Studio Production: Project Evaluation

STUDIO PRODUCTION PROJECT EVALUATION

PRE-PRODUCTION

I started this unit with a few clear ideas. I wanted my final idea to be chosen, but initially I was unsure on whether I actually wanted to be the producer or not. After much thought I decided to further develop two of my four ideas in an attempt to become the producer.

I spent the beginning weeks of this unit developing ideas for two different game shows, and I ultimately ended up pitching The Big Movie Quiz to the panel. For my pitch I tried to work out as many of the details as possible (format, questions, style, set design, script, etc...) to prove to the panel that I was ready to do this, and that my idea would be a success. I beleive the panel enjoyed my pitch and in the end my idea was selected as this years studio production.

As producer, my role was mostly pre-production. I knew I was going to spend a lot of time working out the small details, sending lots of emails, completing lots of paper work and attending lots of meetings. I'll admit I did not enjoy having a more hands off experience on this production, in terms of the technical side. I was a big learning curve for me at the start but I got used to it eventually and got on with it.

I wanted this show to be a success and I felt a big part of this would be ensuring everyone was on the same page. I tried to check in with everyone as often as possible to see if things were on track and looking great. I feel I should've spent more time with the VT team during the development stages, as they had to reshoot, and this may have been partly because I hadn't explained what I wanted clear enough. This delayed us.

When it came to scripting I used examples from real TV shows, and information from relevant resources to ensure each script was correctly formated and up to the standard the industry expects. It was noted by Del during our first rehearsals that this extra time spent on the script actually helped in putting us ahead of schedule. I often found it difficult to get the contents of the script right. Every new draft received a lot of feedback, and once we started rehearsing lots of changes were being made almost every day. I was able to keep up with these changes, and although I found the idea very daunting, I was able to make almost every change that was suggested.

In terms of casting, I let the assistant producer take the lead, and I came in during the audition stages to help make the final decision. We originally cast two male contestants but this was quickly shut down, so, with the help of our tutors, we found a female contestant, meaning we had a balanced show. I understand why this was originally an issue. If we'd had a female contestant to audition, then I definitely would've chosen them, but initially we didn't.

Set design was important to me. I felt an amazing set design would make our show amazing. Initially I found my contact on the set design team a bit difficult to communicate with, but this was soon rectified when I started to email a different team member. All of our design requests were met, and in the end the set looked fantastic and really helped sell the idea that this was a high budget production, rather than a student production.

PRODUCTION

See more about show day here: Dress Rehearsal & Show Day

During the production stages I took a backseat and let the Director take the lead. My job was mainly to keep track of and make script and format changes, and to keep the presenter happy. In rehearsals I was either in the gallery or on the studio floor helped everyone understand how the show works. The Director would then help everyone understand how the show looks. I was constantly keeping notes on any changes and ensuring the scripts were updated as often as possible.

When it came to the actual show my role was mostly over. I sat in the gallery and spoke to the presenter through an earpiece, feeding him information like scores. Initially I was also keeping track of scores but I found it difficult to do both things and so I gave that job to our gallery runner. This allowed me to concentrate on the presenter and ensure he could do his job well.

On the morning of the show a change to round 4 was suggested. I beleive this new idea was a good idea, however I ultimately had to make the decision not to make it. My reason for doing this was mostly because we didn't have time to do script rewrites and format changes. This changes would've affected every department and we wouldn't have had time to rehearse them. This was not a risk I was willing to take, and in the end I think the team appreciated me not making that change so close to the record.

I was and am very happy with how the actual production (record) of this show went. I beleive I did my job well and when I watch the show back I am extremely happy with it. The show is exactly 30 minutes long which is fantastic.

POST-PRODUCTION

As this show was recorded live, there isn't a lot to say about the pre-production stages. We have edited the show slightly by correcting a few minor mistakes and fixing the sound levels. The director, vision mixer, and I agreed that these small changes needed to be made to ensure our viewing audience at home can get the same experience the people in the studio on the day of the show had, without any distracting mistakes.

OVERALL EVALUATION: CRITICAL REFLECTIONS

Strengths-

• I beleive because I was very prepared from the start, we were able to just get on with creating the show. Nobody had to wait for me to write the first script because I had already produced one for my pitch. The graphics team had my example graphics to work from. The VT team had my story outlines to work with. The sound team had my example music tracks to use. I think if I wasn't as prepared as I was, we may not have been ready to rehearse as much of the show as we did on our first rehearsal day.
• As producer it was important that I was able to communicate well with everyone, both on the course and off the course (like the set team). I beleive I was able to do so. I received feedback from one person who said they appreciated how professional I was over email as it made them feel less like they were taking part in a student production, and more like they were working on a real TV show.
• I am a perfectionist, and I beleive this helped ensure we produced an amazing show. I always had feedback for everything everyone showed me, and I tried to be as constructive as possible, whilst ensure the high standard I wanted the show to be at was still being met. In the end I think we had a very slick and professional looking show that had a clear style and tone.
• During the show I think my calm manner over talkback helped our presenter get on with his job better. He told me he liked it when I spoke to him and gave him positive feedback during the show because it made him feel more confident. 

Weaknesses-

• I feel my main weakness was my team leading skills. I feel at times I wasn't always able to maintain a good level of leadership. There were many conflicts, which can be expected from a group of students with clashing personalities and opinions, and I feel at times I was not able to manage these carefully. In the end the conflicts did not affect the final show, but I still wish we could have avoided them all. I could've and should've been a better team leader.
• At first I found it hard to accept feedback and make changes to the show, but over time I learnt that for the show to be a success, I had to. The show was my idea, and I guess I just found it difficult to transform it from what it was, into something else. In the end however, I am very happy that I began to listen to everyone because it made the show 10x better than it would've been. I think from the beginning everyone knew they'd probably find it difficult to get through to me, even the tutors did, but eventually I listened, considered, and made changes.

Possible Developments- What did I learn?

• I learnt that teamwork makes the dream work.
• If I were to do this again, I would:
• Work more on developing my team management skills and work to gain the respect of my team a lot earlier into the production.
• Prepare myself straight away for possible changes and developments.
• Spend more time with the VT team to ensure the vision is on the right track and the relevant skills are being applied.

CONCLUSION

Producing this show has taught me a lot about the work that producers put into making a TV show. I learnt a lot about myself and the way I handle stressful situations. At the start of the production if I didn't like the way the show was going I would just say no to every idea. I quickly found that that wasn't the best way to do things and by the end of the production I considered every idea carefully before I made a decision. Even during the dress rehearsals, I was still being given ideas on how to improve the show, and if I'd had the time, I would've put those ideas into action.

Producing is all about having ideas, being creative, being confident, being able to manage a team well, and being able to stay calm in every situation. I feel that by the end of production I developed each of those skills to a high level. I enjoyed working on 'The Big Movie Quiz' and although Producing is not my first career choice, I will never turn down the chance to produce another TV show. I am very proud of what we have created and of everyone in the team for helping me bring my creation to screen.