To be honest, those caps actually make it look better then it is. What isn't shown there is the (already mentioned) wobbly camerawork, the epilepsy inducing flash light thingies attached to the steel strut pillars that go off periodically during stings and what not, the oh-so 1980's spinning logo projected onto the main desk (you can see the projector on the floor in the second picture), and the general lack of atmosphere throughout the whole show.
Well I know little more than anyone else here, but as Noel says, Phen's caps certainly show the set in a generous light. For the next three hours if it looked even half as good as that it would've been an improvement on the mess we got.
But first and foremost, where credit is due, what a massive undertaking this was and well done to all involved for getting the production on our screens. To produce and direct a three hour
live
programme, with at least 100 VT inserts and many complex computer operations is a logistical nightmare. For as little to go off without a hitch as it did is nothing short of a miracle, by any broadcaster's standards. Anyone who watches the BBC's TTN will note the amount of dodgy missed cues etc - these are to be expected on a live production; it is the nature of all live television of this duration.
But for RTÉ’s TTN, what is utterly inexcusable is the most abominable of jib-arm camera operation. It was a disgrace what we saw and symptomatic of jib operation in RTÉ at large. From the Late Late to Tubridy Tonight to WWTBAM to OB coverage of events - all the most appalling, clunky, stuttering, jarring muck, all seemingly by the same team of incompetent operators, the Late Late in particular. But the movements we saw tonight just took the biscuit - what a disaster! And to have the worst of it at the very opening of the programme instantly lodged in the audience’s mind from the outset just how amateurish this programme was going to be from a production perspective, i.e. classic RTÉ fare. How anybody can produce that sort of muck and not be severely reprimanded afterwards I really do not know.
This was definitely shot on a soundstage. It was just that bit more spacious than Studio 4, the floor was different, and also had a lower, more industrial-like ceiling (for what little we could see of it). The fact that it had no lighting grid unlike the stunning lighting faclities of Studio 4 says it all, not to mention that the seating was not that of Studio 4, but cheap stuff specially built for the occasion just like WWTBAM, also shot here.
Unfortunately the amount of space available meant that as usual, RTÉ spread the set budget so thinly in its efforts to fit out the large production space that the layer was actually see-through: literally, we saw the black cyclorama curtains in all their tattiness between each audience block. We got the cheapest of the cheap knocked-together pieces of set. And we got those hideous
hideous
printed banner yokes pulled between each of the metal piers to form a background to the audience, every crease and crinkle catching in the light, the cheap glossy ink glaring at the cameras, and every undulation in their surfaces making patently apparent they were little more than rags suspended from post to post. Unbelievable.
The Late Late Show also used these banners for a few years for their audience backdrops where they looked even worse, before finally being ditched for a vaguely more acceptable solid ‘The Late Late Show’ sign.
Because of these yokes, the only time the TTN set looked decent and relatively alive is when all the lights were faded down! Overall the reason it looked so hideously cheap and nasty is because there was no depth to the set whatsoever – none of the various set elements were internally illuminated, back-lit, or even front lit. Everything was chucked together with dead sheets of plywood and pasted with green paint – a particularly nasty shade of green at that. Using perspex in place of the audience panels and back-lighting them would have made the world of difference alone. The same goes for the panels at the front of each audience block.
Sure look here at the panels to the rear of the audience - they're in complete darkness!
But worst of all has to be those manky steps – they were unreal! No 1: they were filthy dirty.
No 2: they were nothing more (and very evidently such) than sheets of MDF knocked together.
No 3: you could even see the joins where the planks lay on top of each other, like a country cattle mart.
No 4: they were so ridiculously knocked-up and hollow that every footstep on them was like a movement made by a 100-strong Riverdance troupe.
No 5: and above all, no effort whatever was put into their design. No front step lighting, no inset surface LEDs or spots, not even any paint decoration. Nothing.
Truly truly appalling.
And the same extends to the floor – one of the very first shots we got was of the hideously scratched and scuff-marked black studio floor. Yet another RTÉ classic; they have the most woeful floors of any broadcaster I know. They just couldn’t care less about them.
Not that scuffs etc are the preserve of RTÉ, but what other broadcasters do to hide them is their use of lighting. But yet again, so typical of the national broadcaster, the lighting on this programme was disgraceful. They just blasted a pile of floods down onto
everything
. ‘Feck it’, they thought, ‘we’re not devising a lighting plan for this, let’s just bring in a pile of floods and saturate the sh*te out of everything’. And so they did, so everything from the scuff marks on the floor to the banner backgrounds, to camera cables, to crew, to the floor manager and camera op so laughably trying to hide behind Miriam’s podium, to the cheapo audience seating, to the curtains, to the various joints in the set - everything brazenly apparent. Sure look here in Phen's cap – you can see the floods just blasting down on anyone and everything!
Now fair enough they are often used in contexts like these, but there’s nothing in the set or any other forms of lighting to negate their harsh two-dimensional effect – nothing! So as Noel says, there was just no atmosphere or sense of occasion – the studio just felt like the warehouse that it is.
Is there anything worse, anything more cluttered and messy than seeing peoples’ legs and stool stands exposed for the world to see? Not to mention the cheap hunks of MDF set one suspects were salvaged from Bosco’s scheme still stockpiled at the back the Television Centre. And worst of all, Miriam’s podium . What a bland, featureless, cumbersome lump of nothing. And as for the projector! Even worse is the glaringly obvious box Noel mentions in front of the podium – it also appeared to house a set of speakers! In such a central position?!
What a disaster all round in the pres department.
On a positive note, I think the content was very good. The VT packages were surprisingly well assembled and were all correctly cued and ready to go, even if we got the odd VT on pause for a second or so. All of the questions also went off without a hitch, and most links were also well handled by presenters and gallery. Miriam did get a bit confused at times, but it’s to be expected trying to follow three hours of scripts and a host of different types of link. I think she did excellently, even if she’s the crassest, ‘mid-Atlanticist’, DART-accented person on Irish television. She’s very personable though – always liked her. D’Arcy a bit bland and staid, but better on TTN than he is on other productions.
Aside from presentation, the actual processes went reasonably well – decent vision mixing overall (think of the nightmare of all the astons and computer graphics), generally good camera operations, decent sound by and large though a bit dodgy at first and the constant unpreparedness for D’Arcy’s links was unacceptable. Even coming back after a break on one occasion his mic wasn’t open – completely inexcusable; another typical RTÉ blunder you just don’t hear anywhere else.
Overall an entertaining show, but so badly let down by the most appalling presentation and some a few production errors. I mean look at the difference with the BBC's version (which is shot at Pinewood to correct the Studio 1 mention earlier):
Okay RTÉ are not expected to have either the space nor the financial resources that the BBC have, but come on. The whole thing looked like it was knocked together in a local parish hall, or perhaps a hay barn would be more fitting a description. Even if they just ditched the banners and went for the classic starlights-on-black, it would have made a world of difference!
So how did everyone score? We know what RTÉ's is anyway
Even coming back after a break on one occasion his mic wasn’t open – completely inexcusable; another typical RTÉ blunder you just don’t hear anywhere else.
Yes the overall presentation last night was very disappointing but on the other hand, the logistical side of things was handled very well. The worst part was those horrendous banners hanging between the steel columns - just shocking. The set must have cost very little and like you say, there was absolutely no creativity with the lighting whatsoever - they just flooded the studio with light. The very least they could have done was to add in a few intelli-beams (or whatever they're called) between the blocks of seating or something like that.
I was also surprised to hear that wasn't Studio 4 that was used last night...surely that set could have fit into Studio 4? So was TTN broadcast from at a soundstage in Montrose or somewhere else entirely? I wonder will they be doing something like this again soon?
Anyway...as promised here's the special ident from the last few days:
Thanks for that Phen. The audio and video fading of these ident VTs was done surprisingly well by Pres across the two weeks of special programming - it worked very well at the start of each programme, as did the 'Time of our Lives?' ident leading in and out of each break of TTN.
It's a pity that some of the other post-1985/6 idents weren't included in the VT:
Perhaps it would have been too long then, but even to ditch one of the gold ones in favour of one of the above would have been better, considering how similar the golds are.
A nice idea and good of RTÉ to run with it.
In terms of the facility used for TTN, it's clearly not Studio 4 because of the lack of a lighting grid (including moveable trolleys etc for lighting). As with all major multi-purpose studios in the UK and elsewhere, the ceiling of Studio 4 is incredibly high, but is 'brought down' again as it were by much of the lighting being suspended by long supports from the ceiling, bit like this:
Now whether it was shot on a soundstage in Montrose or at Ardmore is another matter!
Interestingly Celebrity Jigs and Reels came from Ardmore studios only recently, but I still suspect TTN was a Montrose job. It just seems more likely given the resources required. Also Eircom's sub station is at RTÉ - not the depths of Wicklow
Also I wonder if WWTBAM was recorded at Montrose or Ardmore. Always assumed it was Donnybrook, but considering it used the old Glenroe interiors Soundstage B, this could either be in Wicklow or at Montrose. I think the interiors of Glenroe were shot in Montrose though, as RTÉ mention on their site that it was recorded both in Wicklow and in 'RTÉ Television studios'. There were also a number of kitchen units and appliances from the soap kicking about the Montrose scenery dock at the time
The vision mixer never knows if Anne is going to say 'thanks Clare', and Anne never knows if the vision mixer is going to cut or not! It's an absolute farce - imagine this on a BBC National, week in week out. It's simply incredible that such incompetence is not only tolerated as a once off, but actually sustained as a working practice.
And of course in that shot the camera op didn’t even know there wasn’t a picture window for that story – another cock-up. How can it be so easy to make what is so clearly a difficult mistake?! How can a shot list be wrong?!
And do continue to watch the report Anne introduces, about Dublin's O'Connell Street. The largest and most significant urban regeneration project of its kind ever undertaken in Ireland treated as a piece of 'and finally' fluff about a sunny family day out. It simply beggars belief that using a visual medium we got to see feck all of the street - before or after.
No history, no background, no images of the fine buildings that line its length and their protection in the plan, no explanatory graphics, no overview of the project, nothing of its success and failures, not even a wide shot of the street from the myriad tall buildings surrounding it.
It is so typical of the contempt with which environmental and planning matters are held by RTÉ News, in line with their broader radio-with-pictures agenda. When the Luas opened in June 2004, the then largest infrastructural project ever invested in in the State was treated with flippin voxpops of grannies sitting on the trams remembering Dublin in the rare aul times. It is unreal.
Can you imagine the extensive in-depth reports the BBC or ITV would compile with such a story, laden with graphics of routes and geographical areas, of costings, of the impact on traffic and the benefits or otherwise for the city, the cost of travelling one the service, details of the broader push from private to public transport, the cost over-runs of the project, of the political blunders made, its wider integration into future projects in the city, the project’s long and colourful history etc etc etc.
All making for the most visually and aurally stimulating of reports would could imagine for a news production, yet all we got was sh*te frankly.
The same goes for every road opening, for every public building completed, every restoration project, every environmental matter, anything to do with energy - the list is endless. They are pathetic and it makes me madder by the day so have to accept this utter crap from our national broadcaster's news service – a TELEVISION news service. Maybe someone should contact them and let them know that this new medium has been developed, and indeed has been around for oooh, going on 80 years now
I know its not fully Anne's fault because she doesn't know when the vision mixer is going to cut to her but this kind of thing REALLY gets up my nose. This is exactly why I hate Anne Doyle. The amount of stupid pauses she does is just ridiculous. She does the very same thing at the start of her bulletins - she reads out the first line and waits until the VT kicks in. She'd be more than happy to sit there in complete silence staring down the lens like a f*cking robot until the cows come home and here we have it again before the sports news. Its time to throw her out in September along with that set. Even MacGríanna isn't that bad. And I agreee with everything else you've said as well.
I was watching the 9PM News about Haughey's death, and David McCullagh's live report was quite disasterous. He stuck so much "eh"s in there that it simply wasn't funny anynore. This is a serious event, and he should have at least memorised some informations. Maybe he is not a good live reporter, I don't know, but that much "eh"s isn't acceptable even in Secondary School standards!
Also, on the Six-One, they had the wrong camera on John Finnerty, so he looked sideways. It looked awful, to say the least.
Not only that with Finnerty, they also cut back to Sharon mid-way through a reporter link, with her sitting there like a gombeen wondering what to do.
David McCullagh is quite simply a disgrace - to have him as Political Reporter, arguably one of the top three positions in the ranks of Corrs and Reporters, is simply an embarrassment.
He is so crass, so lacking in decorum and professionalism, and fundamentally so
boring
as to wonder if the person who put him there was of sound mind and body at the time of placement.
His bored-to-tears 'sigh, do I really have to do this link' persona is so off-putting to the viewer, with his expressionless, monotone deliverance an affront to the story being covered. Similarly his flat, dead and overly casual conversational style in studio is equally inappropriate.
Whereas I'd hate to see political coverage here plunge to the depths of the UK's stand-up routines, at the very least a middle ground is what is needed in RTÉ in place of the deadpan, sleep-inducing muck we're currently dealt. McCullagh's reports are equally hideously edited - amongst the very worst RTÉ News outputs.
Dobson would appear to be on holiday at the minute, maybe with Sharon in turn disappearing upon his return. It’s interesting that in spite of Finnerty’s seniority over her, Sharon still gets the first mention in the Six One introduction when Dobson’s not there…
Fully agreed Phen about Anne Doyle’s cues – as mentioned a few times before she’s just appalling in waiting for VTs to kick in. Though I would say that this is also a wider problem with newscasters in RTÉ. Too many of them wait for VTs to kick in, when a VT should
never
be waited for bar the odd half second in headlines if necessary.
Colm Murray is a disgrace in this respect and an embarrassment to watch, waiting for VTs often for a few seconds, at times pausing mid-sentence in anticipation of a cue, of his pace getting slower and slower as he approaches.
Other minor offenders include (very surprisingly) Anthony Murnane and even Finnerty the odd time. Eileen Dunne never does it, though she speaks so slowly as to make ample provision for a pause regardless
In spite of the fact that it is
always
up to the newsreader to dictate the pace of a link and continue on talking regardless of the inefficiencies of VT ops, the fault in RTÉ can still be attributed to a certain degree to the VT ops considering they know just how bad some of the newsreaders are, and they simply don’t anticipate the pauses. Even if these newscasters were professional and continued on speaking, the VT should still kick at the right time, and it doesn’t!
It’s a pet hate of mine with RTÉ, and one that gives the station such an amateurish image. It’s incredible what the likes of Sky and the BBC do with inserts – they flick on and off like clockwork, a joy to watch.
In fairness, Eamonn Horan is often very good at this when working with a decent op, as are RTÉ’s goal compilation clips – clips that feature say three goals over the course of a match that are edited so as to match the newscaster’s LVO – very well done by RTÉ. One imagines there’s an enthusiastic set of editors working on that type of material in contrast to the correspondent-led rubbish of standard news reports.
Yes actually...now that I think of it, Colm Murray is very bad for doing it as well but not as bad as Doyle. I'd give him his P45 in September too if I had my way... And it really is a wonder why Finnerty is in 2nd place on the 6.01...he's a lot better than Ni Bheloain. She seems to be a little bit anxious or something when she's leading 6.01. I wonder who they'll stick in if she goes off on holidays - anybody but Doyle or Dunne! Una would be the obvious choice but that probably won't happen so Wheelan would be next in line IMO. She did quite a good few 6.01s with Dobby last summer and was quite good. I presume they won't cut 6.01 like they didn't last year and its a good thing too. Looking back now at when they used to - it seems daft! Any news or rumours about the re-launch?
Ah yes - forgot about they running the full summer last year! Still thought it was just reduced to half an hour for two weeks or so!
I still presume that Ní Bheoláin's presence is only temporary as indicated by a contributor way back on this thread upon Una leaving, citing 'personal reasons' for her leaving and that she'd be back soon.
And going by RTÉ itself, I cannot see Ní Bheoláin getting in permanently on Six One above Eileen Dunne, or indeed others. Her rise has been uncharacteristically meteoric for the Newsroom, suggesting she's still temporary.
Wouldn't it be wonderful to see Bryan and Una returning after the summer, and a brand new look surrounding them
I think Ní Bheoláin is an excellent television presenter, and very versatile, but not a very good newsreader. She's not bad mind, but there's better out there than her. Some of her faults would be:
Over-earnest shouty interviews to convey the impression that she knows what she's talking about.
Placing emphasis in the wrong places when reading.
Constantly moving about, complicating camera operation and picture composition, drawing attention away from the story, and breaking the 'newsy look' illusion when moving by drawing attention to the difference between the picture window and the 'real life' studio setting.
Her looking down at her papers or at the other newsreader when they are speaking in a two-shot. You should always look at the camera in these shots when not speaking - anything else is distracting away from the speaker's content. Una always did this perfectly.
Her unstable and mildly grating voice.
Her attention-grabbing choice of clothing.
Her disparity in age to male colleagues on Six One.
I'd say her good points would be:
Her competent questioning.
Her overall confident handling of bulletins.
Her excellent pronunciation.
Her neutral accent.
Her good looks.
Her undeniable personability.
I wonder if the revamp will herald any changes to bulletin formats?
Above all in the format stakes I'd like to see longer reports, or at the very least the option for longer reports to be made. Particularly on broader global, economic and environmental matters that require in-depth attention. Topics like Europe, Third World coverage by RTÉ reporters which at present is incredibly tokenistic by the likes of Joe O'Brien and his 90 second rubbish, energy, and business. The time simply isn't there for excellent people like Emma O'Kelly, Seán Wheelan, Margaret Ward and Tony Connolly to get in-depth in their reporting. Paul Cunningham on Environment is also hugely constrained.
And this all in the context of there not even being a 'Close Up' report on Six One anymore.
Above all, time allocation must change in September (after the set of course )
I wonder if the revamp will herald any changes to bulletin formats?
Above all in the format stakes I'd like to see longer reports, or at the very least the option for longer reports to be made. Particularly on broader global, economic and environmental matters that require in-depth attention. Topics like Europe, Third World coverage by RTÉ reporters which at present is incredibly tokenistic by the likes of Joe O'Brien and his 90 second rubbish, energy, and business. The time simply isn't there for excellent people like Emma O'Kelly, Seán Wheelan, Margaret Ward and Tony Connolly to get in-depth in their reporting. Paul Cunningham on Environment is also hugely constrained.
And this all in the context of there not even being a 'Close Up' report on Six One anymore.
Above all, time allocation must change in September (after the set of course )
Aside from News on 2, none of RTÉ's news bullitens have had real substantial format change in what seems like an eternity (the launch of the One O'Clock News in the early 1990s would probably be the last real change, I know they did play about with the Six-One Sunday bulitten for a while in the early-to-mid-1990s, but that eventually begat Nationwide). On the other hand, RTÉ probably takes the view that if something isn't broken why fix it?
)
