I think you've just not seen them then. Certainly, the programmes we watch on ITV are the live ones such as X Factor, Dancing on Ice, etc and these all use cue dots - some of them if they have sponsorship, have two: one which disappears 5 seconds before the programme ends and the other 5 seconds before the sponsorship ends.
Why can't controllers and announcers merge so that the director, or whatever they're called, also speaks live?
BBC Nations and BFBS do just that!
Yes, but the directors there are just fitting their bits around a network feed. The director in London is doing a lot more, including providing counts for the nations.
Writing scripts, performing live voice overs, programming the automation, creating End Credit Squeezes & stills, editing the Nation brand on to network trails, making Media Planning & Editorial decisions without having to refer to management, routing of sources and technical Line-up with studios and edit suites, liaising with programme makers as to delivery method / on-air time & durations of programmes, caching of programmes and trails to server for playout, lines-recording of programmes from network for later transmission, liaising with network directors / announcers / editors, checking for ofcom compliance forms, inserting / monitoring of live and file-based subtitles, making sure aspect ratios are correct, creation of logs of the schedule as transmitted, often fixing minor technical faults, etc etc...
When you look at the schedules and realise that the Nations can often be opted out of the network schedule for 6 or 7 hours in one shift... there's a little bit more to it than fitting-their-bits.
Yes, but the directors there are just fitting their bits around a network feed. The director in London is doing a lot more, including providing counts for the nations.
Writing scripts, performing live voice overs, programming the automation, creating End Credit Squeezes & stills, editing the Nation brand on to network trails, making Media Planning & Editorial decisions without having to refer to management, routing of sources and technical Line-up with studios and edit suites, liaising with programme makers as to delivery method / on-air time & durations of programmes, caching of programmes and trails to server for playout, lines-recording of programmes from network for later transmission, liaising with network directors / announcers / editors, checking for ofcom compliance forms, inserting / monitoring of live and file-based subtitles, making sure aspect ratios are correct, creation of logs of the schedule as transmitted, often fixing minor technical faults, etc etc...
When you look at the schedules and realise that the Nations can often be opted out of the network schedule for 6 or 7 hours in one shift... there's a little bit more to it than fitting-their-bits.
Yes, I think you misunderstood my point slightly...
The nations (and BFBS) are just looking after themselves, however the London directors have another role which is to assist and provide the nations and regions with information so they can get in and out of the network. In junctions they provide counts and other information, hence why the 2 jobs aren't combined
Of course the national directors and their assistants (?) do all that stuff you mentioned (most of which is also done by the directors in London of course), but in a networked junction they are basically just following the London director. Even in non-networked junctions they don't have someone in Aberdeen who is waiting on their count
Yes, but the directors there are just fitting their bits around a network feed. The director in London is doing a lot more, including providing counts for the nations.
Writing scripts, performing live voice overs, programming the automation, creating End Credit Squeezes & stills, editing the Nation brand on to network trails, making Media Planning & Editorial decisions without having to refer to management, routing of sources and technical Line-up with studios and edit suites, liaising with programme makers as to delivery method / on-air time & durations of programmes, caching of programmes and trails to server for playout, lines-recording of programmes from network for later transmission, liaising with network directors / announcers / editors, checking for ofcom compliance forms, inserting / monitoring of live and file-based subtitles, making sure aspect ratios are correct, creation of logs of the schedule as transmitted, often fixing minor technical faults, etc etc...
When you look at the schedules and realise that the Nations can often be opted out of the network schedule for 6 or 7 hours in one shift... there's a little bit more to it than fitting-their-bits.
Yes, I think you misunderstood my point slightly...
The nations (and BFBS) are just looking after themselves, however the London directors have another role which is to assist and provide the nations and regions with information so they can get in and out of the network. In junctions they provide counts and other information, hence why the 2 jobs aren't combined
Of course the national directors and their assistants (?) do all that stuff you mentioned (most of which is also done by the directors in London of course), but in a networked junction they are basically just following the London director. Even in non-networked junctions they don't have someone in Aberdeen who is waiting on their count
I take your point entirely now. I just found the phrase "fit their bits" a little glib.
The network directors are certainly busy... at least as busy at the director/announcers in the Nations.
The role of the Assistants you refer to (in NI anyway) has changed a lot over the years, and is now confined to music reporting/paperwork and some (but not all) caching of programmes to server... everything else I mentioned above (including caching of programmes) is up to the director now.
Of course the Nations directors/announcers are not providing constant counts... though they often have to provide counts (when not actually in the middle of an anno) to local galleries, edit suites and OBs.
Of course the Nations directors/announcers are not providing constant counts... though they often have to provide counts (when not actually in the middle of an anno) to local galleries, edit suites and OBs.
That's a good point actually, how do they cue live events when they're announcing too? Do they have a 'Digital Dorothy' type device?
Of course the Nations directors/announcers are not providing constant counts... though they often have to provide counts (when not actually in the middle of an anno) to local galleries, edit suites and OBs.
That's a good point actually, how do they cue live events when they're announcing too? Do they have a 'Digital Dorothy' type device?
...it varies depending on the situtation and individual preference of the director/announcer and the requirements of the gallery/edit suite/scanner.
I like to do a clock check with the live event and then agree an exact on-air time and have their PA give a -10 to zero count to on-air... giving a confirmation myself at -1 min, -30 secs, -20 secs and -15 secs.
Others may just agree with the gallery etc that they will run when they see themselves on the analogue off-air monitors... or they might agree for e.g. a 20 sec pre-roll on opening titles and shout run VT over talkback to the gallery at -20 secs to on-air.