Having had prior weeks based around the basic function of the studio, my initial expectation of this exercise was quite a positive one. When my group and I conducted our initial production meeting, we selected the roles we were most comfortable in. This allowed us to feel confident in our abilities when production began. Having a good understanding of our roles made for an almost seamless experience when conducting our talkshow. 

A solid and simple concept for our show meant that managing time as a floor manager with the DA was rather easy for me, as the host had a clear understanding of what the show’s format was. A simple discussion based format with host prompts allowed for a free flowing host-lead conversation between our chosen talent. 

During my experience I only faced minor difficulties on the communicative side of the production. Having many voices in my headset at once, made it a little difficult to hear members in the control room. This was made more difficult to manage as I wasn’t exactly sure which members of other groups had volunteered to do other roles. In future, I aim to make sure that I have a solid understanding of the roles other members in the control room are doing.

Having the opportunity to work on other group’s productions, I was able to try out different roles. Working in audio, EVS and autocue gave me an opportunity to gain basic experience in a control room setting. Moving forward, I aim to further develop my skills and work in a diverse range of roles. I am particularly interested in further developing my skill in directorial roles and vision switching.

My overall experience with this exercise saw this as a rather successful production. Much of our show’s success is owed to solid preparation and team work.

Week Two’s reading  ‘I Want My Talk TV: Network Talk Shows in a Digital Universe’ speaks about the evolution of audience engagement and how developments in mobile media have meant changes in the way networks approach content distribution in, what is coined, the post-network era. These changes have seen the audience and network relationship evolve, which has audiences more at the forefront of the decisions made by broadcast networks, regarding programming and content. Now that audiences have multiple avenues of which media consumption is possible, the production of quality content alone isn’t something networks can rely on to be as lucrative as it once was in the network era when audiences had fewer content and less control over what they viewed (Jones 2009).

Now more than ever, networks have the audience in mind. With today’s audience dispersed over multiple platforms and media devices, television networks’ primary focus is to encapsulate the consumer by providing content where audiences are located, instead of relying on the audience to come to them. Jones (2009, p. 18-19) states ‘Networks must be very intentional about how they distribute their content outside of the traditional network-affiliate relationship precisely because viewers have so many choices, including the choice not to watch television altogether’. This idea prompted me to look at my own craft within the area of multi-camera production. With an ever evolving media landscape and with a multitude of platform and device options for media consumption, I am intrigued by the idea of how to create engaging content in today’s era, while keeping in mind the diversity of modern media consumption. How to create content that is consumable across a diverse range of technology and platforms is something that I am rather interested in, as many creative and technical aspects of visual media production must consider functionality across the diverse range of technology and platforms. 

Reference:

Jones, J 2009,  ‘I Want My Talk TV: Network Talk Shows in a Digital Universe’, in Amanda Lotz (ed.), Beyond Prime Time: Television Programming in the Post-Network Era, Routledge, New York, pp. 14-35.

The introductory week for this class provided me with an enjoyable and insightful introduction into the many environments in which multi-camera set-ups and technology is used. While only scratching the surface of this topic, I was welcomed by a practical opportunity inside a studio space, where I was able to have hands-on experience with a multi-camera configuration. Given a brief crash course on the basics of camera operation, I was able to experiment with camera equipment while capturing images of talent in the studio. Not only was I given the opportunity to operate camera equipment, I was also able to work behind the scenes, in the studio control room, where I was able to communicate with camera operators and other personnel in the studio space. 

Reflecting on my first week in this media studio, I was particularly intrigued by the operation seen within the control room setting and how the different roles within the space contribute to the broadcasted image seen by the audience. In our first class of week one, we were shown behind the scenes footage of a control room operating the broadcast during a Superbowl halftime show. Very fascinated by this, I was glad we were able to have a similar experience of our own in the control room of our studio. 

During my time in Ready Camera One, I expect to develop the necessary competencies to work within multi-camera environments and become well versed in multiple roles and responsibilities within these types of environments. With this in mind, it is imperative that I gain as much experience in all areas of production as possible, whether it be in camera operation, floor management, directorial positions, sound, control room ect. 

To achieve the best possible outcome in this studio, it is important that I allow for as much diversity in my experience, which will hopefully allow me to receive broad and in depth education in this area.