Shooting the programme

The start of the programme used as an example on the previous page will probably be like any ordinary interview programme, using cameras 1, 2 and 3, with 4 offering a group shot and 5 a reverse shot of the audience.

When the presenter asks for questions from the audience you can cut straight to camera 5 while 6 finds the single shot. While 6 hunts the single shot of the audience member talking, camera 4 would normally zoom to a single of the guest to whom the question is being asked.

Be aware that camera 6 has probably only got a tiny depth of field, as Sighting on an audience is usually not too bright. You need either a very good camera operator, or to give them a reasonable amount of time finding the shot and focusing up.

Actions and reaction

The chances are the production team selected guests with differing opinions. Whenever one is speaking, at least one other will disagree. A good director will get plenty of strong reaction shots.

The cross-shooting cameras (2 and 3) can usually offer some great-looking shots of a guest talking to the audience with another guest disagreeing strongly.

Know the performers

You must know who is sitting where and their viewpoint. Then you can predict in advance who will clash with whom. Don’t forget the audience will also have a viewpoint, so if a guest says something particularly provocative, try to get in some tight reaction shots of the studio audience.

Pre-prepared questions

Some programme formats use questions from the audience that have been prepared in advance. This has three advantages. You know you are going to get an intelligent question, you have time to get a good clean shot of them and you know where to point a microphone.

What you do need is a simple system of describing where the person will be sitting. Some studios break the seating area into different zones, rows and columns (‘camera 6 next, lady, blue zone row 3, seat 6’).

Sound

In many ways this is much harder than pictures. You will need multiple boom operators combined with personal microphones and ceiling slung mics. It takes a very experienced sound supervisor to mix those together and keep up the technical standard.

Courtesy TWI/124 Facilities

Ceiling-mounted cameras can provide useful cutaway shots in cradles, they are either in a fixed position or fitted with remote control heads.