TV and Studio Production

Being involved in a crash course for television studio production has taught me many things in less than a few weeks. For one, there are so many different layers that I never knew existed. As a former radio DJ, I simply thought, a couple of cameras, sounds and "poof" you are done. I was wrong, so very wrong. There are not just cameras and sound boards.

Everything that I have tried to understand from setup to actually shooting a piece comes down to the simplest basis: planning. First, you need to know who, what, when, where and how you are shooting. In the studio at Shepherd University the general ideas as to where and how is easy. We are in the studio using two cameras, a lighting setup that has three separate areas of focus with at least two lights each, and there are mics that can be used for just about anything. The who, what and when are tricky. Sure, we could do it all during a class period, tweak it during lab hours and re-shoot if need be assuming the subjects are easy to get a hold of.

The next trick is remembering that you are not just using two cameras, lights and mics. In order for this production to be television ready, there has to be a compressor, video monitoring equipment that allows for one camera to be in place as the other prepares its next move and so that they can be switched from one to another at any given moment. There is also sound board which allows they levels to be correct, light boards to make sure the lights look right and that subjects are lit properly, and then there are the computers that these are stored on so that editing can happen should there be any needed. In the studio at Shepherd, however, we are learning to make it so everything is live.

Here is our the overall setup at the studio, as provided by the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan. (Our setup is very similar, except for the sound board, compressor, lighting controls, etc are in a room off set but in the same room with a viewing window)



Although some of the jobs are a tad boring, there is so much to be learned. Personally, I love directing because you are always on your toes trying to bring this piece together, but being the director also allows for you to see how important it is to know how the other jobs work. Sure, sound bored can be a bit dull, but if those levels are off that person will know. Lighting fascinates me because it's all about mood. Camera angles, if you are even slightly off, people can and will notice. (To be fully honest, some of the things on the camera scare me because although you spend a lot of money on them, they can break) Speaking of breaking, that is one of the best things that I have learned. How to fix things! This experience is all about problem solving and how to not let certain things get to you, even if it means delaying something a few seconds in order to fix a problem.

All in all within just a few short weeks, this class has taught me more than most of my classes do in months. It has solidified my wanting to go into something with production or just something creative period. It has also taught me how very wrong I was when it came to production. It is hard work, trial and error, and growth at its finest.