Workshop Films/Output

 Workshop films/output (throughout the unit, update and expand every week) 

Workshop 1 – Intro to Gear  

 

For this workshop, we set up the cameras in a three-camera fixed set-up with a wide shot and two single shots. There was also a fourth camera which was ‘floating’ and picking up other elements which may have been handy to have e.g., close-ups of hands. These cameras were connected to a vision mixer using fibre cables and everyone took turns trying out multiple roles. Many of these roles were new to us so it provided a good opportunity to try out roles we would later have to apply for in the production.  

 

I trialled the role of director and camera operator. Multi-camera directors are the heart of a large studio production and are responsible for the feel of the programme. They are in the gallery in front of loads of monitors and run the programme from the moment it goes live until it is off the air (ScreenSkills A, n.d.). They work closely with the vision mixer whom they instruct to cut the shots, the vision mixers cut between the different pictures available in real-time (ScreenSkills B, n.d.). I found directing to be more challenging as it was hard to watch what was happening on each screen and direct the vision mixer to cut the images while thinking of what shot to queue next. I think this role would be made easier if there was a rough script to follow but as this workshop was free-flow, we did not have this. I found being a camera operator easier as the camera was fixed and I just had to follow the action happening on screen, it was hard to know when your camera was ‘live’ therefore it was hard to judge when to keep the camera still and stop adjusting the focus/zoom. I know for the live show the indication of what camera is Live will be clearer. We did learn the importance of having each camera with a feed to the vision mixer needing the same settings as each other as this affected the whole look of the feed between different cameras and to maintain continuity all cameras should use the same settings.  

 

 

Trialling out this 3-camera set-up was helpful when planning our pitch as we were able to create floor plans of our desired set-up after taking part in this workshop, it helped us understand the viability of the set-up we were using and see how appropriate it was for the show we were planning. The workshop worked as a good taster session for the other roles we were able to apply for and gave me an idea of what roles I would have liked if we did not win the pitch.  

 

 

References  

 

ScreenSkills A (n.d.)A. Multi-camera director. [online] ScreenSkills. Available at: https://www.screenskills.com/job-profiles/browse/unscripted-tv/editorial/multi-camera-director/#:~:text=They%20are%20responsible%20for%20the  [Accessed 2 Feb. 2023]. 

 

ScreenSkills B (n.d.). Vision mixer in the unscripted TV industry. [online] ScreenSkills. Available at: https://www.screenskills.com/job-profiles/browse/unscripted-tv/editorial/vision-mixer/#:~:text=What%20does%20a%20vision%20mixer  [Accessed 2 Feb. 2023]. 

Workshop 2 – Gear Set-Up and Role Trial  

 

For this workshop, we took the gear down to the screen dock and began doing an in-depth set-up of all the equipment. This is beneficial as we will need to be able to set up all the equipment in preparation for the production in studio two. This also helped us to learn more in-depth stuff about the BlackMagic cameras and how they should be rigged for studio use. This included properly setting up the tripod for the weight which would be applied by the camera and how to balance the camera on the tripod to make use of the counterbalance the tripod provides. The counterbalance is an important aspect to get right as this allows the camera to move in a smooth way without the camera tilting backwards or forwards massively when untouched. Due to the weight limit of the tripod and the total weight of the camera (once completely rigged with all gear) the counterbalance is not functional to the best of its ability, but it helped make the movements of the cameras more fluid. Counterbalance provides a counterforce to keep the balance between the tripod head and the camera that is mounted on it. If the right counterbalance is maintained, the camera remains stationary at any angle of tilt (Libec, n.d.). We also covered the type of focus the camera uses and how the colour balance differs between the built-in screen and the external monitor. This was important to note as the display on the monitor is not what is communicated to the gallery, so it is something to be conscious of on the day.  

 

We then decided to use a two-camera set-up and practice creating a live broadcast of two people playing a game etc. This involved the group splitting in two and having one group work on the floor and one group work in the gallery. We later swapped around, and this gave everyone the opportunity to try every role on the day of the production. I found this to be very beneficial as I got to try out roles I will not be doing on the day, and I could understand my crew’s roles more, so I know what is needed from them. This is important for a producer to know as I will have to communicate with all members of my team, and I can do this more effectively if I know what their role is. We were also able to practice communicating with the whole crew over coms which is something new to everyone, this involved learning the correct ‘language’ so communication was quick, clear and efficient. The coms communications are an important aspect of Live TV which will be influential in the success of the show so getting to know the type of communication early will set the crew up for a successful production. It was interesting to learn how important communication from the gallery is to the crew on the floor. Having good communication is vital on set as it keeps everyone informed and on their mark. Positive and pro-active communication makes the difference between a positive and negative experience (Rothstein, 2021).  

 

I think this helped clarify all the roles and remove some of the dread felt by the team who have roles they have not previously done. If I were not the producer, I think I would enjoy the role of floor manager. I also enjoyed the role of script supervisor/PA in the gallery which I will be doing in preparation for the production, this is something I was nervous to do but after today’s workshop I feel much better going into this role. We will have more in-depth workshops in all these roles in the future to better prepare us for the production but today was a good taster session.  

 

 

 

Reference  

 

Libec (n.d.). Libec | RS PLUS Counterbalance. [online] www.libec-global.com. Available at: https://www.libec-global.com/products/rsp/counter.html#:~:text=The%20counterbalancing%20function%20provides%20a  [Accessed 2 Feb. 2023]. 

 

Rothstein, A. (2021). The Importance of Communication on a Film Set. [online] IPR. Available at: https://www.ipr.edu/blogs/film-and-sound-design-2/the-importance-of-communication-on-a-film-set/  [Accessed 2 Feb. 2023]. 

 

 

Workshop 3 – Role Practice and Segment Trial 

 

This workshop included us re-setting up the gear we had to de-rig from the last workshop and trialling out some of our planned segments to see how they would look on screen. This workshop worked in a similar way to the previous one and involved everyone moving between roles and trialling different responsibilities on set and in the gallery. This is beneficial as it gives everyone the opportunity to understand the responsibilities of others and become well-skilled in all aspects of Live TV.  

 

I found this workshop to be particularly beneficial as we used a three-camera set up which is different from before we only used two cameras. As the production uses a three-camera set-up it was good for everyone to practice either directing, vision mixing, managing etc. three cameras as this is quite a jump from two cameras. I found this to make vision mixing much harder as there was more choice for the director and more buttons to be aware of e.g., what camera to preview/broadcast.  

 

We also trialled out some segments of our show that we wanted to play out on screen and see how they land. These included AITA and unpopular opinions. It is important that we use workshops as valuable rehearsal time. In Live TV there are three key stages of rehearsals which are often referred to as the block-through, the stagger-through and the run-through. The block-through stage provides invaluable time to work out camera angles and moves with the crew, and mark locations for presenters, actors, or contributors (Brown and Duthie, 2019). The stage we’re at now is prior to the block-through stage but it is giving good insight which will help up when we reach this stage and begin working with talent. From this, we were able to decide that the segments work in terms of length. One of our concerns prior to this was that it would be hard for the hosts to talk about certain things for long periods of time, but this proved us wrong. However, they will need to be altered to make them visually engaging. Instead of having two people sitting and talking which very quickly became boring. It was beneficial to discover this early on as we can adjust the segments before too much has been invested into them. As the producer of this project, it is important that the other producer and I find ways to make these segments visually engaging, fun and unique to our show; we are aware there are ideas/popular trends which have been done before (some in abundance) so we need to find ways to put our own stamp on them. As we move further into the pre-production process and the script begins to form, I think it will be beneficial to trial the segments out in full during future workshops to ensure that it is engaging and lands properly. 

 

 

References 

 

Brown, L. and Duthie, L. (2019). The TV studio production handbook. London; New York: Bloomsbury Academic. 

 

 

 

Kevin Price – Sound Workshop  

 

Today we had a workshop with Kevin Price, a retired sound engineer with a wealth of experience. He was brought in to discuss the importance of sound in production and how different departments work together to make the sound run smoothly and efficiently. For example, how the directors will work alongside the sound engineers on shows involving live bands etc. He stressed the importance of communication between all departments to produce a successful show. He then introduced us to the Struder board, which controls the sound levels for the whole show including the mics etc. He taught us the basics of the software and how to link certain inputs to specific faders on the board to control them. Once we understood the software more, we were able to begin learning how to create groups which allowed multiple audio channels to be linked to one fader. This will be beneficial for our show as we will be using four mics to pick up audience interaction and it will be easier for the sound operator to control the levels through one fader instead of four faders, this will ensure the levels are consistent with one another throughout. We also learnt how to link the faders to the master fader, ensuring the sound goes to broadcast when controlled by the sound operator. It is important that the faders are linked to the correct master fader (on the Struder board there are two master faders labelled M1 and M2) and if linked to the wrong one the sound will not go to broadcast. We also discussed the importance of keeping the sound levels at an acceptable amount for TV broadcasts as anything over 6 is far too loud for the audience.  

 

Kevin also introduced us to the grams board, this is where all the sound effects and music is loaded, edited, and queued ready to be broadcast. We were taught how to load different effects and music onto the software and then explored the software more to discover how to edit the music. For example, you can shorten or loop the sounds and add fades to ease the sound out. There are also ways to control other elements such as stopping all sounds when playing another or queueing sounds for them to play next. This board works in a similar way with faders and master faders, the fader must be linked to master fader 1 to be sent to the Struder board and then sent to broadcast by the sound operator. The grams board and Struder board work together, in essence, the grams board loads up and edits the sounds and the Studer board sends those sounds to broadcast. The grams board controller can use the PFL (pre-fade load) to edit the sounds which prevent the sound operator from being able to hear the sounds while they are being edited. It also avoids them from sending it to broadcast before it’s ready as the sound is pre the fade rather than on the fader. 

This was an important workshop for me to attend not only as someone who is interested in sound but also as a producer. This has helped me understand the role of sound operator and the technicalities behind it. Previously, I was unaware that the sound effects were controlled by the grams board, not the Struder board. I will be able to use all this information to my advantage when writing the script as I have a better understanding of what would be easier for the sound operators. I am also taking on the role of grams operator, meaning I will have to work closely with the sound operator to queue the correct sound effects and music ready for broadcast and this workshop prepared me well for this.  

 

 

Intro blocking and practice – Farnham Crew  

 

Today we had 5 new members of the crew join us from the Farnham campus to get some experience in live productions and have practice on the kit. As a small crew, it was nice to have extra pairs of hands to help and share our skills with them. As a producer it was important that I welcomed these new members to the crew and made them feel welcomed, I had to set the standard as other crew members will look up to the producer and act in a similar way.  

 

This was our first opportunity to use a draft script and rehearse specific items. We chose to run items 1 through to 5. This involved the intro graphic, show intro, celebrity gossip and hot or not. We decided to run these in order and to time. This allowed me as script supervisor to see how the timings would play out and if the planned timings are realistic, as I am also writing the script, I can keep this in mind when making future drafts. I did find that some segments will need to be longer to allow more time for the presenters to introduce things. This was the first opportunity for us to block the scenes and work out the logistics e.g., where the cameras will be and how the ‘presenters’ will move around the ‘set’. We were also able to discuss how certain aspects should be framed e.g., with room left for on-screen graphics to appear. These are all things that will be implemented in our show. This was also our first-time incorporating graphics and VT’s into a rehearsal so provided a really good opportunity for the graphics and VT operators to trial their roles. This also meant we could see how the graphics will look on screen and if we liked them (they looked great!).   

 

One of the most beneficial parts of this workshop was giving the crew the opportunity to work in their dominant role and begin practising their skills. It is becoming clear what departments should be communicating with one another and how they should be communicating. These skills are fundamental for a successful show so improving them early on will set us up for success. We also managed to swap roles, this allowed people to understand the roles of others and how they work, giving insight into the best way to communicate with them to allow them to complete their roles efficiently. Having the ability to teach the Farnham students our roles also helped to see if we understand what is expected of us and if we are doing it correctly.  

 

 

 

 

 

Sarah Newton – Script Development and Supervision 

 

Sarah Newton is a professional script supervisor who works on live shows and ensures they run to time to avoid being taken off air before the show has finished. She also often completes a lot of additional paperwork e.g., time sheets, progress reports and edit notes (for As-live shows). The role involves sitting in the gallery beside the director during the live production and counting bars/beats to ensure the show runs to schedule, this includes ensuring the show begins and ends on time. During pre-production, the script supervisors work closely with the producers to finalise the running order (ScreenSkills, n.d.).   

 

Sarah joined us for two different workshops. She began by discussing her role in the industry and the importance of it. She then sat alongside myself, Hollie and Callum to discuss the early developments of the project, this included discussing the running order, proposed timings (which we knew were subject to change) and the correct script format to use for live TV.  As I was tasked with writing the script I found this workshop to be very beneficial.  

 

Some of the main things discussed in this workshop were how to label each item, how to correctly add sound cues, graphics and VTs etc. At this early stage, we also had commercial breaks, so we discussed how it was important to have show bumpers to re-introduce and identify the show before returning to the studio.  

 

After this workshop, it was down to me to write and draft the script. I kept Sarah up to date with new script drafts as each one developed, so she was kept in the loop. Before the show she took time to complete a timesheet, this is where she tested the timings of each segment alongside the allocated time I had given them, this meant that we could see which segments may overrun and which may run short.  

 

Sarah also came in for RX and TX day to assist me in supervising the script. She taught me the professional language I should be using and how I should be working to aid the work of the director and the rest of the crew. She echoed the importance of my role in keeping the show on track and to time, ensuring all cues are met and the floor manager knows when to direct the cast to slow down or speed up.  

 

She also taught me that I should be giving regular counts throughout each segment to alert the crew of how long was left and give regular counts out of items and VTs. I also had to make sure I was counting to what was coming next as this helped all other departments stand by for the director’s call.  

 

During the live show, she was helpful at keeping me and the show on time, providing help when I needed to re-allocate time to other sections. For example, before the live show, we looked over the script and running order and selected points at which I wanted the show to be on time so we worked to those points gradually. The method Sarah taught me was much easier than the method I was using previously in rehearsals so having her aid me was very beneficial.  

 

 

Reference List  

 

ScreenSkills (n.d.). Script supervisor in the unscripted TV industry. [online] ScreenSkills. Available at: https://www.screenskills.com/job-profiles/browse/unscripted-tv/production-managment/script-supervisor-unscripted-tv/  [Accessed 1 Feb. 2023]. 

 

 

 

 

Del Brown Workshops  

 

Del Brown is a professional live director and vision mixer. He was brought in for 6 days to do intense workshops with us to prepare us for our live show. He began by doing a script breakdown with the whole crew, we discussed the script, its order, the timings, set locations and any blocking we had completed so far. This was important to get him on the same page as us as well as ensure all crew were also on the same page. This also helped us highlight any logistical problems we may encounter later on in the blocking process.  

 

The first few sessions with Del consisted of block-throughs. This is the first key stage of the rehearsal process. During this stage there was time to work out camera angles, mark locations for presenters (Brown and Duthie, 2019). The director played a huge role at this stage and as a producer, I was thinking about the editorial aspects of how this may look.  

 

After we had blocked the script as much as possible, we decided to begin the stager-through stage with stand-ins. This involved a lot of stopping and starting while the stand-ins went over the script and camera operators work on adjusting their positions. At this stage the director and I were in the gallery communicating with the studio floor via the talkback system. This allowed us to see how the show would look on screen. At this point the floor manager was in charge of the studio floor and ensuring everything ran smoothly. Including all cast knew where they needed to be and props were in the correct place.  

 

During this stage, there were many changes made to the script. The running order was re-worked multiple times to find the best order, our aim was to differentiate segments beside one another while also keeping high energy in the studio and show. This also allowed us to make the camera operator’s movements easier. It was also decided here that we would remove commercial breaks as this dropped the energy of the show, instead, we made verbal references to the products in the script as this made more sense, we were then only ‘leaving’ the studio for 15-20 seconds at a time to allow for set movements and prop changes. We also decided to split the large 5-minute VT into two different VTs one 2 minutes and another 3 minutes. This was also to break up the show a bit more and keep high energy in the studio. We were conscious that if the energy dropped the energy of the presenters would also drop and this would affect the tone we wanted. This also tactically allowed us more time for set changes.  

 

The timings of some segments were also changed as we needed to allow more time for other segments. We noticed some segments could use less time as the interaction between the cast was falling flat. Therefore, shortened these segments and added time onto segments which had a lot of energy. There was a lot of dialogue which was re-written e.g., the introduction, this was because it felt inauthentic when read aloud. The cast also suggested there were words they would say in place of the dialogue on the script therefore there were some changes to make the cast feel more comfortable and natural when delivering dialogue.  

 

For the stagger-through stage, we used stand-ins in place of the cast to make sure they didn’t get bored with the content. When blocking we used tape on the floor to make note of where cameras needed to reposition and where talent needed to stand. This made it much easier as we moved into the run-through stage with the cast as we could direct them were to stand which saved a lot of time.  

 

Once the set was built this also changed some of the blocking as we had to consider the fall off of the set and ensure that the camera angles did not show any of the surrounding studio. We did this to keep the look and feel of the show. 

 

The run-through stage is the final stage of rehearsals. We managed to do 2 days of complete run-throughs with the cast before the live show. This is the last opportunity to ensure everyone knows what they are doing and that the show is the correct length. These rehearsals see the show played out without any stops (Brown and Duthie, 2019). It was my job here as the script supervisor to be responsible for the timings and get each rehearsal as close to 30 minutes as possible. Any necessary changes that are required are made here.  

 

The floor manager was flourishing, making sure all cues were met, set changes and prop additions happened within the allocated time slot during VTs. The cast was well looked after and the crew knew what they were supposed to do and when. He ensured the floor ran smoothy.  

 

The sound department (sound mixer and grams operator) were struggling to meet their cues which did affect some of the rehearsals as the floor and cast did not hear the sound cue to progress onto the next segment. I provided help for them with this by getting them a copy of the script to mark-up instead of a running order and clearly explaining to them what sounds are needed and when, what type of ‘out lines’ they were looking for to prompt the next cue.  

 

There was also some work needed on the VTs as the sound levels weren’t consistent. Graphics also had to be added to make the VT more engaging. After discussions the large VT had to be split into 2, this also took time and meant that the edit changed slightly.  

 

 

 

Reference List  

 

Brown, L. and Duthie, L. (2019). The TV studio production handbook. London; New York: Bloomsbury Academic.