Location Questions: The Production Departments Point of View

contributed by Steve Doebel
Director and Production Supervisor, Wisconsin Public Television, Madison, Wisconsin

Usually the biggest issue weve faced in going on the road is the complication of setting up the remote in a foreign environment. Unlike a studio setting, there is rarely any infrastructure in place to make the remote work easily. So lights, audio and staging setup has to be added to not only the budget, but the timeline as well. It seems like the studio is generally preferred among production folks because of the ease and control of making the production happen. And unless the location has a significant connection to the content, the location can sometimes be lost to the viewer at home. A room that looks great when you first see it does not necessarily translate to TV. On the other hand a remote location can sometimes spark a certain energy or mood that is difficult to replicate in the studio. That spark and the ability to make a remote location translate to the viewer at home is why I often prefer the remote setting.

Dont forget the food

The amount of time it takes to do a full-blown remote is often underestimated. Some rather mundane items can take on a life of their own. Things like scheduling a lunch break or a dinner break can be overlooked in the interest of saving time or money or simply forgotten. But skipping dinner does not make for a happy crew. And a union shop wont allow it. If the remote is in an unusual location, food can be a real issue. If there isnt time to send the crew off for dinner, then catering has to be considered. Ive been surprised over the years how much of a hassle the issue of food can be on a remote.

When you scout

If you are addressing who needs to go on the scout, the building people of the location site are often overlooked. Usually the building rep or manager who can okay such a remote is there but not the building supervisor who knows about air conditioning, power and other staging needs. Coat racks when there is an audience seems to be another one of those mundane items that is often overlooked both on location and in the studio.

You have union issues in your shop; you need to consider the union issues that may exist at the location as well. Does the location use union stagehands? That will significantly affect your budget.

In addition to the production truck, a satellite or microwave truck has to be considered if it is a live broadcast. And an engineer who can speak to that needs to be on the scout. If theres no way to get the signal out of a location, then no matter how nice the location is it wont work.

Audio seems to be the other area that we overlook in the early stages of planning and scouting. Someone who can speak to the noise concerns and audio problems and solutions really ought to go on the scout.

Scheduling and security

The schedule of the locations availability for set-ups and rehearsals is sometimes overlooked. Also security of the building is coming up more and more. Security may have to be considered for cable runs through outside doors or sensitive inside doors. Security for the event itself may be a question depending on the content of the event.

Format affects location

From a producing end the production staff can better serve the producer if the producer can answer as many questions as possible about the goals of the production, whether it is studio or location. For instance, knowing that you want free-wheeling audience participation with guests both on-site and from other remote locations will suggest the need for wireless mikes and additional television monitors and speakers for the audience.

Other space needs

Depending on the complexity of the remote, administrative rooms or support on site may be required. Xeroxing, printing, computers, phone lines, etc. should be considered during the scout.

And just as in the studio, facilities for your guests needs to be considered on remote locations. Youll probably want to make sure that the candidates have a separate holding area for themselves and their staff.

Make-up becomes more of an issue when it comes to candidates. Do you need to hire someone for make-up? Will the candidates provide their own make-up person? Is there time set aside in the production schedule to have make-up done?

Location vs. Studio: A Few Questions to Consider

Location questions:

Whats the value of going on location? What will it add?

Will an audience be able to see or get that?

What are the hard dollar costs associated with going on location?

Truck availability and rental costs?

What are the staff costs?
  · Overtime?
  · Union issues (both for your station and at the location)
  · Meal breaks?

Who needs to scout the location?

What do you need to look for at the proposed location?
  · lighting issues
  · electrical issues
  · air conditioning
  · cable runs
  · audio issues (frequency issues, wireless mics and IFBs)
  · broadcast/microwave/satellite issues
  · parking issues
  · security issues
  · Green room and candidate space

How will format affect location issues (i.e., a participating audience affects audio)?

What set elements, furniture, equipment and props will you need to bring?
  · chairs
  · logos and banners
  · risers
  · podiums
  · monitors
  · coat racks

Will you need a portable teleprompter?

Do you plan to do closed captioning? If so, you need extra phone lines

What sort of permissions/approval process is expected?

How much additional time will it really take to go on location?

In the end, is it worth it?

Studio Questions:

What do you lose when youre in a non-public space? What do you gain?

How can you make the studio feel big?

Staging and lighting expertise at your station?

Is enough set up time available?

Size of studio?

Enough cameras?

Capability of studio crew for this kind of show?

Security issues?

Candidate space and green room?