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Frequently Asked Questions...if this does not answer your questions, please give us a call and we will be happy to answer them for you.

How long is the finished resume tapes?
This depends on your area of specialization, news, sports, weather or entertainment.  The average tape runs 5 to 8 minutes long.  Nearly all the tapes will begin with a well thought out montage that will dissolve between different shots of your work.  Followed my the rest of your work.

What is the success rate in talent getting a job after they get their tape together?
We have talent working in large to small markets across the country.  Some get a job within days, weeks or a month after they get their tape out.   Others who attend the seminar, it can take several months to land a position.  Your success depends on your talents, drive and desire to make it in the television industry.  It is different for each and every person that attends.

What if I have some material from college, internship or a previous job.  Can we add that to the resume tape?
Yes!  I recommend it.  Showing off previous work is suggested.  But make sure the work makes your look good and not bad.  Sometime previous work is old and dated.  And when you add it to a new tape, it can look bad.  Have the material you want to add on a mini-dv tape, DVC pro tape or DVD.  Try to have it just on one tape if possible.  Bring it with you and we will add it.  There is no extra charge for this.

What do News Directors think of a resume tape made by a service such as American Broadcast Talent?
The answer to that is simple.  They love it!  Look at all of our clients that are employed around the country.  News Directors need to see how you look, sound and perform on camera.  They need to see how you write.  Weather you made you tape at college, home, previous job or at a resume tape service does not matter.  It's you skills and talents that will get you the job and how professional you handle yourself on the tape.

Why should I use American Broadcast Talent as compared to any other related resume tape company or photographer?
I am not going to hold back on this answer. :)  We are the best!  Just look at our samples compared to any other service.  There is no close comparison in terms of quality.  We have been doing resume tapes since 2001.  We also have over 20 years of experience working on-air in television.  We know first hand what it is like being talent at a television station.  We are not a former news director, former photographer, editor or been out of the businesses for years.  We work in television and know our industry.  Most importantly...our clients get jobs.

Could I just not make my own resume tape from scratch?
I do think it is possible that you could make your own resume tape at home.  But here is what you would need.  You need professional camera gear including a wireless mic.  If you don't know how to shoot, then you would have to hire a professional to do it for you.  This can cost up to $1000.00 per day just for shooting.  You will also need editing equipment to edit your stories.  You need stories to go cover, stand-up locations.  Do you have access to a professional news set with great lighting?  If your a reporter, weatherman or a entertainment reporter, what about a green screen?  If your a sportscaster, do you have access to game highlights and soundbites?  Then on top of all that, do you really know what a great resume tape should look like.  You get the picture here.  Making your own tape can be done but you need the equipment, expertise and stories to make a resume tape that can really get you a job.

It seems expensive to get a resume tape produced.
That depends at how you are looking at this.  College was expensive but you needed that to get a job.  You also need a resume tape in order to get an on-air job at a television station.  Compared to your education a resume tape is very inexpensive.  You might be able to find a photographer or another service to do your resume tape.  But if their work is not good, then what will you do with a lousy tape?  Make sure to check our samples and the samples of anyone that you would have do your tape.  Sometimes you get what you pay for in life.  We may cost more but you will walk away with a professional tape that can actually help you find a job in television.

Is my current resume tape good enough to get me a job?
This is simple.  Look at some of our samples and compare your work to our work.  Does it honestly look the same?  Remember, you are going up against tapes that look like this.  If you have been sending out tapes with little results, then you might know the answer about your current tape.  It's also possible that your material is good but presented poorly or edit poorly.  We can help with that.  Feel free to send us a copy of your current resume reel and we will happy to take a look at no charge.

If I am looking for a News Reporter or News Anchor position,  should I include a "celebrity interview" on my resume reel?
Unless you are applying for an Entertainment Reporter position, stay away from celebrity interviews.  Celebrity interviews or stories don't mean much to a News Director in Iowa or Michigan. In fact..it will probably hurt you.  Yes it's cool to interview Will Smith but local news is not about feature stories on a daily basis (I wish it was...but its not).  If you don't believe me, call a News Director.  Your tape should feature mainly hard news stories and local stories.  One light or feature type story on tape is ok..but really not necessary.

After I make my deposit, then what?
After you place your deposit, we will send you a packet of information about your upcoming workshop.  Do not make a plane reservation until your receive this information.    This will help your organize everything you need to do before coming to Florida.  This will include your itinerary while at the workshop.  We will also send your information on airlines, hotels (we have five located next to us), airport shuttle and other pertinent details.  We will also send you clothing recommendations (you will be changing outfits).  

How long does it take to do a resume tape session?
We do everything in one day.  In fact most shoots only take 4-5 hours (there are exceptions.  Because we have things planned ahead of time, we are very organized at to how long it's going to take to train, teach, make-up and shoot.  But for almost all sessions, we have you stay over night at a hotel so you are rested before recording your material.

Once I am done with my session, Will I have my resume tape in hand?
I would be concerned with anyone that produces a resume tape and then hands it to you the same day.  Think about it...how good of a tape can it be if it is shot, edited, produced and finished in one day?  If you did a tape on your own, would you really finish it in one or twp days?  Of course not!  You would meticulously work on it over a period of time.  Don't you want to make sure that everything is perfect?  Such as editing, color correction, supers, dissolves, flow, etc.  American Talent spends hours and hours working on your tape.  Making sure everything is perfect.  American Talent can have your tape within one week after shooting the material.

What clothing should I bring?
We will advise you about this after you make your deposit.  You will be bringing a variety of outfits (professional suits) to make changes while you make your tape.  You will be shooting in Florida so we have great weather to work with.  No snow or cold to deal with.

What about make-up?
We provide both men and women with access to a make-up artist?  Some sessions the make-up artist is included in the price.

Where do we stay when we attend American Broadcast Talent?
No need to worry about a hotel.  When you come to Florida, we provide your hotel stay.  You will be staying in Orlando, Florida.  We will take care of your reservations for you.    You will be right next to area restaurants with a wide variety of food choices all within walking distance.    

Can I drive to the workshop?
Many that attend drive to the workshop.  We have people drive from as far away as Los Angeles and New York.

Can I extend my visit into a vacation?
Some of our students turn the trip into a mini vacation.  Some enjoy the area beaches and nearby theme parks.  It's really up to you.

How do I make extra copies of my resume tape?
We will give you a digital master copy of your resume tape.  We will also give you some copies of the actual resume tape.  You can take your master to a dubbing house or have us make you additional copies.  Do not try and make copies going from VHS to VHS (they will look unprofessional for the news director).