Blue Peter

Yes, it is live.

Yes - historically Blue Peter was always live. I think they started pre-recording some episodes when it had CBBC-only versions as well as CBBC on BBC One editions. I think there was a trend to pre-recording when the show was still coming from a 'big' studio (TC4 etc) in TVC, not sure if this continued when it moved to a 'small' studio (TC2)

From the 60s until the 90s it was definitely always live when it was in the studio, though there were occasional 'filmed' shows, like the Summer Expedition episodes. For a long time it didn't use Autocue (this was introduced when Yvette Fielding started presenting I think), and the show would often be radically re-ordered by the editor, Biddy Baxter, after rehearsals. This really kept the presenters on their toes.



I was unclear.

In the US some TDs are not allowed to take shots UNLESS they are specifically directed to, as if they took shots on their own initiative that would mean they were seen to be acting as a director, and this would not be allowed unless they are in the directors union. In the UK it is usual for a vision mixer to take shots un-directed on a shot-by-shot basis. Most VMs will get annoyed if you call every shot. As will almost everyone else on talkback. Very quickly.

In the UK we also script music, which is then shot called by a PA/Script Supervisor, who will count bars to the next shot change, calling what shot number is on-air and what camera is next. The VM will follow the script and listen to the PA/SS and cut to the cameras as called, without the director needing to say a word in some cases. In the US, in some situations, because the PA is calling the shots not the director, the PA would need to be in the directors' union too...

Music in the US is rarely as tightly pre-scripted as it is in the UK - in fact the UK is one of the few countries where scripted music is as popular as it is. (It's one reason why shows like Eurovision have moved to automated vision mixing, because there is't a tradition of scripting music tightly and so there isn't a pool of people who can do it, as there are in the UK where Strictly, X Factor etc. are all camera scripted, and even stuff like Glastonbury is often race called in beats and bars even if not scripted)

It's been an issue with UK directors, Vision Mixers and PAs working in the US. They are hired to bring their tight scripting and style of production to the US, and then have to jump through hoops to actually work the way they work best when there. (Often a US TD is hired to sit next to the UK VM to comply with union rules, even though they don't touch the vision mixer - though they will often still have the crew scheduling/timing responsibility that US TDs have, unlike UK VMs)

BTW - not sure about your 'self-op' comment. Self-op (sometimes also called self-opt) is usually used to describe the situation when a presenter is vision mixing their own output. It isn't usually used to describe a director cutting their own output (i.e. directing and operating the vision mixer at the same time). That's usually called Director/Vision Mixing, or 'cutting your own output'.

Is it right that when the show went 3 days a week in the 90s, the Friday show would be recorded directly after the live Wednesday show went out?

Quite. I've wandered through a few Lighting galleries where the director is doing just that next door. I found it very wearing in just a few minutes. I thought to myself 'Sheez, these poor people have to put up with this every day'.

However it's increasingly common - particularly with inexperienced directors. Even worse, inexperienced execs on live programmes think that the more a director talks, and in some cases shouts, the better director they are. Whereas the opposite is true. (And experienced live execs know this)

A good director will have done the hard work before transmission or recording, meaning a quiet gallery is the sign of a great team IMO.

Been quoted in here before, but worth mentioning again in this thread.
Behind the Scenes of Blue Peter 1974:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ3wYiNZJIQ

I remember watching the original programme as a 10 year old, and deciding I wanted to work in Broadcast Engineering one day (which I have now for over 30 years ! )

Its sad that Blue Peter have lost a lot of their traditional features. Apart from Shelley the 'seen twice a year' Tortoise they no longer have pets, their appeals are now just Comic Relief/CiN, Summer expeditions have disappeared and the ship logo is little to be scene and certainly isn't a centre point on the set like it used to be. It's a shame really.

You have clearly not watch Blue Peter for a while. They have a dog. And there is a massive Blue Peter badge with the ship on behind the stage. Also the ship is used on the graphics. The have a ship outline that moves around the studio. So some of you point's are untrue but the Summer expeditions and appeals are lacking. Have to say since the new editor took over the show has improved. It was really bad when it moved to MediaCityUK.

I think Blue Peter should take a top gear route. Be on for a series or two a year instead of all year with trips and travel filed while not on air and film all links in a studio. Also having more daring presenters would help to. Lindsey like Helen seems to be the only one getting the big challenges.

Because people at the Beep believe Blue peter has no place in today world, which is a load of old crap. I bet many would like it if it was updated and twice a week etc. Blue peter never kept going by standing still.

I agree with you here. Need more Blue Peter with lots of energy. I would rather have two electric episodes of Blue Peter than Friday Download.

Their dog is a guide dog - which will be heading off to an owner in a couple of months. It's not a regular pet that would be kept for years ie. Bonnie, Goldie. The point with the ship that I'm making is that it used to be the centre point of the titles, the main logo, though the 'Blue Peter' stylised logo has taken more of an approach now.

I also feel like their current audience have no clue about Blue Peter's past. Certainly when Inwas younger they regular spoke about past presenters, features etc and addressed birthdays for the show etc but now, to a new viewer, Blue Peter has an odd name, weird 'pointless' logo and hasn't a clue for how long it's been on air. I know they celebrate the big anniversaries but no longer do they say 'we're 56 years old today!'.

And to TCOTV's point, I have watched Blue Peter quite a lot recently, fascinated with the mess it's became.

As I haven't watched BP properly to any extent since the Richard Bacon era, has the move to Salford, along the the move to the CBBC Channel?