Studio/Gallery
Sound - an audio superviser, also known as a sound man has the major task of mixing sound and understanding the technical aspects of music, they need to be skilled in engineering expertise and have the ability to make the artistic decisions about what sounds good.
Vision mixer - vision mixers are the people who cut all the shots together when it is recorded on multiple cameras. They sit with the director in the gallery and work on a vision mixing desk, they will cut and mix between shots while the director is telling them which camera to cut too. With this job some of the skills that you must be able to: have good understanding about the transmission, have high levels of concentration, work well under pressure - as if it doesn't go correctly everyone watching the TV show will be able to see your mistake and be able to multitask.
Autocue operator - an autocue is fixed to one of the camera tripods. It is an angled 1 way mirror that reflects a mirrored version of text in such a way that a subject standing in front of the camera - such as the presenters can see the text while looking right down the lens of the camera as they deliver their lines. With looking right down the camera lens it looks as if they are addressing the audience, its almost as if they are having a face to face conversation with the audience. This can come in very handy for when it is live TV.
Director - the directors are responsible for the overall look and sound of the production and the technical standards. They work with the producer of the show and the vision mixer. They're responsible for the finished overall look of the show. To be a director of a multi camera show you must have some of the following skills: pay attention to detail, visually think about projects, have a methodical approach to work, be able to cope in a high stress atmosphere and have excellent communication skills.
Producer - the producers of the show plan out the production of both live and pre-recorded television shows. These are the people that will determine how the overall production will look, select the script for the day, choose the talent that will appear on the show and plan out how the sets, props and lighting will look. Some of the responsibilities that the producer will have is: edit scripts ready for broadcast, determine the budget, monitor the production and lead production staff meetings.
Floor
Floor manager - the responsibility of a television floor manager is to make sure that the set, props and technical equipment, such as cameras and microphones, are safe, ready to use and it the right position prior to filming. They have the task of liaising with the director and many of the different people involved in the production on the studio floor.
It is the responsibility of the floor manager to pass on cues to the presenters and guests to ensure that the timings are met and the programme goes ahead smoothly.
Camera operator - the camera operators is probably one of the most important jobs seeing as this is what the audience will be seeing, and if this isn't right then the job isn't being done correctly. The camera operator will take instructions from the director in the gallery, such as if they should zoom in, zoom out, crab left or crab right, and these instructions will be directed at each camera person on the different cameras.
But sometimes for example on the BBC 6pm News, they don't even have camera operators anymore they have the cameras set up on tracks and they're controlled electronically which will have preset directions already programmed in.
Runner - a runner is an entry level position into the world of TV production. They overall act as general assistants to everyone on the floor and in the gallery to help complete basic tasks that are required to be completed to make sure that the production runs smoothly. Some of the responsibilities that runners have are: tea making, transporting scripts and equipment, taking messages from one person to another, looking after guests and making sure that everything is in place for the shoot. You also have to be organised, have a positive attitude, be fit - as you'll be doing an awful lot of running about, have to be able to use your initiative and be good at problem solving.
Talent - the talent probably one of the most important roles in the production of the TV show. These are the people that are going to be appearing on screen and will help carry the show as they will be discussing different subject and stories with the presenters. The talent can include: the presenters themselves, experts in their field of expertise and members of the general public which have encountered an experience, such as having a baby at a young age, being in a horrendous accident, or just a celebrity doing publicity to promote their new album or film.
Makeup - the makeup artist is one of the people who make sure that the presenters look presentable and make sure that they look their best when they're up early in the morning when presenting the morning news. They have the responsibility of interpreting the make-up requirements of the client and use their initiative to decide what looks best for the presenter/client and make sure they don't look like a clown and make sure that their makeup looks good under the studio lighting and the HD cameras as these will show up the lines and wrinkles on the presenters/clients face even more.
Lighting - lighting technicians have the responsibility of setting up and operating the lighting equipment on all sets. This job is crucial as the lighting plays an important part in creating a suitable atmosphere of a TV show. It is a high level technical job and requires creative skills. They have to be able to do heavy lifting and also working at heights to make sure that the lights are in the correct position. And they must also be conscious of cables and be health and safety aware.
Junior rigger - these are also known as 'cable bashers' are trainee jobs within the production and they usually involve helping the cameraman with the moving of handheld camera cables by following them round so they don't trip over them.
Warm up act - A warm up act is an individual or duo who's responsibility it is to warm up the crowd if it is a pre-recorded show like The Voice. They are usually warming up the crowd while the cameras and the talent are getting prepared. If the show requires audience participation then the warm up act will general explain what the audience should do to react. They are generally upbeat people and are have a very positive attitude and are usually a bit of a character.
