Abstract:

At the end of the studio, we finally can produce and participate in a complete Live program. It is such an exciting experience. Midnight Snack is the name of the Live show. It is divided into two episode, broadcast in different weeks separately. The content has included diverse types of TV programs, such as News, sitcoms( skits), interview, band performance. This reflection will analyze the concept of what is liveness by discussing the experience of joining in Midnight Snack.

Process:

Pre-production           ➡️              Rehearsal                 ➡️           Live       

Discuss:

• The authenticity of live streaming

There is a large number of ‘live’ TV is not live or completely live. (Marriott 2007, p. 1)

In regard to the authenticity of liveness, I’d like to discuss it from three aspects of our final live show, such as sitcoms, interviews, and audiences’ reactions.

Firstly, the final presentation of our sitcoms has been rehearsed plenty of times by the talent. For example, we got the segment called midnight snacks. Actors are supposed to eat various snacks, then give their reactions and opinions. However, all the actions and expression on their faces are performance. Besides, they can even show the almost same performance every time. Actually, they got the script on the screen. It includes almost all the reactions they need to present and all the sentence they need to say. Moreover, they rehearsal lots of times to make sure they can achieve the expected effect. Moreover, performers actually don’t eat snacks when they do the rehearsal. However, once I cannot distinguish if they were eating, the reaction was so real.

Secondly, the interview part of our live show is half improvisational. Even we did not rehearsal with these interviewees. However, as my perspective, all the segments are designed by the script and the language of hosts has the guidance. There are leading questions to draw the following segment, such as the good friend segment. Moreover, I believed other live programs may discuss the script with the interviewee. They need to figure out questions if they can ask. Besides, they need to achieve the intended effect.

Laugh track can be valuable and positive for both the performer and the home audience. ( Giotta, 2017, p. 337)

Thirdly, audiences’ reactions are also probably designed. The punchline is a significant part of the live show with comedy. However, sometimes the audience cannot get the laughing point. It will be awkward. Thus, normally, the floor manager is supposed to communicate with audiences. Thus, they can understand his action to react. The audience in locale laugh by the leading of floor manager can show it is a punchline to online audiences. It can be understood as another performance.

In addition, I would like to talk about the pre-recording. We did not use pre-recording at this time. However, there are some benefits to do Live with the pre-recording. On the one hand, it can avoid some risk of liveness. As a pre-recoding scene, it can be recorded several times and edited to become a near-perfect part. On the other hand, it makes the process more flexible. Sometimes, the time-schedule may not fit everybody. Pre-recording can solve this problem easily. Some people may worry about the effect of pre-recording if it looks like the live show. Actually, the language of the host can imply audiences that the whole process is live. For example, the host may say, “Let’s see what is happening in studio C right now”. It can emphasize the liveness of the broadcast. (Marriot S 2007, p. 2) 

 

• Empathy of the audience

The live show is not only supposed to achieve professional standard but also should satisfy audiences’ desire. (Lundell 2009, p. 272)

As my perspective, empathy of the audience is a core part to attract the audience. The empathy provides a reason for the audience to pay attention and enjoy the live show. To achieve the desire, the live show is supposed to generally find the target audience and offer the relative content to them. For example, The Late Show of Stephen Colbert focuses on every day’s news. Its audience can be thought as all American, as long as they interested in news. Besides, some audience may just like the style of satire to talk. For our live show, I don’t think we have the target audience. It almost targets everybody but not so attractive to everybody. The good thing is it can be accepted by all kinds of people. However, it may lose a particular group of audience. For example, there are various types of the live show in recent years. Food tubes attract food nut and star tubes attract fans. Moreover, it will be easy for the marketing team to promote if we have the target audience. The promotion can focus on the particular group of people and post relevant content online. In addition, the language of hosts, such as we, us, our and let’s, can construct the connection between audiences and the live show. (Marriott 2007, p. 3) It is also can make the audiences’ feeling of empathy stronger.

 

• Visual Mixer

This time I want to challenge myself to try some core position. In consideration of my language skills, I choose a more practical position, vision mixer. As a visual mixer, I don’t need to do lots of preparation for the rehearsal and the final live show. In the pre-production process, I only need to generally understand the skills to use the device, such as the button of the preview, the language of switch, the method to draw GFS/ EVS in and the way to transmit to studio C. Once we start rehearsal and live, it becomes a super pressured position. Before the rehearsal, vision switcher is supposed to discuss the script with the director to confirm matching the time, shot and effects.

After the first mass rehearsal, there are plenty of problems show up. Firstly, sometimes it is confused to distinguish if the director was talking to me to switch or talking to camera operators to adjust the shot. Thus, director and I have discussed the issue and figure out a way to solve, like using code words. Secondly, there are couple times that we need to switch to studio C and cut back. Thus, it is hard to cut just at the right time. Hopefully, DA can get the schedule of studio C. Thus, she can count the time for us. It is very helpful to cut with both the information from DA and images from screens. Thirdly, another thing needs to notice is matching up with GFX. Otherwise, the graphic may cover the host face completely. The method to solve the problem is discussed with the GFX and make notes on the script to confirm the position of the graphic on the shot.

In my opinion, as a visual mixer, he not only need to be used to doing technical stuff with the device but also needs to stay calm down and react fast when under so many pressures. For example, in our episode one final live show, there is a moment that the graphic covered the host’s face for about 2 seconds. However, I did not cut to another camera quickly. It caused a serious problem of the live show. Moreover, rehearsal can make vision mixer do a better work. It is useful for the vision mixer to rehearsal as more times as he can, it can offer me chances to find the problem, make notes and solve the problems.

 

• Social Media & Marketing

  

As social media and marketing, we are supposed to find the audience and promote the live show, such as post photos and BTS videos. Firstly, to promote the live show, we should take some photos, post online and interact with audiences. Generally, as I said before, live show should have its target audience. Thus, the promotion should have the special narrative to attract the particular group with audiences. However, because our live show doesn’t have target audiences, the work for us become easier. 

We just post our photos and videos about various processes, such as pre-production, rehearsal, final live show and behind the scene on social media. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WeChat are platforms we chose.

The frequency of post online is different at the distinct time. We posted more often before we did the final live show, like 1 to 2 posts in 30 mins. It is for getting audience noticed and making them feel interested in our live show.

Secondly, for organizing audience, we used two different methods. On the one hand, we start an activity on Facebook to get the audience from the internet.

On the other hand, we designed a flyer page to distribute to people around the university. Because of the limitation of the audience’s number, we cancel the plan of handing out flyers.

 

 

• Multi-camera VS Single camera

I have talked about the differences between Multi-camera and single-camera in the previous assignment. However, I have some new observations about these two shooting methods.

Single camera production normally only one camera is using at the same time. Sometimes, it may use two cameras to save time. It has the more movie-like look. It looks more like the elaborate production. For instance, the TV show called Modern Family looks like having the higher quality than The Big Bang Theory. Besides, it is more creative and flexible. Every scene is filming separately. For example, when we shoot film by using the single camera in the last studio, we got more shot sizes, shot angles and shot languages. Moreover, it can be edited as completely different meanings. In addition, it is easier to handle visual effect to achieve the intended requirement. However, it costs more time and more budget. Unlike shooting by multi-camera with the laugh track, shooting by single camera provides a chance for the audience to feel and enjoy by themselves. They can laugh when they want.

Multi-camera using several cameras shooting at the same time from various views. It looks more like the style of the living theatre. (Lundell 2009, p. 271) Normally, the shot size is almost same between different scenes. Shooting by using multi-camera is a convenient process. It can save lots of time. For example, I shoot a three minutes film for about 1 week by using single-camera. However, we only need 30mins to shoot a 30mins live show by using multi-camera. Thus, it is easy to understand it cost less budget. Both the money of renting space and hiring people is less. However, there is also a limitation of multi-camera, such as the suitable type of shows.

 

• Collaboration

Compare with the process of film production, I think live show production may need higher collaboration. It is more like a collective process instead of individuals creation. To achieve the goal, it asks all crews to always stand by for the final live show. Besides, the skills of communication is also a significant part. For instance, when we do the rehearsal for episode one, there is a skirmish between director and producer. They argued different method to do the rehearsal. The best way to solve this problem is to discuss more and find out a good way for almost everyone. For vision mixer, they need to discuss with the director to confirm the intended image, talk with DA to get help for counting down,  communicate with EVS and GFX to make sure the drawing time is correct. I can not finish my work well without communication with them and cooperation with them. For social media, it also needs to discuss with producer and get requirements and information form them to focus on the target audience and promote online. The best part of the live show is the feeling when we finish the liveness with everybody in the team. We can share the same emotion, from feeling stressful to get relax and sense of achievement.

 

• What is Live?

“It is not watchable because it is not meant to be watchable.” (Scannell 2013, p. 99)

Compare live programmer with CCTV, Live is supposed to export value, such as the value of culture, value of information and value of personality. If not, it is only a device for recording and helps police to solve a case.

It is unreal to play with time in the recorded living moment, such as replay, fast forward and stop the play. (Scannell 2013, p. 97)

In the past, live shows are only produced on TV. In nowadays, everybody can do live streaming because of the development of social media. In last year, liveness has reached at the most popular point in the timeline. Various platforms of liveness have shown up. Even live of sleeping can attract lots of attention. Watching people sleep is a boring activity. As my perspective, it is because live platforms provide a public space for audiences to communicate and exchange ideas on the same content without limitation of locations at the real time. It is a real happening activity that everybody from the world can join in, watch and comment.

 

Reference:

Marriott, S 2007, ‘Time and the Live Event’, Live Television: Time, Space and the Broadcast Event, SAGE Publications Ltd, London, pp. 1-13

Giotta, G 2017, ‘Sounding Live: An Institutional History of the Television Laugh Track’, Journal of Communication Inquiry, Vol. 41, pp. 331-348

MacDonnell, J 2013, ‘D O I N G I T L I V E ! PLANNING AND PREPARING FOR A LIVE DRAMA EPISODE: A CASE STUDY OF THE BILL ( I T V, 2 0 0 5 )’, Journal of European television history& culture, Vol. 02, pp. 27-44

Scannell, P 2013, ‘The meaning of live’, Television and the meaning of ‘Live’ : An Enquiry Into the Human Situation, Cambridge : Polity Press, viewed 28 May 2018,<http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/ehost/detail/detailvid=0&sid=95c77f8b86a7447495c0e32fe0cd2956%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=693642&db=nlebk>.