Don’t fall in love with your weather graphics
Recently I reviewed a weather hit with a coaching client and we discussed the different graphics he used in the weathercast. We worked on re-producing the hit together to focus more on the weather story he was trying to tell.
This process involves rearranging the graphics, deleting some and adding others. It became apparent that he liked a specific graphic and wanted to find a way to use it in his weathercast.
“Don’t fall in love with your graphics,” I told him. “I can tell this is a graphic you spent considerable time creating. Don’t fall in love with it. Take it out of the weather hit if it doesn’t deliver the message.”
It’s difficult to hit the delete key when you just spent 30-40 minutes hand-drawing several polygons, adjusting the colors, adding text and icons. The map looked good. But in the end, given everything else in the weather hit, this graphic wasn’t necessary. Keeping it added clutter to an otherwise clean show.
Avoid Graphics-Driven Weathercasts
A graphics-driven weathercast is produced based on the graphics available. It often includes too many scenes, some that are unnecessary and some that don’t make sense given the current weather pattern.
Last year, I worked with another client who was very proud of an intricate augmented reality scene he created showing how a tornado forms. It was an excellent animation! But there it was in the middle of his weathercast on a sunny day with quiet weather forecast for the next week.
“Why is this in your weather hit today?” I asked him.
“Because I just finished making it. And it looks great! And because storms are possible in Kansas tomorrow.”
“Yes, but you’re not in Kansas. Wouldn’t it be more impactful if you saved this scene and used it when storms were forecast in your local area?”
My coaching clients have heard me say many times that about half of the augmented reality scenes I created never made it on TV. Some of them weren’t good enough. I never had a chance to use others because they didn’t fit within the weather story of the moment.
Focus on the viewer
Instead of producing a graphics-driven weathercast, produce a viewer-driven weathercast. One that focuses on the essential information viewers want and need to know about the weather right now. Start with the message you want to deliver. Then decide which graphics best deliver that message.
THINK ABOUT THIS: WHOLE-BRAIN WEATHER COMMUNICATION
Fall in love with the essential message, not the graphics. Don’t be attracted to what looks pretty. If it doesn’t work, delete it from your show. But don’t delete it from your library. You might find it works better on another day, with a different weather pattern.
By following this format, the weather hits you produce will be more focused. And frankly, they’ll make more sense to the people watching at home. Isn’t that who we’re ultimately working for? Serve the viewer, not your ego.
Tim Heller is an AMS Certified Broadcast Meteorologist, Talent Coach, and Weather Content Consultant. He helps local TV stations and broadcast meteorologists communicate more effectively on-air, online, and on social media.