Noddy (TV interview technique)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Noddies (singular noddy) are a type of camera shot used in recorded news or current affairs interviews. The noddies consist of nods and other similar "listening gestures" made by the interviewer. These are filmed after the actual interview takes place but during the editing process are spliced into the interview. This is done where required to mask any cuts that have been made. This editing technique is universally "read" by audiences as expressing realism and therefore creates the illusion of a seamless dialogue in the interview.

The term was coined by John Fiske (1987): "the camera is then turned onto the interviewer who asks some of the questions again and gives a series of "noddies," that is, reaction shots, nods, smiles, or expressions of sympathetic listening. These are then used to disguise later edits in the interviewee's speech... Without the "noddy", the visuals would show an obvious "jump" that would reveal the edit." (p. 29)

[edit] References