China Trip
Robert Franklin selected to participate as an Academic Scholar in the National Association of African American Studies & Affiliates program at the University of New England, Biddeford, Maine.
General Information
Mr. Robert A. Franklin, Director of KASU-FM and a Heritage Studies Ph.D. student at Arkansas State University, was selected to participate as an academic scholar in the National Association of African American Studies & Affiliates (NAASA) Academic Scholar Program during the spring semester of 2004. NAASA has agreements with universities in Asian and African countries that allow scholars from across the United States to lecture at their campuses for a specified period of time during the spring. As part of their stay, scholars are recognized by the host institution as an Academic Scholar. Mr. Franklin lectured at Beijing University of Technology in Beijing, China, from May 21 through June 6, 2004.
Mr. Franklin lectured on radio documentary production, one of his areas of interest. He conducted eight two-hour lectures, Monday thru Thursday, during his stay in Beijing. Below is a listing of those lectures.
Course Description:
The course in documentary and public affairs production will present the student with basic techniques and knowledge about how to collect, gather, record, and produce public affairs and radio documentary programs. The course will be composed of lectures, hands-on activities and classroom listening sessions.
Lecture 1
The components of the audio documentary and public affairs programs. This lecture will center on a discussion with emphasis on the importance of sound, storytelling, narration and scriptwriting in the production of the documentary and public affairs program. During a listening session, students will be given the opportunity to listen to examples of an audio documentary and a public affairs programs.
Lecture 2
This lecture will discuss various formats used in the production of audio documentaries. These formats are musical, historical, political and psychological. Each format will be discussed and examples of the formats will be provided during the lecture.
Lecture 3
Fieldwork. Preparing for the production of a documentary and public affairs program. Some of the key elements in the preparation of these productions are research, topic development, and selection of guests, equipment type, relevant topic, timeline, topic development, budget, narrator and technical selection.
Lecture 4
Some equipment used in Audio Production. The basic equipment necessary for the recording, editing, production of documentaries and public affairs programs. Our lecture will discuss the type and uses of artificial, natural, and ambient sound in documentaries and public affairs programs.
Lecture 5
Scriptwriting. The importance of writing and formatting the script for a audio documentary. Our lecture will discuss the importance of writing for the ear rather than the eye. We will review samples of scripts for audio documentaries. This lecture will cover script writing that is designed to illicit dramatic effect and emotional effect from listeners of radio.
Lecture 6
Understanding the narrator's role in analyzing and performing the script. Performance can change or set the mood of a performer producing the script. During this lecture, we will analyze the role and the importance of the narrator in establishing the mood and flow of the script.
Lecture 7
The importance of sound, sound effects, and music and silence in radio productions. Everything aural can be grouped into speech, sound effects and music. In our lecture, we will discuss the obvious difference in how each of these elements are used in audio productions, such as documentaries and public affairs programs.
Lecture 8
Formatting pubic affairs programs. We will discuss what goes into the production, writing, editing in-studio public affairs programs. The "live" public affairs produced in a radio studio is just as challenging as the productions produced in the field. If possible, this lecture will originate in a radio station or laboratory. Our final lecture will discuss the possibility of formatting a weekly-formatted, "Week in Review" program which would focus on stories/issues affecting the lives of students. Students would utilize the skills previously obtained from earlier lectures to assist them in the production and formatting of this audio production.