Televisual articles from October 2004

Televisual archives from October 2004

RDF Rights signs up IWC Media for first-look factual deal.(Distribution)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... As the race among distributors gathers pace to sign up rights to UK independents' programming, RDF Rights has pulled off a first look deal with IWC Media. The move is the latest in a flurry of deals on the heels of the new terms of trade...

Commercials 30 winner Large shuts down.(Commercials)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Large, the commercials production house formed by the merger of Spectre and Stark Films, has dosed its doors after only a year in existence despite the fact that the company remains in profit. Large stormed straight to the top of Televisual's...

C4 bags more satellite space.(Broadcast)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Channel 4 has signed a 55m [pounds sterling] satellite transmission deal that wig allow it to launch up to 14 new channels. The 10-year deal with SES-gives C4 space on the Astra 2D satellite that broadcasts unencrypted to the UK--avoiding...

Cg speakers on a mission.(Graphics)
October 1, 2004... The Cgi Festival (London 7-8 December; Leeds 9-10 November) has confirmed its speakers. These include special effects supervisor Craig Hayes of Tippett Studios; Framestore CFC's Andrew Chapman, the lead crowds technical director on Troy...

SMG TV Productions.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... SMG TV Productions and the Writers Factory Screenwriting programme have joined forces to create two TV internships for new Scottish writing talent. Housed within SMG's children's department in Glasgow, one intern will focus on comedy and drama...

Tax breaks.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The government has confirmed details of a new system of tax breaks for film producers to replace the Section 48 breaks that were removed in February. From 2005, producers can claim up to a fifth of their costs up to a budget of 20m [pounds...

Mike Leigh's abortion drama Vera Drake is set to kick-off the 48th London Film Festival (20 October to 4 November).(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Mike Leigh's abortion drama Vera Drake is set to kick-off the 48th London Film Festival (20 October to 4 November). The closing film will be David O Russell's existential comedy I [heart] Huckabees. During the festival there will be seminars on...

On the move this month.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... On the move this month: Skin has hired former Bruce Dunlop creative Max Wright as a copywriter-director; Mustard has signed directors Rory Rooney, Dora Bridges and Jamie Sewell; Miles Furnell has joined Cheerful Scout as senior producer;...

422 and BBC transport viewers back in time.(Broadcast)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Bristol post-house 422 South has completed the effects and animation sequences for BBC1's 8x50-miuute series British Isles: A Natural History, which is fronted by Alan Titchmarsh. The facility's team, beaded by creative director David...

Telemagination preps Rudi and Trudi for ZDF.(Animation)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... TV-Loonland's UK studio Telemagination is set to go into production on a 26x11-minute animated series Rudi and Trudi for ZDF's children's division ZDF Tivi and its international distribution wing ZDF Enterprises. The series, which heads...

Studio AKA's latest is a 60-second spot that forms part of UKTV's rebrand.(Animation)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Studio AKA's latest is a 60-second spot that forms part of UKTV's re-brand. A character travels through the different colours of the nine UKTV channels on a roller-coaster ride of classic British TV, from underwater worlds to aeroplanes and...

Twofour hits Sky with Stelios doc.(Broadcast)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Twofour Productions has won its first major commission for Sky1: 19 hours of programming about Easyjet boss Stelios Haji-Ioannou. The programmes--to air early next year on Sky1, Sky1 Mix and Sky Travel--will follow the entrepreneur as he...

MillTV.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... MillTV created effects of devastation in 2D and 3D for BBC Films' Dirty War, which examines the consequences of a dirty bomb exploding in London. Dave Throssell and the Mill team were responsible for creating the smoke plumes that signify the...

Addiction.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... VH1 commissioned Addiction to create a graphic treatment reflecting the differences in the choice of music available for each of its channels and uniting them with the music station's brand. Addiction designer Ryan Brotherston created virtual...

RDF.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... RDF is about to go into production with a 9x60-minute chat-show for Sky1 fronted by Sky Sports presenter Tim Lovejoy. Sky's executive producer of music channels Steve Regan commissioned the show; guests for Tim Lovejoy and the Allstars will...

Red takes big dip into ITV comedy.(Broadcast)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Drama independent Red Productions has picked up its first commission from the ITV comedy department. Shooting has already started on comedy-drama Big Dippers, starring James Nesbitt, ready for a 2005 airing. It was ordered by ITV's head of...

New Moon carries torch for London Olympic bid.(Corporate)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... New Moon has landed the order for London's 2012 Olympic bid film that will be the centrepiece of the capital's presentation to the IOC in 2005. The film will also be used to drum up support for the bid among the public and gets a cinema...

Hewland International has teamed Michelle Collins with Martin Kemp.(The Green Light)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Hewland International has teamed Michelle Collins with Martin Kemp to star in ITV1 drama Can't Buy Me Love, the story of a man who fools his wife and family that he's won the lottery. Tony Jordan has penned the 90 minute drama and the executive...

The BBC's drama and current affairs departments.(The Green Light)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The BBC's drama and current affairs departments are to work together on a docudrama about Angela Cannings, the woman recently cleared of murdering two of her children. Cherished stars Sarah Lancashire as Cannings and Timothy Spall as her...

Diverse, which was recently bought out by FBC.(The Green Light)(Fact Based Communications)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Diverse, which was recently bought out by FBC, has bagged an order for Priest Idol for Channel 4. The 3x60-minute series will follow a vicar in a parish which has a low turn-out at church, and watch as he and a panel of experts try to increase...

Shine is to revamp Masterchef for the early-evening BBC2.(The Green Light)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Shine is to revamp Masterchef for the early-evening BBC2 slot recently vacated by The Simpsons. The programme will be given a Pop Idol style makeover with regional heats followed by a set of tasks to win the crown. The 30x30-minute Masterchef...

Ecosse Films has hired Angus Deayton.(The Green Light)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Ecosse Films has hired Angus Deayton to star in a new comedy drama for ITV1. Head of comedy Sioned Wiliam ordered the show about a hard-nosed barrister who is transformed after surviving a heart attack. Ecosse managing director Douglas Rae is...

Reef Television has picked up its first BBC2 order.(The Green Light)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Reef Television has picked up its first BBC2 order with new antiques format Sun, Sea and Bargain Spotting. The daytime show has contestants shopping for bargains in the flea markets of France, before returning to the UK and selling their haul...

Bermuda ID.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Bermuda ID director Filipe Alcada has completed an animated re-brand for Nick Toons. The identity was driven by seven Tex Avery-style pixels--all with their own personality--which reside inside the TV set. The animation, which included work on...

Green Inc.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Northern Irish indie Green Inc has been commissioned by Irish channel RTE to make its new flagship live daytime programme, The Afternoon Show. A mix of lifestyle, information and entertainment, the show will total over 150 hours of programming...

Griffilms.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Welsh animation producer Griffilms has completed work on titles, stings and website for S4C's paranormal kids' show Ofn (Scared). The show's logo--in keeping with the its eerie theme--was created by Dylan Jones, while Griffilm's 3D department...

Supermergers rule.(Deals)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Consolidation continued last month as Operatunity producer Diverse was sold to Fact Based Communications for an estimated 8m [pounds sterling]. FBC--which specialises in international distribution and ad-funded programming--hopes to...

Endemol MBO?(Finance)(Management By Objective)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Endemol UK chairman Peter Bazalgette has confirmed that its management is exploring a 1bn [pounds sterling] buyout from Spanish telecoms group Telefonica. The telecoms company paid 3.5bn [pounds sterling] for the Big Brother creator four years...

Pact urges BBC to back film.(Independents)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The BBC has been criticised in Parliament by Pact for spending only 10m [pounds sterling] of its annual 73.2m [pounds sterling] acquisitions budget on British feature films. The producers' alliance told an all-party media select committee...

Loonland floats.(Finance)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... TV-Loonland has traded its shares on Aim at the London Stock Exchange. Last month TVL filed to have its 7,156,969 shares fast-tracked on Aim as a second listing; TV-Loonland AG is already traded on Germany's Deutsche Borse.

DVD extras no laughing matter: Joe Mahoney, head of commercial developmental at Channel 4 International, outlines what his youthful audience wants on disc.(The Business News)
October 1, 2004... The capabilities of DVD are vast so it is only logical that their full potential is maximised, not only from a commercial point of view but also from a consumer's perspective. DVD is an opportunity for a programme to communicate directly with...

Pact goes for impact.(Broadcast)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Pact has set up a new division to help producers exploit and protect their increased intellectual property rights, and is in talks with UK distributor body BTDA about merging. The new division, headed by All3Media International md Louise...

Leopard changes its spots.(Distribution)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... In the wake of the new terms of trade, another UK indie has taken the plunge and set up an in-house distribution outift. Leopard Film's chief executive James Burstall and sales manager Paul Hanrahan are to front Leopard International with...

Granada wild.(Distribution)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Granada International is investing in two wildlife documentaries from Tigress. The Dolphin Murders is a co-production with Discovery US, Germany's ZDF and Five in the UK, with Granada distributing outside those areas. Snowflake was...

Celador feast.(Broadcast)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Celador International has scaled three deals for its diet makeover format You are What you Eat. VTM in Belgium licensed the format; Holland's RTL Nederlands bought the format and the finished UK series; and Iceland's Channel 2 acquired two...

Apocalypse now.(Broadcast)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Off the Fence and Cicada Films are to produce and distribute two nature shows together: The Day the Earth Split in Two, about the threat posed to mankind by tectonic movements; and The Year without Summer, about the most deadly volcanic...

How to pitch it the PBS way: senior vp PBS programming, Coby Atlas, on how to tailor science and history for the public service channel.(International)(The Public Broadcasting Service)(Interview)
October 1, 2004... How do you commission shows? Either through our producing stations like WGBH Boston and WNET New York, which partner directly with UK producers to make programming for the national schedule; or through PBS HQ, which will also enter...

Worldwide under the hammer?(Broadcast)
October 1, 2004... It should have come as no surprise last month that the BBC was speaking to some of the world's biggest media companies about the possibility of selling off BBC Worldwide. The corporation admitted it has "consulted" with Time Warner and...

19 TV boss Simon Fuller is accusing his Pop Idol collaborator Simon Cowell of ripping off their earlier smash-hit reality talent-show with his new series, The X-Factor.(Month In Review)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... 19 TV boss Simon Fuller is accusing his Pop Idol collaborator Simon Cowell of ripping off their earlier smash-hit reality talent-show with his new series, The X-Factor. After seeing the first episode, pop mogul Fuller issued the...

The IVCA's Fellowship Awards luncheon, which takes place annually on the House of Lords Thames-side terrace, was last month given an extra frisson by events elsewhere in those hallowed halls.(Month In Review)(International Visual Communication Association)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The IVCA's Fellowship Awards luncheon, which takes place annually on the House of Lords Thames-side terrace, was last month given an extra frisson by events elsewhere in those hallowed halls. As top communicators Sir Trevor (McDonald), Sir Bob...

OK, we know Campbell's a bully and Blair's not always a "pretty straight kinda guy," we know Greg Dyke was stitched up by Hutton and we know he's got a book out at the moment.(Month In Review)(Greg Dyke; David Brent)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... OK, we know Campbell's a bully and Blair's not always a "pretty straight kinda guy," we know Greg Dyke was stitched up by Hutton and we know he's got a book out at the moment. But perhaps he should just try and leave it behind now. The ex-BBC...

Storyboard.(News)
October 1, 2004... This month's Storyboard sees Intro turn a curse into a blessing; VTR add a 50s touch to Mike Leigh's Vera Drake; Picasso look to Terry Gilliam for inspiration; Trunk wipe the slate clean for a French washing powder; Jump introduce Joan Rivers;...

Late arrivals for Production 100 ...(Broadcast)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... Paladin Invision I was surprised to see no entry for Paladin Invision in your Production 100 in September, particularly as over the last year we had a turnover of over 4m [pounds sterling] and produced three large landmark series for PBS/...

Question of quota.(Broadcast)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... Once again, your review of independent production (September) reveals the huge disparity between the select group of privileged, wealthy big beasts of the jungle and the rest. Two decades on from when the 25% quota was introduced to help...

Indies live in interesting times.(Opinions)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... If finance is the third F that Steve Morrison brings to an independent production party full of "freedom and fun" (page 24), the former Granada ceo who now heads All3media is not going to use it to skim off cut-price UK programming. Topping up...

Freedom, fun and ... Last year All3media hit the headlines when a gang of three former TV execs swooped on a group of independents. Its chief executive tells how, a year on, the group has grown and is widening its horizons.(Interview: Steve Morrison)
October 1, 2004... Finance. The third F is a stern balance to the liberation that this canny Glaswegian, whose 28 years at Granada spanned producer at World in Action to two-times ceo, plainly feels at gaining independent status. "What independents have is...

Face/off.(In production: Virtual History)
October 1, 2004... The deliberately blurred shot of Hitler ranting at his generals; Churchill smoking his trademark cigar in shadow in the cabinet war-rooms; Stalin hand-signing the Nazi-Soviet pact; dramatic reconstructions in history shows have become the worst...

Brave new world: producers' new terms of trade have had some time now to show the shape of things to come in the distribution market. Jon Creamer looks at the action so far, then assembles this year's fresh UK fare at Mipcom.(Mipcom 2004)
October 1, 2004... The new terms of trade between UK indies and broadcasters are certainly showing their effects, with hardly a day going by without another group of indies staging a buy-out or a tie-up. The distribution sector is "also feeling the effects....

Room at the top: on the surface of it, it has been a corker of a year for the post community and spirits are running high.(Top 50)(Cover Story)
October 1, 2004... A solid year is how Framestore CFC's chief executive William Sargent describes the past 12 months--and it's a view echoed by many of his peers. Optimism runs high among this year's facilities folk, with a general feeling that the...

Bring in the new: spirits are high among this year's newcomers--a selection of familiar faces from some of Soho's biggest players in the commercials and film markets.(Newcomers)
October 1, 2004... This year's entrepreneurs are basing their business decisions heavily on personal reputation and word-of-mouth. Two new facilities on Soho's Poland Street have both emerged from commercials giant The Mill. Its creative director and joint...

Speculate to accumulate: even broadcasters' facilities, bouyed by work for their channels, can't escape the budget squeeze, while still offering today's USPs to internal and external clients.(Broadcasters)
October 1, 2004... The biggest facilities are looking to get bigger. In general, the mood is positive among the broadcasters' facilities which, although still reliant on their parent companies for the bulk of their work, know they must invest to keep on top of...

Clients' testimonials: of all the measures used to pick the top 50 facilities, the poll of their clients is most telling: which do they rate most and which, when it comes down to it, do they use most?(Producer Polls)
October 1, 2004... The Mill is back at the top of the overall producer poll this year (see left), thanks largely to the ever-vociferous commercials production lobby. These producers tend to hunt as a pack, compared to more wideranging votes cast by the...

Beyond Blue Peter: planning programme strategy across two digital channels as well as a terrestrial afternoon strand isn't child's play. Ann-Marie Corvin meets the entertainment head of one of the BBC's biggest departments.(The commissioner: Anne Gilchrist)
October 1, 2004... The fluffy purple clouds painted on to TV Centre's institutional white walls leave visitors in no doubt that once they step out of the lift they've entered Children's BBC. "That was my idea," admits Anne Gilchrist. "Some people weren't...

Cameras and crews: the trickle of early HD adopters we saw last year has now grown to a flow, if not yet a flood, as crewing and hire outfits find a hard TV market easing a little. But just when they thought they had an investment plan, enter two harbingers of the "death of tape".(Production file: cameras and crews)(Directory)
October 1, 2004... Last year the reign of DigiBeta, which has long taken over BetaSP's crown as industry standard, was under attack from two sides. Galloping up on the inside is DVCam, spurred on by viewers' continuing fascination for reality shows and producers'...

Golden Square sets up vfx arm.(Facilities)(Golden Square Post Production's visual effects department)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Soho's Golden Square Post Production is setting up a 3D department in a bid to capture more commercials work. The facility had previously outsourced its 3D work to film vfx house Double Negative, but says this tie was proving prohibitive...

Play shuts after three years.(Facilities)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Play, the post-production venture of aclaimed Flame artists John Hollis and Tom Sparks, has closed down. The decision to shut the company, which worked on a number of high-profile ads including the Mini Adventure series, was made after...

Axis Films.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Camera hire firm Axis Films is expanding into the north of England, with an office set to open in Leeds later this month. "We have found increasing demand in the north," says md Paul Carter. "With increasing amounts of work arriving at the...

Regional film lab moves into 35mm.(Facilities)(Film Lab North is taking delivery of a Photomec 35mm )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... England's only film lab outside London is under going a massive upgrade in a bid to break into a "thriving" commercials and film market in the north. Film Lab North is taking delivery of a Photomec 35mm Integrated processor and moving to...

MTV spends 1m [pounds sterling] on an extra editing department.(Broadcast)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... MTV has spent more than 1m [pounds sterling] on six new edit suites at its Camden-based facility. The broadcaster hired Root6 to install and build six identical Avid Symphony suites with all adjoining bookings and reception area. The...

Bristol gets new post facility.(Facilities)(Big Bang Post Production)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A new post-house has opened in Bristol fronted by talent from three local facilities. Big Bang Post Production is a collaboration of editors from The Pink House and Sprokets and Bytes (no longer trading) with audio-post-house Master...

Absolute puts five formats into one.(Facilities)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Absolute Post Production put together 110 composites in eight days for the new Duran Duran video, Sunrise. The promo, produced by Black Dog RSA and directed by The Polish Brothers, featured all five members of the band shot in five different...

Film post-houses Cineimage and Capital FX have both bought copies of Imagineer Systems' object-replacement tool Monet.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Film post-houses Cineimage and Capital FX have both bought copies of Imagineer Systems' object-replacement tool Monet. The software uses 2D motion tracking to perform package replacements, language adaptations and screen inserts. Cineimage says...

Sumners.(News)(Sumners has taken the leap into HD editing )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Manchester facility Sumners has taken the leap into HD editing after returning from this year's IBC. The facility has put in an order for an Avid DS Nitrous system, which will be installed this month. Md Andy Sumner says: "No-one is banging on...

The Mill's.(News)(The Mill's London and New York offices doubled up for two ads.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The Mill's London and New York offices doubled up on the vfx for two ads for the electronic stock exchange Arca/Ex. The departments worked in tandem on the spots via The Mill's 45Mb pipeline (Beam.tv), which links its Flame suites and cg...

Soho shops get DI kit ...(Investment)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Two of Soho's biggest facilities have invested in FilmLight's new 4k grading system. Framestore CFC and Molinare have both purchased a Baselight Eight, which offers real-time grading at variable resolutions. Framestore CFC will use the...

... And Molinare buys film recorder.(Investment)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Molinare has continued its push into the digital film market with the purchase of an Arrilaser film recorder. The facility has invested 1.5m [pounds sterling] in new kit since the MBO last year, and claims profits are already 20% up. Joint...

Sky News takes XDCam over P2.(Technology)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Sky News has chosen Sony's tapeless acquisition system over Panasonic's to kit out five of its bureaux across Europe. The channel has bought 10 XDCam camcorders, seven playback and eight compact XDCam decks. This is a major boost for Sony,...

IBC attendance figures rocket.(Market)(trade shows)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A big rise in the number of people at this year's IBC reflects an upturn in the industry, says the show's outgoing president. Figures were up 12% on last year, with 40,776 attendng the exhibition. IBC president John Wilson says: "Many...

People matter most in post: post-houses must prepare for a drastic change in the way they do business, says Suite chairman Julian Aston. Soon ratecards will be about staff, not kit.(Business)
October 1, 2004... The last 30 years have seen an amazing mushrooming of postproduction houses, incredible when you consider that before 1970 most video post production was a mixture of black art and heavy engineering. My own induction was in the basement of the...

Colour me film: a comedy about film fans, to be screened on BBC3 this autumn, required the black arts of Pepper's colourists to transform footage shot on tape into an homage to cinema classics.(My Life In Film)
October 1, 2004... Recreating the look and style of key scenes from classic movies on the budget of a BBC3 sitcom was a tail order for a first-time TV director whose previous experience largely consists of commercials. But when Toby MacDonald read Mark Chappell's...

Listings for the production community.(The Index)(Directory)
October 1, 2004... THE KIT COMPUTER GRAPHICS SERVICES AND SYSTEMS NORTH * MGB FACILITIES LTD SGI based Softimage Extreme 3D Graphics, Combustion and Paintbox Express. Quantel Editbox--Non Linear On-Line Editing, HD Cam, Digital Betacam & Betacam BP...

Extreme escapism: the secrets of a good night in with Gareth Rees, the new business director of Welsh independent Boomerang: escape with fishing, Westerns, a good laugh and quite a lot to eat and drink.(In My View)(Interview)
October 1, 2004... How much TV do you watch a week? 15-20 hours--a mixed bag of drama, docs and comedy. Favourite comedies? Currently Phoenix Nights. I suppose Laurel and Hardy don't count as TV comedy, so overall it has to be Dad's Army. Which...

Ratings X-factor is gritty drama and silly sitcom.(Winners And Losers)
October 1, 2004... Mentorn's controverisal 9/11 drama The Hamburg Cell scored a surprising 1.9m viewers on Thursday 2 September for C4 at 21.00. And another unlikely ratings success was ITV's tale of an estranged librarian forced to look after her elderly...

October TX guide: a producer's guide to the month on the box.(The End)(Calendar)
October 1, 2004... The Farm from 26 September, 22.00: Five Endemol's new rural reality show in which 12 celebrities get down and dirty on a Wiltshire farm--or else get kicked off it--will run daily for three weeks. Farm-hands include Rebecca Loos, Sophie...

The late show.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... THE EDIT Taking in the raw material from the shoot and moulding it into a finished product in which the television audience can never see the cracks. THE BUSINESS How to pitch that show and get that commission. And then, when you...

Best laid plans: keep a meticulous note of every aspect of your production, says Heather Hampson, and you'll reap the benefits for further series or international sales.(The Shoot Expert)
October 1, 2004... "People should know about The Bible," declares Heather Hampson, Celador's head of production. It's not missionary zeal, but her advice about selling UK TV programming overseas, something that the 2003 Communications Act has made increasingly...

The comfort zone: the influence of reality on entertainment shows means studio aren't the only location option--but they still offer a range of attractive features for talent, audiences and crews.(The Shoot)
October 1, 2004... As the current raft of reality shows and location shoots bear witness, studios are no longer the only place to make entertainment shows, following huge strides that have been made in equipment technology, lightweight cameras in particular. ...

To set the scene ... getting your show to stand out from the crowd means investing in the way it looks, and bringing in a set designer early to stamp it with the right image.(Set Design)
October 1, 2004... LE's diversity is its greatest strength. From quizzes and game-shows to reality TV and chat-shows, it covers an array of programming styles. But common to all LE programming is a desire to involve the audience by building drama and emotion. And...

Know your client: with a long track-record in LE, Evolutions' senior editor Nick King says cutting it is far from being a solo job performed in a darkened room: it's all about people.(The Edit Expert)
October 1, 2004... The end of a long process, where budget is often at its tightest and time is definitely at its finitest, the edit is where the vision for a show finally meets reality. There's little formula in what to expect from an edit but, as Nick King...

It's all in the mix: minimising time-consuming and expensive edit work in post means co-ordinating and controlling every camera, keeping shots tight and the overall style consistent.(The Edit Expert)
October 1, 2004... Of all the current TV genres, entertainment probably encompasses more styles and techniques than any other. From the OB and single camera work of comedy drama or sports show, through the multi-camera studio work of the current affairs...

The greasepaint guys ... Having the right entertainment idea, budget, channel and timeslot is only part of the story: talent talks when it comes to getting your broadcaster on board.(Talent)
October 1, 2004... No contemporary entertainment show can thrive in this competitive environment, it seems, without the an-screen presence of a Davina, Vernon, Carol or a sampling of the creme de la creme, Ant & Dec. But, though an-screen talent is very...

Brand new world: with ancillary rights gaining a new importance, says Stephen Flint, treating your show as a brand ready to be exploited can yield revenue and open up potential.(The Look Expert)
October 1, 2004... "You don't really design a show that's going to be rolled out across the world," says Stephen Flint, Fremantle's head of brand management for entertainment. "You make it for the broadcaster and the audience you see it going to. If you have one...

Express yourself: design your entertainment show with branding in mind, from the opening titles to grab the viewer's attention to ancillary products you may now benefit from.(The Look Expert)
October 1, 2004... The world of TV entertainment has shifted dramatically in recent years, due largely to greater consumer choice and falling advertising spend. Now more than ever, producers must have design uppermost in their minds and think of branding their...

Ads call the shots ... Advertiser-funded programming can offer producers a lifeline in a tough market, but all parties need to communicate clearly, read the codes and know their roles.(Ad-Funded Programming)
October 1, 2004... Entertainment shows could be the latest genre to embrace the advertiser-funded programming model. Recently, even ITV announced a commission for a brand-funded music show Orange Playlist--a sort of TV desert island discs produced by the Endemol...