Section 1 The Brief: This is an example of the brief, which we were given at the beginning of this Unit. I was chosen to be the Director for the production of our programme which meant that in order to meet all of sessions for the brief I had to produce a Risk Assessment for the Gallery, a Timed Running Order for the duration of programme and a Camera Script detailing every shot, during the pre production stage. During the runthroughs and recorded performances I was in charge of deciding when to cut from one camera angle to another as well as helping the crewmembers in the gallery with their cues for Graphics, Sound and VT’s. I had to produce both the running order and camera script in order for other crewmembers to create their own versions for their specific roles. Before the production stage began I had to do some research into the types of TV programming, the job roles involved in this field and what the requirements for those job roles was.
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Section 1 The Brief: This is an example of the brief, which we were given at the beginning of this Unit. I was chosen to be the Director for the production of our programme which meant that in order to meet all of sessions for the brief I had to produce a Risk Assessment for the Gallery, a Timed Running Order for the duration of programme and a Camera Script detailing every shot, during the pre-‐production stage. During the run-‐throughs and recorded performances I was in charge of deciding when to cut from one camera angle to another as well as helping the crewmembers in the gallery with their cues for Graphics, Sound and VT’s. I had to produce both the running order and camera script in order for other crewmembers to create their own versions for their specific roles. Before the production stage began I had to do some research into the types of TV programming, the job roles involved in this field and what the requirements for those job roles was.
I think that the final production meets the brief we were set as our target audience was 14 – 20 year olds who I feel would enjoy watching this programme on a weekly basis. Also it mainly deals with British artists and helps to promote the British music scene which was an aspect of the brief, as well as this we came in under the allotted time of 30 minutes, allowing for advertisement breaks and we included interviews, videos and audience interaction all of which were integral elements of the brief. Three were some parts of the programme which I feel we could have done better this would have meant that we fully met the brief, one of which was to include reviews of music videos and songs. We didn’t include this aspect as we the content of the final programme runs to approximately 28 minutes meaning there was no time left to include this without cutting out another segment.
Screen Shot of my Blog
Timed Running Order
I feel that at the start of this Unit we struggled to communicate as well as we needed to, this resulted in crew members being confused about the content of the programme, and what ideas were being used. This meant that some people such as Keren did work which in the end wasn’t used and others had to repeatedly change cues as corrections and addendums were being made to the script. Once we had done the first run-‐through and encountered some of these problems they were fixed almost immediately due to good communication between the people in the Gallery and those in the Studio. After a couple of rehearsals everybody was comfortable in their roles which meant that the show was running smoothly and people, like Amrit and Sukhi, began to experiment with new camera angles and some camera movements to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the show. When all the “bugs” were worked out and people became comfortable within their roles we worked well and were able to produce a magazine show to a near professional standard as per our brief.
Camera Script
Section 2 Self Evaluation: Professional Expectations: In my role as Director I was expected to instruct the rest of the production team throughout the programme, by giving orders, collaborating with other crew members and considering input from all crew members Another duty of my job was ensuring that the footage that the audience views contains sufficient coverage of specific script related issues e.g. one of the presenters or making sure that the background of the set can be seen. I also had to be able to make adjustments to the running order or shot type at short notice in order to produce a programme to a better standard. Meeting the Expectations: I feel that I once I was used to the high stress environment I was able to make cuts that enhanced the feel and look of the programme. Also I think that after some advice from the floor manager Raees I was able to communicate well with the crewmembers in the studio concerning the time left to run, positioning of the cameras and counting them in after each VT. I also think that once I was comfortable within the role I took control of the production e.g. asking the cameras to reframe their shot, ensuring that the VT operator and vision mixer were cued at the correct time so that there wasn’t a black screen for too long. Personal Improvements: Looking back at my performance during this Unit I feel that there were some improvements that I could have made such as getting the pre-‐production paper work done as quickly as possible so that other crew members that needed it, e.g. the camera script, and could finish their own copies sooner giving us time to make adjustments and improvements. Also I feel that I could have improved on working with all the crewmembers within their specific roles such as working closely with the camera operators and floor manager so that both parties know where all of the equipment is going to be placed on the Live Day. Another example of this would be ensuring that I received the completed dialogue script quickly in order to help with the camera positioning, lighting and sound. If I were able to I would try and improve on the directions that I gave to the people in the gallery at the beginning of production including the rehearsals, this would have meant that we would have smoother transitions, sound effects at the right time and graphics that appeared on cue resulting in a better end product.
Difficulties: • During production I found it difficult to keep control of the situation in both the studio and the gallery as I was not used to the role and because I wasn’t giving clear regular instructions others were taking it upon themselves to make decisions, which made my job as director even more difficult at times.
• Another difficulty I faced was that, as the dialogue script took longer than anticipated to complete, I then had to wait before producing the first camera script, which others would then use as a bas for their own versions. This resulted in us being slightly behind schedule. I also found it difficult to deal with situations when people, for what ever reason, didn’t show up to the lessons as at some points I had to make decisions about certain aspects of the programme with out the individual who’s role it was for example the Set Designer Alysia had several examinations during the pre-‐production process meaning that me and the Floor Manager Raees had to work out what the set should be without her there to offer her opinions and suggestions.
• Another difficulty was that as both the presenters were creating half of the script each, once I had the first half I then had to wait another few days for the second half so that I was able to complete the Camera script. This delayed the completion of the camera script meaning other crewmembers also had to wait.
• In the beginning I found it difficult to trust that other crewmembers would complete the tasks set to them to the standard that I knew we should be able to produce. This meant that I had to make a conscious effort to not get overly involved in the specific duties of each job role.
Solutions:
• Simply by practising during the rehearsals I became more comfortable within my role and so more confident. This meant that I was issuing instructions almost constantly giving the crew the information they needed to complete their jobs.
• The only way to overcome this situation was for me to complete the camera script as fast as I could to minimise the disruption to the schedule.
• Again with people’s attendance out of my control I had to work with other crewmembers related to that area to make decisions and then inform the missing individual of any changes and how we have progressed.
• As I had to wait for the dialogue script to be finished I could only urge the presenters to get it completed as soon as possible and then I had to do the same.
• In order to overcome this issue I just had to make a conscious effort to distance myself whilst still providing some input to meet the requirements of my job role.
Skills I have gained: As with any job working in this position for the duration of this Unit I have learnt some new skills that I will be able to use in other aspects of this media course.
• Ability to communicate with crew whilst maintaining control I feel that after completing my job role in this Unit I am now capable of keeping a level of control over the set where as at the start I struggled to do so. I will be able to apply this to any other situation where I am in a position of responsibility and authority.
• Ability to delegate jobs to crew Again after the initial difficulties with coping in such a stressful role I think that I was then able to delegate jobs to others and pass on instructions to the Floor manager for him to then issue instructions, this follows the hierarchy of the studio meaning we met the brief for our specific job roles.
• Evaluation information from variety of Sources As I had to watch three different camera feeds and then decide on the best shot for that part of dialogue I learned quickly to take in the information I was given, make a decision and then pass on instructions to the vision mixer as to which shot I wanted him to cut to.
• Concentration As I had to deal with cutting from one camera shot to another whilst also relaying as much information to the Floor Manager and some other crew members I learnt to concentrate on the task at hand and block out any unwanted distractions. I feel that this is a valuable skill that I will use in many other aspects of my life.
I feel that I will be able to take all of these new skills that I have learnt and apply them to other areas of media work that I will encounter in the future as well as other, completely separate aspects of my life
Section 3 Analysis of Final Production: Practical Reasons: Simultaneous Recording We used this technique so that we could record and edit at the same time. The other option would be to film the programme from all here cameras and then go through all the footage afterward and edit it to create the finished show this would take much longer than the simultaneous method. Also as this was part of the brief we could not use any other method, as we had to produce a live show not one that was recorded and aired at a later date. Another reason for using the simultaneous filming method was that we did it another way some of the job roles such as vision mixer would not be needed also it helped us to work as a team because we could edit out any mistakes at a later date. Multi-‐camera Format We used the Multi-‐camera format for the production of our programme as it was an As Live recording and so it gave me the ability to cut from a variety of angles in order to get the individual speaking at that time into frame. This meant that as presenter was asking a question I could have one camera on her and another framing the guest waiting to cut once she gives a response. Also this meant that we could position the cameras and props in a way that made the most of the limited space of our studio. Another reason for using this format was that, like the “One Show”, we were able to cut between three cameras to keep the programme interesting for the viewing audience. Studio Locations For the duration of the production stage we used two different sets for the programme and the gallery was used to house the graphics operator, director etc. we used this set up to ensure that the technical crew members and especially the sound mixer were separated from the studio to stop any vocal interference. The two different locations were used to make our production look more professional, it also allowed the presenters to have some time walking as opposed to having them sitting for the duration of the show making it a more comfortable experience for them.
Aesthetic Reasons: Simultaneous Recording This system gives the programme a more professional feel and allows us to put the graphics and sound effects in the right place if the presenters deviate from the script slightly. Multi-‐camera Format This makes it a more interesting programme for audiences to view as well as adding emphasis to what the individual on screen is saying as the camera is focused solely on them. Another reason would be that it displayed the different lighting that occurred throughout the programme, which helped to define the different sections of the show more clearly. Studio Locations The use of two set locations adds another dimension to the programme, letting the audience see the presenters somewhere other than the main set. It makes the show feel more professional as a show with a smaller budget show may not have the funds / ability to use two or more different locations.