'AS LIVE' PRODUCTION: (Lecture) Research & Development

Things well all need to be a part of:
- Content
- Contributors
- Locations
- Design / branding 

Talent and contributors

- Presenters / actors
- Contributors
- Audience
- Artists / guests

What do we mean by talent?

- Performers - presenters, reporters, contributors, anyone on screen
- They may or may not be paid or have a contract

What do we look for?

- Relevant skills / experience
- Performance
-Charisma / engaging character etc
- 'Look' appropriate to brand / style
- Representation and relevance to audience

Where do we find them?

- UCA
- Casting Call Pro
- Council / relevant trade organisations / trade "press" (to find independent stores)
- Style / fashion magazines or journals

Finding talent

- Own contacts
- Advertise - showreels - sift and organise = auditions 
- Agents - experts / need to negotiate contract and payments with agents (take percentage)
- Scouting - visit talent performing elsewhere
- Talent websites / journals e.g. 'Spotlight', 'Mandy.com'

This can all be time consuming so try to target the places we visit and to get background information

Auditions

- Could be open / anyone apply or closed / open to specified entrants
- Might find new 'undiscovered' talent

Showreels

- Gives us a guide to their style and experience
- Meet face to face even if they look good on showreel
- In audition put people in a difficult scenario - test them
- Good characters - stop the programme getting too dry

Dealing with agents and talent

- Hours / days of contract - rehearsals
- Rate of pay - daily / hourly etc
- Expenses - beware of rates e.g. mileage / food
- Consider setting flat fee or limits

Artists contracts and release forms

- It is essential that all talent and contributors are given contracts or release forms
- Get people to commit on paper
- This should be done in advance and not on the day
- Liaise with production manager (Jemma) at all times 
- Pro formulas via myUCA

Finding contributors

- Appeals / ads
- Sourcing and contacting relevant organisations / interested parties
- Contacts
- Press offices / media liaison
- Must be cast as with any other talent e.g. there must be something about them which adds entertainment or other value

Finding audiences

- Passive 
- Active
- Representative
- Supportive
- Open advertisement 
- Targeted advertisement
- "Piggy back" on existing networks e.g. UCA Twitter / specific networks of groups
- On air promo / social media e.g. radio, other media
- Your own or your contributors' contacts
- Targeted calls / research - same techniques as finding contributors 

Representation - audiences

- Audiences in the studio should reflect the audience at home - our society
- On many programmes they are individually cast and plotted e.g. discussion shows
- Need to think about the audience carefully

Accuracy

- Keep good records throughout the preproduction process
- Info is accurate and checked e.g. names, spellings, dates, titles

Ofcom broadcasting code 2015

- Important that you read through the code to ensure you are meeting all the standards relating to it for your production e.g. dealing with children, issues of fairness

Scheduling and organising talent

- Careful negotiations have to be had to establish the level of commitment we require and the amount they are prepared to give
- Some talent might be needed for post production e.g. voice overs


Production design

Staging the production 
- Set, props etc

'Creatives'

- These people are freelancers employed for a production
- Companies pitch their ideas to be commissioned
- Freelancers come back to us to give us ideas

To tell the set design team 

Brief
Budget 
Timescale
Genre
Content
Floor plan
Contact information / contact card
Schedule
Size of studio / production
Transportable by transit
Can we see some previous work

Extra information

- Branding and set design need to link
- Make sure presenters and background don't clash
- Shadows - review when rehearse for issues
- Remember copyright - no magazines out
- Camera shots - ensure that the set does not create problems with framing

Audiences and the set

- Staging and camera positioning will need to be considered - what role the audience will play

Factors to think about

- Purpose
- Functionality
- Design
- Tone/mood
- Impact
- Audience experience
- Info / communication
- Storytelling
- Availability of materials

HD throws up a few challenges for 2D set design - defects which were once handily disguised

16:9 - widescreen friendly

Consider

- Mood
- Tone
- Audience
- Genre conventions
- Channel / platform conventions

Lighting

- Directors create lighting plan
- Consider the use of gels and other mood-enhancing lighting materials
- Rigging team need clear direction

Lighting and blocking

- Your lighting is dictated by decision making over where and how your subject/s will be placed and move
- This must be worked out during rehearsal time and not on the day

Will the content sustain?

Does it work in a studio and on camera

Paperwork

- Schedules
- Call sheets
- Contacts lists
- Risk assessment forms
- Camera cards
- Shot lists
- Running orders
- Scripts
- Floor and seating plans

Production style

- Style bible - must be agreed and confirmed by everyone
- branding is always key
- all promotional material

Visual style and programme tone

- Visual style needs to be consistent throughout all elements of the production
- Is there a show we an mimic their style / structure