'AS LIVE' PRODUCTION: Talk Back Workshop with Del

We missed last weeks session because we were snowed off, because of this we had to fit a lot into today's session. We were introduced to 'talk back'. This is the method in which the gallery can communicate with the floor manager and camera operators without being in the same room. The floor manager and camera operators can also talk back to the gallery if they have a question. 

The aim of today's workshop was for us to get experience in all the departments which together make a live show - these included directing, vision mixing, VT operator, sound, camera operators, floor manager and presenting / sitting in as the guests. 

As producers, Katie and I will be making sure everything is said is allowed to be said on the TX day, e.g. there is no swearing. We will also be keeping an eye on the timing of each section so if we overrun we are the ones who have to decide where to take some time from in a different segment. However, our main jobs are within the preproduction stage, because of this we were able to sit in on other peoples roles and change around with the others. I started by sitting in with Alex in vision mixing and we took turns as everyone swapped roles. I chose vision mixing because that would have been my chosen role if Steal the Style didn't get commissioned. 

Del started by challenging us, he gave us the task of making a split screen, with a thick soft, red line going down the middle. Once we found the border section this became quite easy. Del then told us to make a horizontal green thin line, as we were familiar with getting a border up, this was relatively easy. Del challenged us again and told us to make two boxes next to each other with a thin hard white line around them. This was difficult as we couldn't find how to create two boxes. Del gave us a clue - it was something to do with the 'Key' buttons on the mixing desk. We finally found it and completed the task. 

Task 1, 2 & 3

This was a really good challenge, as it allowed Alex and I to explore the vision mixing desk and the screen above it. I really enjoyed the vision mixing, it was a challenge because it was new, but I enjoyed learning something new. If I wanted to go into live television in the future, vision mixing would definitely be the first job I'd like to try.

Once we swapped out of the gallery, I went on camera 3. I was facing it at the guests. I had the talk back on and could hear the director calling out the cuts for the vision mixer. They also helped the camera crew out by saying things like, "watch your head room camera 2" and then the camera would reposition to how the director wanted. If the director wanted a close up on the guests, they would say to me on camera 3, left single, middle single or right single and then I would reposition the camera to their call ready for the next shot. I enjoyed using the camera, I felt nervous because I had to listen to the gallery incase they were talking to me but I also had the presenters and guests talking in front of me. To deal with this, I just had to block out the action on set and concentrate on the directors' voice.

I had a look over at the sound desk. George W was using the desk but we did the sound checks together. Sound looked complicated until I watched George working it, it's a department I wish I did more work with, as it's such a small but important part of live television, but there's always time for that in the future.


Reflection
- Today was very helpful to see other peoples job roles. We did a number of takes so there was enough time to get round everything - unfortunately I didn't get round everything because I had to go to the presenter auditions, but there will be more time in the next few weeks to have a go at other jobs. 

- We can now learn to respect everyones roles if they do something wrong, because none of the roles are easy and we now know how it feels to be on sound, or camera, or the director etc.

- I didn't get to try out the director and VT operator. These aren't roles that I really wanted to do, but it would have been good to give them ago as I might have been better than I thought.

- The setup was really good, we had people for all the roles so were able to use the talk back properly. It was helpful to use the talk back also so we know what to expect on the RX and TX days. It was good to see how clear it is and it was interesting being the camera op and realising you have the gallery and the talent to listen to. This is something that I hadn't thought about until this session. 

- We all took a while setting up the cameras, sound and VTs - it was interesting to see how long it takes to actually set up the equipment for a live show. Now we know that on the RX and TX day we will need to get in early to set up the equipment properly.