Production Environment: The Studio

Production Environment: The Studio COM 112 TV Production

Production Environment: The Studio The Video Production Studio The Studio Control Room Master Control Studio Support Areas Scenery, Properties, and Set Dressings Set Design COM 112 TV Production

The Video Production StudioDesign Functions Multi Camera Productions Teamwork Optimum Single Camera Productions Generally Large and Rectangular Smooth Floors, High Ceilings COM 112 TV Production

Video Production Studio Layout Size – Big Productions generally require larger studios which are harder to manage. All scenic design must be based on useable floor space COM 112 TV Production

Floor and Ceiling Requires Hard, Level, Even Floor, (often concrete) Must have adequate ceiling height for lighting grid and instruments and 10 foot scenery Most professional studios have 30 foot ceilings or more. COM 112 TV Production

Doors – Walls – Air Conditioning Doors should be oversized to allow furniture, scenery and equipment movement Walls and Ceiling should be sound absorbing treated Should accommodate a cyclorama Air Conditioning must be of capacity to handle heat from lighting and should be baffled to eliminate noise COM 112 TV Production

Major Installations Lights – Suspended from Grid and Controlled by Dimmer Electrical Outlets – Should be several groups of outlets spaced through out studio. Intercommunication System – P.L. (Private Line and I.F.B. (Interruptible Feedback) Monitors – Need at least large floor monitor Studio Speakers – Used to hear music, sfx and director directions. COM 112 TV Production

The Studio Control Room Separated from studio. Sometimes adjacent to studio (not always) Contains video control equipment and production decision makers Director – Producer – Technical Director – C.G. Operator – Audio Engineer – Video Engineer – Lighting Director – Other associates Views Studio via Monitors COM 112 TV Production

Image Control Equipment necessary for selection, sequence and coordination of video/audio Video Monitors – for each individual video source Viewed by Director and Technical Director to decide on shots taken and sequence of shots Intercom – Allow voice communication to each key production person and talent COM 112 TV Production

Image Control Program Sound (the audio part of image) Director must hear the audio associated with pictures (video) COM 112 TV Production

Sound Control Audio Booth - Sometimes separated from control room to allow audio engineer to hear program material clearly. Usually with visual contact to control room. Contains audio board, patch bays, CD players, DAT player/recorders, and other audio processing equipment Allows headphone and speaker monitoring. COM 112 TV Production

Master Control The heart of a broadcast/production facility. Control of CCUs, Video Tape, Digital Video Units, Electronic Still Store, etc. Oversight of all broadcast operations. COM 112 TV Production

Studio Support Areas Scenery and Property Storage – organization of items for easy retrieval Make Up - Needs both 3,200 K and 5,600 K lighting Scenery, Properties, and Set Dressings – Should stand up to close up camera view COM 112 TV Production

Scenery – Standard Set Units Softwall flats – freestanding unit provides background and simulates a wall. Muslin or cloth surface on 1” x 3” frame. Hardwall flats – Typically specific to a production and may not be standard size. Main surface is plywood or fiberboard. COM 112 TV Production

Scenery – Standard Set Units Set modules – Series of hard wall flats and 3 dimensional set pieces with matching dimensions. Can be assembled horizontally and/or vertically for variation. Seamless paper and painted drops – Background scenery with continuous look. Typically a neutral background. Painted drops are rolls of paper or canvass with realistic background scenes. (I.E. an outdoor scene) COM 112 TV Production

Scenery – Standard Set Units Special set pieces – free standing 3 dimensional units (see text fig 14.13) Platforms – Units to elevate the talent on set – 6 to 8 inches high. Keeps talent on even eye level with camera and avoids the viewer looking down at the talent or scene. Wagons are mobile platforms. COM 112 TV Production

Properties Set Props – furniture Hand Props –handled by the talent, I.E. telephones, books, magazines, dishes. COM 112 TV Production

Set Dressings Give atmosphere and individuality to the scene Items such as: Curtains Pictures Sculpture Posters Lamps Indoor plants Desk items Bookshelves Should be realistic and stand up to the “close up shot COM 112 TV Production

Set Design Establishes the environment for the TV Production Guided by the “process message” (what is the intent of the production COM 112 TV Production

Floor Plan – A diagram of Scenery and Set Properties Usually drawn with superimposed lighting grid Usually drawn to scale: ¼”=1’ Shows an overhead view Must provide adequate camera movement and access Must allow for appropriate lighting COM 112 TV Production

Prop List and Floor Plan Use Productions need itemized prop list to assure availability when needed The Floor Plan becomes the blue print for building your set COM 112 TV Production

Evaluating the Floor Plan Are all entries to scale, if not, actual proportion is lost Are adequate lighting angles allowed Can camera movement be achieved Is acceptable audio possible Productions must allow for talent and camera movement, proper lighting and acceptable audio. COM 112 TV Production

Points to Remember Video Production Studios should allow multi-camera productions and teamwork by providing: Sufficient Floor Space Smooth Floor Adequate Ceiling Height for Lighting Large Doors Acoustically Treated Walls Relatively Quiet Air Conditioning COM 112 TV Production

Points to Remember Major studios have: Lighting Grid or Movable Battens Plenty of Wall Outlets Intercommunication Systems Studio Video Monitors Studio Speakers COM 112 TV Production

Points to Remember The Control Room design should allow coordination of a total production. Typical Control Room Areas: Image Control w/ switcher, C.G. Monitor banks, intercom lines, & lighting board Sound Control w/ mixing console, playback and processing equipment COM 112 TV Production

Points to Remember Master Control Functions: Quality Check Program Input’ Program Storage Program Retrieval COM 112 TV Production

Points to Remember Studio Support Areas Scenery and Property Storage Makeup and Dressing Rooms COM 112 TV Production

Points to Remember Scenery Softwall and Hardwall Flats Cyclorama and Drops Set Pieces Platforms and Wagons Properties Furniture and other set props Hand Props Set Dressings COM 112 TV Production

Key Concepts The Studio Provides Maximum Production Control The Control Room should coordinate the studio production process A reliable and flexible intercom system is essential for effective teamwork in multicamera studio productions The director and TD must sit next to each other in the control room COM 112 TV Production

Key Concepts Master Control checks the technical quality of all programs and facilitates program input, storage and retrieval Scenery must create a certain environment and allow optimal lighting, audio pickup and camera movement COM 112 TV Production

Key Concepts Properties and set dressings determine the character and style of the environment The floor plan – a diagram of scenery and set props – shows setup requirements and facilitates pre production planning COM 112 TV Production

Production Environment: The Studio