THE PRO-FILE

ANDI LEW - THE ROAD TO PRESENTING (PART TWO) In Part One of this interview Andi discussed the routine of the job. Part Two explores the actual detail of how it happens. Andi is now fronting a segment on real estate for ‘MW’ where she interviews estate agents and mortgage experts and where her pieces to camera are largely scripted but she started out doing a segment called ‘Shopping for Love’ which involved much adlibbing.

Andi: In “Shopping for Love” there were certain parts that were scripted and then there were other parts that were totally spontaneous. My field producer was also the executive producer of the show … he knew exactly what he wanted because it was his baby, and I was just driving it … making it happen …

Richard: So what sorts of things was he saying?

Andi: Well, when you are in the moment with the contestants and your with their emotion you are working hard at keeping them relaxed and talking and its very easy to forget the rules of the game. For example, they have an SMS question they can ask. And also, they had to achieve certain things in a specific time frame so the producer might be in the background saying “Two minutes to go” or “SMS question” … that sort of thing. So I might be in the middle of saying “What do you want to choose? Do you remember his style?” and then I’ll add, “And don’t forget if you can’t remember you can ask him an SMS question right now.”

Richard: So he’s giving you a hand to keep story moving. To keep things happening?

Andi: Yes, yes. Exactly. As the producer he sees the big picture whereas I’m mainly in the moment. Its good to have someone on location like that to take control for you. I understand that in some life style shows the presenters produce themselves. But I don’t think that could work in a game show like “Shopping for Love”. You do need a producer to remind you of the time and that sort of stuff. You are under the clock.

Richard: So you are juggling those two balls. You are working with your interviewee but keeping an eye on what your producer wants.

Andi: And that was easy for me to do because of my experience with Melbourne Storm. When I was working as a 'round the ground' reporter for the Melbourne Storm I had a live feed to camera … I had an ear piece with a guy in the van yelling out all the time, “Fantastic! Do the birthdays now or move on to the next one” and that’s to just keep it flowing – to keep the story moving. So I was quite used to that sort of thing.

Richard: So with the Melbourne Storm you were doing it live at the ground and being put up on the big screen at the same time?

Andi: And that was excellent practice. You don’t realize it at the time but everything leads you on. Radio led to that and that led to this.

Richard: How did you get the job with Melbourne Storm?

Andi: There was an audition call that was put out to radio announcers. My boss submitted me. They originally wanted a man and I thought, “Why couldn’t it be a woman?” And I was the only woman that rocked up to the interview. They traditionally had always have a male reporter. They called him Danny Boy. They used that as his theme song … “Danny Boy”. But I said, “Why does it have to be that? Why couldn’t you have a woman?” And they said, “That’s actually very interesting. We just hadn’t thought about it.” So, I suggested they have a change. In the end they couldn’t decide between me and this other guy so that year they hired us both. They created a role for me. The budget wasn’t as big. So then the next year they dropped him and just hired me on my own. So they eventually did have just a female. But I had to prove myself to them in my first year.

Richard: And how did you get into radio?

Andi: I was acting and there wasn’t much work. And my agent said why don’t you put together a voice over tape – a demo. In those days it was a tape not a CD. I went and did some work experience and some freebees at KISS FM and at all the community radio stations. And then, because it was reasonable quality, community radio put something together for me on a tape. I sent that off to various radio stations, particularly TTFM which is now MIX.

I actually rang them about once a week. Until they finally decided to give me a job. Originally I was hounding the producer who makes commercials and he finally said to me, “Why don’t you work on a street team.”

So, I got in by driving around the streets giving away free stuff and doing live crosses. That built my confidence and I then did vox-pops and worked on The Australian Open. I taught myself how to panel by working with other exceptional DJs like Simon Diaz and Cory Leighton (who now produces Nova Brekky). The programme director had said to me, “Go and hang out with geniuses they’ll teach you to panel – teach yourself. And then what you need to do, if you want to be employable, is learn to pull your own shift.” So I did a lot of co-hosting. I think I must have been one of the few who hadn’t done radio school who ended up doing weeknights and weekends in good time slots. But I really do owe it to those guys who had the patience to teach me.

Richard: So you learnt on the job?

Andi: That's right.

At this time discussions were already underway for pilots of new shows that Andi might be involved in. The Rehearsal Room will keep in touch and monitor her progress. In Part 3 Andi has some useful tips.