How you frame in-studio talent plays a big role in the overall feeling and tone of your newscast.

Tight framing can create a more intimate viewing experience because facial expressions and body language are more prominent. It also makes your talents’ eyes being more visible, which can increase the connection views feel with talent since many people use eyes as a judge of character, emotion and friendliness.

One downside to tighter viewing to consider is that as viewers’ screens continue to grow larger, seeing a screen dominated by a larger-than-life head can be a bit overwhelming.
It’s also important to remember that tight framing usually requires a skillful camera operator who can move the camera in time with the anchor’s movements. This definitely isn’t the route to go for stationery camera setups or if you cannot have an in-studio or robotics operator controlling cameras. Tight framing also means less of your set shows up on air, so it can be a good way to minimize a set you don’t like.

Looser framing also has its advantages and disadvantages. Loose framing can more closely replicate how Americans tend to see other people when having a conversation with them. Americans are not used to standing extremely close to others so a tighter shot could make people fell unconsciously uncomfortable.

Many stations have elected to frame looser with the proliferation of stationery and automation systems to accommodate any shifts in body position anchors make while on air. This can lead to problems, however, if an anchor gets out of position or moves more than the shot has accommodated for. Often this type of situation results in a jarring, awkward on-air camera adjustment when an operator attempts to correct the problem.

It’s also important to consider the size of your OTS graphics in relation to talent. Larger OTS graphics obviously put more of a visual emphasis on the graphic rather than the anchor, and this could be beneficial if OTSs are an important part of your storytelling, though going too large can look a bit off-balance. Stations with automation systems or who frame tightly also need to accomodate any movement by anchors so you don’t end up with an anchor on a one-shot half cut off by an OTS.

If you decide to change your framing method, consider the effects a change might have on viewers. You may want to consider gradually going looser or tighter of a period of a few days or weeks so the change is less jarring. Also make sure your camera operators are trained on the new framing to ensure consistency.

NewscastTip is a weekly column with tips for your newscasts. See past editions here. The column is available every Friday in our e-mail newsletter and posted here the following Wednesday. Sign up for the newsletter to get it delivered directly to your in box every week.

Michael P. Hill is founder and publisher of NewscastStudio. Contact him with your own tips and feedback.