Entertainment TV Shooting - take 2 (motor!)
This is the second article in a series about how various entertaining television shows are filmed. In the last article, we ended up with the fact that the film crew has at its disposal a ready-to-work studio, has scripts, a shooting plan and can solemnly begin the filming process.
So, first of all, somewhere near the studio, a hardware room is being built (in general, this goes along with the construction of the studio). This is no longer done by contracting firms, but by the film crew itself. The control room is such a room in which during the filming the director and a dozen other involved people will be. There is a lot of iron in the control room. In a first approximation, we assume that there is a video remote control, a sound remote control and camera monitoring monitors (in fact, there is even a damn thing - it will be detailed in the third article). The hardware room is within 10-50 meters of the studio. Two opposing goals are fighting here: firstly, it should be close so that you can run out to yell at the crowd, talk with the participants, watch live at the scenery, and on the other hand, it should be far away - so that extra people do not wander into the control room, no extraneous sounds were heard or other distractions. Often, at the request of sound engineers, the equipment room is sheathed with sound-absorbing material.
In parallel there is a camera exposure in the studio. At the expense of the number of cameras - having less than 3 pieces, you can only shoot a children's matinee. On the other hand, probably no transfer can afford more than 10 pieces. On average, usually 4-6 cameras. When they are located, all sorts of tricky rules are used, in the spirit of the “180 degree rule” , the “30 degree rule” and a bunch of other things.
If in simple words - there must be cameras that allow you to take: - a
large plan of the leader (face, chest) - a
medium plan of the leader (all or almost the whole body) - a
large plan of the participant (player) - the
average plan of the participant
- if there are several participants - all their general plan - the
leader and participant
- the whole studio is a general plan
- if the presenter or participant is not in the studio from the very beginning, but comes out from somewhere - there should be a camera that allows you to track all the way from the exit to the place in the studio
Cameras, sound, light, video screens are adjusted. The processes are interesting, will be described in detail later.
The work day starts at about 9 a.m. and ends at about 10 p.m. One shooting session - one and a half to two weeks (sometimes with weekends, sometimes without). Two to four programs are filmed per day - i.e. for one shooting session, you can provide about six months of a weekly broadcast. Here, some are also shocked - how, the broadcast that I watch, was shot not yesterday, but six months ago? Yeah. Well, maybe not half a year, but 3-4 months for sure. Well this is not news. Rental of any iron - daily (sometimes even hourly). So all programs for the season are removed immediately. It’s very expensive in this regard to convince the participants and extras that you must come to the program, which is shot in February, in light T-shirts and shorts, because it will be broadcast in June. And there is nothing here to bite your teeth in an unheated pavilion at -2 C! It's summer now you must be hot! And the viewer must believe that this is something new, in the heat of the heat - otherwise he will not watch.
Once, when I was little, I really dreamed of sitting on the stands of some television show. It's so funny! You can see famous hosts and stars, you can see the program before everyone else and most importantly - you can, albeit briefly, get on the TV! And then it will be possible to watch this program with friends and family and exclaim enthusiastically: “Here! Here I am! Third row, sixth on the left! ”
I was young and naive. Everyone who sits in the studio is either friends / relatives of the participants (ready to make any sacrifices for the sake of their beloved faces on TV), or an extras working for money. And this work is not at all simple! I repeat - a working day from 9 am to 10 pm. Salary - 400-500 rubles per day. Lunch is often at one's own expense. Strict requirements for face, clothes, posture. Army discipline in relation to the teams of the director. For the slightest chuckle out of topic or a remark outside the script, they kick out without money. It's not actors, it's like cannon fodder. Pros? What are the pros ... Oh yes - free tea and crackers! All. As a matter of fact, they sit in extras not for the sake of money, but for the sake of those bright ideals described above that I have passed with age, and some have not. Among extras there is their "main". A headphone is hung on this person to which the director gives commands: “applause”, “silence”, “laughter”. Everyone else looks at him and does the same. In fact, “laughter” is rarely spoken. Unnatural laughter really cuts the ear, and if the truth is funny, the studio itself will laugh.
Chief Director
He is one and omnipresent. The ideologist of the process. A person who will receive all laurels and all tryndly for the transfer. The main boss and director of the universe within the studio. Engaged in everything and breaks everywhere. The range of tasks is unlimited. It feeds, apparently, from an atomic reactor, because the speed of thoughts and movements can not be measured.
Assistant Director (s)
Help as much as they can. They communicate with the participants, during the shooting they are engaged in the selection on the remote control of the necessary plans from the right cameras at the right moments. They work closely with the main director.
Operators
By the number of cameras. In the case of using tricky cameras - sometimes 2 people per camera. (About the "tricky" cameras - in the third article). The work, in principle, is understandable - shooting: cropping, escorting people, executing director's commands. There is a main operator - he manages mainly at the stage of setting up and arranging cameras, coordinating plans with the director. During the shooting, he leads a little, because usually he himself is behind one of the cameras.
Sound (s)
Usually 1-3 pieces. They are responsible for the microphones of the presenter, heroes and guests, the “eavesdropping” of the presenter and the head of the crowd, the general microphones of the studio, the speakers of the studio and the inclusion of all kinds of music screensavers / beats. Before filming, they funny walk around the studio with microphones and talk to themselves - looking for sound pits.
Editor (s)
Responsible for everything that will be said, written or read during the transmission. As a rule, has a philological education. He is responsible for the literacy of the host’s phrases, the accuracy of the wording and, in general, for the logical connection between everything that happens between them (“You said that in the third grade, together with the girl, Masha grazed the cow Zorka - meet ... Zorka! That is, pah ... Masha!”). Together with the director, he develops a script and brings it to the attention of the presenter and participants.
Producer (s)
The main ones to get \ buy \ bring \ agree \ invite \ drive out \ rent \ repair \ pay \ save. They are engaged in all possible uncreative routines in order to free the director from him, who must CREATE! Contact with contractors. Manage money.
Admin (s)
These are such mini-producers. They are essentially engaged in the same, but not at the strategic, but at the tactical level. Contact with extras, security, movers and drivers, provide tea and crackers, chase cleaners, screw in broken lights and recount props. Tedious sho kapets, for they are often financially responsible. Iron
techniques
must be set up and repaired. People pressing buttons on the remote controls and standing behind the cameras have no idea how it all plows and what is inside. And the technicians know. Despite the importance of the work, technicians are considered a kind of “mob” compared to “creative” people. Of course, no one directly tells them this, but the line is felt.
Traffic lights
There is one main light switch - it is located in the control room and, on the instructions of the director (sometimes the main operator), switches light programs. There are several auxiliary ones - they hang under the ceiling and control the "light guns". (Unclear words? Read the next article in the series.)
Miscellaneous support staff
Drivers, guards, movers, cleaners, couriers, etc. Functions, as it were, are clear, we will not linger.
After describing everything above, the shooting process is already clear in principle. Start - discussion with the host, participants, director and script editor. If the participants are real - just an explanation of the rules of the game and go! If the actors - the role and order of the replicas of each is explained in detail. In any case, the facilitator is told what can be added to in this particular person (“In your questionnaire you wrote that you love children - and this is a matter of jurisdiction!”). Transmission begins. Lead output. Greetings. The explanation of the rules. Presentation of the participants. Start. In the course of the transfer, everything goes according to the script. In the event of a change in plans, the director talks about it to the leader in the “eavesdropping” (the order of the questions has changed, or this participant is tired and needs to be drowned). All services work in concert and, as a rule, everything goes well. If no incidents happen. And they happen! Once in an intellectual game they invited one fresh little one-day star. But she turned out to be so dumb that she couldn’t get beyond the first question. And then they decided to give her answers to the first questions 5. To learn. It ended with a scandal. She answered the third question before the presenter asked him. And then she mixed up the answers to the fourth and fifth. The audience was sobbing, the host was blushing, and at least for her, she was sitting herself, clapping her ears. The transmission went "into the furnace." By the way, in all games for money (and in some not for money), players sign a document on "consent to the rules and non-interruption of filming." With heavy fines. And yet - from all these “hundreds of thousands” and “millions” of winnings of players, the tax is withheld - something about 30%. Although the winnings themselves compared to transfer budgets are usually 5-7 percent. Rarely more.
Upon completion of the first successfully filmed transmission, a plate is usually broken for happiness. In ancient Rome, after the filming, they sacrificed to the gods the youngest and most beautiful member of the film crew. Now it's just a plate.
Stage is no less important than shooting. Here it is necessary to cut out a protracted dialogue, choose the most successful from three plans, choose a moment for advertising, make a transfer of the desired duration, etc. But this is still half the battle. A special talent has to be shown when something went wrong during the filming: the spotlight or “eavesdropping” of one of the guests / participants broke, a bug was found in the scenery (a suddenly breaking floor or a warped wall is a common thing). Shooting due to the specifics of the programs can often not be stopped - people play for a while or for money, and most importantly - after stopping and restarting, there will be no drive, sparkle in the eyes, reaction to unexpected things, etc. It is in such cases that the magical power of installation manifests itself. You can’t imagine what kind of g ... sometimes they make the candy that you see on the screen.
Filming is over. At this point, a pause is made. The removed gears last for several months. The film crew can relax (do another project). Broadcasts are broadcast. Mandatory for each issue and for the transfer as a whole, the rating is measured. Based on these data, a month and a half before the end of the “strategic reserve” of captured programs, a decision is made whether to continue this project or not. If yes - goto start. Some of the papers and preparatory materials can be reused, some - no. If the ratings are bad - thank you all, everyone is free.
The third article on hardware and software used is coming soon.
Beginning of the shooting session
So, first of all, somewhere near the studio, a hardware room is being built (in general, this goes along with the construction of the studio). This is no longer done by contracting firms, but by the film crew itself. The control room is such a room in which during the filming the director and a dozen other involved people will be. There is a lot of iron in the control room. In a first approximation, we assume that there is a video remote control, a sound remote control and camera monitoring monitors (in fact, there is even a damn thing - it will be detailed in the third article). The hardware room is within 10-50 meters of the studio. Two opposing goals are fighting here: firstly, it should be close so that you can run out to yell at the crowd, talk with the participants, watch live at the scenery, and on the other hand, it should be far away - so that extra people do not wander into the control room, no extraneous sounds were heard or other distractions. Often, at the request of sound engineers, the equipment room is sheathed with sound-absorbing material.
In parallel there is a camera exposure in the studio. At the expense of the number of cameras - having less than 3 pieces, you can only shoot a children's matinee. On the other hand, probably no transfer can afford more than 10 pieces. On average, usually 4-6 cameras. When they are located, all sorts of tricky rules are used, in the spirit of the “180 degree rule” , the “30 degree rule” and a bunch of other things.
If in simple words - there must be cameras that allow you to take: - a
large plan of the leader (face, chest) - a
medium plan of the leader (all or almost the whole body) - a
large plan of the participant (player) - the
average plan of the participant
- if there are several participants - all their general plan - the
leader and participant
- the whole studio is a general plan
- if the presenter or participant is not in the studio from the very beginning, but comes out from somewhere - there should be a camera that allows you to track all the way from the exit to the place in the studio
Customization
Cameras, sound, light, video screens are adjusted. The processes are interesting, will be described in detail later.
Filming Schedule
The work day starts at about 9 a.m. and ends at about 10 p.m. One shooting session - one and a half to two weeks (sometimes with weekends, sometimes without). Two to four programs are filmed per day - i.e. for one shooting session, you can provide about six months of a weekly broadcast. Here, some are also shocked - how, the broadcast that I watch, was shot not yesterday, but six months ago? Yeah. Well, maybe not half a year, but 3-4 months for sure. Well this is not news. Rental of any iron - daily (sometimes even hourly). So all programs for the season are removed immediately. It’s very expensive in this regard to convince the participants and extras that you must come to the program, which is shot in February, in light T-shirts and shorts, because it will be broadcast in June. And there is nothing here to bite your teeth in an unheated pavilion at -2 C! It's summer now you must be hot! And the viewer must believe that this is something new, in the heat of the heat - otherwise he will not watch.
Massovka
Once, when I was little, I really dreamed of sitting on the stands of some television show. It's so funny! You can see famous hosts and stars, you can see the program before everyone else and most importantly - you can, albeit briefly, get on the TV! And then it will be possible to watch this program with friends and family and exclaim enthusiastically: “Here! Here I am! Third row, sixth on the left! ”
I was young and naive. Everyone who sits in the studio is either friends / relatives of the participants (ready to make any sacrifices for the sake of their beloved faces on TV), or an extras working for money. And this work is not at all simple! I repeat - a working day from 9 am to 10 pm. Salary - 400-500 rubles per day. Lunch is often at one's own expense. Strict requirements for face, clothes, posture. Army discipline in relation to the teams of the director. For the slightest chuckle out of topic or a remark outside the script, they kick out without money. It's not actors, it's like cannon fodder. Pros? What are the pros ... Oh yes - free tea and crackers! All. As a matter of fact, they sit in extras not for the sake of money, but for the sake of those bright ideals described above that I have passed with age, and some have not. Among extras there is their "main". A headphone is hung on this person to which the director gives commands: “applause”, “silence”, “laughter”. Everyone else looks at him and does the same. In fact, “laughter” is rarely spoken. Unnatural laughter really cuts the ear, and if the truth is funny, the studio itself will laugh.
Film crew
Chief Director
He is one and omnipresent. The ideologist of the process. A person who will receive all laurels and all tryndly for the transfer. The main boss and director of the universe within the studio. Engaged in everything and breaks everywhere. The range of tasks is unlimited. It feeds, apparently, from an atomic reactor, because the speed of thoughts and movements can not be measured.
Assistant Director (s)
Help as much as they can. They communicate with the participants, during the shooting they are engaged in the selection on the remote control of the necessary plans from the right cameras at the right moments. They work closely with the main director.
Operators
By the number of cameras. In the case of using tricky cameras - sometimes 2 people per camera. (About the "tricky" cameras - in the third article). The work, in principle, is understandable - shooting: cropping, escorting people, executing director's commands. There is a main operator - he manages mainly at the stage of setting up and arranging cameras, coordinating plans with the director. During the shooting, he leads a little, because usually he himself is behind one of the cameras.
Sound (s)
Usually 1-3 pieces. They are responsible for the microphones of the presenter, heroes and guests, the “eavesdropping” of the presenter and the head of the crowd, the general microphones of the studio, the speakers of the studio and the inclusion of all kinds of music screensavers / beats. Before filming, they funny walk around the studio with microphones and talk to themselves - looking for sound pits.
Editor (s)
Responsible for everything that will be said, written or read during the transmission. As a rule, has a philological education. He is responsible for the literacy of the host’s phrases, the accuracy of the wording and, in general, for the logical connection between everything that happens between them (“You said that in the third grade, together with the girl, Masha grazed the cow Zorka - meet ... Zorka! That is, pah ... Masha!”). Together with the director, he develops a script and brings it to the attention of the presenter and participants.
Producer (s)
The main ones to get \ buy \ bring \ agree \ invite \ drive out \ rent \ repair \ pay \ save. They are engaged in all possible uncreative routines in order to free the director from him, who must CREATE! Contact with contractors. Manage money.
Admin (s)
These are such mini-producers. They are essentially engaged in the same, but not at the strategic, but at the tactical level. Contact with extras, security, movers and drivers, provide tea and crackers, chase cleaners, screw in broken lights and recount props. Tedious sho kapets, for they are often financially responsible. Iron
techniques
must be set up and repaired. People pressing buttons on the remote controls and standing behind the cameras have no idea how it all plows and what is inside. And the technicians know. Despite the importance of the work, technicians are considered a kind of “mob” compared to “creative” people. Of course, no one directly tells them this, but the line is felt.
Traffic lights
There is one main light switch - it is located in the control room and, on the instructions of the director (sometimes the main operator), switches light programs. There are several auxiliary ones - they hang under the ceiling and control the "light guns". (Unclear words? Read the next article in the series.)
Miscellaneous support staff
Drivers, guards, movers, cleaners, couriers, etc. Functions, as it were, are clear, we will not linger.
Direct shooting
After describing everything above, the shooting process is already clear in principle. Start - discussion with the host, participants, director and script editor. If the participants are real - just an explanation of the rules of the game and go! If the actors - the role and order of the replicas of each is explained in detail. In any case, the facilitator is told what can be added to in this particular person (“In your questionnaire you wrote that you love children - and this is a matter of jurisdiction!”). Transmission begins. Lead output. Greetings. The explanation of the rules. Presentation of the participants. Start. In the course of the transfer, everything goes according to the script. In the event of a change in plans, the director talks about it to the leader in the “eavesdropping” (the order of the questions has changed, or this participant is tired and needs to be drowned). All services work in concert and, as a rule, everything goes well. If no incidents happen. And they happen! Once in an intellectual game they invited one fresh little one-day star. But she turned out to be so dumb that she couldn’t get beyond the first question. And then they decided to give her answers to the first questions 5. To learn. It ended with a scandal. She answered the third question before the presenter asked him. And then she mixed up the answers to the fourth and fifth. The audience was sobbing, the host was blushing, and at least for her, she was sitting herself, clapping her ears. The transmission went "into the furnace." By the way, in all games for money (and in some not for money), players sign a document on "consent to the rules and non-interruption of filming." With heavy fines. And yet - from all these “hundreds of thousands” and “millions” of winnings of players, the tax is withheld - something about 30%. Although the winnings themselves compared to transfer budgets are usually 5-7 percent. Rarely more.
Upon completion of the first successfully filmed transmission, a plate is usually broken for happiness. In ancient Rome, after the filming, they sacrificed to the gods the youngest and most beautiful member of the film crew. Now it's just a plate.
Mounting
Stage is no less important than shooting. Here it is necessary to cut out a protracted dialogue, choose the most successful from three plans, choose a moment for advertising, make a transfer of the desired duration, etc. But this is still half the battle. A special talent has to be shown when something went wrong during the filming: the spotlight or “eavesdropping” of one of the guests / participants broke, a bug was found in the scenery (a suddenly breaking floor or a warped wall is a common thing). Shooting due to the specifics of the programs can often not be stopped - people play for a while or for money, and most importantly - after stopping and restarting, there will be no drive, sparkle in the eyes, reaction to unexpected things, etc. It is in such cases that the magical power of installation manifests itself. You can’t imagine what kind of g ... sometimes they make the candy that you see on the screen.
Final stage
Filming is over. At this point, a pause is made. The removed gears last for several months. The film crew can relax (do another project). Broadcasts are broadcast. Mandatory for each issue and for the transfer as a whole, the rating is measured. Based on these data, a month and a half before the end of the “strategic reserve” of captured programs, a decision is made whether to continue this project or not. If yes - goto start. Some of the papers and preparatory materials can be reused, some - no. If the ratings are bad - thank you all, everyone is free.
The third article on hardware and software used is coming soon.