Have you ever started your pkg with a bite from God?

[zebra stripes]

I've been told the only time you should ever begin a pkg with a sound bite is if it's an interview with God. Otherwise it should be nats, establishing shot, whatever.

Any thoughts on this?

[chambo]

Agree...or cover the bite.

[f11vid]

Depends what God has to say.If He's a snore...I say open with Nats...

[Land Rover]

You should always try and use nats to start a PKG whether its two people screaming at each other, a dog barking or whatever you have that ties into your story.

[AKinDC]

"I've been told the only time you should ever begin a pkg with a sound bite is if it's an interview with God. Otherwise it should be nats, establishing shot, whatever.

Any thoughts on this?"

Yes, the same thought I have whenever somone suggests that you should "never" do something. If it works for your story, do it...if it doesn't work with your story, don't do it. You want to use the start of your story to draw in the viewers. If that means starting with nat sound, great. If it means starting with a great SOT that immediatly piques a viewers interest, that's good too.

[A Step Above Productions]

I was thinking the same thing the other day – I keep noticing day in and day out nearly all the packs I am seeing start off with a SOT.

Now this starts off as the reporter’s fault – it is just lazy writing.

Now as Photogs it is our job to correct this by covering the SOT and adding nats to it.

[Freddie Mercury]

Rarely is a sot going to be so compelling that you need it off the top. Rarely, but it happens. If I'm doing a court story and the most dramatic element is emotional testimony, you bet we're starting with that. Most often you want to set the scene first, though.

[Baltimore's Finest Fotog]

I second what Freddie Mercury said. Unless it's a very compelling, emotional bite...establish location first. In my book, the same goes for ending a package - a SOT up full is not an acceptable closing shot unless it is emotional or compelling. In summary, the first shot draws them in...the last shot makes them remember.

[1911A1]

I'd say that most of the stories I edit start with a bite.

But I can't think of the last time I left it up.

I add nats and cover the bite with video.

I also very, very, very rare for me to end a story on a face-up bite.

Even stories with a soundbite at the end require a closing shot.