Basic Studio Directing

Basic Studio Directing by Rod Fairweather, Focal Press, Oxford, 1998

• p12 ‘shouting gets in the way of useful talkback’
• p14 ‘producer and director must work as a team’ - technical teams must follow the director
• ‘on air time and exact duration’ p18
• p24 Focal length ‘If parallel light is shone into a lens the distance to the point of focus behind a lens is its focal length
• fnumbers: we use an iris (a variable size hole) in  lens to control the amount of light let through
• the more we open the iris the smaller the f number
• each stop lets in twice as much light as the previous field
• Semi profile shot, 2 shot
• looking room, head room, not centre framing, balancing shots
• non-horizontal lines
• inexperienced directors have nothing in foreground whilst crabbing
• p100 ‘slowly zooming can be highly effective’
• can be visually dull without reaction shots

Health and Safety in the Studio

Sound:

• Notify director when doing line up tone
• everyone take off headsets and turn off speakers

Lighting:

• Avoid total darkness but switch off studio lights when not in use
• Use gloves when adjusting lights
• Safety gauzes in place
• No cables left dangling against light

General:

• No smoking, food or drink
• Never stand/put things on cables
• Don't cover electrical items
• when moving electrical equipment switch off from mains
• use circuit breakers
• don't let cables become tangled or tight
• When lifting keep your back straight and use leg power

Development of a TV Studio Production

1. Idea
2. Draft Script
3. Preliminary Planning
4. Final Script
5. Technical planning
6. Rehearsal Script
7. Pre studio rehearsals
8. Camera script
9. Prepare Studio
10. Camera blocking
11. Run through
12. Final Rehearsal
13. Videotaping
14. Offline editing decisions
15. On line editing
16. review
17. Transmission