Level 2, Room 210)- Relaxation and posture
- Breathing – the key to good vocal production
- breathing and the resonance of your voice
- how to breathe
- controlling the airflow
- when to breathe
- noisy breathing
- Week 3 - Resonance and Pitch
(Level 2, Room 210)
- Characteristics of resonance
- Anatomy of resonance
- Resonance warm-ups
- Pitch
- What is optimum pitch
- Women's voices – authority and depth
- Tuning your voice
- Week 4 - Articulation – Forming and Shaping the Sound
(Level 2, Room 210)- Articulation anatomy
- Flexibility
- Articulation warm-ups
- Week 5 - Sounding Conversational
(Level 2, Room 210)- Who are you talking to?
- How to make a script come alive - the difference between reading and talking
- Intelligent reading
- Authority
- Emotion and empathy
- Week 6 - Stress
(Level 2, Room 210)- Over emphasizing
- End-word stress
- The Five P's: Punch, pitch, pace, pause and power
- What not to stress – prepositions
- Week 7 – Intonation
(Level 1, Multimodality Lab Room 18)- Intonation
- Emphasis and inflexion
- Marking scripts for intonation
- Sing-song voice pattern
- Emotional tone
- How to break a pattern
- Week 8 - Pieces to Camera
(Level 2, Room 210)- Authority
- Body Language
- Week 9 - Style
(Level 1, Multimodality Lab Room 18)- The news voice
- Bulletin reading
- Weather and traffic
- Sports broadcasting
- Television voices
- Week 10 - Studio Techniques
(Level 2, Room 210)- Television voice overs
- Week 11 - Guest speaker – Helen Thomas, ABC
(Level 2, Room 210)- Discussion, question and answer session
- Week 12 – Present a piece
(Level 1, Multimodality Lab Room 18)- Using all the skills learnt in the course each student presents at 5 minute segment to the class
Testimonials
"It improved my confidence and pronunciation. Shane is an excelent presenter. Lecturer and other attendees were very encouraging." F. Etty (June 2012)
"I found the course informative and loved the way Shane tailored it to our specific needs. This, with direct feedback, allowed us to develop our voices extremely well." A. Mertin (June 2012)
"This course has helped me realise the potential for my voice to be broadcast quality. I have learnt valuable skills and have had all my queries answered. Shane is a fantastic teacher who made the course individualised and meaningful." H. Sinclair (June 2012)
"Thank you Shane for teaching this great couse. I've learnt a lot throughout throughout the months and have become more aware of how my voice sounds. I really found all the handouts useful." S. Cheong (June 2012)
"Shane was a lively, fantastic presenter who is incredibily knowledgeable about the journalism industry. She knows what it takes to cut it in the real world." K. Ranby (June 2012)
"I really liked the one-on-one coaching when we had to read scripts. Shane was very encouraging and she's very wise!" - Rochelle Widdowson, Journalism Student (2010)
"Shane is very friendly and always has advice for every problem - and that advice always works!" - Katherine Buskariol, UTS Law and Journalism Student (2010)
"Shane showed that she knew her subject by leading by example. She also demonstrated effective teaching methods in the wy the course was structured and delivered. Highly recommended for anyone wishing to improve heir on-air presentation skills." Steven De Vroom,Owner, Amazing Faces PTY LTD
"I particularly like the way Shane explains things. She makes the course fun and explains in a practical, easy to understand way. It is a great course. She is very good at getting people to come out of their shell. Belinda Merhab, Journalist, AAP
"I felt like I was in the hands of a professional voice coach. It teaches you to have control and awareness of your voice. " Alexandra Blucher, Communications Student
"I really enjoyed the coaching that Shane gave us, and the opportunities to present scripts in class. The warm-up exercises were also really fun!" Alice Downey, ABC Newsradio
"Constant support and feedback from Shane and even the rest of the participants." Sara Saleh, Broadcast co-presenter
