Production Environment: The Studio

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Production Environment The Studio
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Production Environment The Studio

• The Video Production Studio
• The Studio Control Room
• Master Control
• Studio Support Areas
• Scenery, Properties, and Set Dressings
• Set Design

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The Video Production StudioDesign Functions

• Multi Camera Productions
• Teamwork
• Optimum Single Camera Productions
• Generally Large and Rectangular
• Smooth Floors, High Ceilings

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Video Production Studio Layout

• Size Big Productions generally require larger
  studios which are harder to manage.
• All scenic design must be based on useable floor
  space

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Floor and Ceiling

• Requires Hard, Level, Even Floor, (often
  concrete)
• Must have adequate ceiling height for lighting
  grid and instruments and 10 foot scenery
• Most professional studios have 30 foot ceilings
  or more.

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Doors Walls Air Conditioning

• Doors should be oversized to allow furniture,
  scenery and equipment movement
• Walls and Ceiling should be sound absorbing
  treated
• Should accommodate a cyclorama
• Air Conditioning must be of capacity to handle
  heat from lighting and should be baffled to
  eliminate noise

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Major Installations

• Lights Suspended from Grid and Controlled by
  Dimmer
• Electrical Outlets Should be several groups of
  outlets spaced through out studio.
• Intercommunication System P.L. (Private Line
  and I.F.B. (Interruptible Feedback)
• Monitors Need at least large floor monitor
• Studio Speakers Used to hear music, sfx and
  director directions.

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The Studio Control Room

• Separated from studio.
• Sometimes adjacent to studio (not always)
• Contains video control equipment and production
  decision makers
• Director Producer Technical Director
• C.G. Operator Audio Engineer
• Video Engineer Lighting Director Other
  associates
• Views Studio via Monitors

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Image Control

• Equipment necessary for selection, sequence and
  coordination of video/audio
• Video Monitors for each individual video source
• Viewed by Director and Technical Director to
  decide on shots taken and sequence of shots
• Intercom Allow voice communication to each key
  production person and talent

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Image Control

• Program Sound (the audio part of image)
• Director must hear the audio associated with
  pictures (video)

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Sound Control

• Audio Booth - Sometimes separated from control
  room to allow audio engineer to hear program
  material clearly. Usually with visual contact to
  control room.
• Contains audio board, patch bays, CD players, DAT
  player/recorders, and other audio processing
  equipment
• Allows headphone and speaker monitoring.

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Master Control

• The heart of a broadcast/production facility.
• Control of CCUs, Video Tape, Digital Video Units,
  Electronic Still Store, etc.
• Oversight of all broadcast operations.

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Studio Support Areas

• Scenery and Property Storage organization of
  items for easy retrieval
• Make Up - Needs both 3,200 K and 5,600 K
  lighting
• Scenery, Properties, and Set Dressings Should
  stand up to close up camera view

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Scenery Standard Set Units

• Softwall flats freestanding unit provides
  background and simulates a wall. Muslin or cloth
  surface on 1 x 3 frame.
• Hardwall flats Typically specific to a
  production and may not be standard size. Main
  surface is plywood or fiberboard.

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Scenery Standard Set Units

• Set modules Series of hard wall flats and 3
  dimensional set pieces with matching dimensions.
  Can be assembled horizontally and/or vertically
  for variation.
• Seamless paper and painted drops Background
  scenery with continuous look. Typically a
  neutral background. Painted drops are rolls of
  paper or canvass with realistic background
  scenes. (I.E. an outdoor scene)

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Scenery Standard Set Units

• Special set pieces free standing 3 dimensional
  units (see text fig 14.13)
• Platforms Units to elevate the talent on set
  6 to 8 inches high. Keeps talent on even eye
  level with camera and avoids the viewer looking
  down at the talent or scene.
• Wagons are mobile platforms.

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Properties

• Set Props furniture
• Hand Props handled by the talent, I.E.
  telephones, books, magazines, dishes.

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Set Dressings

• Give atmosphere and individuality to the scene
• Items such as
• Curtains Pictures Sculpture
• Posters Lamps Indoor plants
• Desk items Bookshelves
• Should be realistic and stand up to the close up
  shot

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Set Design

• Establishes the environment for the TV Production
• Guided by the process message (what is the
  intent of the production

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Floor Plan A diagram of Scenery and Set
Properties

• Usually drawn with superimposed lighting grid
• Usually drawn to scale ¼1
• Shows an overhead view
• Must provide adequate camera movement and access
• Must allow for appropriate lighting

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Prop List and Floor Plan Use

• Productions need itemized prop list to assure
  availability when needed
• The Floor Plan becomes the blue print for
  building your set

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Evaluating the Floor Plan

• Are all entries to scale, if not, actual
  proportion is lost
• Are adequate lighting angles allowed
• Can camera movement be achieved
• Is acceptable audio possible
• Productions must allow for talent and camera
  movement, proper lighting and acceptable audio.

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Points to Remember

• Video Production Studios should allow
  multi-camera productions and teamwork by
  providing
• Sufficient Floor Space Smooth Floor
• Adequate Ceiling Height for Lighting
• Large Doors Acoustically Treated Walls
• Relatively Quiet Air Conditioning

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Points to Remember

• Major studios have
• Lighting Grid or Movable Battens
• Plenty of Wall Outlets
• Intercommunication Systems
• Studio Video Monitors
• Studio Speakers

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The Video Production StudioDesign Functions

• Multi Camera Productions
• Teamwork
• Optimum Single Camera Productions
• Generally Large and Rectangular
• Smooth Floors, High Ceilings

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Points to Remember

• The Control Room design should allow coordination
  of a total production.
• Typical Control Room Areas
• Image Control w/ switcher, C.G. Monitor banks,
  intercom lines, lighting board
• Sound Control w/ mixing console, playback and
  processing equipment

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Points to Remember

• Master Control Functions
• Quality Check
• Program Input
• Program Storage
• Program Retrieval

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Points to Remember

• Studio Support Areas
• Scenery and Property Storage
• Makeup and Dressing Rooms

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Points to Remember

• Scenery
• Softwall and Hardwall Flats
• Cyclorama and Drops
• Set Pieces
• Platforms and Wagons
• Properties
• Furniture and other set props
• Hand Props
• Set Dressings

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Key Concepts

• The Studio Provides Maximum Production Control
• The Control Room should coordinate the studio
  production process
• A reliable and flexible intercom system is
  essential for effective teamwork in multicamera
  studio productions
• The director and TD must sit next to each other
  in the control room

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Key Concepts

• Master Control checks the technical quality of
  all programs and facilitates program input,
  storage and retrieval
• Scenery must create a certain environment and
  allow optimal lighting, audio pickup and camera
  movement

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Key Concepts

• Properties and set dressings determine the
  character and style of the environment
• The floor plan a diagram of scenery and set
  props shows setup requirements and facilitates
  pre production planning

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The Video Production StudioDesign Functions

• Multi Camera Productions
• Teamwork
• Optimum Single Camera Productions
• Generally Large and Rectangular
• Smooth Floors, High Ceilings