Technique in Presenting a Tv Heat Demonstration

59. TECHNIQUE IN PRESENTIIVG A TY NEAT DEMONSTRATION

Presenting a meat demonstration on television is the summation of many principles that we learn to use and apply over a period of time. The TV novice usually needs help, even though he may previously have conducted many meat demonstrations. As Mr.oCullen pointed out, there is a great deal of difference between a TV meat demonstration and a demonstration for a live audience. By asking for constructive criticism many invaluable suggestions will be passed on to you by the station personnel whereby you can constantly improve your demonstration.

To set forth a few basic principles to help 5erve as a guide, let us first remember that our purpose is educational. Television is a wonderful means of education since it supplies visual as well as auditory stimulus. Using it properly in an educational manner, based on educational principles, we can do much to help the consumer understand and appreciate the meat industry and what it means to him and to her.

Television is different. It differs from movies in that it is not "perfection." By that I mean, it does not carry all the "finesse" of a movie production, Finish is called for, but it allows for informality. Used properly this gives a "homey" touch found highly desirable. On this type of program you "visit with" rather than "talk to." Television differs from radio in a number of respects. On a radio broadcast you might talk about the desirable qualities of a beef rib. On television you have a beef rib and point them out. Television is a more complete medium of education, but by the same token it requires more time and effort in the shape of advance planning, props (equipment) and rehearsals. On radio, one's personality is conveyed by voice, while on TV a smile goes a long way. Director and emcee. All shows have a director, and most shows have an emcee. Without an emcee you may have to carry the program yourself. Before the show the director (and emcee) will want to know:

1. What cuts of meat you plan to use 2. The timing for each cut 3. The movement of each cut. (This may involve a dress rehearsal in which case you will need a double supply of meat. ) 4. The use you plan to make of visual. aids

You will want to know:

1. Who is going to appear on the program with you 2. Amount of time available 3. Number, length and position of commercials in the program A chest showing the timing for each phase of the program is desirable. It may be written on a blackboard, hanging large sheet of paper, or a card laid on the demonstration table. You can thus check your schedule occasionally to see how you are doing aa far 86 timing is concerned. 60.

Floor director. In the studio at the time of the telecast there is usually a floor director.- His purpose is to direct movements, indicate rlliver'camera and pass on to the participants the Instructions of the director in the control room. Near the end of the program he will indicate the time remaining usually by holding up five fingers for five minutes, two fingers for two minutes, etc. If It is necessary to "speed up" he will indicate this by doubled fists retating in circles about one another, or in some other similar manner. The "stretch" cue, showing more time available, is done by bringing the palms of the hands together and then extending the &rma in opposite directiono. It can also be done in a manner similar to picking cotton; i.e., the pinching of the fingers together in front of the body and then moving the arm to one side. The half-minute cue is a bent finger or the forefingsrs crossed. The "cut" cue indicating the end, is done by bringing the opened hand acrosa the neck or twisting tho doubled fist.

Cameras. Facilities avallable govern the number of cameras used, If one standard camera is used, there will be a continuous picture all through the show and the camera will "dolly in" and "dolly out" for closeup and cover (lone;) shots. If two cameras me used, one will generally do the close-up shots and the other the "cover" shots. If an Electro-lens, Zoomar, or Zooker camera is used, it will take a continuous picture but it will not be necessary for the cameraman to "dollytf since the lens extends and retracts automatically in taking the shots. On all TV cameras there are small lights either on the front or top to indicate which one is being used in transmission of the picture.

While still talking about cameras, it may be wise to make this statement. The cameraman can make or break a show, so it is advisable to work cooperatively with him at dl times. On the air, While you axe on the air remember this -- %e a real person." Pure rote dissertation is sensed by the viewer and will not be as effective as spea2cing in a conversational manner,

In the "cover", l'fillTf,or "long" shots talk to the camera. You will not be neglecting the emcee since the only time you will be looking at him, or her, will be at the time of introduction or questioning. Remember the "live" camera is indicated by the small light located in it.

When the picture is being taken in a close-up you are working in a restricted area. The size of the area will depend on the lens used and you may determine the area by viewing the monitor (TV receiver for studio use) set. The location of this set will vary from station to station, but by viewing It you can see the area covered and also determine your movements. In order to make tho program as effective as possible you will be "cutting for the camera" and not for your own comfort or ease. By this I mean the cut, movement or characteristic being shown is exposed to the camera. In the demonstration to follow I will try to explain this particulm TV technique.

The use of slow, precise movements adds to the eaae aEd effective- ness of the program. This means you must know definitely the movements you wish to make so that the cut is rron'r camera st all times. The meat should 61. not be moved out of range of the camera. It also means that excessive movement of the cut itself is not desired; reduce all movements to a minimum and always keep the desired side towards the camera,

The demonstration I am going to give you is an example of the programs the National Live Stock and Meat Board has been conducting across the United States. I hope that I shall be able to leave with you some ideas which you can use to advantage in conducting TV meat programs in your own states.

Meat charts. In its program to show consumers how they themselves are largely responsible for the retail prices of the different cuts of meat, the Board uses charts of beef, pork and lamb marked off to show the less- demanded and the populaz cuts. In beef, homemakers want rib roasts, loin steaks and center cut round stealrs. The demand in pork is for center cut loin chops, center ham slices, breakfast bacon and spareribs. In lamb, the consumers ask for rib and loin chops and legs of lamb. By bidding against one another the homemakers boost the price of the popular cuts, while lower price tags are put on the less-demanded cuts to make them sell.

Pork loin. The pork loin provides an excellsnt example of the way consumer demand influemes retail meat prices. In most retail markets the loin is separated into three sections: (1) blade loin roast, (2) center cut chops and (3) sirloin roast. Consumers want the center cut chops 60 they are priced accordingly. The sirloin roast, which may be cut into desirable chops or used for a roast usually sells for from 104 to 204 a pound less than the center section. The blade lain roast frequently retails at about one-half the price of center chops, although only the thickness of a knife separates the two pieces.

Two meals from the blade loin roast. The retailer saws across the ribs parallel with the chine bone to looser1 the backbone so the blade loin roast will be easier to carve. Starting at this point the homemaker can make from this roast two delicious meals for a family of four persons. The first step is to remove the backbone, leaving from 1/2" to 3/4" of meat on this bone. Next, the rib bones are removed, leaving a cover of about 3/4" of meat on these bones. The blade bone is also lifted from the eye muscle. The meaty backbone, rib bones and blade bone may be used for one meal as Country Style Backbones. This leaves the boneless eye muscle which can be cut into boneless pork tenerettes for braising for that taste-tempting second me&.

Sirloin roast. The sirloin roast can be made into an easy-to-carve boneless roast. To do so, loosen the tenderloin and cut through the slip joint, separating the baclfbone frcm the hip bone. Remove these two bones, then roll the meat back into position and tie it with 2 or 3 strings. To make three or four meals, two sirloin roasts are used. The two pieces of tenderloin will make one meal. The bones will make a second meal. Reverse the ends and tie the two boneless loin strips together for an easily carved roast, which will make hot roast pork for one meal and cold sliced roast pork for a second meal.

Rib half or" pork loin. The rib half of the pork loin is often sold at the same price as the whole loin. Two or three meals for a family of four can be made by separating the rib end frm the center section, then loosen Use the blade the backbone by sawing across the rib bones of both roasts. end piece for roasting. Remove the backbone and cut the center section into 62.

thick rib chops, putting pockets in them for stuffing, or double the number of chops by cutting them half as thick. Butterfly chops. To make buttarfly pork chops remove the bones from the pork loin, then cut two chops leaving them hingad together with a mn layer of meat so they will open up like a book. These chops may be cut any desired thickness and pockets may be made in them for stuffing. Sixth and seventh beef ribs. The sixth and seventh ribs of beef can be made into three meals. First, with the chuck side towards the camera, saw across the rib bones about threelinches below the chine bone. Pull on . this bone to separate, along the natural seam, the inside and outside muscles. From the outside muscle remove the rib bones. Then cut under the blade bone to remove this bone and the meat attached to it. The meat from around the ribs and over the blade bone, as well as the meat from the backbone, can be used for either stew or ground meat. Roll the outside muscle lengthwise into an easily carved pot-roast. Fasten it with two or three skewers or tic it with string. Remove the rib eye and cut it into two thick steaks or three or four thinner individual steaks for broiling or panbroil- ing. In summary, here are the three delicious meals from the 6th and 7th beef ribs: (1) a boneless pot-roast, (2) steaks for broiling and (3) boneless meat for stewing or grinding.

Easty-to-came stariding rib roast. The remaining five ribs can be made into an easy-to-came standing rib roast by sawing across the rib bones about one inch fram tho rib eye. Take off the short rib section in one piece. Remove a thin layer of fat and lean from the outside of the short ribs by cutting through the middle of the lean section. Save this layer of fat and lean for the rib roast. Now saw across the ribs so the backbone can be separated from the rib roast. Pull out the back strap. Having exposed the lean area of the rib eye, cover it with the layer of fat and lean removed from the short ribs. Sew or tie to hold it in place, This makes an easy-to-came standing rib roast and leaves the short ribs for a delicious second meal. Potential demonstrations. There are any number of demonstrations that can be made with the different cuts of meat which will be informative and interesting to the homemaker. For example, loin and rib pork chops, or, sirloin, porterhouse arid T-bone steaks can be compared, the differences noted, then they could be located charts with the yields given to show and on The possibili- that meat carcasses are not all center cut chops and steaks. ties for meat programs we unlimited. By using your ingenuity you can develop many well planned programs, or a series of programs, for your local TV stations, You can thus carry the story of meat to the consumer for a better understanding and greater appreciation of the meat dish in the American home.

MR. FRANCIONI: I hope that those of you who have never attempted extension work won't fail to realize that, although you are teaching, you can work in close cooperation with your extension workers and get a lot of good work done in your states. 63.

I think if I wsre asked to summarize what ha6 been said and demonstrated this afternoon, I would say, "The opportunity is yours, It is up to you. Prepare your program. Know what you want to do. Do it well. Develop salesmanship. Practice showmanship. Discover how much good there is in one-syllable vords. MR. HECK: I should like to ask Mr. Cullen how his program fits into the self-service programs in the large super markets that are merchandising meat on a self-service, prepackaged basis, This, as I understand it, is for the oldtime meat market where there is a man back of the counter who can do it.

MR, CULLEN: We have a preview meeting on Monday night for the retailers. We go into the town and put on this series of demonstrations on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. We knew that question would come up. Women would want to buy these cuts. So we have had preview meetings for retailers in each of the 24 cities we have gone into. Of course, these cuts are ideal for self-service.

MR. FRANCIONI: Max, isn't it possible to get thorn to run little advertisements saying, 'We will have ready for the public what you are going to see on TV tonight?"

MR. CULLEN: Yes, but it is a little difficult. We did not get as much support from the retailers as we had anticipated. We prepared some announcements for them to use in their ads and some of them did. We made a mistake in the art work. Also some of the plugs were too long. It costs about $4,000 or $5,000 a page and it does not take much space to run into $50. If we prepare only a few lines, the retailers will use them a lot more.

PROFESSOR BULL: I should like to ask these speakers what to do when the studio clock is a minute slow.

MR. CULLEN: I think what you should do is watch the floor director's hand, Usually when you have three minutes to go they hold up three fingers, then one finger when you have one minute, and when they double their fingers you know you have thirty seconds left.

MR. FRAWCIONI: Mr. Ring amtionad a while ago about watching the camera. They told me to watch the red light on the camera. Whcn it goes on, you are on, ad when it goes off, you are off.

MR, RING: That indicates which camera is being used. MR. F'RANCIONI: I think we ha-fe to learn to be natural. Too many attempt to be someone else. You carinot learr overnight to be an actor.

MR. CUUEN: Forget about the thousands of people who are looking at you and just think &out the one or two people you are talking about and just talk to them,

CHAIRIW COLE: Mr. Francioni, I think you did very well as a substitute for a substitute. 64.

I anticipated this being a very interesting and quite educational program, and I an not too ashamed of you, Mr, Francioni, for running over about 25 minutes,

This next report is that of the Lamb Carcass Committee whose chairman is Jim Kemp of Kentuc2ry. Jim is in the spring lamb area where they produce a lot of good lambs. MR. KBlP: In making up the material which we will present we wrote to those that we thought were doing lamb work for suggestions on measuring and cutting lamb carcasses. We learned that only four or five institutions are doing experimental work with lamb. Institutions differ in their methods of cutting. Very few are doing any measuring, and some expressed the thought that they didn't think much of measurements away. At the last Conference we adopted a method of cutting lardb, but we stipulated that a more definite point of separation of the breast and flank from the rack, loin and shoulder be investigated. Mr. Galloway of Michigan State College, is going to read the method of cutting as it was revised from last year.

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