Thread: My Television Debut!

Yep, that's right. I was just contacted to do a little business featurette for local cable. How cool is that?!

As of now, it sounds more like an interview than a performance, which is cool with me. How should I go about preparing for this? What are the most commonly asked interview questions? What should I wear?

Dancers who have made small-screen appearances, talk to me! I want to hear all your experiences, your advice, the end results....let's dish.

Haven't had that experience, but just wanted to say: How cool!

Yay! Thanks, Taj!

Talk about dumb luck: a TV producer was in the audience at a gig I did last May, and contacted my agent a year later to see if I'd want to be on her show. My turquoise Tony & Robbie must have made quite the impression ..l;,

I'm sure it was more than your costume, doll! Revel!

Hee hee, I kinda had an inkling that hard work might have had something to do with it, too

Indeed, I have been revelling all night. In fact, this is what I've looked like since I got the call:

TV, especially local TV, can be quite crazy and random. I know of one dancer who was booked to come in and talk about BD/dance, so she turned up in costume, BUT she is also a fairly high-profile scientist and she ended up doing a talk about some of her work while dressed in BD. Which must have been random.

If you are doing TV, in general don't wear ordinary black or white because they don't register nicely. Blue has a tendency to become invisible. Just dress purty and wear nice makeup, and perhaps, if you like, something that indicates your interest in ME dance/culture in the way of jewellery.

Chances are high they'll want you in a costume though. And they might want you to dance for, like, 30 seconds.

I did some random background dancer stuff for a TV show that actually featured Kashmir (who you know from this board) talking about a dramatic, lifethreatening event that just happened to take place during a belly dance festival. Three of us did some atmospheric dancing around, and somewhere out there is slowmotion footage of my bosom and a veil. It actually looked really good, but to get what they wanted, we had to dance in ways that did not work with the music we were using, for one, and aware that whatever they used as music in the end would not be our music, for two. So if they want dancing you may find that you're asked to dance about to something random, or they might want to shoot you moving in a certain way that has nothing to do with your music, and you can't go "OMG MY AHRT!" in these circumstances because TV does not care for your art.

Good gods, I would never show up to an interview on BD in full regalia. That sounds completely random....

Hopefully, we can work it out so I can do the talking in nice civilian attire and perform in my costume. And hopefully they don't make me bop around to "Womanizer" by Britney Spears. I am also internalizing a script in case they ask me about poles, gyrating, the Sultan, or childbirth rituals

I could always bring a can of pork and beans just in case I need to make an impromptu statement about my ahhhhhhhrtttttt....but I don't think anyone outside of Bhuz would get the satire.

It seems to be the numero uno challenge when working with the media. You know what you have to do to portray your craft in its most positive light, but journalists are not always so predictable! I'll still take my risks, though

I was on a local cable talk show produced by college students, and I prepared myself for a little zaniness because it was a late night "Letterman" style show on which I was one guest for that episode, and an Israeli guy named "Crazy Gideon" of *smashing TVs to beat the prices of other electronic/appliance stores* fame was the other guest. That considered, it actually was a lot of fun, and the hosts did a good job of asking a few silly questions while still talking with me as an intelligent individual. I was interviewed sitting down about my dance career as well as performing for a full 4 minute song, and of course at the end there was the requisite belly dance lesson for the hosts. But they did not make me dance with Crazy Gideon, so that was a plus! Although I did find it amusing that after his segment of talking about his love for the red, white and blue and then smashing a TV set, he sat right next to me and listened while I extolled the benefits of belly dancing... ..l;,

how awesome for you!

if you have access to a video camera, practice speaking to the camera. then watch it.

do you need to speak more slowly, more clearly, keep your head more still. which is your "better side"? any hand gestures you want to add or avoid when speaking? what faces/gestures will you make while listening to the interviewer? will you be standing, sitting? what will you do with your hands while you speak/listen?

perhaps outline some things you feel are important to cover. if they ask you stupid stuff, you can give them the politician answer. you know, pretend to answer them but say what you really came there to say.

find out what color backdrop you will be against, so you wear a complimentary color. if its green screen, of course no green :p

bring a waiver for them to sign, stating you have rights to use the footage for your personal promotional purposes and that they will provide you with copies of the footage.

break a leg!

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

Yep, that's right. I was just contacted to do a little business featurette for local cable. How cool is that?!

As of now, it sounds more like an interview than a performance, which is cool with me. How should I go about preparing for this? What are the most commonly asked interview questions? What should I wear?

Dancers who have made small-screen appearances, talk to me! I want to hear all your experiences, your advice, the end results....let's dish.

See the article on my web site at Belly Dance Advice, Tips, How-To's about dealing with the media. It was written by fellow bhuzzer CFerhat.

Having just been on tv myself in December, I suggest that you anticipate what questions you might be asked and rehearse the answers to those OUT LOUD multiple times, until the words come out cleanly.

I've never done a TV interview, but since I work in communications, I have helped others. One thing I do is type up questions and answers and you can sent them to the interviewer beforehand, to prepare them too.

Good gods, I would never show up to an interview on BD in full regalia. That sounds completely random....

Well, they said they wanted her to dance, you see.

I've been interviewed a few times for different reasons, both dance & my other professional work. I like to prepare so I always ask the media contact to send me their questions & ideas in advance. If they don't have exact questions prepared I ask them to send me a list of things the *anticipate* discussing. This is pretty common & your interviewer shouldn't be at all surprised or taken aback by the request, simply say you'd like to be prepared.
I would wear something evocative of your work as a belly dancer, but not necessarily a costume. I think of elegant practice wear when I got for interviews--usually melodias or other nice dance pants, a leotard and decorative tie top or wrap sweater, a fringe shawl around the hips and some elegant jewelry. You've got some great pictures that you could also submit to the station if they wanted to cut to a few shots of you in full costume.

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

Yay! Thanks, Taj!

Talk about dumb luck: a TV producer was in the audience at a gig I did last May, and contacted my agent a year later to see if I'd want to be on her show. My turquoise Tony & Robbie must have made quite the impression ..l;,

Umm....you have an AGENT?!?!.w.:

Originally Posted by danielabellydance

Umm....you have an AGENT?!?!.w.:

Yes, as in, the local friendly booking agent who gets me corporate gigs, weddings and birthdays. Should've clarified so I didn't sound so goofily pretentious

Unfortunately, Shakira's people haven't contacted me for that body double role. ..l;,.w.:

Hope this helps with your question.

Talk to the producer to find out what "angle" they are looking to market the bellydance part of your segment (health, special event, etc...). Remember, ratings count for television producers so the better prepared you are, the better.

Show up in full costume. This is what they expect 90% of the time.

Red looks great on camera.

Show up 1 hour early. In my past experience, the studio has a makeup artist that does touch ups to your make up. You may not be the first person in line, so this is why you will need to arrive early.

Before the segment, find out if your television host will "lead" your discussion. In that case, they will ask you what you would like to emphasize in your television spot and then communicate to you the type of questions they will ask you in advance.

Be prepared to show some bellydance moves from different angles. Especially if this is "live" television.

Don't look at the camera - ignore it completely.

Smile

Have fun!!!


Hope that helps and Good Luck!!! ..g.: