SP
The predecessor thread started in 2003!
https://www.tvforum.co.uk/tvhome/yorkshire-lincolnshire-1668/
https://www.tvforum.co.uk/tvhome/yorkshire-lincolnshire-1668/
MM
Whilst I'm all for consistency and staying on brand, this is a bit of a Fisher Price take on the London set design. The picture quality on some of those regional news programmes is pretty dire - the washed out colours and poor resolution on these projector screens won't help. And the blue and white light strips above and below the projector screen is a rather cheap imitation of the national design.
This is not an insignificant region, population-wise. Whilst I understand and appreciate the investment in Scotland, Wales and NI, I can't help but feel that the English regions are being unfairly disadvantaged.
Whilst I'm all for consistency and staying on brand, this is a bit of a Fisher Price take on the London set design. The picture quality on some of those regional news programmes is pretty dire - the washed out colours and poor resolution on these projector screens won't help. And the blue and white light strips above and below the projector screen is a rather cheap imitation of the national design.
This is not an insignificant region, population-wise. Whilst I understand and appreciate the investment in Scotland, Wales and NI, I can't help but feel that the English regions are being unfairly disadvantaged.
:-(
A former member
Am I missing something? Looks alright to me.
SP
The fundamental problem is the studio in Leeds is very small, and in converted office space, so any set is going to be something of a compromise and look worse than the likes of Newcastle and Southampton with their big 'proper' studios.
Clearly they'd benefit from better cameras, but from the images we've seen so far, I'd say it's a turd well polished.
Clearly they'd benefit from better cameras, but from the images we've seen so far, I'd say it's a turd well polished.
LS
Lou Scannon
The fundamental problem is the studio in Leeds is very small, and in converted office space, so any set is going to be something of a compromise and look worse than the likes of Newcastle and Southampton with their big 'proper' studios.
Given that news bulletins just involve a presenter or two, a desk or coffee table (or both), and presenter seating (chairs and/or sofa)... they might as well be in very small studios.
It's not like a news bulletin needs enough space to accommodate a huge chorus line of dancing showgirls, or whatever. It's not a Saturday night light entertainment spectacular.
I would say that the likes of BBC Newcastle and Southampton's are very much needlessly large for news. AIUI the "A" studios of their current buildings were originally envisaged as housing programmes for network, whilst the regional news would be in smaller "B" studios. The network programmes idea seldom/never materialised AFAIK (possibly only a handful of things circa the early 1990s, which I believe is when the buildings opened?). And so South Today and Look North (Newcastle) moved into the large studios, just because they could.
I see no problem with the small studio in converted office space that BBC Leeds (amongst others) has.
SP
Newcastle opened in the 80s, but you're right. Southampton's use of the larger studio freed up the smaller one for the early days of the Oxford opt I believe.
You're right in what you say about studios like Leeds being fit for purpose, although I can't help thinking that a larger floor space would have its advantages. In the old days at Woodhouse Lane they were able to have two sets in the studio at the same time. At one time North of Westminster had its own set rather than redressing the Look North set. When LN got a new set they would build it opposite the existing one so they didn't need to decamp. I imagine things like Gardener's Direct Line had its set opposite the LN set too.
Given how Leeds is more multi-use than other English regions, having two standing sets (and lighting plots) might be operationally very helpful.
You're right in what you say about studios like Leeds being fit for purpose, although I can't help thinking that a larger floor space would have its advantages. In the old days at Woodhouse Lane they were able to have two sets in the studio at the same time. At one time North of Westminster had its own set rather than redressing the Look North set. When LN got a new set they would build it opposite the existing one so they didn't need to decamp. I imagine things like Gardener's Direct Line had its set opposite the LN set too.
Given how Leeds is more multi-use than other English regions, having two standing sets (and lighting plots) might be operationally very helpful.
DO
It's the lack of ceiling height which causes the biggest issue with the office space conversions (although technically Leeds' space was designed for their use as a studio and hasn't been converted from anything, but the whole building was built by an office developer with the plan of using it as an office block if the BBC decide to leave, so it has to be convertible to office space). While the studio is pretty small, I don't think they particularly struggle with it during normal news usage.
I'm intrigued whether they've managed to get video screens all the way around though, as it doesn't look like LED screen, and rear projection would take up a lot of space. The curved corners do gain them some space though round the back which could get you video screens on both sides of the studio (plus there's a fire lane on the right hand side, which can't be used for set but is fine for bouncing video around in).
Their lighting grid is a little (read "very"!) busy, but the rigs for all three programmes stay up with only minor refocusing between programmes.
Given how Leeds is more multi-use than other English regions, having two standing sets (and lighting plots) might be operationally very helpful.
It's the lack of ceiling height which causes the biggest issue with the office space conversions (although technically Leeds' space was designed for their use as a studio and hasn't been converted from anything, but the whole building was built by an office developer with the plan of using it as an office block if the BBC decide to leave, so it has to be convertible to office space). While the studio is pretty small, I don't think they particularly struggle with it during normal news usage.
I'm intrigued whether they've managed to get video screens all the way around though, as it doesn't look like LED screen, and rear projection would take up a lot of space. The curved corners do gain them some space though round the back which could get you video screens on both sides of the studio (plus there's a fire lane on the right hand side, which can't be used for set but is fine for bouncing video around in).
Their lighting grid is a little (read "very"!) busy, but the rigs for all three programmes stay up with only minor refocusing between programmes.
SP
Given that news bulletins just involve a presenter or two, a desk or coffee table (or both), and presenter seating (chairs and/or sofa)... they might as well be in very small studios.
It's not like a news bulletin needs enough space to accommodate a huge chorus line of dancing showgirls, or whatever. It's not a Saturday night light entertainment spectacular.
I would say that the likes of BBC Newcastle and Southampton's are very much needlessly large for news. AIUI the "A" studios of their current buildings were originally envisaged as housing programmes for network, whilst the regional news would be in smaller "B" studios. The network programmes idea seldom/never materialised AFAIK (possibly only a handful of things circa the early 1990s, which I believe is when the buildings opened?). And so South Today and Look North (Newcastle) moved into the large studios, just because they could.
I see no problem with the small studio in converted office space that BBC Leeds (amongst others) has.
Whilst I'm not saying they need a studio as quite large as Newcastle's, having such a small space has always made Look North look cramped and a bit cheap with no depth to any of the shots.
If all that's important is delivering a news bulletin, you might as well go for a That's TV style setup.
The fundamental problem is the studio in Leeds is very small, and in converted office space, so any set is going to be something of a compromise and look worse than the likes of Newcastle and Southampton with their big 'proper' studios.
Given that news bulletins just involve a presenter or two, a desk or coffee table (or both), and presenter seating (chairs and/or sofa)... they might as well be in very small studios.
It's not like a news bulletin needs enough space to accommodate a huge chorus line of dancing showgirls, or whatever. It's not a Saturday night light entertainment spectacular.
I would say that the likes of BBC Newcastle and Southampton's are very much needlessly large for news. AIUI the "A" studios of their current buildings were originally envisaged as housing programmes for network, whilst the regional news would be in smaller "B" studios. The network programmes idea seldom/never materialised AFAIK (possibly only a handful of things circa the early 1990s, which I believe is when the buildings opened?). And so South Today and Look North (Newcastle) moved into the large studios, just because they could.
I see no problem with the small studio in converted office space that BBC Leeds (amongst others) has.
Whilst I'm not saying they need a studio as quite large as Newcastle's, having such a small space has always made Look North look cramped and a bit cheap with no depth to any of the shots.
If all that's important is delivering a news bulletin, you might as well go for a That's TV style setup.
DE
Low (ie normal office type) ceiling height is a big problem in a lot of these studios. A small studio floor with a decent height grid can look pretty good. Midlands Today’s studio isn’t massive but does have good height. Even Oxford’s tiny studio has good ceiling height. A small studio with low height can look ropey on wide shots with lots of black in the top of shot and a multitude of lights visible.