Matakuliah
Tahun
: O0382 – Dasar-dasar Produksi Siaran Televisi
: 2010
THE TELEVISION PRODUCTION
PROCESS
Pertemuan 1
Television as Part of Entertainment Industry
The Television industry is a business community of people and companies
who create, control, disseminate, and broadcast television programming.
The techniques to create a television program are numerous and the entire
process is complex. The three basic forms of TV programs are:
Fictional: daytime soap operas, situation comedies, dramatic series,
movies made for television including the multiple-part mini series;
Non-fictional: talk shows, game shows, religious programs, news;
Live: sport events, awards shows, telethons, news coverage.
To become more efficient yet profitable, the television production and
programming are increasingly targeting specific demographic groups and
special interest viewers.
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What Television Production is All About
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The Basic Television System
A television system consists of equipment and people who operate that
equipment for the production of specific programs.
The 2 (two) main elements that are always available during the process:
 Television camera that converts whatever it ‘sees’ (optical images)
into electrical signals that can be stored temporarily or directly
reconverted by the television sets into visible screen images;
 Microphone that converts whatever it ‘hears’ (actual sounds) into
electrical signals that can be stored temporarily or directly
reconverted into sounds by the loudspeakers.
The Expanded Studio and Electronic Field Production Systems
The basic television system is considerably expanded when doing a
television production in the studio or in the field such as a telecast of
a sporting event.
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Production Elements
With the expanded television system, there are seven basic production
elements:
1. The camera
The studio television camera has 3 (three) fundamental parts: the lens,
the camera, and the viewfinder.
2. The Mounting equipment
Additional equipment that helps to carry the camera. These are tripod
that helps to carry the camera as well as to ensure steady camera, and
studio pedestal that allows to raise and lower the camera and move it
smoothly across the studio floor while the camera is on.
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3. Lighting
Lighting has 3 (three) purposes: to provide the television camera with
adequate illumination for technically acceptably pictures, to tell us
what the objects shown on the screen actually look like, and to
establish the general mood of the event.
4. Types of Illumination
All television lighting basically involves 2 (two) types of illumination:
directional light that has a sharp beam and produces harsh shadows;
while diffused light that has a wide and distinct beam that illuminates
a relatively large area and produces soft, translucent shadows. The
fluorescent lamps in department store produce diffused lighting.
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5. Lighting instruments
Lighting instruments that produce directional light are called spotlights,
and the ones that produce diffused light are called floodlights.
6. Lighting techniques
All television lighting is based on simple principle: use some
instruments (spotlights and floodlights) to illuminate specific areas,
soften shadows and bring the overall light on a screen to an intensity
level at which the cameras can generate optimal pictures.
7. Audio
Television audio not only communicates precise information but also
contributes greatly to the mood and atmosphere of a scene. The
various audio production elements are microphones, ENG/ EFP, and
studio sound control equipment, sound recording and playback
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devices.
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8. Microphones
Microphones convert sound waves into electric energy-the audio
signals. The sound signals are amplified and sent to the loudspeaker,
which reconverts them into audible sound.
ENG/ EFP Sound Control Equipment
In ENG, the audio is normally controlled by the camera operator who
wears a small earphone that carries the incoming sound. Because the
camera operator is busy running the camera then the sound controls
on the camera is set to automatic setting.
In EFP, the volume of incoming sounds is often controlled by a portable
mixer and recorded not only on videotape but also on a portable
audiotape recorder.
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Videotape Recording
Videotape or a computer hard disk is used for the playback of
commercials even those originally produced on film.
One of the unique features on television is its ability to transmit a
telecast live, which means capturing the pictures and sounds of an
ongoing event and distributing them to a worldwide audience. Most
television programs originate from videotape playback.
Videotape is indispensable element for production (the recording
and building of a show), for programming (when and over which
channel the show is telecast) and for distribution.
There are 5 (five) videotape recording related equipments:
 Videotape recorders
Videotape recorders are classified by whether the recording is done in
digital or analog form.
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Postproduction Editing
Postproduction editing is characterized into linear and nonlinear editing:
 In linear editing system, the process requires 2 (two) source VTRs
that contain the original material that you recorded with camera. In
this system, computer acts as an edit controller (editing controller
unit) which helps find a particular scene quickly.
 In non linear editing system, the videotapes will be transferred into a
computer disk and then edit the video and audio portions with a word
processing program (call up, move, cut, past and join the various
shorts much like words, sentences, and paragraphs when editing text
document). Some desktop linear systems give an accurate record
only of how the material should be edited called the EDL (edit
decision list) others produce high-resolution full frame, full-motion
video and audio sequences that can be transferred directly onto an 10
edit master tape for on-the-air use.
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Special Effects
Special effects can be as simple as adding a title over a background
scene and special effect is conducted by a CG (Character Generator).
Studios, Master Control, and Support Areas
This part will discuss 3 (three) major television production centers:
1. The television studios
2. The studio control room
3. Master control
4. Studio support areas
The television studios
The television studios can be briefly divided into physical layout of a
typical studio and the major installations.
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Studios, Master Control, and Support Areas
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Physical layout
1. Size: the size of studio depends on the show produced;
2. Floor: the studio floor must be even so that cameras can travel
smoothly. Most studios have concrete floors that are polished or
covered with linoleum, tile, or hard plastic;
3. Ceiling height: a minimum of 12 feet is one of the most important
design features of a television studio;
4. Acoustic treatment: studio ceiling and walls are usually treated with
acoustic material that prevents sound from bouncing around the
studio;
5. Air conditioning: when on, the studio lights produce a great amount of
heat which will effect the performers and delicate electronic
equipment;
6. Doors: studios require heavy, soundproof doors that are large enough
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to allow scenery, furniture, and vehicles to move in and out.
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Major installation
All studios need major installations that facilitate the production process:
1. Intercommunication system (intercom): allows all production and
engineering personnel actively engaged in the production of a show to in
constant contact with one another;
2. Studio monitor: a high-quality television sets that display the video feed
from the program switcher. Studio monitor is essential for the newscaster
to see whether the various type or live inserts appear.
3. Program speakers: fulfill a function for audio similar to what the studio
monitors do for video;
4. Wall outlets
5. Lighting dimmer and patch board: dimmer control board is used to
regulate the relative intensity of the studio lights. The lighting patchboard,
or patch bay, connects the individual instruments to the various dimmers.
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The studio control room
A room where all the production activities are coordinated and where
the director, associate director, technical director, producers and
production assistants make decision on effective picture and sound
sequence to be videotaped or broadcast live.
Program Control
Program control refers to equipments the director needs to select and
organize the various video and audio inputs. The program control
area is equipped with (1) video monitors, (2) speakers for program
sound, (3) intercommunication systems, (4) clocks and stopwatches.
Image Control
Refers to the selection and proper sequencing of video images as
supplied by cameras or other video sources.
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Audio Control
 Audio control has similar function with a small radio station only it is
located in the television control room. Audio control houses the audio
console, and a patchbay, audiotape recorders, cassette machines, CD
players, or other digital read/write (record/play) digital discs.
 It also contains a clock and line monitor;
 In order to avoid disturbance from control room to the audio engineer,
it has visual contact with the control room through a large window;
 It contain intercom for communication of the team members.
Lighting Control
It is located in the control room or in a corner of the studio so that the
lighting director can have close contact with control room personnel.
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Master control room
Master control is the central of a television station. It acts as a clearing
house for all program material. It receives program feeds from various
sources, and telecasts them at a specific time. The major
responsibility of master control is to see that the right program material
is put on the air at the right time. There are 3 (three) specific activities
of master control:
1. Program input: in broadcast production centers, master control refers
to a room that houses the camera control unit, high-end video
recording and special effects equipment, test equipment and largecapacity computers that perform a variety of production functions
2. Program storage: all recorded program is stored in master control
room and is given a station code or house number using own codes.
3. Program retrieval: means the selection, ordering, and airing of all
program material.
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Studio support areas
1. Scenery and properties
The most common scenic element is the flat, a wood frame covered
with soft material or hardwall, generally used to simulate walls. Set
properties are the props used to make the set functional such as
tables, chairs; while hand properties are items handled by the
performers such as telephone. Set dressings are things used to dress
up the set like pictures, indoor plants, sculptures.
2. Makeup and dressing rooms
This support area is a commonplace in large production centers where
soap operas or other daily series programs are produced. However,
in smaller production centers makeup and dressing are done wherever
it’s convenient.
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