London Live

I was reminded of your post today when I saw this come up:

http://www.atomos.com/ninja-blade/

Field recorders like that are pretty common for people wanting to bypass the limited internal recording capabilities you get in DSLRs (and the 29m59s recording limit...)

Some pics on the Independent website. Headline London appears to have a smaller table with a panel of guests.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/back-to-the-studio-new-tv-channel-london-live-is-born-9222373.html

Here is probably the "news" area. interesting set up. The "news desk" seems to be a take on the LL logo (notice the orange corners. Sadly the rest of the set seems a bit spare.
http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/article9222425.ece/BINARY/original/london-live-1.jpg

Main production/studio area. Looks nice. Not sure about the furniture choices. I get they are going for the loft feel. Still seems a bit spare. Doesnt seem to have any contrast lighting...But looking again..the full lighting is not in use in these pics. That column could have been used as an interest feature. special lighting, covered in screens or something. Also maybe they could have gotten a signature orange sofa?
http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/article9222424.ece/ALTERNATES/w1024/london-live-6.jpg

For comparison Here is CP24 Toronto's newsroom set. Its using that loft feel as LL. This is a 24hr local news channel for all of the GTA (Greater Toronto Area)
http://www.eclipsevancouver.com/images/broadcast/cp24/CP24---DEC-08-003.jpg
http://www.daltonbuild.com/files/gallery/gallery_item_445_large.jpg
http://www.eclipsevancouver.com/images/broadcast/cp24/DSC_0231.jpg
http://www.eclipsevancouver.com/images/broadcast/cp24/DSC_0235.jpg
http://www.rebeccachan.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/cp24-3.jpg

http://www.eclipsevancouver.com/images/broadcast/cp24/DSC_0301.jpg

CP24 uses an enriched screen format that has been highly successful since its launch in the late 90s.
http://www.listentolena.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_1115.jpg
Breaking News w/ separate box -chopper shot

LL's current affairs line-up on a Saturday in addition to Local London and 14 to 1 is a best of London Go.

I don't see any need for the weather/travel studio/area (the first image) to be any more than that. More brick would just be an overkill and the grey, though a tad bland, fits with what they've gone for. Assuming that this studio will only be seen for a number of minutes at a time, what they have there looks to be perfectly suitable. I really do like that London Live logo desk/podium thing.

In the main studio, I'm hoping that there will be a 'news desk', not just that table, which looks just like an Ikea kitchen table. I agree about that column being used for screens or something too. Surprised about the sofa, as in a video I watched last week, Vikki Cook, the head of news confirmed that there wouldn't be one. Intresting to see what it will be used for, but I agree that it would've been a good idea for it to be orange.


The image of the main studio just reminds me a bit of Sunday Brunch.

In the pilots that were (presumably unintentionally) broadcast the sofa was used for interviews. Interviewer was sitting on wooden chair, guest was sitting on sofa.

Cameras were a bit high for the seating hight, so all of the shots were a bit "looking down on you" which is always a bit odd.

*** EDIT : Just seen the Behind The Scenes pix in The Independent. It looks like they may be using photographic style tripods for their studio cameras, rather than broadcast tripods on rolling bases or lightweight peds. That may explain some of the issues. Odd choice. Probably not great for fast re-sets between shows ***

They also appear to be really close to the windows - which may not be doing them any favours in lighting terms (you usually want a reasonable amount of separation to allow you to key and backlight people without causing reflection issues) Though those pictures look to be taken before much of the lighting had gone in.

The BBC have used Nanoflash external recorders to get round the Sony EX3 35Mbs issue for years. Luckily they are being phased out and the PMW 300 (or XF 305) seems to be replacing them and which record at 50Mbs in-camera.

DSLRs can be used with external recorders if they have a clean HDMI output - and this can get round the low nitrate AVCHD issue, but it doesn't get round the other problems (moire, overheating etc.)

It'll be interesting to see how London Live are controlling their Nikons in terms of remote iris, focus/zoom and colour balance. (I know some SLRs have quite extensive remote USB control - and some even WiFi)

Will also be interesting to see what solutions they have introduced to help with their windows (I'm sure they will have improved on the lighting and exposure control of the glazing by the time they launch) I think I've seen a couple of pictures from Twitter that look like they may have started using Rosco perforated scrim (as used by This Morning) - though you have to be very careful with this to ensure it is out of focus (it will alias/moire really badly otherwise).

I'm surprised they didn't appear to be using something like Rosco View though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrTlOosJRrI

(Polarised filters on the windows and remotely controlled polarisers on the cameras to reduce the level of direct light through the windows) It may be a bit expensive I guess. It's widely used in the US. The BBC used it on their studio in Beijing (which had to work in darkness and bright sunlight) and use it at BBC Persian (where they shoot into windows down Oxford Street) It's not perfect, as any spill/bounce will change polarisation and thus not be dimmed (so blonde presenters can look very heavily backlit, as can upholstery with a heavy nap.) I think Holby City have used it - and I think a similar system was used at Pebble Mill back in the day.

The London Live bus.

Looking at the schedule and choices of bought-in programmes, the channel is clearly going after a young urban audience. Yet, the channel's daily live news programming is finished for the day by 8pm, by which time many working people will have barely got in from work.

I'm also not hot on the "Not The One Show" concept. Not The Nine O'clock news aside, it sounds like something you'd expect from student radio. The channel should be big enough to say positively what it is, rather than what it isn't.

Breakfast will also be a significant battle to get an audience. Radio is strong at this time of the day all over the country, but in London choice is high and London is unique in that Radio 4 is the most popular radio station in the capital. Prizing people away from Today as well as LBC et al will be difficult.

I think ultimately the channel will be successful but it's inevitable that channel will undergo a lot of change in its early years.

And, for once, an actual bus and not a coach.

In fairness to their breakfast show, they've said it's designed for bite size viewing, knowing that people won't have the time to watch for long periods. If they can use that time to beef up the travel content, which since the ITV News London revamp of Daybreak bulletins no longer show travel cameras, they could be on to something.

I give it 6-12 months before Not the One Show is axed for a standard news bulletin at 7pm.