As Live Production: Studio Masterclass 2

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Roles of the crew and production equipment

Since the director's main role is to lead and manage the production crew:
"The most effective Directors are very familiar with all of the crew positions and responsibilities as well as much of the production equipment"
(Utterback, 2016:30).
Thus a director can better fulfil their role by understanding the capabilities and responsibilities of each member of the crew and the studio equipment.

Roles

Producer

Location: Gallery

Responsibilities:
  • Is in charge of the content of the programme - they have the last word on any changes to the narrative, lines, etc.
  • Leads the production crew before and after the show
  • Works closely with the director
  • Sometimes communicates with the presenter during the show using the "Interrupt Foldback (IFB) system" - the presenter can have an ear piece which is connected to a microphone in front of the producer in the gallery
(Utterback, 2016:30-1).

Vision Mixer

Location: Gallery

Responsibilities:
  • Can also be known as the technical director
  • Ensures any special effects that might be needed during the show are ready before transmission so they can easily be edited in
  • Operates the vision mixer (or switcher) to cut shots together
  • Sits next to the director so can hear which camera to cut to next
  • Can also add dissolves, wipes, mixes etc. depending on what is wanted by the director and what is needed for the production
(Foust & Fink and Gross, 2013:29-30).
PA

Location: Gallery

Responsibilities:
  • Also known as the script supervisor
  • Sits next to the director in the gallery
  • Counts down into the show, and out of any pre-recorded segments
  • Ensures the show stays to time so nothing overruns or under-runs
(Brown & Duthie, 2016:49).

Floor Manager

Location: Studio floor

Responsibilities:
  • Health and safety - ensuring everything for the production is safe
  • Passes on instructions to the presenter from the gallery, especially if the presenter is not on talkback
  • Cues the presenter so they know when to speak, and which camera they should be speaking to
  • Counts down for anyone on the studio floor who cannot hear the countdown from the gallery on talkback
  • Looking after the production crew on the floor by boosting morale and ensuring the presenter has everything they need
(Fairweather, 1998:74).

Camera Operators

Location: Studio floor

Responsibilities:
  • Setting up the cameras - "rigging" them at the beginning of rehearsal - and making sure they are in the correct positions and have any necessary equipment, such as a track or a pedestal with wheels, in order to get the shots they need
  • Putting the cameras away at the end of rehearsal - "de-rigging"
  • Using camera cards, but also listening to any instructions from the director over talkback to get the shots which are needed
  • To work as a team to ensure the cameras match enough to be able to cut to - the director can also help with this
(Singleton-Turner, 2011:87-9). 

Director of Photography/Lead Camera

Location: Studio floor

Responsibilities:
  • Leads the camera operators
  • Works with the director to help plan shots and achieve adequate blocking during rehearsals
  • Has to have a good knowledge of the technical capabilities of the equipment, as well as be creative when it comes to planning shot composition and framing
  • Helps the director plan the overall floor plan of the show - where each camera will be positioned, where the audience will sit etc.
(Brown & Duthie, 2016:51).

Sound

Location: Gallery

Responsibilities:
  • Supervises talkback
  • Mixes music, microphone levels, and sound effects into the show as needed
  • Are briefed by the director and producer before the show so they are aware how many people are involved and thus how many people need microphones, or talkback - also need to be provided with a script so they have an idea of where the VTs are, and who is likely to speak when
(Fairweather, 1998:76-8).

The set design team

Responsibilities:
  • To work closely with the director and producer of the show to determine the "overall look" of the show
  • Ensure the whole set matches and fits with the premise of the show
  • Completes most of the work during pre-production so that the set can be finished, and thus rigged, in time for transmission
(Foust & Fink and Gross, 2013:32).

Equipment

Jib

A jib can be used to capture scenes where subjects move around a lot (Cury, 2013:30). A jib is made up of a boom arm which holds the camera on one end, with a weight to help balance it on the other end; the whole unit is secured on a tripod, thus enabling the camera operator to smoothly move the boom arm to achieve high and low angle shots, which are able to move vertically and horizontally (Cury, 2013:30).
Jibs are different to cranes in that they are smaller, more portable, and do not have a seat for the camera operator (Owens & Millerson, 2009:159). Yet, a jib is able to get similar shots because it "can support the camera at any height within its range, moving smoothly and rapidly from just above floor level up to its maximum, and swing around over a 360-degree arc" (Owens & Millerson, 2009:159).

Track & dolly

A track and dolly can be used to smoothly move the camera right or left, or backwards and forwards, as long as the movement is linear, using the wheels on the dolly mounted on the two straight, parallel tracks (Rooney & Belli, 2013:98).
However, a track and dolly needs to be used on a smooth floor or it is possible bumps will jolt the shot and become noticeable to the audience (Owens & Millerson, 2009:159).

Talk-back

Talkback is the system through which the camera operators and floor manager on the studio floor can hear and answer to the instructions of the director and production assistant (Singleton-Turner, 2011:23).
When using talkback, a director should be accurate - say exactly what they want to avoid confusion and save time - brief - so that other members of the crew also have time to talk and ask questions if needed - and clear - again to avoid confusion and so no one is assuming what needs to happen due to an instruction (BBC Academy, 2017).
For this reason, it is important that only what needs to be said is included in any instructions - for example, confusion can be cleared up by naming the department or person the instruction is for before stating the instruction - and that only necessary instructions are given, since microphones in the studio are very sensitive and thus pick up most sound, reducing the possibility of people speaking over each other (Singleton-Turner, 2011:23).

References

BBC Academy (2017) Guide to studio talkback. At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/en/articles/art20130702112135567 (Accessed on 29 March 2019).

Brown, L. & Duthie, L. (2016) The TV Studio Production Handbook. London: I.B. Tauris & Co. Ltd.

Cury, I. (2013) Producing and Directing for Television: A Format Approach. (4th ed.) Oxon: Focal Press.

Fairweather, R. (1998) Basic Studio Directing. Oxford: Focal Press.

Foust, J. & Fink, E. and Gross, L. (2013) Video Production: Disciplines and Techniques. (11thed.) Arizona: Holcomb Hathaway.

Owens, J. & Millerson, G. (2009) Television Production. (15thed.) Oxon: Focal Press.

Rooney, B. & Belli, M. (2013) Directors Tell the Story: Master the Craft of Television and Film Directing. Oxon: Focal Press.

Singleton-Turner, R. (2011) Cue & Cut: A Practical Approach to Working in Multi-Camera Studios. Manchester University Press: Manchester.

Utterback, A. (2016) Studio Television Production and Directing: Concepts, Equipment, and Procedures. (2nded.) Oxon: Focal Press.

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