Studio Roles Guide

TV Studio Guide
  What do they do?
  What is their responsibility?
  Who do they answer to?
  Where
 do they work?
 the gallery.
 NB.
 A E.P’s role during the actual live transmission can be quite minimal;
 whereas most of the pressure with some studio roles comes during the live
  Common
 phrases:
 stage are we at?”
 “What
 progress has been made on …..?”
 “How
 is the VT production going?”
 “You
  Equipment
 they use:
 Production
 folder.
 Script.

 TV Studio Guide
  What
 do they do?
 have creative responsibility for a programme, and share total control of the
  What
 is their responsibility?
 overall look and feel of the programme.
 ‘Cuing’
 the various aspects of the programme when they are required (such as music,
 presenters, lights, etc.).
 Communicating
 with the gallery team.
 Communicating
 with the studio floor team.
 Instructing
 cameras on which shots to get.
 Instructing
 sound on music, mic levels and sound effects.
 Directing
 the lighting.
 Giving
  Who
 do they answer to?
  Where
 do they work?
 the gallery, and occasionally the studio floor (although they should mainly
  Common
 phrases:
 to Camera Three… and cut.”
 “Camera
 Two, can you refocus on the presenter please.”
 “Camera
 One, get a mid-shot of the guest please.”
 “Can
 we have the lights lower on the table area.”
 “Floor
 Manager, can you let the presenters know there’s a change in the script,
  Equipment
 they use:
 unit.
 Script.

 TV Studio Guide
  What
 do they do?
 have organisational responsibility for a programme, and share total control
  What
 is their responsibility?
 the different aspects of production, such as set, script (although not the
 writing of the script), guests, props, etc.
 Organising
 VT inserts and ensuring all the necessary clearances are obtained.
 Ensuring
 everyone in the production knows their responsibilities and jobs within the
  Who
 do they answer to?
  Where
 do they work?
 the gallery, and occasionally the studio floor (although they should mainly communicate
 through the Floor Manager).
 NB.
 A Producer’s role during the actual live transmission can be quite minimal;
 whereas most of the pressure with some studio roles comes during the live
 broadcast, producers do the majority of there work beforehand in the
  Common
 phrases:
 everyone got a copy of the script?”
 “What
 progress has been made on the set construction?”
 “How
 long is the first VT insert?”
 “Does
  Equipment
 they use:
 folder.
 Talkback
 unit.
 Script.

 TV Studio Guide
  What
 do they do?
 Vision Mixer combines all the visual elements required for a programme.  This includes camera shots, VT inserts,
  What
 is their responsibility?
 use their judgement and knowledge of the programme to cut and mix between
 different camera shots and visual elements.
 Ultimately
 a Vision Mixer should take direction from the Director, but strong Vision Mixers
 are able to use their judgement to make their own calls on which is the
 better shot to use and also whether a VT insert is ready to be cut to.
 It
 is up to the individual Vision Mixer as to whether they use a script or not,
 but a Vision Mixer’s eyes should never wander from the monitors for too long,
  Who
 do they answer to?
  Where
 do they work?
  Common
 phrases:
 Director] “Camera three is out of focus.”
 [To
 Director] “Should I cut to VT instead?”
 NB.
 The Vision Mixer doesn’t speak a lot during a transmission, as they are
 usually occupied with watching the visual feeds and cutting accordingly.  A Vision Mixer usually only speaks to the
  Equipment
 they use:
 Mixing Desk.
 Script
 (optional).

 TV Studio Guide
  What
 do they do?
 Lighting Director lights the set and presenters to the Director’s
 specifications.  Usually this means
 ensuring a nice even spread of light on your presenters’ faces and that the
  What
 is their responsibility?
 arrange and focus the lights to achieve the desired result.  This may include selecting coloured gels,
 adjusting lighting positions and liaising with the set team over how to light
 a given area.
 They
 must also ensure that health and safety is observed at all times, especially
  Who
 do they answer to?
  Where
 do they work?
 the gallery and studio floor during rehearsals, then in the gallery
  Common
 phrases:
 the Lighting Assistant/Floor Manager] “Could you/could you ask someone to
 increase Light 21 on the desk please?”
 “Can
 we get a medium blue gel for Light 10 please?”
 “Can
 everyone please be aware that there’s a lighting cable running in front of
 the cameras.”
 “There’ll
  Equipment
 they use:
 Desk.
 Gloves.
 Ladder\*.
 Lighting
 Gels.
 Lighting
 Plans.
 Script
 (optional).
 \*Following
 specific health and safety training.

 TV Studio Guide
  What
 do they do?
 P.A. (Production Assistant) ensures the smooth-running of the rehearsals and
  What
 is their responsibility?
 keep accurate time-checks on all aspects of the programme, including the
 total runtime, the length of VT inserts/graphics, the time until
 rehearsal/transmission and, most importantly, how much time has elapsed and
  Who
 do they answer to?
  Where
 do they work?
  Common
 phrases:
 in two minutes.”
 “Coming
 to studio in 5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. 1.”
 “We’re
 into VT for one minute, seventeen seconds.”
 “Back
 to studio in thirty seconds.”
 “We’re
  Equipment
 they use:
 Unit.
 Studio
 Clock.
 Script.
 Running
 Order.
 Stopclock/Timer.

 TV Studio Guide
  What
 do they do?
 Sound Operator combines all the audio elements required for a programme.  This includes presenter microphones, music
  What
 is their responsibility?
 ensure that an even level of sound is achieved across all the component
 parts, such as the different microphones and music used in a production.
 They
 are also responsible for ‘mic-ing up’ the presenters and organising the
 microphones and cables on the studio floor (although this may be deputised to
  Who
 do they answer to?
  Where
 do they work?
 the gallery and studio floor during rehearsals, then in the gallery
  Common
 phrases:
 I do a sound-check on the presenters please?”
 “Presenter
 One, tell me what you did this morning on the way to the studio?” [To check
 levels]
 “Can
  Equipment
 they use:
 Desk(s).
 Component
 Stack (CD, MiniDisc, etc.).
 Headphones.
 Talkback
 Unit.
 Script.

 TV Studio Guide
  What
 do they do?
 Floor Manager coordinates all activity on the studio floor, including
  What
 is their responsibility?
 ensure that the studio floor operates in a safe efficient manner to get the
 programme on the air.
 They
 are also the main communication between the studio floor and the
 gallery.  Only the Floor Manager should
 talk directly with the gallery, unless specifically requested otherwise, to
  Who
 do they answer to?
  Where
 do they work?
  Common
 phrases:
 to studio in 5… 4… 3\*… 2\*… 1\*… [point to camera]”   \*Not spoken, but using hand signals only,
 in case of live microphones.
 “Presenters,
 the Director would like you to move to the left slightly.”
 “Ok,
 when we go into the VT, you need to move from this area to the seating area,
 but wait for my signal.”
 “Can
 we have some lights in the studio please?”
 “Can
  Equipment
 they use:
 Headset.
 Script.

 TV Studio Guide
  What
 do they do?
 Camera Operator provides a range of useful shots to the gallery, following
  What
 is their responsibility?
 ensure their camera is always in sharp focus and providing the Director with
 the required shot.
 They
 should also ensure they are working safely and using the equipment correctly.
 NB.
 Camera Operators should always remain standing, so they can be responsive to
  Who
 do they answer to?
  Where
 do they work?
  Common
 phrases:
 Director]  “Do you prefer this shot or…
 [reframe] …this shot?”
 NB.
 A Camera Operator should not be overly vocal, they should follow direction to
 the best of their ability and only present problems if they cannot immediately
  Equipment
 they use:
 Headset.
 Script.
 Camera
 Cards.

 TV Studio Guide
  What
 do they do?
 Presenter is the face of the programme, and should make the production appear
 effortless and fun.  Presenters often
  What
 is their responsibility?
 present the programme in a professional and appropriate manner, following the
 script in detail and ensuring they follow feedback from the Floor Manager and
 the Director clearly.
 If
 there is a technical problem, a presenter is expected to cover that fault
  Who
 do they answer to?
  Where
 do they work?
  Common
 phrases:
 sorry, we seem to be having some technical difficulties with that clip; we’ll
 try and get that back for you in just a moment.  In the meantime, the next story today is…”
 NB.
 A presenter will be expected to know the script off-by-heart if there is no
  Equipment
 they use:
 Tie-clip/Radio
 Microphone.
 Script.

 TV Studio Guide
  What
 do they do?
 VT Operator lines up pre-recorded segments, traditionally on video tape
  What
 is their responsibility?
 ensure the clips area ready when the Director cues them into the
 programme.  A VT Operator also needs to
 let the P.A. know how long the clips run for and how long is left.  They use the ‘time-code’ burned into the
 tape to navigate through the footage and can often be involved in
  Who
 do they answer to?
  Where
 do they work?
  Common
 phrases:
 Director] “”
 “Forty-two
  Equipment
 they use:
 Playback Deck(s).
 Script.