The TV Studio Production
Handbook Chapter 1
S.T.U.D.I.O. Toolkit
S – Set up
The director and producer spend many hours deconstructing the screenplay and
figuring out how to bring it to life in the studio. The producer must ensure that all
logistics are handled, and the director must choose how many cameras to use, as well
as which camera the presenter will speak to and when. It is necessary to construct the
studio set, do not underestimate how much time it takes. Filming days at the studio are
usually long (10 to 12 hours a day).
🎥 Studio productions can be single-camera set-ups, more common in drama, or
multiple-camera set-ups, with cameras going into double figures for some big-
budget prime-time studio shows. Large personnel and a lot of equipment are
common in-studio productions.
Three crucial stages of the rehearsal process of studio
production:
Block-through:
Gives the crew crucial time to plan camera angles and motions, as well as mark
places for presenters, performers, and participants
During the block-through, the director is usually on the studio floor
Stagger-through:
The first complete run-through of the production
Provides a rough overview of the whole piece. Its purpose is to identify needs,
constraints, and problems
The TV Studio Production Handbook Chapter 1 1
, Run-through:
The final step of rehearsal
Timings are the responsibility of the gallery production assistant, sometimes known
as a script supervisor
💡 While presenters and actors go through the script and camera operators
change their locations, the floor manager or the first assistant director is in
charge of ensuring that everything on the studio floor runs properly.
To become a PA, you must be able to convey changes through talkback swiftly and
confidently so that everyone understands where they are on the script, what's coming
up next, and how much time is remaining on each item and on the total length.
Every programme has a timeslot and a running time; there are delays in the usual
running of the schedule due to the game/breaking news item going over time, and
programming may be shifted. To set up, you'll need to know how long your performance
will be and how much practice time you'll need.
T – Talent
Examples of talent on TV:
A presenter of a factual show
A presenter of an entertaining show
A news anchor
An actor in a sitcom or soap opera
An actor in a soap opera
With auditions and screen tests, the process of finding talent might take a long time, and
the channel typically demands final approval.
The TV Studio Production Handbook Chapter 1 2
Handbook Chapter 1
S.T.U.D.I.O. Toolkit
S – Set up
The director and producer spend many hours deconstructing the screenplay and
figuring out how to bring it to life in the studio. The producer must ensure that all
logistics are handled, and the director must choose how many cameras to use, as well
as which camera the presenter will speak to and when. It is necessary to construct the
studio set, do not underestimate how much time it takes. Filming days at the studio are
usually long (10 to 12 hours a day).
🎥 Studio productions can be single-camera set-ups, more common in drama, or
multiple-camera set-ups, with cameras going into double figures for some big-
budget prime-time studio shows. Large personnel and a lot of equipment are
common in-studio productions.
Three crucial stages of the rehearsal process of studio
production:
Block-through:
Gives the crew crucial time to plan camera angles and motions, as well as mark
places for presenters, performers, and participants
During the block-through, the director is usually on the studio floor
Stagger-through:
The first complete run-through of the production
Provides a rough overview of the whole piece. Its purpose is to identify needs,
constraints, and problems
The TV Studio Production Handbook Chapter 1 1
, Run-through:
The final step of rehearsal
Timings are the responsibility of the gallery production assistant, sometimes known
as a script supervisor
💡 While presenters and actors go through the script and camera operators
change their locations, the floor manager or the first assistant director is in
charge of ensuring that everything on the studio floor runs properly.
To become a PA, you must be able to convey changes through talkback swiftly and
confidently so that everyone understands where they are on the script, what's coming
up next, and how much time is remaining on each item and on the total length.
Every programme has a timeslot and a running time; there are delays in the usual
running of the schedule due to the game/breaking news item going over time, and
programming may be shifted. To set up, you'll need to know how long your performance
will be and how much practice time you'll need.
T – Talent
Examples of talent on TV:
A presenter of a factual show
A presenter of an entertaining show
A news anchor
An actor in a sitcom or soap opera
An actor in a soap opera
With auditions and screen tests, the process of finding talent might take a long time, and
the channel typically demands final approval.
The TV Studio Production Handbook Chapter 1 2
