The unit opened with a briefing as to what I will be doing as part of the professional practice unit, including an introduction to work placements, commissions and a case study. It would then be up to me to choose which of the three we would take part in, as these options would be the basis of our final reports. I chose to do the commission option and took on the challenge of creating content for Gillingham Football Club.
The idea was to create a Gillingham Season Review video for the club and negotiations with Nick Bull and Oliver Huddlestone of the media team were made to discuss other ideas as to what I could create. These ideas included a season highlights video, a call out penalty video and a training montage video.
In order to create the Season Review, we would turn up to various matches, press conferences and training sessions in order to collect footage that I would use to create the video.
I felt that though the season review video was an overall success, there was plenty I would have changed about the video if I had the opportunity to go back and change my approach. Though the fan interviews were honest and pretty well done, I feel that being able to use players, the manager or the chairman would have made for a more interesting interview from a fans perspective. Bringing the chairman, Paul Scally, would have also meant learning more about what Gillingham do off the pitch as well as on it, something the fans may not be aware of, e.g. charity work.
Looking back on the edit, I would like to have been able to incorporate the press conferences into the video more than I have, seeing as we filmed at 4 different press conferences throughout the commission. The idea was to use what Adrian Pennock, the manager, says in the press conferences and use them to highlight key points throughout the season.
Overall I am happy with what I produced and more importantly so is the club, who are due to upload the video onto their channel sometime later this week.
Tuesday 16 May 2017
Monday 15 May 2017
Professional Practice - Training Footage
We only visited the training ground on one occasion, however we did not feel the need to revisit as the players would only be doing the same/similar things that we would have already filmed. With access to any area of the training ground, I was given freedom of movement and was able to pull off some tracking shots and was given plenty of time to ensure that we covered the majority of the players, thus giving us plenty of references for the season review video should we need them.
The main objective of this visit was to shoot a call out penalty video with Josh Wright and Cody McDonald, two of the first team Gillingham squad members. The game entails scoring in a specific area of the goal, e.g. top right corner, that the player would have told the camera before taking the penalty, all without the goalkeepers knowledge of where they will be shooting. We had a Sony EX fixed in one location focusing directly at the goal, a Cannon DSLR camera that would be handheld and would free roam around the area creating shots from various angles, and finally we had a go pro camera hanging from one of the top corners.
The players only gave us around 15-20 minutes to film this video meaning we had to accomplish what we wanted in one take. A problem arose when the Sony EX crashed midway through the video meaning that the call out penalty video had to either be reshot on a different date, or scrapped altogether.
Despite losing out on what could have been a separate video to the season review, the day was not a total loss as we managed to film nearly an hours worth of training, something that could also be incorporated into a video.
The main objective of this visit was to shoot a call out penalty video with Josh Wright and Cody McDonald, two of the first team Gillingham squad members. The game entails scoring in a specific area of the goal, e.g. top right corner, that the player would have told the camera before taking the penalty, all without the goalkeepers knowledge of where they will be shooting. We had a Sony EX fixed in one location focusing directly at the goal, a Cannon DSLR camera that would be handheld and would free roam around the area creating shots from various angles, and finally we had a go pro camera hanging from one of the top corners.
The players only gave us around 15-20 minutes to film this video meaning we had to accomplish what we wanted in one take. A problem arose when the Sony EX crashed midway through the video meaning that the call out penalty video had to either be reshot on a different date, or scrapped altogether.
Despite losing out on what could have been a separate video to the season review, the day was not a total loss as we managed to film nearly an hours worth of training, something that could also be incorporated into a video.
Professional Practice - Collecting Match Day Footage
As a part of creating the season review we needed to collect footage from the live matches including the pre-game warmups, crowd shots and the game itself. This was done over 4 match days including games against Peterborough, Millwall, Bristol Rovers and Fleetwood Town.
Before the games started we would film the players in their pre-game warmups and would be given access on the pitch itself. The final home game of the season would also have an awards ceremony for the players half hour before the game so this would be something else we'd film.
As we were given all access passes by the media team, it was assumed that we would be able to get pitchside with the cameras by the touchline. However neither the stewards nor the official safety officers were not told about us filming at the game and we did not have official bibs to state that we were supposed to be there. Though the issue was resolved when Oliver came down and spoke to them about what we were doing, we were restricted to the walkways meaning we could potentially be blocking fans from certain locations.
Seeing as we were restricted for space and would be moving about a lot, it was not deemed necessary to bring an EX or a PMW so we used the DSLR cameras and went handheld when filming. This was not a huge issue though zooming in to far away action did become a problem and we could only really film what was close to us.
Before the games started we would film the players in their pre-game warmups and would be given access on the pitch itself. The final home game of the season would also have an awards ceremony for the players half hour before the game so this would be something else we'd film.
As we were given all access passes by the media team, it was assumed that we would be able to get pitchside with the cameras by the touchline. However neither the stewards nor the official safety officers were not told about us filming at the game and we did not have official bibs to state that we were supposed to be there. Though the issue was resolved when Oliver came down and spoke to them about what we were doing, we were restricted to the walkways meaning we could potentially be blocking fans from certain locations.
Seeing as we were restricted for space and would be moving about a lot, it was not deemed necessary to bring an EX or a PMW so we used the DSLR cameras and went handheld when filming. This was not a huge issue though zooming in to far away action did become a problem and we could only really film what was close to us.
Professional Practice - Meeting with Nick Bull
In order to discuss shoot dates, what I can and can't film and what they'd like me to create, I met up with Nick Bull to discuss these plans with him.
He was open to all suggestion I put forward to him, such as the idea of creating a season review video and a call out penalty video with the players. The dates set at this time were weeks in advance of this meeting giving us plenty of time to get ourselves organised. Nick also placed some suggestions of his own, referencing previous video made for the club as well as videos made for other clubs that we could either replicate or take inspiration from.
Afterwards we were given a tour round the stadium to get ourselves familiarised with the various locations. Nick assured us that we had access to almost any area of the stadium we wanted. It was also from this tour where we got to meet some of the staff members, such as those working in the kitchens and the ticket office. We also met Oliver Huddlestone, another member of the media team who would be helping us out throughout the commission.
He was open to all suggestion I put forward to him, such as the idea of creating a season review video and a call out penalty video with the players. The dates set at this time were weeks in advance of this meeting giving us plenty of time to get ourselves organised. Nick also placed some suggestions of his own, referencing previous video made for the club as well as videos made for other clubs that we could either replicate or take inspiration from.
Afterwards we were given a tour round the stadium to get ourselves familiarised with the various locations. Nick assured us that we had access to almost any area of the stadium we wanted. It was also from this tour where we got to meet some of the staff members, such as those working in the kitchens and the ticket office. We also met Oliver Huddlestone, another member of the media team who would be helping us out throughout the commission.
Professional Practice - Research into my chosen commission: Gillingham FC
For the professional practice unit, I had decided on choosing to do a commission with Gillingham Football Club alongside Josh Bayly and Troy Smith.
Gillingham FC, also known as The Gills, are a football club based in Gillingham, Kent. The club plays their games at Priestfield Stadium, a ground that holds 11,582 when full, and compete in League One, the third tier of English football.
The club are owned by Paul Scally, a businessman who bought the club in 1995, potentially saving the club from being expelled from the football league and closed down. Since his arrival at the club, Gillingham FC managed to jump from Division Three (now League Two) up to Division One (now the FL Championship) in just 5 years. The club would stay in the second tier of English football for 5 seasons before being relegated back to the third tier.
I approached Nick Bull, the media manager at Gillingham FC, about the commission and shared my ideas as to what I might like to create for the club and had set up a date to discuss things further.
Important things to remember is the branding of the club. The crest and kit colours are all blue and white, while the away strip is red. This was key for any videos I may create with the club, for wherever I choose to add certain graphics, I would have to think about what colours are important for the club.
Gillingham FC, also known as The Gills, are a football club based in Gillingham, Kent. The club plays their games at Priestfield Stadium, a ground that holds 11,582 when full, and compete in League One, the third tier of English football.
The club are owned by Paul Scally, a businessman who bought the club in 1995, potentially saving the club from being expelled from the football league and closed down. Since his arrival at the club, Gillingham FC managed to jump from Division Three (now League Two) up to Division One (now the FL Championship) in just 5 years. The club would stay in the second tier of English football for 5 seasons before being relegated back to the third tier.
I approached Nick Bull, the media manager at Gillingham FC, about the commission and shared my ideas as to what I might like to create for the club and had set up a date to discuss things further.
Important things to remember is the branding of the club. The crest and kit colours are all blue and white, while the away strip is red. This was key for any videos I may create with the club, for wherever I choose to add certain graphics, I would have to think about what colours are important for the club.
Professional Practice - Research into Commissions
A commission is where an outside company requests for you to create content for them, whether this be an advertisement for a product they're selling, a promotional video for the company or a documentary short. It is an opportunity to put your skills to the test in all areas, such as producing, directing, shooting and editing.
By choosing the commissioning option, I will be able to work in a more hands on environment where I will be able to take control of certain projects myself while still getting the same professional working environment I could get in a work placement. The experience will also be more rewarding as the content I create will have the potential to be used by the company on their website or YouTube channel.
As a Gillingham FC supporter, the commission they were offering particularly stood out as something I might want to take up for this unit. Though the work seemed demanding and constant, the club seemed really open to our own ideas as to what we would want to create for the club, whether it be a behind the scenes video, a fun game with the players or just ways of adding to their game highlights.
By choosing the commissioning option, I will be able to work in a more hands on environment where I will be able to take control of certain projects myself while still getting the same professional working environment I could get in a work placement. The experience will also be more rewarding as the content I create will have the potential to be used by the company on their website or YouTube channel.
As a Gillingham FC supporter, the commission they were offering particularly stood out as something I might want to take up for this unit. Though the work seemed demanding and constant, the club seemed really open to our own ideas as to what we would want to create for the club, whether it be a behind the scenes video, a fun game with the players or just ways of adding to their game highlights.
Professional Practice - Research into Work Placements
A work placement is what will enable us to gain experience working under supervision within a specific role within a media based environment such as a studio. This will help gain the necessary experience we need to propel ourselves forward when we eventually leave university and look for work, something that is often seen as a problem for many graduates.
By choosing the work placement option, I will be able to add to my CV detailing what work experience I have had with the company, allowing for a better chance at securing a good job once I finish university. Though the experience you will gain will not be quite as rewarding as the real thing, work placements are still able to provide you with a good insight into what the job would require from you should you go on to do that chosen role in the future.
One work placement option that caught my attention was the Warner Bros owned television producers, Renegade Pictures. Upon researching the company I found that they had made a couple of programs that I used to watch such as The Tribe and Warship. Just being able to see what goes on in an active environment such as Renegade Pictures is something that would greatly interest me.
The positive I could take out of doing a Work Placement include being able to create contacts inside the television industry, getting an inside look at what goes on in the industry with perhaps some hands on experience and provide some insight as to what goes on.
By choosing the work placement option, I will be able to add to my CV detailing what work experience I have had with the company, allowing for a better chance at securing a good job once I finish university. Though the experience you will gain will not be quite as rewarding as the real thing, work placements are still able to provide you with a good insight into what the job would require from you should you go on to do that chosen role in the future.
One work placement option that caught my attention was the Warner Bros owned television producers, Renegade Pictures. Upon researching the company I found that they had made a couple of programs that I used to watch such as The Tribe and Warship. Just being able to see what goes on in an active environment such as Renegade Pictures is something that would greatly interest me.
The positive I could take out of doing a Work Placement include being able to create contacts inside the television industry, getting an inside look at what goes on in the industry with perhaps some hands on experience and provide some insight as to what goes on.
Professional Practice - New Unit
For this new unit, we will be given an opportunity to work in a professional environment and create a report based upon what we have done and how it can relate to possible work in the future. The professional practice will come in the form of either a commission placement or a work placement. There is also an option for a case study report. Below is an explanation as to what each option entails:
Commission Option
For the commission, we will be placed in an external company who wishes for us to create content in order to sell, promote or educate to their ideal audience. This can take any number of forms but typically involves creating a video for a specific event or to advertise their company. It will be up to us as the student solely to carry out the task of achieving what they want, however Laura, Simon and Helen may assist in securing a place in these commissions.
Work Placement Option
The work placement will be held over a sustained period of time (2-4 weeks) working with a media related company. Again this can take many forms and some companies will be more hands on while others may be more shadowing. Most of the options are studio based companies in London though there are also options for places like the Kent Film Office. Like with the commission option it will be up to us to decide when we would be working with the company though assistance in securing the placement will be provided.
Professional Case Study Option
For me, the least appealing option, the professional case study will take the form of research into a particular professional and will be included in the final report. This report will be longer than those done in the work placement and commission options at 2500-3000 words. Through the investigation of the chosen professional, you will be challenged with finding out what it means to work in a professional environment.
Of the three options provided, I feel that the commission and work placement options are the most appealing and is something I will look into more detail before deciding where I want to go with this unit.
Commission Option
For the commission, we will be placed in an external company who wishes for us to create content in order to sell, promote or educate to their ideal audience. This can take any number of forms but typically involves creating a video for a specific event or to advertise their company. It will be up to us as the student solely to carry out the task of achieving what they want, however Laura, Simon and Helen may assist in securing a place in these commissions.
Work Placement Option
The work placement will be held over a sustained period of time (2-4 weeks) working with a media related company. Again this can take many forms and some companies will be more hands on while others may be more shadowing. Most of the options are studio based companies in London though there are also options for places like the Kent Film Office. Like with the commission option it will be up to us to decide when we would be working with the company though assistance in securing the placement will be provided.
Professional Case Study Option
For me, the least appealing option, the professional case study will take the form of research into a particular professional and will be included in the final report. This report will be longer than those done in the work placement and commission options at 2500-3000 words. Through the investigation of the chosen professional, you will be challenged with finding out what it means to work in a professional environment.
Of the three options provided, I feel that the commission and work placement options are the most appealing and is something I will look into more detail before deciding where I want to go with this unit.
Friday 5 May 2017
Studio Production - Project Review
The unit required everyone to come up with their own idea for a show and pitch this idea to numerous staff members surrounding the course as well as the previous years producer. If successful, the curator would then become the producer for the show while everyone else would be interviewed for various other roles in the production based off their own desired preferences.
My chosen idea was a show called 'Keeping Track', an athletics based talk show which looks at the world of athletics from both a professional and amateur point of view. News on upcoming, major events, updates on professional athletes and major stories will be provided while also looking into athletics as a hobby. The show will be able to teach both aspiring professionals and those just looking to get back into shape the value of athletics and how it can improve their fitness.
Though I felt the pitch was rather successful, the show that got picked in the end was Josh Jones' 'The Big Movie Quiz', a quiz show all about films both old and new with a comedic twist. This then meant choosing three different roles to be interviewed for, labelling each role from most desired to least desired. I had chosen Sound as my first choice, Assistant Producer as my second choice and Social Media/Graphics as my third. Despite having chosen Sound as my first choice, the interview leaned more over to the Assistant Producer, a huge role with significant differences to the other roles I had picked. This would end up being the role that I got.
Being Assistant Producer allowed me to work closer with not only the Producer, but also the Director (Becca) and the Production Manager/Floor Manager (Imogen), as well as oversee all of the other roles in the production. I feel I worked particularly well with Josh, he would delegate me some tasks to get on with which I was perfectly fine doing as I didn't feel overworked at any point but I was certainly kept occupied constantly.
I was in charge of bringing in contributors, such as the host, contestants and the warm up act. As well as this, I was also able to oversee other peoples roles, make changes to both the script (which is not something I did too often) and the show as a whole.
To ensure that everyone was on task, production meetings were held on a weekly basis. Everyone would update the group on where they, provide feedback and in some cases look at resolving issues and suggesting necessary changes. Josh, Becca, Imogen and myself would also group together and form our own little meetings in order to formulate ideas together.
Two things that I wish I could have improved on was my approach to bringing in contestants for the show, and my choice in the warm-up act. There was a major issue in sorting out contestants as the majority of the applicants were male and the only two female applicants to apply, dropped out due to travel arrangement issues. This would mean having an all male cast on the show. This was changed shortly after mentioning the fact that our final two contestants would both be male. Simon put me through to Helen Welsh, a former student who would be interested in participating in the show. I would explain to her what the show's all about, what she would need to do and organised when and where she should come in. The second issue was with the warm-up act. I did not feel that last years act would be appropriate for the show as last year he acted as a children's entertainer/magician. Instead I brought in somebody I had seen before elsewhere, Connor Rochester, an acoustic guitar player as well as a singer. His performance on the show, though well done, was not as exciting and upbeat as Del had hoped for. Despite the fact that I would like to have changed this decision, I do not regret bringing Connor.
Overall I am happy with the work I put in as the Assistant Producer and would love to take up a role similar to this in the future should the opportunity ever come around. Being at the centre of organisation was a positive and rewarding experience and I feel I have taken a lot out of this unit.
Though I felt the pitch was rather successful, the show that got picked in the end was Josh Jones' 'The Big Movie Quiz', a quiz show all about films both old and new with a comedic twist. This then meant choosing three different roles to be interviewed for, labelling each role from most desired to least desired. I had chosen Sound as my first choice, Assistant Producer as my second choice and Social Media/Graphics as my third. Despite having chosen Sound as my first choice, the interview leaned more over to the Assistant Producer, a huge role with significant differences to the other roles I had picked. This would end up being the role that I got.
Being Assistant Producer allowed me to work closer with not only the Producer, but also the Director (Becca) and the Production Manager/Floor Manager (Imogen), as well as oversee all of the other roles in the production. I feel I worked particularly well with Josh, he would delegate me some tasks to get on with which I was perfectly fine doing as I didn't feel overworked at any point but I was certainly kept occupied constantly.
I was in charge of bringing in contributors, such as the host, contestants and the warm up act. As well as this, I was also able to oversee other peoples roles, make changes to both the script (which is not something I did too often) and the show as a whole.
To ensure that everyone was on task, production meetings were held on a weekly basis. Everyone would update the group on where they, provide feedback and in some cases look at resolving issues and suggesting necessary changes. Josh, Becca, Imogen and myself would also group together and form our own little meetings in order to formulate ideas together.
Two things that I wish I could have improved on was my approach to bringing in contestants for the show, and my choice in the warm-up act. There was a major issue in sorting out contestants as the majority of the applicants were male and the only two female applicants to apply, dropped out due to travel arrangement issues. This would mean having an all male cast on the show. This was changed shortly after mentioning the fact that our final two contestants would both be male. Simon put me through to Helen Welsh, a former student who would be interested in participating in the show. I would explain to her what the show's all about, what she would need to do and organised when and where she should come in. The second issue was with the warm-up act. I did not feel that last years act would be appropriate for the show as last year he acted as a children's entertainer/magician. Instead I brought in somebody I had seen before elsewhere, Connor Rochester, an acoustic guitar player as well as a singer. His performance on the show, though well done, was not as exciting and upbeat as Del had hoped for. Despite the fact that I would like to have changed this decision, I do not regret bringing Connor.
Overall I am happy with the work I put in as the Assistant Producer and would love to take up a role similar to this in the future should the opportunity ever come around. Being at the centre of organisation was a positive and rewarding experience and I feel I have taken a lot out of this unit.
Studio Production - Dress Rehearsal and Show Day
The dress rehearsal would prove to be the biggest challenge yet as we now had to communicate with the lighting team, the sound team as well as the set design team in order to get the very best out of the show. Unlike the other rehearsals, the aim was to consistently hit the 30 minute mark dead on every time, and every time this did not happen, something would have to change, whether it be the script or the way in which George would present the show.
There were a number of issues that we all ran into along the way, issues that we had not come across in previous rehearsals due to the different nature in which we were managing the show.
In one rehearsal, Josh had to alert George that the rehearsal was about to start while the opening credits as he was still in his dressing room as it was all going on. This was something the Floor Manager had to look out for in future.
Another issue was that Josh was unable to concentrate on two roles at one time, communicating with George while keeping track of the scores was something that became very difficult to manage as one role would get in the way of the other. Gallery runner and first year Jack Whitely was then put in charge of monitoring the scores.
A change was also suggested for the fourth and final round on the day of the show after the final rehearsal. The suggestion was that both contestants would be on set at the same time when the final answers are revealed as opposed to playing at separate times. The change was deemed too risky seeing as we weren't able to put this idea to practice given that the next shoot would be the final show.
One challenge I experienced was being able to manage the contestants and the warm-up act while keeping in the loop of everything else that was going on around me. Though I feel I managed the situation pretty well given that this was my first and only real experience of doing this, I feel that prior preparation would have helped a lot more by liaising with the crew in regards to the contestants and warm-up act.
Despite these issues, the rehearsals, generally speaking, went very well. Everything seemed to fit into place as it should and the rehearsals clocked in at 30 minutes almost every time, with others being just a couple of seconds out at the most.
The live show itself also went very well and was probably our best take so far, it was also George Sesays best take with a near flawless performance. He seemed at his most confident. As far as I could see there were only a couple of mistakes throughout the show. One being an image accidentally placed over the top of a VT by the vision mixer, Laura, and the other being a camera error by one of the camera crew. However these mistakes were managed very well by both the director and those that made the mistakes as they were resolved very quickly and did not reflect on the rest of their performance despite being under the pressures of shooting the final take.
As for my role as Assistant Producer as well as the VT Operator, I am happy with the results I put into the show. The VT's played as they should and were all perfectly timed. The contestants knew exactly what they were supposed to be doing throughout the show, so I'm happy that the instructions I gave them about the show was as clear and concise as it needed it to be. However Del did have a problem with the warm-up act as he was concerned with the lack of an upbeat and exciting atmosphere. Despite this, I stand by what I think about his performance, that being that I felt he did a good job of keeping the audience entertained and I feel that this was reflected in the final show as the audience remained full of excitement throughout. If the warm-up act didn't create the excitement required from the audience, he certainly didn't kill it.
There were a number of issues that we all ran into along the way, issues that we had not come across in previous rehearsals due to the different nature in which we were managing the show.
In one rehearsal, Josh had to alert George that the rehearsal was about to start while the opening credits as he was still in his dressing room as it was all going on. This was something the Floor Manager had to look out for in future.
Another issue was that Josh was unable to concentrate on two roles at one time, communicating with George while keeping track of the scores was something that became very difficult to manage as one role would get in the way of the other. Gallery runner and first year Jack Whitely was then put in charge of monitoring the scores.
A change was also suggested for the fourth and final round on the day of the show after the final rehearsal. The suggestion was that both contestants would be on set at the same time when the final answers are revealed as opposed to playing at separate times. The change was deemed too risky seeing as we weren't able to put this idea to practice given that the next shoot would be the final show.
One challenge I experienced was being able to manage the contestants and the warm-up act while keeping in the loop of everything else that was going on around me. Though I feel I managed the situation pretty well given that this was my first and only real experience of doing this, I feel that prior preparation would have helped a lot more by liaising with the crew in regards to the contestants and warm-up act.
Despite these issues, the rehearsals, generally speaking, went very well. Everything seemed to fit into place as it should and the rehearsals clocked in at 30 minutes almost every time, with others being just a couple of seconds out at the most.
The live show itself also went very well and was probably our best take so far, it was also George Sesays best take with a near flawless performance. He seemed at his most confident. As far as I could see there were only a couple of mistakes throughout the show. One being an image accidentally placed over the top of a VT by the vision mixer, Laura, and the other being a camera error by one of the camera crew. However these mistakes were managed very well by both the director and those that made the mistakes as they were resolved very quickly and did not reflect on the rest of their performance despite being under the pressures of shooting the final take.
As for my role as Assistant Producer as well as the VT Operator, I am happy with the results I put into the show. The VT's played as they should and were all perfectly timed. The contestants knew exactly what they were supposed to be doing throughout the show, so I'm happy that the instructions I gave them about the show was as clear and concise as it needed it to be. However Del did have a problem with the warm-up act as he was concerned with the lack of an upbeat and exciting atmosphere. Despite this, I stand by what I think about his performance, that being that I felt he did a good job of keeping the audience entertained and I feel that this was reflected in the final show as the audience remained full of excitement throughout. If the warm-up act didn't create the excitement required from the audience, he certainly didn't kill it.
Studio Production - Production Meeting #9
This production meeting would be the final meeting with Helen before we start the live show the following week. Here we discussed what we have already, what needs to change and just a clarification that everyone is on task and is ready for show.
The first issue that needed addressing is that we have an all male casting, consisting of a male host and 2 male contestants. As Helen had pointed out before, this needed to change. The host would stay the same, there's no discussion about that, however we had to choose whether we wanted to keep Jamie Terry or Dan Eycott. Of course we couldn't let one go until we had found a female replacement, but I had addressed to Helen that despite posting multiple ads, we simply didn't get any female contestants (with the exception of the 2 that dropped out late). It was my job to find a replacement, with help from the rest of the group. Simon got into contact with a former student, Helen Welsh, who was more than happy to do the show, so it became my job to share the details with her as need be.
Elsewhere, Becca and Ellen would start working together on the lighting plan for the show. Though the lighting crew are aware of the surroundings, it is still important to notify them of where the contestants will be standing, where the props will be, etcetera.
It was decided that one of the students will be doing the make-up, as drastic changes were not needed, just as long as they don't shine.
Sammi would sort out the flooring for the set as there was no response regarding the flooring from the set design.
And finally an extra £20 was required from the group (£2 each) to compensate for additional payments.
The first issue that needed addressing is that we have an all male casting, consisting of a male host and 2 male contestants. As Helen had pointed out before, this needed to change. The host would stay the same, there's no discussion about that, however we had to choose whether we wanted to keep Jamie Terry or Dan Eycott. Of course we couldn't let one go until we had found a female replacement, but I had addressed to Helen that despite posting multiple ads, we simply didn't get any female contestants (with the exception of the 2 that dropped out late). It was my job to find a replacement, with help from the rest of the group. Simon got into contact with a former student, Helen Welsh, who was more than happy to do the show, so it became my job to share the details with her as need be.
Elsewhere, Becca and Ellen would start working together on the lighting plan for the show. Though the lighting crew are aware of the surroundings, it is still important to notify them of where the contestants will be standing, where the props will be, etcetera.
It was decided that one of the students will be doing the make-up, as drastic changes were not needed, just as long as they don't shine.
Sammi would sort out the flooring for the set as there was no response regarding the flooring from the set design.
And finally an extra £20 was required from the group (£2 each) to compensate for additional payments.
Studio Production - Third Rehearsal
Having gone through the whole show the week previous, the aim this time around was cut the timing down so we are as close to the 30 minute mark as possible. Not only was this the final rehearsal before the full dress rehearsal with the real set in place, but it was also our first rehearsal with our presenter, George Sesay.
At the beginning of the day, we had plenty of time to get everything set up as the VT team required George for a scene of one the VT's, something that would be ready in time for the following week.It also gave me time to get used to using the VT operator, something that up till now I have not been able to use a great deal.
Having George in before the dress rehearsals was particularly useful as it gave both Josh and Becca a chance at directing the presenter accordingly in more detail. Another idea that was put into practice for the first time was the use of an iPad as opposed to cue cards. This meant that Josh was able to edit the script during rehearsals, keeping George fully updated as he went along.
Being the first rehearsal with the host, there were a few small issues that needed fixing. It was noted that George needed to maintain more frequent eye contact with the camera and that pronunciation needed fixing. These were things that we were confident George would have fixed by the time we reach the final run-through, seeing as this was his first time rehearsing the script on set.
By the time we had reached the final run-through of the day, we were able to cut the time down to just 30 minutes and 7 seconds.
At the beginning of the day, we had plenty of time to get everything set up as the VT team required George for a scene of one the VT's, something that would be ready in time for the following week.It also gave me time to get used to using the VT operator, something that up till now I have not been able to use a great deal.
Having George in before the dress rehearsals was particularly useful as it gave both Josh and Becca a chance at directing the presenter accordingly in more detail. Another idea that was put into practice for the first time was the use of an iPad as opposed to cue cards. This meant that Josh was able to edit the script during rehearsals, keeping George fully updated as he went along.
Being the first rehearsal with the host, there were a few small issues that needed fixing. It was noted that George needed to maintain more frequent eye contact with the camera and that pronunciation needed fixing. These were things that we were confident George would have fixed by the time we reach the final run-through, seeing as this was his first time rehearsing the script on set.
By the time we had reached the final run-through of the day, we were able to cut the time down to just 30 minutes and 7 seconds.
Studio Production - Production Meeting #8
Moving ever closer to the live show, there were a number of updates given all round in this production, concerning the website, contestants, round 4 changes and VT's amongst other things as well.
The majority of the VT's have been filmed and are ready for a rough cut with the exception of the trivia VT which will be filmed later on with the host. They have taken into account that some things may have to be re-edited or even re-shot and so have plenty of time between now and the show to make these changes if needed.
I had sorted a number of contestants for the auditions however by this point both female applicants had dropped out, meaning I'd have between now and the audition to find somebody to maintain some sort of balance. As well as this, I must now begin the search for a warm-up act with consideration for the budget as last years act was paid. This can be anything from a musician to a magician.
The website for the show is now up, just needs a few more articles to go up to make the website seem more genuine.
Del Brown pointed out that the rehearsals went really well given that we are still in the early stages of the production. However more changes to round 4 were needed and these changes were addressed to the group and will be included in the script in due time. Though the contestants will be competing against one another, they will be competing separately. While one is competing, the other will be backstage and will not be able to hear what's going on. Each competitor will have 2 minutes to complete the game and the winner will be the one who has completed the most boxes. Should both competitors complete the game, it will be decided by who completed it in the fastest time.
Additions to the budget were also made, an extra £5 was to be handed in by everyone.
And finally the prop for round 4 will no longer use boxes and will instead use a lineup of sliding doors from bottom to top. The sliding doors will all be white except for the top door which will be gold, symbolising that this is the final door.
The majority of the VT's have been filmed and are ready for a rough cut with the exception of the trivia VT which will be filmed later on with the host. They have taken into account that some things may have to be re-edited or even re-shot and so have plenty of time between now and the show to make these changes if needed.
I had sorted a number of contestants for the auditions however by this point both female applicants had dropped out, meaning I'd have between now and the audition to find somebody to maintain some sort of balance. As well as this, I must now begin the search for a warm-up act with consideration for the budget as last years act was paid. This can be anything from a musician to a magician.
The website for the show is now up, just needs a few more articles to go up to make the website seem more genuine.
Del Brown pointed out that the rehearsals went really well given that we are still in the early stages of the production. However more changes to round 4 were needed and these changes were addressed to the group and will be included in the script in due time. Though the contestants will be competing against one another, they will be competing separately. While one is competing, the other will be backstage and will not be able to hear what's going on. Each competitor will have 2 minutes to complete the game and the winner will be the one who has completed the most boxes. Should both competitors complete the game, it will be decided by who completed it in the fastest time.
Additions to the budget were also made, an extra £5 was to be handed in by everyone.
And finally the prop for round 4 will no longer use boxes and will instead use a lineup of sliding doors from bottom to top. The sliding doors will all be white except for the top door which will be gold, symbolising that this is the final door.
Studio Production - Second Rehearsal
For the second rehearsal, we were able to rehearse the show with a "sort of" set in place, seeing as we wouldn't have the real thing until the day before the final show. The set was based around what the script required as well as the dimensions used to create the final set. Various chairs and tables were used to roughly replicate what we will have on the final days.
The aim for this rehearsal was to run through the entire show so that everyone could have a greater understanding of what their roles will entail and how the show will work round for round and as an entire show. We had more time this time round to complete the show and again we were able to bring back the third years to fill in as the contestants and host.
Clip mics were used to communicate between the host on the studio floor and Josh Jones in the gallery, acting as a form of talkback. This allowed Josh to experience his role in more depth, especially seeing as we'd be running through the whole show.
It wasn't particularly important at this early stage to hit the 30 minute mark that the show requires to be at, however timings were recorded to ensure that we know what to include and remove in future rehearsals.
A lot could be taken away from this second rehearsal as we got the opportunity to not only see how the show will work based off our current scripting and round ideas, but also how it might look with the set in place.
The aim for this rehearsal was to run through the entire show so that everyone could have a greater understanding of what their roles will entail and how the show will work round for round and as an entire show. We had more time this time round to complete the show and again we were able to bring back the third years to fill in as the contestants and host.
Clip mics were used to communicate between the host on the studio floor and Josh Jones in the gallery, acting as a form of talkback. This allowed Josh to experience his role in more depth, especially seeing as we'd be running through the whole show.
It wasn't particularly important at this early stage to hit the 30 minute mark that the show requires to be at, however timings were recorded to ensure that we know what to include and remove in future rehearsals.
A lot could be taken away from this second rehearsal as we got the opportunity to not only see how the show will work based off our current scripting and round ideas, but also how it might look with the set in place.
Studio Production - Production Meeting #7
In this production meeting, it was revealed that Piers Hunt would become our host for the show. However it was also brought to the groups attention that Piers was becoming rather unresponsive and so scheduling dates for both the rehearsals and the VT's (nevermind the actual show itself) became a challenge. We showed the groups two of the audition tapes, one of Piers Hunt, the other of our second choice George Sesay. Despite having initially decided that Piers Hunt would be more suitable for the show, the group disagreed and felt that George Sesay would have been the better option of the 2. It would then become apparent that Piers Hunt was no longer available to do the show, having emailed us halfway through the production meeting. Imogen then got into contact with George Sesay who despite initially being rejected, was on board with the show and became our new host.
This then started the discussion on when the VT's would be filmed and what the host should be wearing in both the show and in the VT.
In order to give me a more active role during the show (as the vast majority of my role is pre-production based), it was decided that I would be the VT operator during the show.
I also updated the group on where I am at with contestants for the show. At this point I had numerous male applicants but only a couple of female applicants, though both were responsive. Because of this, as well as the fact that there was still time for applications to be made, I did not see this as an issue in need of resolving, something that looking back I wish I had changed.
This then started the discussion on when the VT's would be filmed and what the host should be wearing in both the show and in the VT.
In order to give me a more active role during the show (as the vast majority of my role is pre-production based), it was decided that I would be the VT operator during the show.
I also updated the group on where I am at with contestants for the show. At this point I had numerous male applicants but only a couple of female applicants, though both were responsive. Because of this, as well as the fact that there was still time for applications to be made, I did not see this as an issue in need of resolving, something that looking back I wish I had changed.
Studio Production - First Rehearsal
The first rehearsal was used as an opportunity to get everyone on board with the script and get a better look at their own roles.
The day started with Josh and Del going through the script, analysing what will happen in each round as well as the show as a whole. This would be similar in style to the first masterclass we had with Del Brown in the sense that we are breaking down the show in order to gain more knowledge on what the show will require from everybody. For some people this would be the first time looking at the script so notes were taken by everyone.
Some of us would stay in the gallery while others would move into Studio 5 to set up the cameras, ready for our first rehearsal. At this point I did not have a set role for the live show so I used this time to help others set up before making a start on filming the behind the scenes video with Ellen.
Standing in as the host and contestants we had Wez, Adele and Harry from the third year meaning that everybody else could get on with their own role or at least have a look at what's going on for future reference. A lot of time was spent setting up the equipment so we could only get through rough 6-7 minutes of the show, which given that this is our first rehearsal on our first ever show is very impressive. Though we couldn't look at the second, third and fourth rounds, we learnt a great deal about how the show will look even at this early stage.
The day started with Josh and Del going through the script, analysing what will happen in each round as well as the show as a whole. This would be similar in style to the first masterclass we had with Del Brown in the sense that we are breaking down the show in order to gain more knowledge on what the show will require from everybody. For some people this would be the first time looking at the script so notes were taken by everyone.
Some of us would stay in the gallery while others would move into Studio 5 to set up the cameras, ready for our first rehearsal. At this point I did not have a set role for the live show so I used this time to help others set up before making a start on filming the behind the scenes video with Ellen.
Standing in as the host and contestants we had Wez, Adele and Harry from the third year meaning that everybody else could get on with their own role or at least have a look at what's going on for future reference. A lot of time was spent setting up the equipment so we could only get through rough 6-7 minutes of the show, which given that this is our first rehearsal on our first ever show is very impressive. Though we couldn't look at the second, third and fourth rounds, we learnt a great deal about how the show will look even at this early stage.
Studio Production - Del Brown Workshop #3
In this masterclass, we looked at a number of the roles we would be performing in the final show in more detail. Every member of the group would have a go at each role. These roles included camera, graphics, vision mixing, directing, floor managing and sound.
Seeing as the first person on each role would be setting up the equipment, the role in graphics became especially difficult. We would have to set up the computer and configure the settings appropriately. There were a lot of fine details that I struggled to grasp onto in this role. Fergus would show us how to use the graphics software in great detail and seeing as i had never used anything similar to this I could not take to this role so well.
Though difficult at first, I felt pretty confident in the vision mixing role and I was able to respond quickly to the directions given to me. What was especially challenging however was setting up the mixes on the screen, as you had to be very quick in doing this. I do feel that if I went back to this role again I would do well. This was probably my favourite of the roles shown in this workshop.
Directing was a good experience as well. Like with vision mixing, you had to be very quick and very well coordinated as there was a time to keep to. The timing was done by a production assistant, another role I enjoyed doing and something I took to quite quickly. Though it was not something I had to do in this masterclass, I understood the importance of timing should something go over the run-time allocated to it. All of this was explained to me by Del Brown in great detail.
I've never been the most confident in using a camera, however with the directions given to me by the director, I felt reasonably confident in this role. This role not only involved prepping your own camera, but would also at times involve assisting with other peoples camera, to ensure that the specifications between each camera match up, though the director would often explain this to us anyway.
I enjoyed mixing the sound and understood the process of adjusting the volumes on the sound desk pretty quickly. However setting up the sound desk became especially complicated with various cables leading to different places and a great detail of buttons and dials to remember. Alex would often assist with any complications in setting up and would explain how to use the sound desk, going into detail of what each dial does.
The worst role for me however was the role as Floor Manager. Being able to conduct the cameras, sound and everyone else on the floor was a particularly difficult task as I couldn't keep track of where I was supposed to be and who I was communicating with. I would frequently forget to speak to certain people on the floor and would often forget to use the hand signals provided.
This masterclass gave me an even greater appreciation for everyones role having explored each and every one of them.
Seeing as the first person on each role would be setting up the equipment, the role in graphics became especially difficult. We would have to set up the computer and configure the settings appropriately. There were a lot of fine details that I struggled to grasp onto in this role. Fergus would show us how to use the graphics software in great detail and seeing as i had never used anything similar to this I could not take to this role so well.
Though difficult at first, I felt pretty confident in the vision mixing role and I was able to respond quickly to the directions given to me. What was especially challenging however was setting up the mixes on the screen, as you had to be very quick in doing this. I do feel that if I went back to this role again I would do well. This was probably my favourite of the roles shown in this workshop.
Directing was a good experience as well. Like with vision mixing, you had to be very quick and very well coordinated as there was a time to keep to. The timing was done by a production assistant, another role I enjoyed doing and something I took to quite quickly. Though it was not something I had to do in this masterclass, I understood the importance of timing should something go over the run-time allocated to it. All of this was explained to me by Del Brown in great detail.
I've never been the most confident in using a camera, however with the directions given to me by the director, I felt reasonably confident in this role. This role not only involved prepping your own camera, but would also at times involve assisting with other peoples camera, to ensure that the specifications between each camera match up, though the director would often explain this to us anyway.
I enjoyed mixing the sound and understood the process of adjusting the volumes on the sound desk pretty quickly. However setting up the sound desk became especially complicated with various cables leading to different places and a great detail of buttons and dials to remember. Alex would often assist with any complications in setting up and would explain how to use the sound desk, going into detail of what each dial does.
The worst role for me however was the role as Floor Manager. Being able to conduct the cameras, sound and everyone else on the floor was a particularly difficult task as I couldn't keep track of where I was supposed to be and who I was communicating with. I would frequently forget to speak to certain people on the floor and would often forget to use the hand signals provided.
This masterclass gave me an even greater appreciation for everyones role having explored each and every one of them.
Studio Production - The Host
Having had the audition, we had initially decided that Piers Hunt would claim the role as our presenter for the show. However during one of our production meetings, Piers had dropped out, all while the group were providing feedback as to who they would like to have had as the host. The majority felt that George Sesay would have been a better choice based off the audition tapes we had showed them, and seeing as Piers had dropped out, we got into contact with George and told him he had in fact got the role as our presenter.
George Sesay
Age Range: 18-22
Height: 5'8" (173cm)
Weight: 8st. 0lb. (51kg)
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Build: Slim
George describes himself as a happy and energetic person with experience in comedy, drama and presenting, though is willing to try new things. Though a young actor, George's experience goes back to 2007 where he featured in a theatre production for High School Musical as a jock.
He has also featured in a great deal of commercials, TV shows and as an extra in major feature films, such as Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince as well as The Dark Knight Rises.
We hope that George brings his charismatic and comedic attitude forward into the show and fulfils the shows full potential.
George Sesay
Height: 5'8" (173cm)
Weight: 8st. 0lb. (51kg)
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Build: Slim
George describes himself as a happy and energetic person with experience in comedy, drama and presenting, though is willing to try new things. Though a young actor, George's experience goes back to 2007 where he featured in a theatre production for High School Musical as a jock.
He has also featured in a great deal of commercials, TV shows and as an extra in major feature films, such as Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince as well as The Dark Knight Rises.
We hope that George brings his charismatic and comedic attitude forward into the show and fulfils the shows full potential.
Studio Production - Production Meeting #6
One of the shortest production meetings to date, we discussed the new ideas for round 3. Josh, Becca and I thought up of 6 different possibilities to fill the vacant spot left in round 3 of the show. These included:
Act Like You Know It - Contestants act out a scene with the host from a script containing missing words. The contestants and the host are reading from the script, however words are missing from the script and the contestants must guess what the missing words are in order to gain points. 1 point is rewarded for each correct answer.
American Pie In Your Face - Contestants sit opposite one another with a pie face game hooked up in front of them. The contestants must answer general film questions to determine their fate. Should the contestant get the question right, the host will spin the wheel to reveal how many times the opposition must twist the handles. Should the contestant get the question wrong however, they will have to twist their own handles according to what the wheel says. Points are awarded for every pie the opposition takes to the face.
Beer Pong - Here the contestants must play a game of beer pong against one another. The cups will be filled with random liquids and the contestant will have to answer questions correctly to avoid drinking the cups. Points are awarded to the contestant with the most cups left on the table.
Film Prop Target Practice - Contestants score points by shooting film props into a basketball hoop in an allocated time of 60 seconds each. The winner will be the contestant who has scored the most baskets. No questions asked in this round.
Letter Scramble - A series of letters are provided to each contestant and in order to answer the question correctly the contestant must form the answer with the letters they are provided with. The quickest to answer each question wins the points.
Netflix & Chill - Contestants are read out film descriptions from Netflix and must answer with the matching film title. However if they answer incorrectly, ice is poured over them. The points are awarded to the person with the most correct answers.
The group then had a vote to decide on what game they want to fill the vacant Round 3 spot and it was decided that American Pie In Your Face would fill that spot. The idea was created by myself and tweaked some more by Josh Jones and the group felt that this game would have the most energy and would also create some tension with the contestants who will both hope to avoid getting a pie in the face.
Act Like You Know It - Contestants act out a scene with the host from a script containing missing words. The contestants and the host are reading from the script, however words are missing from the script and the contestants must guess what the missing words are in order to gain points. 1 point is rewarded for each correct answer.
American Pie In Your Face - Contestants sit opposite one another with a pie face game hooked up in front of them. The contestants must answer general film questions to determine their fate. Should the contestant get the question right, the host will spin the wheel to reveal how many times the opposition must twist the handles. Should the contestant get the question wrong however, they will have to twist their own handles according to what the wheel says. Points are awarded for every pie the opposition takes to the face.
Beer Pong - Here the contestants must play a game of beer pong against one another. The cups will be filled with random liquids and the contestant will have to answer questions correctly to avoid drinking the cups. Points are awarded to the contestant with the most cups left on the table.
Film Prop Target Practice - Contestants score points by shooting film props into a basketball hoop in an allocated time of 60 seconds each. The winner will be the contestant who has scored the most baskets. No questions asked in this round.
Letter Scramble - A series of letters are provided to each contestant and in order to answer the question correctly the contestant must form the answer with the letters they are provided with. The quickest to answer each question wins the points.
Netflix & Chill - Contestants are read out film descriptions from Netflix and must answer with the matching film title. However if they answer incorrectly, ice is poured over them. The points are awarded to the person with the most correct answers.
The group then had a vote to decide on what game they want to fill the vacant Round 3 spot and it was decided that American Pie In Your Face would fill that spot. The idea was created by myself and tweaked some more by Josh Jones and the group felt that this game would have the most energy and would also create some tension with the contestants who will both hope to avoid getting a pie in the face.
Studio Production - Del Brown Workshop #2
The first workshop we had with Del Brown saw us learn about the importance of camera movements and positioning in relation to the scene or object we are filming, while the second half of the masterclass saw us briefly learn about vision mixing.
The first half of the masterclass saw us learn about the importance of the camera. We looked at how a ped camera works, as well as how we can effectively use the cameras we have in order to get the same sort of result. We were split into groups of 3 and would often rotate rolls, one as a camera, one camera assistant and one as the subject stand in. The camera would be placed in various positions and the subject would move at various speeds in different positions to showcase what a camera sees and how it sees it. Tasks would include attempting to retain the focus of the subject while they are moving while simultaneously zooming in and out to retain the subject in the field of view.
In the second half of the masterclass, Del introduced us to vision mixing. He would go into detail about what each segment of the vision mixing desk does and explained the importance of self-timing. A task was then set for the class to test their ability in matching a musical beat according to a script. Only one button was used in this task, to further showcase the difficulty when using the whole desk. I had a few goes at the task, some with beat assistance, some without. Though I felt I did well, I could not imagine seeing myself doing vision mixing as a job. Not only did this masterclass teach us about camera work and vision mixing, it also gave us an appreciation for other peoples roles.
The first half of the masterclass saw us learn about the importance of the camera. We looked at how a ped camera works, as well as how we can effectively use the cameras we have in order to get the same sort of result. We were split into groups of 3 and would often rotate rolls, one as a camera, one camera assistant and one as the subject stand in. The camera would be placed in various positions and the subject would move at various speeds in different positions to showcase what a camera sees and how it sees it. Tasks would include attempting to retain the focus of the subject while they are moving while simultaneously zooming in and out to retain the subject in the field of view.
In the second half of the masterclass, Del introduced us to vision mixing. He would go into detail about what each segment of the vision mixing desk does and explained the importance of self-timing. A task was then set for the class to test their ability in matching a musical beat according to a script. Only one button was used in this task, to further showcase the difficulty when using the whole desk. I had a few goes at the task, some with beat assistance, some without. Though I felt I did well, I could not imagine seeing myself doing vision mixing as a job. Not only did this masterclass teach us about camera work and vision mixing, it also gave us an appreciation for other peoples roles.
Studio Production - Possible Hosts updates
Since the last host update, a lot has changed. Peter Halpins agent had contacted me regarding Peters availability on the date and said that he is unable to fulfil the dates required as he is busy working on other productions and the pay we offered was not enough. A number of different candidates, both male and female, became available for use on the show from all over the southeast of England. Here are the new candidates:
George Sesay
Age Range: 18-22
Height: 5'8" (173cm)
Weight: 8st. 0lb. (51kg)
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Build: Small
Despite his young age, George Sesay has a vast amount of experience in both presenting and acting, working both at a professional level as well as for student productions. Showreel available on actor page.
Response - Very responsive via email, has shown a keen interest.
Olivia Nicholson
Age Range: 22-28
Height: 5'6" (168cm)
Weight: 8st. 7lb. (54kg)
Hair Colour: Blonde
Eye Colour: Blue
Build: Slim
Olivia is a Northern actress based in London with experience as an actor, singer and hopes to expand her experience as a presenter, starting with our show. No showreel, however a voicereel is available on her page.
Response - Very responsive via email with keen interest.
Piers Hunt
Age Range: 27-36
Height: 6'3" (191cm)
Weight: 14st. 11lb. (94kg)
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Brown
Build: Medium
Piers is a vastly experienced actor and presenter, having worked at numerous levels with a number of good number of positive reviews from peers. A long list of showreels and voicereels are available.
Response - Responded via the phone as well as email.
Joe Gale
Age Range: 22-28
Height: 5'9" (175cm)
Weight: 12st. 6lb. (79kg)
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Hazel
Build: Medium
Joe Gale is an experienced presenter as well as a comic, something that this show requires. He has worked in a studio environment before and has used talkback and autocue in the past. Acting and presenting showreels both available.
Response - Very responsive via email with interest.
David Wooldridge
David Woolridge applied for the role via Twitter to Josh, most likely having seen our Twitter page. David has experienced in both radio and in presenting, hosting numerous events across the country, across multiple platforms. No showreel available.
Response - Directly spoke to Josh in the application process.
Arabella Burffit-Dons
Age Range: 18-28
Height: 5'7" (170cm)
Weight: 8st. 5lb. (53kg)
Hair Colour: Blonde
Eye Colour: Brown
Build: Slim
Arabella has experience as an actor and is looking to gain experience in presenting as well. She is also cited as a hard working, enthusiastic person with an avid love for film. No showreel available.
Response - Responded via email.
Linus Karp
Age Range: 20-26
Height: 6'1" (185cm)
Weight: 9st. 6lb. (60kg)
Hair Colour: Blonde
Eye Colour: Blue
Build: Slim
A Swedish actor who moved to the UK in 2013, Linus is a method actor with experience in presenting as well with a long list of previous works in both Sweden and the UK. Various showreels available in both Swedish and English.
Response - No response via phone and email.
Dave Chawner
Age Range: 23-29
Height: 5'8" (173cm)
Weight: 9st. 0lb. (57kg)
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Blue
Build: Slim
Dave Chawner is an experienced presenter and stand-up comedian with some acting credits to his name as well. Has previously worked on Sky News, BBC and ITV. Presenting showreel available.
Response - Responded via phone and email, very keen but limited in dedicated time.
George Sesay
Height: 5'8" (173cm)
Weight: 8st. 0lb. (51kg)
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Build: Small
Despite his young age, George Sesay has a vast amount of experience in both presenting and acting, working both at a professional level as well as for student productions. Showreel available on actor page.
Response - Very responsive via email, has shown a keen interest.
Olivia Nicholson
Height: 5'6" (168cm)
Weight: 8st. 7lb. (54kg)
Hair Colour: Blonde
Eye Colour: Blue
Build: Slim
Olivia is a Northern actress based in London with experience as an actor, singer and hopes to expand her experience as a presenter, starting with our show. No showreel, however a voicereel is available on her page.
Response - Very responsive via email with keen interest.
Piers Hunt
Height: 6'3" (191cm)
Weight: 14st. 11lb. (94kg)
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Brown
Build: Medium
Piers is a vastly experienced actor and presenter, having worked at numerous levels with a number of good number of positive reviews from peers. A long list of showreels and voicereels are available.
Response - Responded via the phone as well as email.
Joe Gale
Height: 5'9" (175cm)
Weight: 12st. 6lb. (79kg)
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Hazel
Build: Medium
Joe Gale is an experienced presenter as well as a comic, something that this show requires. He has worked in a studio environment before and has used talkback and autocue in the past. Acting and presenting showreels both available.
Response - Very responsive via email with interest.
David Wooldridge
David Woolridge applied for the role via Twitter to Josh, most likely having seen our Twitter page. David has experienced in both radio and in presenting, hosting numerous events across the country, across multiple platforms. No showreel available.
Response - Directly spoke to Josh in the application process.
Arabella Burffit-Dons
Height: 5'7" (170cm)
Weight: 8st. 5lb. (53kg)
Hair Colour: Blonde
Eye Colour: Brown
Build: Slim
Arabella has experience as an actor and is looking to gain experience in presenting as well. She is also cited as a hard working, enthusiastic person with an avid love for film. No showreel available.
Response - Responded via email.
Linus Karp
Height: 6'1" (185cm)
Weight: 9st. 6lb. (60kg)
Hair Colour: Blonde
Eye Colour: Blue
Build: Slim
A Swedish actor who moved to the UK in 2013, Linus is a method actor with experience in presenting as well with a long list of previous works in both Sweden and the UK. Various showreels available in both Swedish and English.
Response - No response via phone and email.
Dave Chawner
Height: 5'8" (173cm)
Weight: 9st. 0lb. (57kg)
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Blue
Build: Slim
Dave Chawner is an experienced presenter and stand-up comedian with some acting credits to his name as well. Has previously worked on Sky News, BBC and ITV. Presenting showreel available.
Response - Responded via phone and email, very keen but limited in dedicated time.
Studio Production - Production Meeting #5
Plenty of new updates all round as we have changes to VT's, rounds and the audience.
It was decided that having separate VT's about Norman would not be suitable for the show and that having one much longer VT in the form of a short mockumentary would be more suitable as it reveals more about Norman's character. It will also test the contestants memory a lot more as there will be more to think about, all over a longer period of time as well.
To allow the crew more time to reassemble for the new round, a new VT about Norman has been put in place so that the audience will learn even more about the character which particularly important given that this is the first episode of the show. The VT will be a minute long and will take the form of a trailer for one of Normans films.
Round 3 will be replaced with something new, something that will not been discussed as a group until a grouping of new ideas have been thought up of. This will then be put to a vote in the next production meeting. The reason for this change is that we felt that there is not enough going on in the round seeing as the first 2 rounds will not change, meaning a new game is required in this round.
Not much has changed in my role, auditions were still being discussed with the host candidates at this point and contestants were yet to be finalised into a small group ready to be auditioned.
However one addition to the show comes in the form of a charity bucket. Concerns over the idea of making the audience have to pay to come see our show was a risky idea, even if the money they pay all goes to charity. Instead it was decided that a charity bucket was to be put in place, meaning the audience have a choice in paying the charity funds.
It was decided that having separate VT's about Norman would not be suitable for the show and that having one much longer VT in the form of a short mockumentary would be more suitable as it reveals more about Norman's character. It will also test the contestants memory a lot more as there will be more to think about, all over a longer period of time as well.
To allow the crew more time to reassemble for the new round, a new VT about Norman has been put in place so that the audience will learn even more about the character which particularly important given that this is the first episode of the show. The VT will be a minute long and will take the form of a trailer for one of Normans films.
Round 3 will be replaced with something new, something that will not been discussed as a group until a grouping of new ideas have been thought up of. This will then be put to a vote in the next production meeting. The reason for this change is that we felt that there is not enough going on in the round seeing as the first 2 rounds will not change, meaning a new game is required in this round.
Not much has changed in my role, auditions were still being discussed with the host candidates at this point and contestants were yet to be finalised into a small group ready to be auditioned.
However one addition to the show comes in the form of a charity bucket. Concerns over the idea of making the audience have to pay to come see our show was a risky idea, even if the money they pay all goes to charity. Instead it was decided that a charity bucket was to be put in place, meaning the audience have a choice in paying the charity funds.
Studio Production - Del Brown Workshop #1
In the first masterclass we had with Del Brown, we had a run through of everyone's roles and responsibilities and how we can apply these roles appropriately to the show.
“A highly experienced multi camera director/vision mixer with nearly twenty years experience working in live TV. With a background in technical operations, having launched and consulted on new channel start ups. Del also teaches ‘live directing & vision mixing’ both in universities and on his own short course.” (Taken from Del Brown's website)
We spent a large portion of the masterclass breaking down each and every scene in the show as we have it so far. As the Producer and Director, Josh and Becca would read out what they will require from each round, providing this information in as much detail as Del needed in order to map out each camera, contributor and prop amongst other things.
Del would talk about how we can make each scene work by analysing the camera setup we are currently looking to use, and creating his own visions as to how we could set the cameras up differently. If he felt there was something wrong in our set up, or even in the round as a whole, Del would look at how to correct these issues or simply explain that these details needed to be replaced entirely.
Round 4 looked to experience the most changes with a number of issues, meaning the whole idea about the 4th round needed to change. These issues included how the game would work in the final show from a competitive perspective as well as a technical perspective. Originally, 'The Box Office Lineup' was a final round that only the leading contestant would participate in. Del then suggested that we make this a one on one round, like the other rounds. He then looked at how this can be shot on the cameras to get the most of the round.
We were then taken down into the gallery to take a look at where everyone in the gallery will be placed and what they will be doing. A full outlook on what will go on inside the gallery would be covered in the next workshop, however a few of us got the opportunity to use the mixing desk. Each area of the desk was explained in some detail, giving us some idea of what a vision mixer would be doing.
“A highly experienced multi camera director/vision mixer with nearly twenty years experience working in live TV. With a background in technical operations, having launched and consulted on new channel start ups. Del also teaches ‘live directing & vision mixing’ both in universities and on his own short course.” (Taken from Del Brown's website)
We spent a large portion of the masterclass breaking down each and every scene in the show as we have it so far. As the Producer and Director, Josh and Becca would read out what they will require from each round, providing this information in as much detail as Del needed in order to map out each camera, contributor and prop amongst other things.
Del would talk about how we can make each scene work by analysing the camera setup we are currently looking to use, and creating his own visions as to how we could set the cameras up differently. If he felt there was something wrong in our set up, or even in the round as a whole, Del would look at how to correct these issues or simply explain that these details needed to be replaced entirely.
Round 4 looked to experience the most changes with a number of issues, meaning the whole idea about the 4th round needed to change. These issues included how the game would work in the final show from a competitive perspective as well as a technical perspective. Originally, 'The Box Office Lineup' was a final round that only the leading contestant would participate in. Del then suggested that we make this a one on one round, like the other rounds. He then looked at how this can be shot on the cameras to get the most of the round.
We were then taken down into the gallery to take a look at where everyone in the gallery will be placed and what they will be doing. A full outlook on what will go on inside the gallery would be covered in the next workshop, however a few of us got the opportunity to use the mixing desk. Each area of the desk was explained in some detail, giving us some idea of what a vision mixer would be doing.
Studio Production - Potential Hosts
Bringing in the host for the show is a responsibility held by both myself and the producer Josh Jones. Josh would set up the advertisement for the candidates to apply for and would then pass the details onto myself so that I can contact them and see who is available and who is not. At present we have 4 possible candidates, all of which are Kent based and male, however there is still plenty of time for more applicants to join the list. The 4 candidates include:
James Burn
Age Range: 28-35
Height: 5'10" (177cm)
Weight: 12st. 13lb. (82kg)
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Blue
Build: Medium
Though James does not have experience in presenting, he does have experience as an actor, working on feature films, short films as well as commercials. No showreel available.
Response - No response from agents email address.
James Sherwood
Age Range: 27-35
Height: 6'0" (183cm)
Weight: 12st. 8lbs. (80kg)
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Brown
Build: Medium
With experience going back as far as 2005, James Sherwood has experience in presenting, commercials and performing interviews amongst other things. Having worked with companies such as PUMA, MOBO and LOVEFiLM, just to name a few, James is at present the candidate generating the most interest amongst the production team. Showreel supports his abilities as a presenter.
Response - Responded to both the phone call as well via email with interest.
Craig Murray
Age Range: 29-35
Height: 6'2" (188cm)
Weight: 14st. 9lbs. (93kg)
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Hazel
Build: Medium
Instantly recognisable from the PlusNet adverts still seen regularly on TV today, Craig's experience goes beyond advertisement, with experience in presenting as well. No showreel available.
Response - No response from the agency.
Peter Halpin
Age Range: 32-38
Height: 6'0" (183cm)
Weight: 12st. 11lbs. (81kg)
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Brown
Build: Medium
Peter's experience in presenting television is very expansive, working on BBC 2 - Newsnight and fronting a number of commercials. He also has experience working in a studio environment with talkback. Acting showreel available on page.
Response - Agent very responsive via email and has shown interest.
James Burn
Height: 5'10" (177cm)
Weight: 12st. 13lb. (82kg)
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Blue
Build: Medium
Though James does not have experience in presenting, he does have experience as an actor, working on feature films, short films as well as commercials. No showreel available.
Response - No response from agents email address.
James Sherwood
Height: 6'0" (183cm)
Weight: 12st. 8lbs. (80kg)
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Brown
Build: Medium
With experience going back as far as 2005, James Sherwood has experience in presenting, commercials and performing interviews amongst other things. Having worked with companies such as PUMA, MOBO and LOVEFiLM, just to name a few, James is at present the candidate generating the most interest amongst the production team. Showreel supports his abilities as a presenter.
Response - Responded to both the phone call as well via email with interest.
Craig Murray
Height: 6'2" (188cm)
Weight: 14st. 9lbs. (93kg)
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Hazel
Build: Medium
Instantly recognisable from the PlusNet adverts still seen regularly on TV today, Craig's experience goes beyond advertisement, with experience in presenting as well. No showreel available.
Response - No response from the agency.
Peter Halpin
Height: 6'0" (183cm)
Weight: 12st. 11lbs. (81kg)
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Brown
Build: Medium
Peter's experience in presenting television is very expansive, working on BBC 2 - Newsnight and fronting a number of commercials. He also has experience working in a studio environment with talkback. Acting showreel available on page.
Response - Agent very responsive via email and has shown interest.
Studio Production - Production Meeting #4
In this production meeting, plenty of updates and changes were introduced all round having recently had a production workshop with Del Brown.
Round 4 in particular saw a number of changes based off the Del Brown workshop as we discussed camera movements and show ideas and how they will work out. For instance this round will now be a head to head round with the person holding the most points going first, there will be 8 boxes instead of 6 to compensate for the time given to this round and the round will last for 5 minutes.
In my role, potential candidates were revealed with information on each candidate provided. There were far more candidates than in the last meeting and a couple had even dropped out by this point. Of the 9 candidates available, I had to narrow this number down to 5 by the end of the study week ready for the auditions. I also revealed that I had began looking for potential contestants, having put out an ad on StarNow and having asked round to people that might be interested.
Elsewhere, the style bible has been uploaded to the Google Drive, which will consist of various fonts, colours, costume designs, lower thirds, etcetera. Steve has been renamed to Norman while the monologue at the beginning of the show has been cut down to just 2 jokes.
Round 4 in particular saw a number of changes based off the Del Brown workshop as we discussed camera movements and show ideas and how they will work out. For instance this round will now be a head to head round with the person holding the most points going first, there will be 8 boxes instead of 6 to compensate for the time given to this round and the round will last for 5 minutes.
In my role, potential candidates were revealed with information on each candidate provided. There were far more candidates than in the last meeting and a couple had even dropped out by this point. Of the 9 candidates available, I had to narrow this number down to 5 by the end of the study week ready for the auditions. I also revealed that I had began looking for potential contestants, having put out an ad on StarNow and having asked round to people that might be interested.
Elsewhere, the style bible has been uploaded to the Google Drive, which will consist of various fonts, colours, costume designs, lower thirds, etcetera. Steve has been renamed to Norman while the monologue at the beginning of the show has been cut down to just 2 jokes.
Studio Production - Production Meeting #3
Unlike the other Production Meetings, this one was relatively short with small updates here and there. This meeting was used to provide more information about the target audience, style and tone of the show as some people were not clear about these points.
I provided updates on where I was at with bringing in the host for the show, mentioning who has responded, who has not and whether or not there were other applicants yet to be contacted. A deadline on when to confirm a list of potential hosts was finalised and the date was set at 17th February, the final day of study week. Ideally the host would then be finalised sometime in the week after study week.
Other updates and changes included the change of the logo, which would be important for the style bible. The deadline for the style bible was set for the 8th February and will apply mostly for the editors and the VT team as well as everyone else.
Video production specifics were also brought forward so that the editors know what specifications to use when editing and uploading videos.
Studio Production - Production Meeting #2
The second production meeting we had was the first one used to discuss the progress made by everyone on the show. Before discussing everyone's progress was discussed, Josh Jones brought forward the changes made based off the feedback provided by everyone else. This included round changes as well as set design changes.
Only one change was made to Round 1, which saw buzzers added into the show which will allow for more questions and will also add more intensity and excitement to the show. Round 2 has seen a change of name and will now be called 'Audition Fails'. The format for the round generally speaking will remain the same, however the 'Silent Movies' VT will consist of 3 titles and will fill around 30 seconds to a minute. 'Pin the Award' is the new name to Round 3 and the awards will now be pinned onto names as opposed to faces to avoid copyright issues.
There have also been a couple of other changes to the show as well, such as the removal of the segment 'I Ain't Afraid of No Host' to allow for something new to take its place possibly, and the Trivia VT will now take place after Round 2 as opposed to Round 3.
As for my role, I updated the group in saying that I was looking at and talking to potential presenters for the show with Josh Jones. At this point there were a possible four candidates and we expect more to apply in the future. For this task no specific deadline was set at this time.
Elsewhere the media team were working on setting up the social media pages on Facebook and Twitter, while the VT team updated the group on their ideas for the VT's. Steve will now be in fancy dress as opposed to using an app in a segment called 'On a Role'.
Only one change was made to Round 1, which saw buzzers added into the show which will allow for more questions and will also add more intensity and excitement to the show. Round 2 has seen a change of name and will now be called 'Audition Fails'. The format for the round generally speaking will remain the same, however the 'Silent Movies' VT will consist of 3 titles and will fill around 30 seconds to a minute. 'Pin the Award' is the new name to Round 3 and the awards will now be pinned onto names as opposed to faces to avoid copyright issues.
There have also been a couple of other changes to the show as well, such as the removal of the segment 'I Ain't Afraid of No Host' to allow for something new to take its place possibly, and the Trivia VT will now take place after Round 2 as opposed to Round 3.
As for my role, I updated the group in saying that I was looking at and talking to potential presenters for the show with Josh Jones. At this point there were a possible four candidates and we expect more to apply in the future. For this task no specific deadline was set at this time.
Elsewhere the media team were working on setting up the social media pages on Facebook and Twitter, while the VT team updated the group on their ideas for the VT's. Steve will now be in fancy dress as opposed to using an app in a segment called 'On a Role'.
Studio Production - Production Meeting #1
With job roles now assigned to everyone, it was now time to discuss what exactly everyone's role would entail, who we would be working with and deadlines. It was also an opportunity to further the groups understanding as to what the show is really about and what it will require from everyone.
The job roles were as follows:
Producer: Josh Jones
To ensure that everyone knows who they will be working with and what they will be working on, Helen provided a description as to what each role involves and how we will be communicating with one another. How it will work is that each person will speak to their direct superior, and if need be they will speak to me as Assistant Producer and then I may go to Josh Jones as the Producer. Below is a list summarising who speaks to who:
The Producer, Josh Jones, then gave a presentation on what the show is about in detail. This would be the same presentation he gave when he pitched his idea. Not only would this provide the group with some much needed information about the show, but it would also allow for feedback and questions early on in the production stage.
The budget for the show was also set at £30 per person.
The job roles were as follows:
Producer: Josh Jones
Studio Director: Becca Bennett
A.P/Behind the Scenes AP: Sam Elliott
Production Manager/Floor Manager: Imogen Polycarpou
VT Package Producer/Studio Camera: Cheyenne Joseph
2 x VT and Studio Camera Ops: Troy Smith and Josh Bayly
Sound/lighting assistant for promos, VTs and Studio: Sammi Dennard
VT Editor/Vision Mixer: Laura Draper
VT Editor/ Studio Production Assistant: Rosie Penn
2 x VT Package Director's/Studio Camera: Ellie Pack and Saskia
Tatt
Social Media/ promotion DOP and editor/studio graphics op: Nisserin Bessioua
Social Media/promotions and
graphics producer/behind the scenes pd: Ellen Carter
To ensure that everyone knows who they will be working with and what they will be working on, Helen provided a description as to what each role involves and how we will be communicating with one another. How it will work is that each person will speak to their direct superior, and if need be they will speak to me as Assistant Producer and then I may go to Josh Jones as the Producer. Below is a list summarising who speaks to who:
A.P - Producer, VT Package Producer and Production Manager
VT Package Producer - VT Package Directors, A.P, VT Editor,
Production Manager
VT Package Director - VT Package Producers, VT Cameras, VT Editors
VT Editor- VT Package Director, VT Package Producers, Production
Manager
Behind the Scenes- P.D. - A.P, behind the scenes
Studio Director- vision mixer, GFX, Floor Manager, Gallery P.A.
Vision mixer- studio director
Floor manager- presenter, guests, gallery P.A, lead camera
Gallery P.A - floor manager, producer, presenter
Lead camera - floor manager, production manager
GFX- director, floor manager
Sound/Lighting - package director, production manager, studio
director, floor manager
The Producer, Josh Jones, then gave a presentation on what the show is about in detail. This would be the same presentation he gave when he pitched his idea. Not only would this provide the group with some much needed information about the show, but it would also allow for feedback and questions early on in the production stage.
The budget for the show was also set at £30 per person.
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