Saturday, 13 May 2017

Professional and Collaborative Practice - Context Document

Maidstone Television Production 

Maidstone TV studios is the UK’s largest independent live TV studios, the recording facility covers areas of television production needs, offering everything from studio hire, camera hire, a fully saturated lighting grid, edit suites, dubbing facilities and more, also offering crew services if the client coming in doesn’t bring in outside sources to cover these areas.
The Maidstone Television Production student’s recording was run as a ‘normal’ production would be, with students filling the roles and hiring in professional lighting and sound technicians where appropriate for them.

Roles within production (Filled by students unless stated otherwise);

Producer –
The producer in this production was filled by a student (Rebecca Bennett) It’s the producers who coordinates and controls the production, including the contracting of outside companies and the budget. They are involved throughout the entire process. I believe that in this production the producer also played the part of production manager.

Director –
The director was also filled by a student (Joshua Jones) the director is responsible for the creative side of the production, they control the aesthetic and contents of the production, managing the technical side, overseeing, lighting, sound, and camera angles. In this production, Josh was the creator of the productions founding idea.

Sound –
Sound Mixer - The sound mixer for this production was a hired in professional from outside the studios. – Hired outside professional.
Sound Recordist – Recording sound on location or in studio, recording the ‘real’ live action sound at the time of recording.
Sound Assistant – Record sound at time of recording, working closely with boom operators and sound supervisors.
Sound Supervisor – In control of all sound personnel, and oversee multi-camera productions
Boom operator – In control of the boom, positioning where appropriate to achieve high quality sound recording.

Camera –
Camera operator – ensures cameras and equipment are all ready and operational for required timings.
Camera assistant – offers support to the camera operator

Lighting – All lighting was covered by hires professionals that I believe are hired on a semi- freelance basis by Maidstone studios.
Lighting Director – Designs the lighting required for each shot, based on the script given.
Gaffer – In charge of the practical side of lighting a set.

Art Department – UCA, Rochester Students -

Editing –
Assistant Editor – Provides editors, colourists and other staff with basic technical and practical support.
Vision Mixer – Edit live, using cuts, frame manipulation and other methods.
Colourist – Make sure each shot is balanced and flows from scene to scene in colour.

Overseeing the production was Freelance Television Director and Vision Mixer Del Brown with over 20 years of industry experience that ranges from Live sports, outside broadcasting, the News and more. Hired on a freelance basis, he works as a television director, vision mixer as well as a university lecturer and consultant for various Universities including UCA, Ravensbourne, Canterbury Christ Church University and the University of Bedfordshire. In 2007 he founded his own short course in “Live Directing & Vision Mixing” which is now delivered at TrickBox TV Studios.

For this production, Del Brown was an overseeing consultant whilst the students carried out the jobs as would be done in the industry. The production lasted 30 minutes in total, this included, filming and editing Live, with a live audience watching. Ultimately every department went to the Producer and Director and then internally of their departments the heads of their section for directions as is standard to the industry. However unlike a large scale industry production there were less hands for the production and so multiple roles were filled by one person in places. 


Farnham Popup Festival

Popup Festivals have become ever more popular over the last few years. Traditionally pop up events utilise empty and unused spaces, these pop up events can last anywhere between a few hours to a few weeks. Some festivals and events having lasting effects on the place they visit. Known as ‘deliberately temporary’ the experience is supposed to disrupt the everyday norm.

The Farnham Students are devising their own pop up festival based around ‘true’, ‘real’ and ‘lived’ experiences working under independent producer Bridget Floyer to develop their event, located on the Farnham campus there is 6 different performances in 6 different locations, unlike many pop up festivals many of these are happening in places with heavy foot traffic whilst only a few are happening in locations that are relatively unused.

Bridget floyer is an independent producer, she deals with projects that she feels suit her values, projects that ‘encourage equality and diversity’ she has worked on many different projects around the world of theatre, including; dance, cabaret, film, performance, clowning, storytelling and so on, she largely works on festivals and popup festivals. Her work in these events is dependent on the others working with her, and so can include, overseeing the financial side of the event, handling budgets, and fundraising, as well as communication with others, community engagement and the handling of contracts, as well as creative strategies for the festival, however her role can include a variety of other tasks as she is actively involved in the work and event itself. Her work looks to actively involve the community and help bring change around the subject the event looks into. Initially she started out as a production assistant and PA at Adam Spiegel Productions, and before becoming a freelance producer, Bridget Floyer had 9 years of experience working in theatre.

Roles in general festivals –

Event Director – Oversees entire project from start to finish
Programme co-ordinator – control of event and the contents of the event.
Venue Co-ordinator – Books Venues, manages the installation of event, Risk assesses, manages event signs and information.
Equipment co-ordinator – oversees all lighting, sound, technical equipment, it’s maintenance, and transport etc.
Promotions co-ordinator – Oversees media, advertising, and publicity.

Roles in Farnham festival - 

Producer/Events manager – manages budget and organises event.
Director – In control of aesthetic and contents/performances in festival.
Actors – Devising performances
Art Department – UCA ROCHESTER STUDENTS


In this festival is seems that the acting students have taken on the roles of Producer, events manager, Director as a group, from the communication with the group it is seeming to be that decisions are made as a group. 

Fort Amherst 

Fort Amherst is an important part of Chatham’s local history and heritage, built in Napoleonic times, to ward of the threat of invasion it was used as a civil defence in both world wars. Set on 20 acres of parkland with a network of underground tunnels the fort has over 300 years of history, though has been in a constant state of restoration since the 1980’s, having just won its bid for funding for more restorations and now future development.

Nicola Moy is heading the project which aims to establish the fort as a ‘sustainable gateway to Chatham Dockyards defence land’ one that will educate the community and those further afield on the impacts the fort had on the country’s history. Whilst transforming the neglected land into a more family friendly destination that will likely draw back visitors and extend participation and learning opportunities.

Nicola Moy is project officer. Her job is to oversee the completion of the project, making sure the project is finished to deadline and on budget, her job requires her to have regular meetings to check on the progress of the project, communicating regularly with both team and board, including communicating any issue as it may arise, and setting up meetings with the relevant bodies to pass on any information as necessary. As project officer, it is required that they track the project’s progress throughout, from start to finish, detailing each activity until the outcome is accepted, this will also include detailing any possible danger or risks to the project, being able to identify anything that needs to be included to later discuss at team and board meetings, with suggestions on how to rectify possible issues.

Nicola Moy is also currently acting as a stand in Learning and Participation Officer. The job of the L&P Officer is to help bridge links between the fort and the local community helping to partner with organisations and groups through innovative learning and participation projects. The job of the L&P officer includes developing projects and selecting projects that will draw in a wide range of participants throughout the year. To monitor and evaluate all L&P projects and be responsible to reporting back to the relevant bodies about these projects. To Prepare and control budgets, to fundraise and source funding as well as fill in relevant applications for funding. Organise any business documents, including drafting, updating and revising these documents. It’s important the L&P officer can work as a team and work strategically and imaginatively, with excellent communication skills and an ability to work under pressure and to deadlines.

For outside artists trying to get involved in putting on events or getting involved in events at the fort they would be required to go through the L&P officer getting any plans laid out with them with the agreement of higher beings at the Fort once a suitable possible idea has been developed. 

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