UTV Continuity - Behind the scenes video

I've been watching parts of that video again...

12 minutes in shows Julian introducing Emmerdale...

...it appears that he doesn't have an ear-piece, and the transmission controller can only talk to him through a loudspeaker (so, no count while he is speaking) the clocks under the camera only appear to give time of day (again, no count to the next event) and there doesn't appear to be any display of the automation schedule in the studio either (he was having to guess what changes were happening by looking at the TX monitor). It would appear that the announcer has to 'wing-it' every time.

It explains a lot!

Surely Julian would know how long each of his links would be before, or at the start of, his shift, and as he confirmed he writes his own scripts and rehearses each link before going live. Therefore he should be able to get his links to fit the allocated time just about right .

Had to avoid using the word slot in that paragraph - that was difficult.

Unless the computer at the side of the desk can also display the automated schedule, as well as inputting the autocue. Or perhaps the announcer receives a printout of the schedule - I notice Julian was inspecting a script during that film.

I wonder if all of the UTV announcers use scripts - Robin most likely does, Gillian maybe - not sure about Aidan or Audra and their stock phrases...

But the point is that if he has nothing other than the planned schedule and it all changes at the last minute for whatever reason, he's left with very little information.

Yes... Julian knew how long he had requested for his 'slot'...
Yes... on paper, before the break, he knew how long he had...

But during the break things changed... and just seconds before going on-air the TC helpfully told him "...there'll be 10 (seconds) there anyway. Maybe a wee bit more."

Not terribly helpful, as Julian would have to be (in his head) counting up 10 seconds from the moment he sees his face appear on the TX monitor, while ad-libbing a script (because the script he had written for the link had gone gone out the window when the break changed).

More helpful would be seeing a display counting down (or hearing a voice counting down) from 10 ("or a wee bit more") to zero. Though I'm not sure that would be possible, as it seemed like the TC didn't even know exactly what time Emmerdale was going to start.

Does anyone know what kind, or form, of information the TC at UTV gets from London/Leeds. Is there a visual display of the network schedule, or any form of talkback so that last second changes can be communicated to UTV and STV?

**Edit** just timed Julian's link, and he talked for 15 seconds... so there was a "wee bit more" than 10. It all seems rather hap-hazard.

Interesting to hear Julian speak of the whole in vision thing coming back.

I have said many times that I feel it will go full circle.........no ident alone can make up for the great IVC we used to love on itv stations in the UK.

There is a good feeling about seeing the announcer.......you feel he is a mate.......just watching the video and it feels like I have known Julian for years!!!

BRING IT BACK!!!!

Just watched the Video in full this Lunchtime. It was very good! Very interesting and well put together (unlike UTV with their sometimes dodgy promo's, Huge UTV logs covering up ITV, 2 second idents cut off and half way and crashing into programmes etc) but we won't say any more about that!

This video/programme should be shown on UTV! Much better than 'Jenny Bristow' or 'Lesser spotted Ulster' from 5 years ago!


However, I still feel that in-vision continuity looks VERY dated, and I don’t think it will ever come back on the BBC or the ITV Network. It does not look a smart or professional as the best made idents in this country look. The whole thing is just very very dated and for the hundreds of satellite channels out there, it’s far cheaper and easier to have a pre-recorded voice over on an ident.

I agree, while in vision continuity is nice, it does seem dated. I also don't see what he means by it coming back in Europe, as most European channels I've seen have done the opposite and ditched continuity all together, playing fixed length idents clean instead (in the same way that abc1 does overnight, and did 24/7 until the other week).

I've only managed to watch just over half of this, but it is certainly quite interesting to see.

This Julian seems to be an entertaining man. If I lived there I might be tempted to watch his links.

Unless Mark was on the other side at the time, of course.

Well obviously.

It's a nicely put together programme... and quite probably watched by more people on here than have seen it on NVTV in Belfast!

UTV's transmission area is larger than I thought. Sometimes I find Julian's style infuriating in many ways, other times I must admit I laugh. But at least he makes an effort and I think we'd all agree that even if it's sometimes clumsily executed, UTV's local identity is something that most of the rest of the ITV1 network sadly lacks today.

Some people say in-vision is outdated, however it doesn't have to be, look at TV4 Sweeden.

You are right....it does NOT need to be dated!! Look ae T4 on Ch4 on Sunday mornings.....this is just "in vision" announcing!!

I would much rather see a face to the voice and this country does not have many fancy well put together idents......most are CRAP!!!

That's a brilliant wee video and while I do often cringe at UTv and wish they'd just adopt everything the network does, I do think Julian's slots work rather well and he certainly is a real personality round these parts. Long may he reign!!