To be fair to him the window is covered with mesh to prevent too much light coming through. That wasn't a purpose built studio though, I think it was previously used by a brewery.
I thought Kent House was a purpose built studio complex?
The London Studios are, the old London Tonight studio wasn't, I think it was a Restaurant before LNN was formed. I think the same goes for This Morning, ISTR they had a Studio built for them aswell when they moved to TLS.
The London Studios are, the old London Tonight studio wasn't, I think it was a Restaurant before LNN was formed. I think the same goes for This Morning, ISTR they had a Studio built for them aswell when they moved to TLS.
The LNN studio WAS a purpose built extension (see my explanation above)
The building containing the This Morning studio WASN'T purpose built, it was converted from a warehouse.
The old newsroom/gallery/edit suites/technical area for London Tonight, 2 floors below the studio was converted from a canteen
Most production studios DON'T have windows to the outside world. Many do, of course, have windows to observation rooms, and to allow the gallery to see the studio floor.
Windows to the outside world are usually only used by current affairs and chat shows - like This Morning, The One Show etc. Sitcoms, Soaps and entertainment shows like Strictly Come Dancing certainly don't use studios with windows to the outside world.
Most production studios DON'T have windows to the outside world. Many do, of course, have windows to observation rooms, and to allow the gallery to see the studio floor.
Windows to the outside world are usually only used by current affairs and chat shows - like This Morning, The One Show etc. Sitcoms, Soaps and entertainment shows like Strictly Come Dancing certainly don't use studios with windows to the outside world.
Back in the 60s when a lot of the older television production facilities in the country were built, it was seen as an absolute requirement for the gallery (usually at 'domestic first floor' height, roughly midway between studio floor and lighting rig) to have an observation window to the studio floor. In fact I've seen pictures illustrating what goes on in the gallery where directors are described as spending more time looking at the studio floor through the window literally 'directing' camera positions and actors, rather than looking at the monitors. In fact in these older gallery layouts, the monitors (often only three or four) were actually
above
the observation window! Remember that television 'plays' and entertainment programmes were almost exclusively shot in studios and trasmitted live. Directors were often from a theatrical background, so directing action was more natural to them.
Things changed as technology developed and production techniques changed. While the original galleries usually retained the observation windows, the monitor stacks grew considerably as vision mixing equipment improved and more monitoring was required. In many cases, the production desk was rotated through 90 degrees and the team sat looking at a larger bank of monitors, with the windows to the side. Windows were used less and less and in some cases were dispensed with altogether. When TC6 was redevloped in the 90s, the gallery was even moved to the ground floor.
Most production studios DON'T have windows to the outside world. Many do, of course, have windows to observation rooms, and to allow the gallery to see the studio floor.
Windows to the outside world are usually only used by current affairs and chat shows - like This Morning, The One Show etc. Sitcoms, Soaps and entertainment shows like Strictly Come Dancing certainly don't use studios with windows to the outside world.
Back in the 60s when a lot of the older television production facilities in the country were built, it was seen as an absolute requirement for the gallery (usually at 'domestic first floor' height, roughly midway between studio floor and lighting rig) to have an observation window to the studio floor. In fact I've seen pictures illustrating what goes on in the gallery where directors are described as spending more time looking at the studio floor through the window literally 'directing' camera positions and actors, rather than looking at the monitors. In fact in these older gallery layouts, the monitors (often only three or four) were actually
above
the observation window! Remember that television 'plays' and entertainment programmes were almost exclusively shot in studios and trasmitted live. Directors were often from a theatrical background, so directing action was more natural to them.
Things changed as technology developed and production techniques changed. While the original galleries usually retained the observation windows, the monitor stacks grew considerably as vision mixing equipment improved and more monitoring was required. In many cases, the production desk was rotated through 90 degrees and the team sat looking at a larger bank of monitors, with the windows to the side. Windows were used less and less and in some cases were dispensed with altogether. When TC6 was redevloped in the 90s, the gallery was even moved to the ground floor.
The old News galleries on the 6th floor both had windows from the gallery to the studio - at 90 degrees to the monitor stack currently - though they were on the same level as the studio floor. However as you can imagine - many of the sets in those studios totally blocked the view!
TC6 was originally re-designed with the ground floor gallery in the 90s as it was thought that drama and sitcom directors wanted to be able to move quickly from floor to gallery to be able to brief actors better. However the studio ended up doing more kids shows than sitcom/drama ISTR - whilst many sitcoms were shot in TC8 (which has better audience seating for sitcoms AIUI) - and the benefits of ground floor gallery working weren't as great as expected - so none of the other redeveloped galleries have made the change.
(ISTR that the areas previously occupied by TC6s gallery suite are now either BIP or the MCX area?)
Back in the 60s when a lot of the older television production facilities in the country were built, it was seen as an absolute requirement for the gallery (usually at 'domestic first floor' height, roughly midway between studio floor and lighting rig) to have an observation window to the studio floor. In fact I've seen pictures illustrating what goes on in the gallery where directors are described as spending more time looking at the studio floor through the window literally 'directing' camera positions and actors, rather than looking at the monitors. In fact in these older gallery layouts, the monitors (often only three or four) were actually
above
the observation window! Remember that television 'plays' and entertainment programmes were almost exclusively shot in studios and trasmitted live. Directors were often from a theatrical background, so directing action was more natural to them.
.
As illustrated in the 1968 Ladybird Book, "How it works, Television"
Back in the 60s when a lot of the older television production facilities in the country were built, it was seen as an absolute requirement for the gallery (usually at 'domestic first floor' height, roughly midway between studio floor and lighting rig) to have an observation window to the studio floor. In fact I've seen pictures illustrating what goes on in the gallery where directors are described as spending more time looking at the studio floor through the window literally 'directing' camera positions and actors, rather than looking at the monitors. In fact in these older gallery layouts, the monitors (often only three or four) were actually
above
the observation window! Remember that television 'plays' and entertainment programmes were almost exclusively shot in studios and trasmitted live. Directors were often from a theatrical background, so directing action was more natural to them.
.
As illustrated in the 1968 Ladybird Book, "How it works, Television"
They very image I was referring to! Wondered if it was on't'internet somewhere!
It's a fascinating book actually, certainly for anoraks! Well worth picking up if you see it in a charity/junk/2nd hand shop. ISTR it has a cutaway drawing of the BBC Television Centre in it too...!
They very image I was referring to! Wondered if it was on't'internet somewhere!
It's a fascinating book actually, certainly for anoraks! Well worth picking up if you see it in a charity/junk/2nd hand shop. ISTR it has a cutaway drawing of the BBC Television Centre in it too...!
It does, yes
I won't scan that page though, I've already violated the copyright once today:-)
I guess it depends what you mean by a studio. All the ones you list were built for another purpose, then had equipment installed to broadcast TV pictures. So yes they're studios. But no they're not the sort of studios that sit around waiting to be booked by producers.
I would call them a set rather than a studio. To me a studio is a space that can host any suitably sized programme. So windows are out.
Also most of the non-purpose built studios have low ceilings (as does the Sunday Life set); so they're not really suitable for most multi-camera shoots.
P
The Midlands Today set was custom built for BBC Birmingham at the Mailbox.
I guess it depends what you mean by a studio. All the ones you list were built for another purpose, then had equipment installed to broadcast TV pictures. So yes they're studios. But no they're not the sort of studios that sit around waiting to be booked by producers.
I would call them a set rather than a studio. To me a studio is a space that can host any suitably sized programme. So windows are out.
Also most of the non-purpose built studios have low ceilings (as does the Sunday Life set); so they're not really suitable for most multi-camera shoots.
P
The Midlands Today set was custom built for BBC Birmingham at the Mailbox.
Err - you'll find most regional news sets are custom built for their studios. Nearly every BBC regional news studio is different - so the sets are usually custom built...
The Midlands Today set was custom built for BBC Birmingham at the Mailbox.
Err - you'll find most regional news sets are custom built for their studios. Nearly every BBC regional news studio is different - so the sets are usually custom built...[/quote]
I suspect beepy is implying that the studio was built to be a studio due to the fact it was built as part of the conversion of the mailbox into its current form rather than just an office with a small lighting rig hanging from the celing.
The Midlands Today set was custom built for BBC Birmingham at the Mailbox.
Err - you'll find most regional news sets are custom built for their studios. Nearly every BBC regional news studio is different - so the sets are usually custom built...
I suspect beepy is implying that the studio was built to be a studio due to the fact it was built as part of the conversion of the mailbox into its current form rather than just an office with a small lighting rig hanging from the celing.
Oops! Sorry everyone, I meant studio, Thanks Hyma!