3/15/2013
JDHS Video Production - Studio Crew Duties
Director Duties:
- Ensure all production elements are in place and all equipment is working in good time before the show.
- Confirm communication with all personnel - including talent via the Floor Director.
- Check with every person/department that they are ready.
- Review Rundown and/or Script before the show to familiarize yourself with the plan and any special elements in the show.
- Rehearse as possible and necessary with all relevant people; especially any complicated segments or transitions in the show.
- Remind to turn off phones and turn on "ON AIR" light a minute before air.
- Keep everyone on task and ready, but calmly relaxed before air.
- Confirm the show is recording in the VT 10 - 5 seconds before air.
- Warn and provide cues in good time during the show.
- Stop recording and check file-name (ShowName_MMDDYY.avi) and location after the show.
- Like the show, you are responsible for the studio, make sure everything is powered down, cleaned up and put away before you leave so the facility is ready for the next show.
Pro-Tip:
Don't panic, and always know where your plan-B is.
When things go wrong, the crew will look (and listen) to you for direction. Always know what's next and what your other options are should there be a problem. Don't linger on mistakes, but find a solution and move on. You can review mistakes later and learn for next time. If you are a calm and collected leader, the crew will follow you though anything; if you lose control of yourself, you also lose the crew you depend on and everything falls apart. Relax.
Audio Mixer Duties:
- Check that all necessary mics are connected and placed (help Talent with their mics as necessary).
- Check and set levels on all mics at least a few minutes before the show.
- Check/prep all other audio sources.
- Confirm audio levels with DDR Operator.
- Review Rundown and/or Script before the show to familiarize yourself with the plan and any special elements in the show.
- Adjust sounds levels as necessary during the show, watch levels on the meters!
- Kill (fade out) unused sources and mics as soon as possible to prevent unwanted sounds making it to air.
- Make sure mics are put away properly after each production.
Pro-Tip:
Have ONLY the mic of the person currently talking turned up to Unity.
This prevents an echo caused by other mics that are unnecessarily open. Normally backing off a co-hosts mic to about -10dB is enough to kill the echo.
DDR Operator Duties:
- Check that all necessary clips are loaded into the VT and racked in the correct DDRs.
- Review all clips to check quality. Confirm audio levels with Audio mixer.
- Review Rundown and/or Script before the show to familiarize yourself with the plan and any special elements in the show.
- During the show, cue each clip in time (at the latest when "Ready DDR" is called!) and roll on cue.
- Call out time warnings (loud enough for the Director and ClearCom mics to hear) as the clip rolls, at 5, 2 and 1 minutes, 30 and 15 seconds, and count down seconds from 10 to 0.
Pro-Tip:
Call out 15 seconds nice and loud.
This gives the Director enough time to warn the cameras and the Floor Director time to properly cue the Talent. Talent don't like to get "burned" by being caught off guard, it makes them and the whole show look bad.
Video Mixer / TD Duties:
- Confirm all necessary video sources are online and ready.
- Check Graphics input in "VGA" module is set to LiveText for EXT source.
- Confirm correct transition/s (usually Fade) is racked up and T-bar is working.
- Review Rundown and/or Script before the show to familiarize yourself with the plan and any special elements in the show.
- Pre-check, test & practice any complicated transition sequences or special effects, including setting up any green-screen shots - with the correct backgrounds!
Pro-Tip:
Always have the next source on "Preview" as soon as possible.
Directors tend to get nervous when they can't see the next source on the Preview monitor. Staying one step ahead of the action with the preview monitor tells the Director that you are on top of things and gives you time to spot any problems with the next shot. A Director that knows what's coming next is a happy director.
CG / Graphics Operator Duties:
- Load appropriate graphics template & "Save As Project" as a new file to prevent over-writing any templates. ShowName_MMDDYY.cg is the file name convention.
- Update any dates & names for the show.
- Review script and check with hosts/producers for any other required graphics (anyone who talks on screen, and all web address & phone numbers should have their own graphic).
- Load any OTS PiP images into templates, offer to create any missing graphics.
- Review Rundown and/or Script before the show to familiarize yourself with the plan and any special elements in the show.
- Rehearse complicated sequences with the Video Mixer before show time.
- Check that the "ON AIR" Light is on before the production starts.
- Assist the Director with any count-downs as requested.
- WATCH the show, and automatically "Live" the next graphic to the VT as soon as the previous graphic is no longer on the air!
Pro-Tip:
Always have the next graphic pre-selected in the edit window.
This allows you to simply click "LIVE" (Or hit [F9]) to send it over to the VT. This allows you to check the graphic one more time for correctness before it goes to air. And staying one step ahead of the production can save you when there's a surprise.
Teleprompter Operator Duties:
- Load script into prompter software, and check that it's fully loaded. (You can make the font size smaller to see all the text on one screen.)
- Check and align video output on "Prompter" monitors.
- COMMUNICATE with the talent (via the Floor Director) to ensure the text is a good size; practice a few lines to check readability while scrolling.
- Review Rundown and/or Script before the show to familiarize yourself with the plan and any special elements in the show.
- Rehearse as much of the show as possible before show time.
- During any breaks in the show, scroll to the next starting position. (Note that sometimes scripts include text that's part of an insert and isn't read from the prompter; you'll need to scroll through those parts. Check the script and follow along when an insert rolls!)
Pro-Tip:
Keep the text being read at the "Read Maker" arrow while scrolling.
This keeps a line or two of text on the screen should the talent stumble and need to repeat a few words, but also shows enough text ahead that the hosts can see any punctuation or transitions coming up and speak accordingly.
Camera Operator Duties:
- Check that camera & prompter are powered up and working.
- Put on your headset and announce "Camera X on Com", check that you can hear and be heard by the Director / control room.
- Unlock your wheels, pedestal and camera head, check balance, drag and range of movement.
- Review Rundown and/or Script before the show to familiarize yourself with the plan and any special elements in the show.
- Set up all the shots you'll make during the show to practice and check for any conflicts. Practice any complicated and/or on-air moves. Then set up your first shot, including pedestal height. Inform the Director that you are ready.
- Check who is the floor director. If there is no floor director, the camera operators are responsible for filling that role and giving cues.
- Keep track of the script and always set up your next shot as soon as possible.
- Announce "Camera X off Com" and wait a couple off seconds, THEN turn off your mic and turn down the volume BEFORE taking off your headset.
- ALWAYS lock the Tilt before walking away from your camera. Park the camera with the pedestal & Tilt locked and all other controls unlocked when you are done.
Pro-Tip:
When moving your camera; keep the prompter pointed at the talent.
If you are moving during a "Voice Over" read, the talent may still be reading from your prompter, even if your camera isn't on air! Also don't bump your camera when it's on air - and bumping the other camera is considered rude, watch your wheels when you move!
Floor Director Duties:
- You are the Director's eyes, ears and mouth in the studio. When the studio is addressed it's your job to relay that information.
- Put on your headset and announce "Floor Director on Com", check that you can hear and be heard by the Director / control room.
- Review Rundown and/or Script before the show to familiarize yourself with the plan and any special elements in the show.
- Help the talent with their mics, scripts, and any other needs they may have.
- Greet and seat any on-camera and off-camera guests. Mic as necessary.
- Help co-ordinate mic checks and prompter setup between the hosts and the control room in good time before the show.
- Close studio doors, remind about cell phones being silent and powered down before air. Quiet studio before air.
- Warn and cue talent as necessary; including cues at EVERY camera Take.
- Show time remaining to talent during the show.
- Repeat all time warnings into the studio; be aware of when the mics are on!
- Announce "Floor Director off Com" and wait a couple off seconds, THEN turn off your mic and turn down the volume BEFORE taking off your headset. Put the headset away on its hook and coil up the cable cleanly when you are done.
Pro-Tip:
You should be standing next to whatever camera is up next.
This way you are ready to cue the talent from the right place, and your presence helps re-affirm to the talent where they should be looking next. If they are looking to you for their cue, they are less likely to look at the wrong camera.
Talent Duties:
- Have all your show elements ready and loaded to the right places in good time (Clips to VT, Graphics to CG, Script to Prompter).
- PRACTICE your script as many times as possible. The text should be familiar when you say it on air!
- Check your mics are working with the Audio Mixer and that the text is the right size with the Prompter Operator in good time before the show.
- Introduce yourself and become comfortable with any guests you are interviewing. They may be nervous, so help them relax.
- Review Rundown and/or Script before the show to familiarize yourself with the plan and any special elements in the show.
- During the show, read ahead so you know your next cue and which camera to look to.
- Be quiet a few seconds before your cue as the mics may be turned on a little early, and wait until you hear "mics clear" (or "studio clear") after your last line to be sure the mics have been turned off before speaking.
- If you don't know what's going on now and next, you should be worried. Pester the Floor Director for information.
Pro-Tip:
Always be professional when wearing a Mic or in front of a camera!
You never know when a mic may be turned on; don't ever say anything inappropriate. Many careers have ended because of something said when someone thought their mic wasn't on. And it only takes one wrong button to put a camera on air without warning: being caught slouching at the desk picking your nose is extremely embarrassing!
