STUDIO MANAGERS FOR RADIO AND TELEVISION

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Broadcast programmes production tends to be a co-operative activity. The success of any programme depends largely upon all those who are involved in the production working closely together. Among them are the producer director, set designer, lighting technician, camera persons, floor manager, actor and stresses, the technical director and sound recordist.

This unit will take a look at a few of them because of the exigencies of the time and space.

2.0 OBJECTIVES

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

1. define studio manager in broadcast studio 
2.  differentiate the role of the director with pother directors 
3.  explain the duties of the set designer 
4. discuss the role of the floor manager in Television production 
5.  explain the reasons for having a technical director during production. 

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 Definition

Broadcast, especially television, programme production is teamwork, each person with his task to be accomplished.  The programme producer makes the run through to make sure that everything that is required for production is in peace. The floor manager ensures that the equipment and property are put in their proper positions, in the studio. The lighting officer makes sure all the required lights are functioning. The man in charge of sound checks the microphones and their locations. The cameraperson checks his camera to ascertain its functionability. While the vision and sound mixer see that the switchboard and the consoles are in good working position ready for the production. All of these are the studio managers, each in charge of his/her unit to make sure that the production is realised.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

1. Artists are one of the studio managers during production. Discuss. 

3.2 The Director

Every member of a production crew tends to play a special role without which production may not be possible. According to Warritay (1986:84), a producer is the boss of a production project. His or her main task is to provide task for production, or he may represent the financiers. If a producer works in a Television or a production organisation, he or she may have to play the role of a producer and that of as director.

A director is given the responsibility for the professional execution of a production project. He works with the script prepared by the producer. His responsibility includes rehearsing with the actors and actresses in readiness for the production. He does not stop at that, he also does a rehearsal with the camera crew so that they know their movement before the production. This is to avoid unnecessary mistake that may mar production.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

1. Why do you think it is not possible for a director to double as an actor? 

3.3 The Set Designer

The set designer does not simply walks into the studio and starts designing the studio floor. He or she works on the instructions given by either the producer or the director. By this time he or she must have studied the production script and taken into account the availability of fund, he embarks on designing the sets and floor plans accordingly. The design usually shows how the different sets are to be arranged and how they would fit into the particular studio where the programme would be produced. The next thing he or she does is to communicate his ideas to the station carpenters, painters, costume designer, make-up artist, special effect men, props men and the stage hands. These are studio helpers. They may be called upon to assist in any studio assignment. It is the duty of the designer to co-ordinate the activities of the crafts men and women, and to ensure that their work is done and is in good state and ready for production.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 3

1. Give a comparative analysis of a set designer and a producer. 

3.4 The Floor Manager

The floor manager is in total control of the studio once the director goes in the control room to start the production. Warritay (1986:85) is of the view that the floor manager listens to the director’s instruction on intercom connected to any of the cameras. He then relays the director’s instructions to the performers by pantomime. Those putting up appearances in the studio for the first time and are relatively new to television production are usually advised or briefed about the pantomime code during rehearsals. There are many codes however the most commonly used ones are a cue of talented artist to start action, and the direction to ask performers or artist to either raise or lower their voices and towards the end warning may be given to performers to round up their speeches because the programme is coming to the end.


Furthermore during production the floor manager ensures that the studio doors are locked and a warning light, usually a red light, which indicates that recording is in progress, must be on. This device is to keep all unwanted person off. During this time entries and exits from the studio is prohibited in order to avoid disruption and distracting attention of performers, and so that unwanted sounds may not enter the programme.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 4

1. Assess the work of a floor manager in a programme production. 

3.5 The Technical Director

The Technical director, whose main responsibility is to operate the switch, usually sit beside the programme director in the control room and works according to the instruction of the director. If the director gives instruction to cut from camera to another, for example, to CUT from camera one to camera three, it is the duty of the technical director to press a switch that acts electronically to transfer the input picture on line into the master monitor.

The director usually gives warning to both cameramen and the technical director about an intending instruction before finally giving the order. For instance, the director could say, “Ready to CUT to camera 1. CUT to 1. Steady on 3. Coming to 3. “Take 3”. Such instruction goes until the end of the production.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 5

1. Why must the director give prior warning before the final command? 

4.0 CONCLUSION

We have taken a deep look at the various persons who perform their duties in the studio to put a broadcast programme together to the satisfaction of the audience members. These persons may be referred to as studio managers. They include among others the directors, set designer, floor managers and the technical directors. They work as a team to come up with a worthwhile programme.

5.0 SUMMARY

For those who have not had the opportunity of watching a broadcast programme being produces will not bother to think of how and why programmes are produced, that is those behind the scene who make it possible for programmes to be produced.

Apart from viewing or listening to the actors and actresses, there are other important people who combine their efforts and technical know-how to put up a programme that is consumed by the station’s audience.

6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT

1. Why do you think it is a must to have a floor manager during TV production?
2.  What are funds meant for in broadcast programme production?
3. Discuss Rehearsals in broadcast programme production.