Chapter 5. In the Background: Commeniating SMALL STEP for man, a gian/leap for mankind’ said Neil Arm~ strong as he took , step on the moon. Those who heard would recall the rainy night of 29 July 1969. A night when the radio commentator’s word illuminated ‘the theatre of the mind’, as he gave a minute-by-minute account of man’s first step towards the conquest of the elusive moon. His words had the magic to turn ears into eyes, to help conjure mental pictures. Similarly, many still remember the mellifluous voice of Melville _de Mello who bropght alive to millions the funeral of Mahatma ‘Gandhi in 1948 and that of Jawahar Lal Nehru in 1964. His re- strained display of emotions conveyed more than what visuals could have achieved. That is the kind of power a commentator's voice and words are capable of. However, with the coming up of television and the increasing popularity of sports like cricket, commentary as a genre has trav- elled a long way in evolving its own characteristic style. It scaled anew peak with the live coverage of the Gulf War in 1991 (CNN). Let us first look at the objectives that commentary is expected to achieve. What is Commentary? Commentary is a. performance: which describes an event through Its role is to supplement and complement the visuals; to fill up gaps with missing details: toi dai 7 rma- ec eran he soncian-Acmse We the visuals are ar we ul cornet of116 Script to Seren more definitive and concrete in their presentation, w. i and exible, They can widen the viewer's sweep Se haiting instructive information. Words can take the viewers to see not only hidden corners but to sometimes fotus on the angularities of the visuals by pulling a counterpoint. ' Commentary is both a skill and an art; a skill which depends : heavily on knowledge, as any skill is largely knowledge put into action. And when an action is carried out with finesse, it acquires i artistic dimensions. It is easy to present a factual account of an event accurately, but an outstanding commentary is that which can evoke beauty with the clever use of language. By exploiting the music words are said to contain, you can ‘make your com- mentary sing’. lypes of Commentaries The two broader areas occupying a commentator's attention are: (a) pe salle and (b) political, social and cultural activities. ors commentaries_aré By Tar the mosl_pepular, and? ihe most popular, and the commentators TRave To spend a lot of thoughtful moments pn ning the shows, They understand ‘how to manage simul- taneously various activittesTo report Ihe game as,they wale nee OF TUT MONT, Tead notes from the ee fumes cards carrying information on the player's background, and to follow instructions from the director! Obviously, the commenta- ; lors are ready with ‘fill-ins for every time-out, narration, for half- time activities (sic), questions for interviews, lead-ins for every commercial and other breaks, all scripted in advance. | Though both sports and cultural/political commentaries record and comment upon the happenings, those belonging to the first category are far more open to the element of surprise and: are therefore usually unrehearsed. They are also acknowledged as the more challenging of the two. Cultural and political commen- laries proceed as a planned chain’ofevents, ‘OF course, with some spontaneity. They provide a good Waning ground for beginners t 4 good taining ground for beginners to take onmore challenging assignments. | Niost programmes prefer to engage a pair of comp 5: perfect coordination, a sharp sense of timing and a friendly har- monious Fela requisites for a_successful com- mentary team ‘| Inthe Background: Commentating u7 arr Normally, the allocation of duties is well-defined. During the event, the public address commentator gives a play-by-play de- scription; the other commentator adds colour to the event by: © Providing background information about the participants and their organization. © Describing the character and mood of the event. Glossing certain comments made by the public address an- nouncer. Recording public response. Describing spectators’ emotions. Recalling previous related events. | Annotating previous performances with statistics and other i details. * Commenting on instant replay, when the director decides onit Task 5.1. Read the feature given below and discuss the questions that follow. Commentary — One's Own Style We all know that TV commentary forms an important part of every sports telecast, and that it can sometimes do wonders to even an ordi- nary-looking game, as has been demonstrated time and again by the likes of Brian Langley, Vijay Amvithraj and Geoffrey Boycott. However, at the same time we have often been criticised about the styles of different commentators. That Sunil Gavaskar is absolutely straight and invariably drab about his comments, that Ravi Shastr is too stereo- typed, and that Harsha Bhogle is more in the tip and run’ commentary mould, has been our usual refrain as careful listeners. But somehow we tend to forge, how difficult itis for those gentlemen on the microphone to surmount many tangible and intangible problems for dishing out to us what they finally do on the air. This wiser counsel dawned on me the other way when | had to do the mantle of a commentator in the recently concluded Chandigarh Open All-India Tennis Association Ranking Tournament-1997, organised by the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association (CLTA) in its Sector 10 sta~ dium. It so happened that the host association got a last-minute tinker from the Doordarshan authorities that their official English commentator would not be able to make it from Chennai and, therefore, the associa- tion might make an alternative local-arrangement for both days of the telecast.In the Background: Commentating 119 Yes — spontaneity was the answer, | seemed to tell myself in the box ‘the next day for the finals, | had just decided to be my own by leaving all those doyens of TV commentary alone, And there, | was — returning from the box a self-styled, contented man. At the end of it all, | eared the biggest admiration from the producer. ‘I'm glad that our professional commentator failed to turn up.” But by then | could easily do without those compliments. Because had already discovered a ‘commentator’ in my own self. x ‘Sanjay Manchanda, The Tribune, December 1997 Task 5.1.1 What were the things the writer found awfully difficult to synchronize while commentating? What proved to be the ultimate stum- bling block? Task 5.1.2. The writer was a wiser man when he went to occupy the commentator's box the second day. What was the piece of wisdom he had acquired and how? Te 3 In para six, the writer describes scribbling notes as part of \e preparation before giving commentary. The words and phrases he could have used are mixed up in a bag (Fig. 5.1). Separate the ones that belong to tennis, golf and hockey, and list them in Fig. 5.2. ou ares “wood” sage-butfer ection "holon he Bo eto Fig. 5.1 Bag of Phrases (for Task 5.1.3)118 Script to Screen So, just a day before the start of the semi- ‘ment, Iwas called by the Chairman, Sere es ame of my litle bit of intrinsic knowledge ofthe game, gamed fea th pan ticipation in some of the state championships in my younger ie wh you be able to handle it?” quipped the worthy Chairman, For a moment, | didn't know how to react, but somehow, despite an intial inner hesi- ‘tance, | replied in the affirmative. But that million-dollar Question Continued to haunt me the whole night. | knew | had no experience whatsoever in the field behind me, except for a few recorded capsules that | did for the Asian Rowing Champion- ships way back in 1989. However, | never wanted to fritter away the opportunity, which | had discovered by now that sitting on the other side of the fence (read television!), somewhere down in my heart, | definitely yearned for — may be, inadvertently. So, to prove point, | decided that night to have a lengthy session of digging myself into the commentary styles of the big names like Brian Langley, Amrithraj and Boycott. Armed with a few rehearsed monologues and a couple of scribbled notes, | found myself seated next morning in the commentator’s box, rather nervously awaiting the start of the two semi-final matches. The producer was at hand to’ explain that the two headphones on.my ears Were meant to listen to and follow his and the floor manager's com- mands during the time of the telecast: He also advised me to keep one _ eye constantly on the TV monitor so that | don’t miss the description of what was being shown to the viewers on the screen. Now that was too much to handle, especially for.a first-timer like me. With the commencement of the game, | quickly realized thata.commen- tator has to concentrate even harder than the players down in the mid- dle, As the match progressed further, | found it increasingly difficult to synchronize. all the things together. And then on top of that I-had to imitate the styles of my favourites too. So in the process, | began to hustle and fumble more and more, which, in commentary, is considered to be the worst thing to do. Therefore, | came out of the box a dissatisfied man on the first day. Although the Doordarshan crew tried to reassure me that | did a fairly good job on my debut stint, | thought | was capable of doing better than that. So again that night, | reassessed and reviewed my performance by watching the recording again and again. To my utter surprise, | found out that | was doing okay ‘when | spoke extempore rather than the occasion when | made an extra effort to.give those artificial Langley Boycott touches in my commentary. t could palpably fee! the unfolding ofa secret. :Fig. 8.2 Terms to Know for Sports Commentating (for Task 5.18) ite sacra Comments cre Tapia Eatin ona rot, Te es. Se an on FE ig. $3 Areas of Commentary [Visuals of tre Interviews Tata sounds | Quizand compettions for122, Script to Screen a st Scripting for Commentaries swift flow of speech. ke Good commentary is laconic, don't be loquacious A commentary should be well-knity starting with a slam and never endingina atibbe. In other Words it mus have an mips sive-begitining and a neat ending. ‘Besides‘bemg sensitive To the Predominance of the visual over the vérbal, there must be room for natural sounds to register, like the band playing, the cars screeching, the crowds cheering. Do not overwrite or underwrite. Measure your time. On an average, a Commentator can’utter three words a second. So write approximately four words per line. Space out your words in a way that natural sounds can be captured while an act is in motion. Also leave space for last-mnin- ute changes. }o Not forget to plan your shollist. Variations are expected and accepted, but you have to learn To start willra plan, a script" “The example of a police parade staring with the arrival of the chief guest, the ex-prime minister Deve Gowda, will offer you an insight into such a format: Shotlist TOT Text Officers lined up Osec The, Hon’ble PM Shri Deve forming the guard of Gowda has just arrived and will honour; awaiting be on the dais in a short while the PM from now. Sounds of cars pull- 5 sec “Officérs being introduced to the ing in. Officers being PM by Shri M.B. Kaushal, the DG introduced to’ the of the Force. As the parade PM by.the Chief of presents arms and the band plays Force. its tune of general salute, the parade commander gears up to report to the PM. Band plays 15 sec Courtesy CRPF, New Delhi, 1996Jn the Background: Commentating 123 Task 5.2 You must have watched the Republic Day Parade held every year, Your acquaintance with its settings will help you to tackle the task Given below. Its based on a parade organized for the 57th CRPF Day celebrations, The following text has two problems: (a)it violates the principle of ‘Save your breath and let the fllm talk’ (Boretsky & Kuznetsov, 1981)and (b)it exhibits flaws related to accuracy and freshness in language usage. Identify these problems and rewrite the script, You can take the liberty of reorganizirig the text. Ta 2.1. Using the given information and your imagination make a foryboard with atleast eight pictures as you describe the sequence of shots in the left column. The first one has been done for you. Shotlist 1 Flag fluttering, O sec officers with rifles. jeep preparing for inspection, etc. 2 tnt 15 secs The entry of markers into the ground signifies that within minutes the parade will be formed before the fort wal. Now in front of you from the gate of the fort wall the parade is entering to the tune of the band. You can see six companies (coys) entering the ground No. |. Coy iS of the Mahila contingent of CRPF. Coy Il is of the Bihar Sector, Coy Ill belongs to the Southern Sector. The Special Sector has sent the IV.Coy of the parade, Following them in blue cap is the RAF. There is an air of expectancy here as the crowd awaits the floats, In any operation, communication plays a major role. Today, the communi-Shotlist Nessa oS TOT “namely, Roller Coaster, XS Text During course, there were Grade 3 and Grade 4 Rapids, Daniel's Deep, Golf Course, Double Trouble, Black Money, Good Morning, Three Blind Mice, Cross Fire and many more. The gurgling and gushing waters of the river Ganges can send shivers down the spine of even the bravest of: men — such was the fury of the current. But these young women had gone to conquer it all. Nothing could have stopped them from leaving an indelible mark on the mighty Ganges. Fighting the current and challenges, braving all odds, they emerged victorians as after 5 days the rafts approached the banks of Rishikesh at Muni Ke Reti. This spectacular achievement will always be remembered. Kudos to the team. Elements of Commentating The genius of any broadcast is to make even a dull event exciting (Signet, 1979; W. Mary Albert). Sportscasters differ in their ap- proach of working on the scripts — planned, written and only semi-completed before the show. But to achieve professional standards, aspirants need to acquire knowledge and develop skills, foremost among which are reporting, interviewing, ad- libbing and reading aloud. A commentator has to not just talk about the happenings on the screen but also explain what the viewer has missed seeing or Ure Se124 Script to Screen Shotlist TOT 5 Pome \% astrgn, 82 500s 6 wey Com -unicalion oe 6 Akeenrenle 117 sees ank Hanks Text cation network of CRPF is among the best in the country. In combat comm. vehicle No. 1 being used. for com- munication at section Range Duty Battalion (BN) is being shown to us. Sector and Range Headquarters (HQrs) have been connected with Force HOrs on digital radio as well as on teleprinter circuits using computer-based Auto- matic Message Switching System. Start turning your ‘eyes leftwards. In the second truck, Modern Systems of comns. which is including satellite and digital comns. such as Inmarst Mobile Satellite telephone, V-sat terminal, fax and e-mail: They all have their crucial roles to play. And now we present to you a tableau on att achievement ranked as first ever in the country. The all-women white water rafting expedition. On 30th Nov 1996, the CRPF entered the annals of History when the expedition was flagged off from Srinagar and it rafted down to Rishikesh, a distance of 105 km. The team consisted of 16 members.126 Script to Screen oe comprehending. Since most of what happens is unrehear; unpredicted; he has to often depend ona ing. For this verbal fluen juick memory and depth of knowledge are im lso,:a commentator must not sermonize but m strike an instant rapport. 5 Whether it is sports, politics or culture, specialists are an ideal bet as fillers. Their first-hand experience adds new dimension to the subject. The confidence they refléct is a by-product of their fluency of speech — the instrument of their communication and knowledge — thé message of their communication. Though most of you would like to believe that orators are born with talent, any number of people like Ravi Shastri have trained themselves in this discipline. fil its Own register, structure and colloquial expres- sions, alerting-terms to attract the spectators otherwise lost in the tail of visuals. Then/there is a pool of stock phrases, similies, metaphors and epjthets to express emotions. Through a common code of language, commentators and spectators/viewers share a world they enioy together, denying entry thers. Say, fr in jat_ to stance, phrases like a dead straight bat, fulling Tength ball, me> dium pace. etc. READING REPORTING SKILLS. OF DELIVERY INTERVIEWING Fig. 5.4 Skills of Commentating128 Script to Screen In relation to 1, History of the game 2. Equipment and clothing 3. The players 4. The court/the pitch/the ground/the course, etc. 5. The basic practice and scoring/the laws of the game 6. Playing the game . 7. Skills, strategies and tactics 8. The rules 9, Fitness and practice 10. Major events 11. Important players and the social clubs 12. The jargon Task 5.6 “Read the article titled “Peking to Paris, via India’ given below. Prepare commentary notes on the rally for the TV, specifically from Tanakpur (UP) to Wagah, Amritsar (Punjab), bringing in other places and experiences mentioned. Follow the shotlist-TOT-Text format. Also make a storyboard. Peking to Paris via India The hot dusty village of Tanakpur in U.P. presented a magnificent sight. Situated on the Indo-Nepal border it was the entry point for the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge into India, On that afternoon (September 24) a hundred cars were lined up at the Indian customs post. Rolis Royce, Bentley, Aston-Martin, Mercedes, Buick, BMW, Ford, Porsche, Cadillac — every famous name was there. After almost three weeks on the road since flag-off in Peking’most of the cars had arrived in India. The most notable breakdown had been Lord Montague's 1914 Vauxhal, the oldest car in the event. From Tanakpur the event headed to Nainital for an overnight halt. The 25th morning in Nainital was crisp, clear and beautiful under a bright blue sky. The mountains and the lake made a stunning backdrop. The cars parked on the flat glistened like dew drops. It was a beautiful sight. The stretch from Nainital to Kaladungi was the only competitive stage in India. It was an easy tarmac drive and all downhill. There were no incidents and all the cars made it to Delhi for the second overnight halt in India, The next day was a transport drive from Delhi to Lahore, over 600 km.Jn the Background: Commentating 127 Box 5.2 Ning Nos of Commentating Don't misrepresent or use wrong pictures. Don't overwrite or underwrite. Don't describe at length what the viewer cannot see. © Don't be an egomaniac. Don’t attempt jokes or cast aspersions on players, |. leaders, officials, nations, etc. Don't generalize. Don't be too emotional. Don't use cliches or puns. Don't forget to develop associative thinking. It is suicidal to gatecrash into a commentator’s box without adequate knowledge. Just being well-informed is not sufficient. To be successful, you must have broad-based understanding and AWASYENESS OI the subject at hand. Listen to the radio, watch TV, read Books and magazines, enciclopaedias jaumals, Pagiicipale in events and build up contacts with those in the field. Memorize and numbers as you wi a ql And last but not least, though a commentor is also a critic, he must operate within bounds. Sitting behind the microphone, he ‘ust Tot eT as MOURL he ere Te ca ore Learn Were he captain of the team. He GughT not to Tadulge too critically in what could have been done orwi jught to be done but merely comment on what has been dort Task 5.3 Employing all study skills, carry out reference work for the games mentioned in relation to the features stated: Games to be covered: a) Cricket ) Tennis c) Golf d) Snooker e) HockeyEEO In the Background: Commentating 129 To the credit of all the cars and drivers there were no serious mishaps and amazingly these old machines could do a 120 kmph on the G.T, Road. The only time to talk to the competitors was at the customs post. It was a captive audience, both cars and crew. Leisurely hours to pho- ‘tograph the cars and talk to the competitors. One of the most.impressive cars participating in the rally was a 1967 Rolls Royce Phantom V. The driver was John Matheson, partnered by wife Jeanne. The huge stretch Rolls had been an official Australian government limosine. Said John proudly: ‘It has carried many Heads of State during its official tenure’. The car was performing flawlessly, ‘like a Rolls should!’ said John. $ Etienne Veen from Holland, driving a Mercedes 630 K sports, said: ‘A very nice drive but very very hard. Especially in Tibet, because of the altitude and cold. It was hard on the cars but also on the people. The roads have also been quite rough’. Simon Mann, driving an Aston Martin DB 5, when asked about the drive said: ‘The best part of the drive was getting to Kathmandu and the worst was that we were in the back of a truck! In Kathmandu the truck crashed, We didn’t know where we were-to go and how to get Aston Martin off the truck. We broke our prop-shaft in Tibet in view of Everest. A very picturesque place to break down!" Murray Kayll was driving a 1967 Mercedes 250 SE with wife Amanda. Murray described the 250 SE as a family car which had been with them since it was brand new ‘I loved Tibet. Ever since was a child, | was fired up by this country. — thanks to a comic strip called Tin Tin! And | got to see it’. The father and son tedm of Jessens from Denmark were driving a four. and a half litre 1929 Bentley LeMans — one of the most famous touring cars ever made. The car is housed in Belgium with the son Hans. The best moment for him was a hot shower at the Yak and Yeti Hotel in Kathmandu. Another very special car was No. 35. It was a 1950 Bentley Donnington special with a six-litre engine. Cod-river Nora Shultz from Germany explained: ‘I joined my husband in Kathmandu as the navigator. Till then my neighbour from Germany was navigating. We are touring and are not in the competition’. \ Maria Noor was with husband Thomas in a 1966 Mercedes 250 SEC. They were thrilled at having camped in sight of Mount Everest at a height ‘of 5,000 metres. ‘It was the highlight of the trip for us’, she said, Richard Taylor, Larry Davies and David Pierce were from Phoenix, USA, driving a 1962 Willys Jeep station wagon with a 3879 CC engine and 4131 In the Background: Commentating Task 5.5” The dialogue given below follows the format of an interview between Mohinder Amarnath and the author, Based on it answer the questions that follow. You are not expected to write out complete an- swers'— just points will do. Mohinder Amarnath: MA Sharda Kaushik: SK SK: Mr. Amarnath, for how long have you been commentating now? MA: | started about three years back. a SK: How has this journey been, from aotive days of playing cricket to commentating for it now. 2 MA: Well, more than anything, it has been avery good experience forme. Itis a game from which ‘retired but I can still remain involved with ita some way or the other. For instance, | keep meeting people from the'same field. Also, | fee! | am rendering @ service to the masses because | am sharing some of my most cherished personal experi- ences, SK: Could you define TV commentary?... Is it any different from radio commentary? MA: The two are very different. Inradio commentary you can say anything because people can't see. For instance, you can say things like who is bowling or who is not playing an ‘aggressive game. But Wis different, You don't have to explain @ shot but merely carry on with your story and glve expert comments. TV is challenging. For radio, you need someone who can talk ‘well, For TV — an expert who can go into details. . SK: What is the role of the spoken word, say the place of commentary, when a game of cricket Is being telecast? ‘ MA: Umm... You have to educate the masses. People watch the game but they don’t understand the fine points. So when they are watching a segment in slow motion, you can comment on why the ball: is spinning, why is ita bad shot and so on. 4 SK: Which is more manipulative: the picture or the commentary? And, tell me, do-you feel the picture is always very definite, very concrete? MA: Whatever you are commentating on, you need to be a professional in it. Because the picture will tell the truth. When you say something you should do so with some authority. SK: How should the commentary be worded? MA: In both English and Hindi. Hindi is a language which will educate people better as there are more viewers who understand Hindi across the sub-continent, like in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh.wheel drive. ‘it’s been very reli very reliable so far,” said Ri inet was when he fell into pig manure ann clare Worst ng: on eee was the shower that followed!’ oer ota wal in Ts My rive to Nainital while taki int a ing petrol in Haldwe up, The 1964 Volo 1125 Aman was de ay oe aoa oe Steriberg with Jennifer Gillies as corer! adi pas eas lass after ‘spending four and a half hours.at the enrraida Sined i the rive been so far?’ | asked, ‘It's a hairpin ei nnifer! These girls were one of the all women’s John Bayliss and Phil Surtees were i li ere ina 1942 Ford Willys Jeep. | asked about their best moment. ‘When we left China. The best vie of China is In the rear view mirror!" said Phil Surtees. Jenny and Goeff Dorey from Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands, were ine, They've had the car for in a 1960 Moris Minor with a 1300 cc engi two years and other than tightening nuts and bolts the only trouble they had was when the root rack came loose. ‘We had nio choice but to leave the roof rack and two tyres by the roadside!’ Fatherand son Josef and Rene Feit, were driving No. 72, 2 V.W. Cabriolet which was having clute before Wagah. They made it with a slight delay but sadly met ident near Quetta, Pakistan, two days later. Kurt Dicht! with wife Rose was in first place in a:1950 Rolls-Royce silver Dawn. Paul Grogan and Paul Minassian were in a Peugeot 404 —— car that had dominated rallying in ‘Africa during the 50s and 60s. “The drive from Delhi to the border (Wagah) was entertaining. Wrong way ‘down the dual reely, There is no apparent carriage ways, cows walked across the road ft a rit is’, That's India! ich problems just with a fatal acci .¢ in Nainital in his category By 1430.hours mo: ernene were afew stragglers, one was car jo. 51, 'st of Ginnie Obert and Linda Dodwell, both from the USA but driving @ British 1968 Hillman Hunter. ‘Hot, busy, lots of people and een s ay Linda was the driver ‘and is actually in e And so the longest ever matoring allen a ee Sa was il i ind happy t be here. tl o 1 inter ay But be Pedy complened-and eats what rl lay is a new pro} oul tying al ab at 48, tillthen Bon Vova0e- Rallyists! The event finishes in Paris on 0tober 1 ag, Me aeIn the Background: Commentating 133 SK: Is there any way of involving active perception and active participa- tion of the viewers? MA: Through general education, emotion and expression. Knowledge that is national, international, of past and of future, should be shared. SK: Can you tips on covering a game as a commentator? MA; Firstly, don't try to say too many things. If you try it you may have to abort it. Say, if you get into a long narration and the moment to comment on a visual suddenly arrives. Like all good commentators, pause when the bowler is about to bow! because any thing can happen at that time. It can be a wicket. It can be a bowled out. Most good commentators start their discussion around the fourth or fifth wicket. And what if you have just started a discussion and you have to abort it? MA: Don't discard it all together. Pick up the threads later. SK: How fully do you cover the game? MA: Forget the game. Leave it to the camera. For you, the monitor is the key. Because we are talking to the viewers who are watching the TV screen. Your commentary must match the picture on the monitor. SK: And.do you have somebody to direct you? MA: In India, while doing commentary, we don’t have guidance coming from the director or the producer. There is no professional attitude to it or factlties extended for this. But now with ESPN, Star TV, you have these guys sitting with monitors. You hear the director's voice. Also, the floor commentator. You have to answer him too. At that moment. Concentration is the key. But you are still in your natural form despite their-interference. SK: Is it a good idea to invite a lot of people to the screen during the game? MA: In one day cricket, we don’t Invite many people but in five day types, yes, we do. Like board people, officials; Secretary, President of the board — Ask them questions about the set up, the procedure of functions and other things. Especially, when, say, the Director and the Commentator decide that, OK the third day the games dull. So let's invite someone, do it. They can talk about policies, planning, their own life in the sport, and other things. And now before we quit, tell us where lies the Key to success in commentary? In one line. MA: Confidence is the key. The rapport between two people is struck that SI B SI & way. And can confidence be developed? As a matter of fact, how can we St teach our students to commentate? a— 132 Seript to Screen ‘SK: Do you believe in mixing two languages? ‘MA: Yeah! Why not? They do It in South Africa-mixing English and Afri- kaans, Then why not here? SK: Is there any system of distributing work in relation to commentating? ‘MA: Well, you need basically six to eight commentators to do the job. SK: And what about the language? What kind of language should be used for commentafy, considering its incessant nature? MA: Itis got to-be simple, easy to understand. No high-flown vocabulary. The viewership is very large for television compared to cinema. You are catering to people across classes. Educate the masses in the language they understand, Besides, you have to be precise with words, ‘SK: And what about the tone of delivery? : A tone that suits the moment. You know, Tony Greig gets very ex- cited when he is commentating. Gavaskar and Shastri remain nor- mal. They say it ina normal tone. The best is to retain your own style. It's individualistic. SK: It must be quite difficult not to betray your emotions in your tone! MA: Yeah... Like when you are playing Pakistan, emotions come. What- ever you are doing with them, emotions surface. But they shouldn't. | know they shouldn't. SK: What type of information should a commentator give about a hap- pening or a person ora setting? MA: See if you are doing the commentary, you don't have to go from ball to ball. You can bring in your expertise in commentating on the bowler’s stance. You can be sharing the excitement of the game. For instance, when one of them plays a stroke and something hap- pens, you can recall your own days and relate that to the present. And this you can do only if you have been keen on the game. See, commentary is something where you have to be very sharp — because pictures are fleeting and you must be quick to comment on. them, SK: And how can we pep up a dull game? MA: if the game is boring, you can tell stories about other cricketers (Laughs). SK: How should it be done in an artful manner? | MA; Artful?... umm you must give the exact picture. You are not a repre- sentative of any particular side. True sportsman spirit shauld pre- dominate all instincts — to enjoy the game and enthuse the viewers with it. So if the opponent team has given a good shot... say it in the same spirit. eee eeScript to Screen MA: By making them commentate on the game and leaving out the other part — that of the experts’ commentary. For teaching to commentate Give them a point and the line of discussion Ask a professional to give a demonstration Tape it, analyse it and commentate on subjects such as the whether only when needed, ; Don't say ‘how beautiful the flowers are’. But say, ‘the clouds are orto dark, Could the game get disrupted-if the clouds decide’ to melt’. SK: Thank you, Amarnathji for sharing your views with our students. Bye, and all the very best. MA: Bye, Thanks! LE . Mohinder Amarnath finds giving commentary 4 good experience be- cause a) firstly, b) secondly, 2 Giving commentary for TV is challenging as a) ) 2 Illustrate with an example the significance of showing a segment of the game in slow motion. * |. What is more malleable —the visual or the spoken word? State why. a What determines a commentator’s choice of language(s)? 2 Mention at least four essential characteristics of the language used in commentary. Why does a commentator need to observe the four characteristics mentioned above? he 8. “People here (in. Pakistan) have been very good to us so far. | would Suggest to them not to get too excited and to enjoy the match. LetIn the Backgrou ormmentating 135 them treat this as a October 1997), Why do you think Sachin Tendulkar made this statement? game and nothing else’ (Sunday Pioneer, 5 7 9. What type of inforrnation should a commentator be providing during agame? a) b) °) 10. ‘Pictures have a fleeting momentum.’ Comment. 14. How can the commentator invoke active participation of the viewers? 42. Mohinder Amarnath emphasizes sportsman’s spirit during the game: ‘What do you understand by it? 13. Why do most commentators start their discussion around the fourth or fifth wicket? 44, What all is the commentator concentrating on while giving the com- mentary? a) b) °) 15. Who are invited to be a part of panel during the game and why so? References Hagerman, WL., Broadcast Announcing, Prentice-Hall Inc., New Jersey, 1998. Beilak, Mark, Television Production Today, National Text Book Company, ilinois, 1996. Hitchcock, John R,, Sportscasting, Vincennes University, Butterworth Heinmann, 1991. Parthasarathy, R., Here is the News, Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 1994. Yorke, L, Television News, Focal Press, London, 1995. Series on various sports, Take Up Sport, Learners Press, New Delhi.