Discussion:
Technical and creative staff who are brought on once production starts. This can be divided into control and floor staff. Most positions below the line have fairly well defined tasks before, during, and after the show, and will be covered here in depth.
Control Staff: Personnel who work primarily in a studio control room during a studio production.
1. Audio: Controls the program sound. -operates the audio board, CD player, tape player, etc. -works with the floor director checking mics. -live insertion of other audio materials such as CD.
2. Graphics operator: Puts graphics online. -operates the character generator. Sometimes works with still stores or other graphic generators. -”super” term for graphics on top of live video -”lower third” is a title that appears below a talent on the lower third of the screen. -”full screen” is a graphic that occupies the whole screen. -”roll” is a graphic that moves vertically across the screen, like it was written on a roll of napkins. -”crawl” is a graphic that moves horizontally across the screen, usually on the lower third. -”bug” is a small station ID logo in the corner of the screen. -”box” is a graphic over the talent’s shoulder.
3. Time Keeper: Reads ahead on script and rundown, and keeps time for the show. -Primary tool is the time clock and script. -Responsible for dealing with 2 measures of time: A. “TRT” - total run time B.”Segment time” - how much time left in this portion of the show. -”Back timing” is figuring time back from the end of the program. -”Time Cue” is a verbal warning of time left in segment or show. -”Counting in” is the process of counting down to the end of a show or segment in a show.
4. Technical Director -primary tool is the Production Switcher, which changes video sources live, and is sometimes called a special effects generator because of its ability to create visual effects. -Also can operator the “Digital Video Effects” or DVE, the electronic still store for still images, and other special effects.
5 . Video Engineer: deals with the quality of the show’s “look” from an engineering viewpoint. Use a waveform monitor and vectorscope to determine quality of video, and adjusts cameras, frame syncs, and other devices.
6. Telepromptor: Controls the teleprompter, a device that displays text for the talent to read.
7. Video operator: Operates the video recorders, both for playback and recording of the show.
Positions on the studio floor
1. Floor director: assure studio is in proper working order. -escort the talent and guest. -assures no smoking, running or liquid in studio. -works with audio person getting people on microphone.
2. Camera Operator: usually three of them, operation of cameras.
3. Talent: face of the show.
4. Camera grip: someone who helps in any physical endeavor that need addressing.
5. Lighting Director: somone who puts the proper lights on.