Studio Production: Role Evaluation

Role Evaluation

Originally pitching for Floor Manager’s Role, I was shocked when I was asked to become Director of the Show. I doubted my ability and communication skills and really thought I would struggle to put them into place. I knew how much work needed to be put in to this project and feel like I dedicated two months of my life to it, but now the show is over, I know just how much it was worth it.

I am really pleased with the final edit for the show and think it looks professional. I found the role quite challenging from the start but once I had got to grips with my camera cards and camera script, I believed I handled the role quite well.

I got a great buzz when in the gallery and knew that this was the role I should have pitched for all along. I would say that organization is key to a Director’s role and I did struggle at times to ensure my camera script was as good as it could be and that my camera cards worked in providing my ops with the right information. I am proud of what I have achieved and feel privileged to be given such an amazing opportunity to direct a studio show with full studio facilities. Taking advice from professionals helped me overcome my nerves and crack on with the job at hand, even if I had to be firm at times towards my colleagues, which was needed to put everybody in the right frame of mind. I loved the challenge and would jump at the chance to become a studio director again.

Studio Production: Show-Time

Show-time

The record day came around extremely fast and we were as organized and enthusiastic as we could be. Although the nerves were kicking in, I am so pleased with how our team worked together to produce such a great show.

As the audience came through, I went through final shots for each camera and also had a chat with our contributors, telling them to enjoy the show, keep up their energy and make the most of the experience. Once the audience were sat, our Floor Manager did a great job at briefing the audience with Health & Safety information and also about the show. She also had to relay information through her headset from myself to both the audience and the contributors. Our presenter Joz was also introduced to the audience and worked really hard to warm them up for our show. This was a great help and encouraged the audience to become more involved with the show.

Studio Production: Lighting Solutions

Lighting Solutions

As we had two productions running alongside each other, both of the productions would use the same set and layouts for each show. ‘Urban Review’ director Nikita Gautam and I met to discuss lighting plans for the productions. These meeting were a great help in finding us the lighting that we needed and what was possible for both of our shows, without making too many changes within the studio. We sent our ideas to the freelance lighting ‘sparks’ which were controlling the lighting for both shows and they were able to get an idea of what is was that we both wanted.

On the rehearsal day before our record, I was able to meet the lighting guys to discuss…

·      What areas needed to be lit

·    Mark our sets and Studio floor for positioning of our lights.

·    Health and safety information

·    What was possible within our budget

Studio Production: Set Design

Set design

From the start of the production, our team had regular progress meetings with the CAFT team (Creative Arts for Film & Theatre) from UCA Rochester.

We discussed…

·      Budgets

·      Styles

·      Planning

·      Colours

·      Health & Safety

We had a slight change of the set last-minute which was the positioning of the ‘Punchlines’ sign This was moved so that it could be seen better in shot behind the desk rather than on the front of the desk.

Studio Production: Working with the Studios

Working with the Studios

Being within a real television studio environment was the greatest opportunity for us as students to get the best experience we could from producing Punchlines. The studio space we had gave us ample space to allow for set, camera rigs and audience, with full use of the gallery, lighting rigs and dressing rooms.

On record day, we were able to utilize the studio’s audience holding area for our audience, making the show much more professional, giving our audience the same treatment as if they were coming to see a live studio production. Using the gallery was an invaluable experience as a director and allowed me to cut and call my shots with industry standard software and technology. 

Studio Production: Framing My Shots

Framing My Shots

I decided on a 5-camera set-up. This was the most effective way of getting the shots I needed from the cameras I had. I chose to use 3 static Cameras, one left of stage, one right of stage and one centre from high above the studio floor (for my safety wide shot). This is the most common setup for the style of show that we were shooting. I also had one camera on a track, so I could get a moving dolly shot from centre stage, and also one handheld camera, which allowed me to experiment with unusual shots and also to get audience reaction shots.

“Multi-camera setups have the advantage of practically guaranteeing that all ‘action’ is captured and nothing is missed”  (George Bartlett)

To utilize my cameras to the best of my ability, I discussed with my production team which camera operators would be best suited for which camera. I decided that my cameras would be operated as follows…

	Camera Operators and Allocations
Sam Ellis	Head Camera Operator	Camera 2 - Tracking/Dolly
Nikita Gautam	Camera Operator	Camera 4 - Handheld
Sam Creamer	Camera Operator	Camera 1 - Static Left
Gabby Casey	Camera Operator	Camera 3 - Static Right
N/A	Camera Assistant	Camera 5 – Studio Rig

Once my camera crew was briefed, I decided on which shots I would use for each camera. I created camera cards for each sequence of the script, to provide each camera with information during rehearsals so that they could get to grips with their shots and frame sizes. These camera cards also enabled me to keep on top of what shots could be offered and I also encouraged my crew to offer me any shots they could, which they thought may be of use for the different sequences of the show. Once my shots were ready, we were able to hold regular rehearsals using stand-ins to go through different sequences of the show. Each week we focused on a different part of the show, ensuring that we had covered and rehearsed each sequence at least once before our full rehearsal day on the day before the record. 

Studio Production: Being Director

Being Director 

‘TV directors decide what the viewers will see and hear in the final outcome of the program. They supervise the placement of cameras, props, microphones, and lighting aspects. They also approve costumes, sets, music, choreography, and many other aspects that assist in direction of television programs. Television directors direct television actors and tell stage and technical crew when to start and stop recording and what props, sets, lighting, sound, and other elements to change. TV directors must also maintain order of production staff on the set, in the control room, and in other areas.’             (degreefinders.com)

Taking the role as the Director of the show, I immediately researched what was expected of me, by not only my team but my contributors, my colleagues and my audience. The role enabled me to put my creative thoughts into action, starting with the scripting and the content discussions with my production team. From early on in the project, I had understood what I needed to do and how to prepare myself for the shooting of the show.  I worked closely with my team, often calling on others for a second opinion throughout the process.

 A Director needs:

·      good leadership and motivational skills

·      strong communication skills

·      the ability to stay calm in stressful situations

·      good organisational skills

·      creativity and adaptability

·      the ability to coordinate the work of large groups of people.

                 (careercentre.com)

A director’s role carries a huge amount of pressure for any production and the only way in which I could keep my cool, was to ensure that I was as organized as I could be. Once the Script and initial ideas were coming together, my fellow production team members and I began to look for enthusiastic contributors for the show. This proved to be an extremely difficult task for our producers who eventually managed to seal two up-and-coming comedians.

Now was the time for me to start thinking about set design, lighting, cameras and shots within the studio. With regular meetings with different team from each department such as set design and lighting, I allowed myself time to piece together how the show would look and what shots I could focus on from each of my cameras.

Punchlines! Its Finished!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtkygUvMfdQ


Heres the link to PUNCHLINES! We're really pleased with how it has turned out! t looks great! 

My Adaptation Film!

Composed Upon Westminster Bridge

Click Here to watch my full Fiction Adaptation Film!

Fiction Adaptation: DVD project

So I've finally finished all my last minute touches to my DVD project and it is ready to be burnt onto a disk! I've created my DVD front and back covers (which I'm really pleased with) using images from my main fiction film. I have encoded the DVD with a menu and used my music for my main film for the titles too. Here are the Covers which I have created...

Fiction Adaptation: The Edit

So this evening I have finished editing my fiction adaptation film! I am really pleased with what I have achieved from this unit and I think my editing skill have improved vastly. Im so happy with the shots and the look of the piece.

I have changed the contrast to a black and white effect for the whole duration of my main film and I think it works really well! I do think in parts the shots are quite long, however, I think this works with the feel and tone of the film!

I had a problem with the voiceover that I recorded in that i struggled to strip the hum in the background from the speech. I decided to have a play with the track using new software called 'Soundtrack Pro'. I had never used this before but I managed to work it out and strip the 'hum' completely and the track sounded really good. I broke down the track and edited into my film and I am really pleased with how it works.

All thats left for me to do now is to add the main titles that have been created for the course to the film and it will be ready to upload and burn to DVD.

Fiction Adaptation Shoot

So today I travelled up to London to film my Fiction Adaptation film. Im really pleased with the footage I have taken and I am looking forward to getting it edited and formatted in my film.

I had a great contributor to star in my film who was extremely helpful when filming ( even if she was stood in the freezing wind for half an hour!) and also have a great voice over artist who has recorded the speech for my film.