HISTORY OF TELEVISION IN INDIA

Television broadcasts started in India under All India Radio (AIR)? Television began in India
on 15th September 1959 as an experiment. There were only two one-hour programmes a
week, each of one hour duration. Imagine a television set working for only two hours a week.
Can you think of such a situation today? But, that was the case in the early years of
television. All India Radio handled these initial broadcasts.
Objective of Television:
According to the ministry of Information & Broadcasting the following are the objective of
public television in India:
™ To act as a catalyst for social change,
™ To promote national integration,
™ To stimulate a scientific temper among the people,
™ To disseminate the message of family planning as a means of population control and
family welfare,• To stimulate greater agricultural production by providing essential
information and knowledge, To Promote and help preservation of environment and
ecological balance,
™ To highlight the need for social welfare measures including
™ Welfare of women, children and the less privileged,
™ To promote interest in games and sports.
1959- Television Began In India On An Experimental Basis:
The early programmes on these experimental broadcasts were generally educational
programmes for school children and farmers. Several community television sets were set up
in Delhi’s rural areas and schools around Delhi for the dissemination of these programmes.
By the 1970s, television centers were opened in other parts of the country also. In 1976,
Doordarshan, which was All India Radio’s television arm until then became a separate
department.

1976- Doordarshan Became A Separate Department Independent of All India Radio

(Air):
Are there any community television sets in your area? Several community television sets
were distributed as a part of one of the important landmarks in the history of Indian
television, the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE). It was conducted
between August 1975 and July 1976. Under this programme, the Indian government used the
American satellite ATS-6 to broadcast educational programmes to Indian villages. Six states
were selected for this experiment and television sets were distributed in these states. Was
your state a part of the SITE programme? Ask your elders if community television sets were
distributed in the neighbourhood during this period.

1975-1976 Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (Site):

SITE was an important step taken by India to use television for development. The
programmes were mainly produced by Doordarshan which was then a part of AIR. The
telecasts happened twice a day, in the morning and evening. Other than agricultural
information, health and family planning were the other important topics dealt with in these
programmes. Entertainment was also included in these telecasts in the form of dance, music,
drama, folk and rural art forms.

A major milestone in the history of Indian television was the coverage of the Ninth Asian
Games in 1982. Doordarshan provided national coverage for the first time through the
satellite INSAT 1A. Also, for the first time, the transmission was in colour. In addition to the
domestic transmission, Doordarshan was also providing content for the broadcasters of many
other countries. After 1982,there was a huge increase in the live coverage of sports by
Doordarshan .

1982- Doordarshan Provided Nationalcoverage For The First Time Through The
Satellite Insat 1A:
By 1983, government sanctioned a huge expansion of Doordarshan. Several new transmitters
were set up throughout the country. Thus towards the end of 80s around 75 per cent of the
population could be covered by the transmitters. Many of the programmes of Doordarshan
like Hum Log, Buniyaad and Nukkad were immensely popular. Have you seen any of these
serials?

1983- Government Sanctions Huge Expansion Of Doordarshan:

In 1997, Prasar Bharati, a statutory autonomous body was established. Doordarshan along
with AIR was converted into government corporations under Prasar Bharati. The Prasar
Bharati Corporation was esablished to serve as the public service broadcaster of the country
which would achieve its objectives through AIR and DD. This was a step towards greater
autonomy for Doordarshan and AIR. However, Prasar Bharati has not succeeded in shielding
Doordarshan from government control.

1997- Establishment of Prasar Bharati:

Do you watch Gyandarshan, the educational channel of Doordarshan? Do you find the
programmes in the channel useful? Which is your favourite channel of Doordarshan? Today,
about 90 per cent of the Indian population can receive Doordarshan programmes through its
network. From its humble beginning as a part of All India Radio, Doordarshan has grown
into a major television broadcaster with around 30 channels. This includes Regional
Language Satellite Channels, State Networks, International Channel and All India Channels
like DD National, DD News, DD Sports, DD Gyandarshan, DD Bharati, Loksabha Channel
and DD Urdu. Which channel of Doordarshan broadcasts in your regional language?

Emergence of Private Television Channels

So you have seen how Doordarshan has evolved over the years. But today we have many
channels other than Doordarshan. You may have heard the term “satellite channels”.
Generally satellites are used for communication or research purposes. Man made satellites are
objects which are launched to orbit the earth or any other celestial body. Let us see how
satellites help in bringing your favourite television channels to your homes.
What is the relationship between a satellite and a serial that you see in the cable network?
They might seem completely unrelated. But, communication satellites are instrumental in
bringing the serial to your home. Have you ever owned a television set with an antenna which
had to be positioned exactly to catch the signal? A heavy rain or rough weather can disrupt
your television viewing in such a case.
The introduction of communication satellites has improved the situation greatly. How many
channels can you watch on your television set? Star TV, Aaj Tak, NDTV, Zee etc are a few
of the many television channels available to us today. Ask your mother if she had such a wide
choice of channels in her childhood. The answer will be ‘no’. This is because these private
channels came into the Indian Television scene quite recently. In the earlier days,
Doordarshan had a monopoly as it was the only channel available to the Indian television
audience. This changed in the 1990s with the arrival of private channels. The coverage of the
Gulf War by the American news channel, Cable News Network (CNN) propelled the arrival
of satellite television in India. Satellite dishes were used to catch the CNN signals and cable
operators took to satellite broadcasting immediately.

1990s: Advent of Private Television Channels:

Hong Kong based STAR (Satellite Television Asian Region) entered into an agreement with
an Indian company and Zee TV was born. It became the first privately owned Hindi satellite
channel of India. The agreement between STAR and Zee did not last long. But the Indian
television audience was waiting for a shift from the monopoly of Doordarshan and soon a
number of private channels emerged.
The Supreme Court ruling of 1995 which stated that the airwaves are not the monopoly of the
Indian government boosted their growth. Several regional channels also came into being
during this period. Sun TV (Tamil), Asianet (Malayalam) and Eenadu TV were a few of
them. Today almost all major Indian languages have television channels in them. Which is
your favourite regional channel? Apart from the regional channels, a host of international
channels like CNN, BBC and Discovery are also available to the Indian television audience.
With different categories of channels like 24 hour news channels, religious channels, cartoon
Channels and movie channels, there is something for everyone to watch.

Nature of Language Television:

Radio and television can offer instantaneous coverage of an event, while press alone can offer
extensive explanation and amplification of such occurrences. TV is an audio visual medium
and in order to break the monotony most of the time news on radio and TV does not appear in
accordance with its importance. The language and presentation of news in radio and TV
resembles more with the quality newspapers. Radio keeps it reportage of news as free as
possible from comment and emotive judgment. Whatever the language it conveys, print is a
machine made medium. It bears no mark of individual authorship but seems impersonally
originated, authoritative. On the contrary radio and TV news is always heard in voice of an
individual and may be dismissed by the listener as propaganda or misunderstood as drama or
comedy.
One of the main characteristics of television is that it is an extremely important device when
it comes to mass communication. It is estimated that of the 6.8 billion people on Earth,
around 1.4 billion own a television set, this equates to around one out of five or 20% of the
world's population. Of that percentage, China is top of the list with 400 million televisions,
28.2% of their 1.4 billion population.
This shows how many people have access to a television and therefore the massive audience
that view messages that are given out through the medium of television. This ability of
television to reach such a wide audience of all ages at once can be used for entertainment
purposes, for news to keep people informed on events that are occurring around the globe as
well as political statements that may affect people's lives and (one of its main purposes)
advertising.
Television is an extremely important part of mass communication. Without television, a lot of
people would probably not even be aware of what is going on in the outside world.

Characteristics of Television:
• It is a visual medium which allows for a creative production approach.
• As an entertainment medium it is very acceptable psychologically.
• As a major source, it is widely seen and accepted.
• It has immediate distribution which can be massive.
• Television can bring the whole world into the room.
• It combines both sound and pictures, moving and still, grips the attention of the
viewer and has the motivating power.
• It makes the past alive.
• It can bring the distant objects, places, people, events processes in the classroom
• It can magnify small objects which can be seen by several students at a time.
• It is a mass medium and can reach vast number of viewers simultaneously and at
distant place.
• It can also show events in slow and fast motion.
• Live and dramatized situation presented through television can be used to educate
the viewers.
• It influence and control the society. It produces and disseminates information and
is one of the primary source of information.
• It’s an arena where many affairs of public life are played.
• It’s a image of reality .It is also a place where the changing cultures and values of
society are created, stored and expressed.
• It also plays a major platform of earning fame at the public platform.
• It is one of the most effective entertainment tool. It has captured the imagination
of national as well as international audience.
• As a mass communication tool this medium influences the people of various
societies and convey the views about politics, economics and social problems .For
example news channels conducts live shows and debate which help people in
forming their opinions.

Limitations of Television
 • TV Receivers are expensive.
• It requires a fully developed TV network and electric supply
• It is expensive, both in production and utilization, unless used extensively
• It requires highly trained production and operational personnel
• It is a dissociative medium and turns one off.

Formats and Types of TV Programmes

Man needs variety in his life, whether in taking food, getting dressed, making friends or even
selecting entertainment. Here in television also we go by the saying ‘variety is the spice of
life’.
Many times while watching television you must have thought that some programmes are a
work of the director’s imagination while others appear to be real life experiences. This is very
true because on one hand we have programmes which are based on imagination and on the
other hand, we have programmes that are based on real incidents and events. Thus, we have
two broad formats of television programmes which we shall discuss here.
• Fiction Programmes
• Non Fiction Programmes
Fiction programmes: Almost all the fiction programmes that depend on imagination and
dramatization are meant for entertaining the audiences. Drama/ soap operas like Humlog,
Ghar ek Mandir, Kyunki saas bhi kbahi bahu thi are ongoing, episodic works of fiction.
Non-fiction programmes: Apart from different serials and other entertaining works of
fiction, you must have watched programmes on television that provide a lot of information
regarding various events that take place in our surroundings and also impart education on
contemporary issues. Let us now discuss the various non-fiction programmes available on
television.
Various Programme Formats
News: Newscasts, newsbreaks, and headlines. Programs reporting on local, regional,
national, and international events. Such programs may include weather reports, sportscasts,
community news, and other related features or segments contained within "News Programs."
Analysis and Interpretation: Programs on various topics that include analysis or discussion,
for example, talk or panel shows, consumer affairs or reviews, newsmagazines. This category
excludes programs presenting information primarily for entertainment value.
Long-form documentary: Original works of non-fiction, primarily designed to inform but
may also educate and entertain, providing an in-depth critical analysis of a specific subject or
point of view over the course of at least 22 minutes. These programs shall not be used as
commercial vehicles.
Reporting & Actualities: Programs focusing on the coverage of conferences, political
conventions, opening/closing of events (including awards dinners) and political debates, as
well as programs of a non-entertainment nature intended to raise funds.
Religion: Programs dealing primarily with (i.e. more that 50%) religion and religious
teachings, as well as discussions of the human spiritual condition.
Formal Education & Pre-school: Programs presenting detailed information related to a
wide variety of topics and used by the viewer primarily to acquire knowledge. The programs
can be related to established curricula. All programs targeted at pre-schoolers (ages 2-5)
except those that are primarily comprised of drama.
Informal Education/Recreation & vacation: Programs presenting information on
recreation, hobby and skill development, recreational sports and outdoor activities, travel and
leisure, employment opportunities, and talk shows of an informative ("how-to") nature.
Sports: Programs of live or live-to-tape sports events and competitions including coverage of
professional and amateur tournaments. The category also includes programs reviewing and
analysing professional or amateur competitive sports events/teams (i.e. pre- and post-game
shows, magazine shows, scripted sports, call-in and talk shows, etc.).
Music and Entertainment
Drama and Comedy: Entertainment productions of a fictional nature, including
dramatisations of real events. They must be comprised primarily of (i.e. more than 50%)
dramatic performances. Category 7 includes the following subcategories:
a) On-going dramatic series
b) On-going comedy series (sitcoms);
c) Specials, mini-series, and made-for-TV feature films;
d) Theatrical feature films aired on television;
e) Animated television programs and films (excludes computer graphic productions without
story lines);
f) Programs of comedy sketches, improvisations, unscripted works, stand-up comedy; and
g) Other drama, including, but not limited to, readings, narratives, improvisations, tapes/films
of live theatre not developed specifically for television, experimental shorts, video clips,
continuous action animation (e.g. puppet shows).
Music and dance: Programs comprised primarily (i.e. more than 50%) of live or pre-
recorded performances of music and/or dance, including opera, operetta, ballet, and musicals.
The performance portion excludes videoclips, voice-overs or musical performances used as
background.
Music video clips: Short film or videotape productions or concert excerpts (clips) not
produced primarily for the particular program in which they are presented, which normally
contain one musical selection with visual material.
Music video programs: Programs consisting primarily (i.e. more than 50%) of music videos
and in some cases including a host and other programming elements.
Variety: Programs containing primarily (i.e. more than 50%) performances of mixed
character (e.g. not exclusively music or comedy performances) consisting of a number of
individual acts such as singing, dancing, acrobatic exhibitions, comedy sketches,
monologues, magic, etc.
Game shows: Programs featuring games of skill and chance as well as quizzes.
General entertainment and human interest: Programs primarily about the world of
entertainment and its people. These programs include celebrity profiles that may use
promotional footage, talk or interview shows, award shows, galas and tributes. They also
include entertainment-oriented magazine shows; fund-raising shows which include
entertainers (i.e. telethons); human interest programs consisting of live or live-to-tape footage
without significant portions devoted to in-depth analysis or interpretation; and coverage of
community events such as carnivals, festivals, parades and fashion shows.
Reality television: Programs that present unscripted dramatic or humorous situations,
document actual events and typically feature ordinary people instead of professional actors.
This type of programming involves passively following individuals as they go about their
daily personal and professional activities. Though unscripted, this programming may be
directed and may resemble a soap opera – hence the popular references to “docusoaps” and
“docudramas.”
Though this type of programming may be factual, it lacks or has very minimal amounts of in-
depth critical analysis of a specific subject or point of view that is the key defining element of
Long-form documentary programming.
Public service announcements: Messages of less than 5 minutes duration intended to
educate the audience about issues of public concern, encourage public support and awareness
of a worthy cause, or promote the work of a non-profit group or organization dedicated to
enhancing the quality of life in local communities or in society or the world at large. These
include community billboards. These messages are not intended to sell or promote goods or
commercial services. No payment is exchanged between broadcasters and producers for the
broadcast of these messages.
When public service announcements are logged, the start and end times must be entered, the
program class must be "PSA" and two components of the key figure must be recorded.
Infomercials, promotional and corporate videos: Programming exceeding 12 minutes in
length that combines information and/or entertainment with the sale or promotion of goods or
services into a virtually indistinguishable whole. This category includes videos and films of
any length produced by individuals, groups and businesses for public relations, recruitment,
Filler programming: Programming, in no case longer than 30 minutes in duration, the
purpose of which is to fill in the time between the presentation of the major programs
broadcast by the licensed pay services and those specialty services authorized to distribute
filler programming, and includes material that promotes the programs or services provided by
the licensee.
Types of News format:
The formats can be categorized in the following categories:
• The live shows
• Studio discussions or roundtable discussions
• Talk shows
• Debate
• The phone-ins
• Documentary
• Vox Pop
The Live Show: Many times, stations will do extended or special programming live at a
particular location. In many ways, the programme will look like a regular newscast, in that
there are anchors delivering the news and introducing the taped segments, but going live on
location gives the news a somewhat different look and feel. It sends a subtle message to the
audience that this is special and not the routine newscast done every day in studio.
Though producing live shows is a difficult task but doing the news from a fair or an
important pilgrimage site is an effective public relations tool.
Selecting an appropriate panel is the first duty of the producer in these situations and the most
appropriate panelist may not always be the most exiting speaker.

Roundtable or Studio Discussion: It usually involves people sitting around a table

discussing a certain topic. Ideally, it is a discussion between a half-dozen prominent people
on an important issue It may be with or without audience. This type of news programme has
several advantages, including the fact that it’s relatively cheap to produce if there is no
audience involved.
The show is also fairly controllable, because it usually takes place in a studio, is taped before
airing, and can be edited. But there drawbacks too, Like it or not, entertainment has become a
big part of news business, and audiences expect a sophisticated and engaging programme.
However, the roundtable is merely a discussion, and depending on the topic, that can get
excruciatingly dull.
Talk Shows: Talk shows are a good way for a station to gauge the audience feedback on a
certain news topic. Though the format is much like the roundtable, in that prominent
newsmakers will discuss an important issue, but the emphasis in this show is more on
audience input and interaction. Audience members will have the opportunity to give their
opinions or make direct contributions to the show. Given that so much television news is now
geared towards interactivity, this format can be very effective way of engaging a news
audience. The main difficulty with a talk show is its unpredictability. The producer faces the
following difficulties in producing a talk show, First of all assembling a panel of appropriate
guests who are exiting speakers too is not an easy task. Then gathering an informed talkative
audience is difficult if not impossible all together.
Debate: Most debates follow a very strict format, which usually includes a moderator. The
moderator is the most important person in the debate, in that he or she controls the topic for
discussion, who is speaking, and how much time the speaker has.The moderator must also
keep control of the debate and not let the participants shape the direction of the discussion.
One of the keys to producing a successful debate is finding a good moderator. In a sense the
moderator is like a producer, controlling such things as the time, content, and flow of the
programme. If the debate has a good moderator, the programme producer actually does very
little. The programme itself is not scripted, except for a few introductory and closing remarks.
The Phone-Ins: Though this format is much more common in radio, but some TV channels
also use this format. A phone-in programme emphasizes the interactivity that has become so
important in today’s media environment and allows the viewers to directly express their
opinions. Generally, a moderator will lead discussion on a certain topic and then open the
phone-lines for feedback. It’s cheap and easy to put together but is extremely unpredictable
and hart to control. There’s also the danger that these type of shows are more suited to radio
and are not enough to keep a television audience interested.
ƒ Phone-ins provide a chance for audience feedback.
ƒ They create the illusion that AUDIO-VIDEO medium is a two-way medium.
ƒ They also verify that the station or channel has an audience and that this audience is
capable of understanding and responding to the message which the station transmits.
Documentary: A documentary explores a factual subject in depth. It not only shows, but
illuminates. It attempts not merely to inform, but to provoke deeper thought and
understanding than a cold presentation of facts would do. A documentary is a creative work.
Sometimes this creative responsibility rests with one individual; the producer/director. In that
instance, and in the broadest television sense, he is author; the dominant creator of the
programme.The documentary producer usually undertakes a considerable amount of
preliminary research, and in addition is in close contact with his subject through the lengthy
stages of filming and editing.

Vox Pops: The term "vox pop" comes from the Latin phrase vox populi, meaning "voice of
the people". The vox pop is a tool used in many forms of media to provide a snapshot of
public opinion. Random subjects are asked to give their views on a particular topic and their
responses are presented to the viewer/reader as a reflection of popular opinion.For video and
television vox pops, the interviewer approaches people "in the street" and asks them simple
questions about the topic. These people will be new to interviews and will often be nervous,
flustered, giggly, etc. It's therefore important to make them feel comfortable and relaxed. 
When asking people to participate, fast is best - don't give them time to worry about how they
look or what their friends will think. Use a short, sharp standard question such as "Would you
mind answering a couple of quick questions about genetically modified food for TV3 news
tonightAs always, ask open-ended questions and avoid leading questions. At the same time,
you must be specific enough to obtain brief answers.
Camera shots are usually framed as an MCU or close up. It's important to think about the
guest's looking direction, and get an equal number of left-facing and right-facing subjects.
These can then be alternated in post-production. Some producers go so far as to get all
answers with a particular opinion facing one way, and answers with an opposing opinion
facing the other way. Whether or not you think this is effective is up to you — you may feel
that it is too contrived.
   
STAGES OF TV PROGRAMME PRODUCTION
Steps involved in production & utilization of a TV Program
The production process is commonly broken down into preproduction, production, and
postproduction, which some people roughly characterize as "before, during, and after."
1. For before Phase – Pre Production
2. For During Phase – Production
3. For After Phase- Post Production
• In Pre Production the basic ideas and approaches of the production are developed and
set in motion. It is in this phase that the production can be set on a proper course or
misdirected to such an extent that no amount of time, talent, or editing expertise can
save it. During preproduction, not only are key talent and production members
selected, but all the major elements are planned. Since things such as scenic design,
lighting, and audio are interrelated, they must be carefully coordinated in a series of
production meetings.
• In Production Phase everything comes together in a kind of final performance.
Productions can be broadcast either live or recorded. With the exception of news
shows, sports remotes, and some special-event broadcasts, productions are typically
recorded for later broadcast or distribution. Recording the show or program segment
provides an opportunity to fix problems by either making changes during the editing
phase or stopping the recording and redoing a segment.
• In Post Production Phase Tasks, such as dismantling of sets and packing equipment,
handling final financial obligations and evaluating the effect of the program, is part
of the postproduction phase. Even though postproduction includes all of these after-
the-production jobs, most people associate postproduction with editing. As computer-
controlled editing techniques and postproduction special effects have become more
sophisticated, editing has gone far beyond the original concept of simply joining
segments in a desired order. Editing is now a major focus of production creativity.
Stages of production- pre-production, production and post-production
The production process refers to the stages (phases) required to complete a media product,
from the idea to the final master copy. The process can apply to any type of media production
including film, video, television and audio recording. The stages in each medium vary; for
example, there is obviously no storyboard in an audio recording. However the same general
concepts work for any medium.
The three main stages of production are:
1. Pre-production: Planning, scripting & storyboarding, etc.
2. Production: The actual shooting/recording.
3. Post-production: Everything between production and creating the final master copy.
Pre-Production
Pre-production is a fairly loose term which refers to the tasks undertaken before production
begins. Exactly what is included in this stage depends on the medium and situation.
For a small video company, pre-production may refer to everything that happens before
shooting begins, for example, meeting with the client, research, storyboarding, location
planning, etc.
1. Identify the Purpose of the Production
• The most important step is the first one.
• Is the purpose to instruct, inform, entertain, or to generate feelings of pride, or
social, religious or political need?
• Possibly the real purpose of the production is to create desire in the audience
to take some action.
• And, the primary goal of most broadcasting is simply to hold the interest of an
audience so they will be influenced by the commercials.
• Even so, most productions have more than one goal.
2. Identify and Analyze your Target Audience
• Based on such things as age, sex, socioeconomic status, educational level, etc.,
program content preferences will differ.
• These preferences are also different for different parts of a Nation.
3. Research
• Check out similar productions done in the past. Ask yourself some questions.
How will your proposed production differ from the successful and
unsuccessful efforts that have been done in the past?
• Why did they work; or, maybe more importantly, why didn’t they work? Of
course, since production styles change rapidly, you need to take into
consideration differences in time, locations, and audiences.
4. Identifying Programme Format
• News and Reports
• Live Reporting
• Documentary
• Drama
• Soap Opera
 • Sit Coms
• Quiz Shows and Game Shows
• Interview
5. Scripting
• Script is the building block of any production.
• Writing for electronic media is not same as writing for print.
• One must clearly understand the Video Grammar before he can create a
production from a script
• Video scripts are written in broadcast style.
• Video scripts use short, concise, direct sentence.
• Active voice is preferred over inactive voice.
• Nouns & verbs preferred over adjectives, &
• Specific words are preferred over general words.
• Facts must be taut, verbs strong and active; a script should crackle.
6. Budgeting
Production Expenses can be classified as
• Above-the-line cost generally relate to performing & producing elements:
talent, script, music, office services, etc.
• Below-the-line elements refer to 2 broad areas:
o physical elements (sets, props, make-up, wardrobe, graphics,
transportation, production equipment, studio facilities, editing etc.)
o Technical personnel (the stage manager, engineering personnel, video
recording operators, audio operators etc.)
7. Develop a Treatment or a Production Proposal or a Programme Brief
• Even though you may have a clear idea in your head of what you want to get
across in a production, unless you can clearly communicate that idea to people
who can help you launch your production, that's just where your idea will stay —
in your head.
• The first step in this direction is to write down a clear and concise summary of
your ideas, in the form of proposal and treatmen.
• A proposal presents the film or video in a series of categories whereas technically
a treatment is a narrative version of what is or will be on the screen. Although
both terms tend be used interchangeably, they have different functions. The
proposal is written first – and that information informs the treatment. Both are
written to convince the reader that you can produce a video or film with impact
and significance.
• A simple program proposal may be just a couple of pages, or, in the case of a
feature-length dramatic production, a treatment can run 60 or more pages.
8. The Script: The script is the most important document produced by the production
company as it provides the core upon which the whole production process is based. It
will be used throughout the whole production being the most important source of
reference.
 • We usually produce a ‘two-column script’, the format most often used in video
production, one column containing the visual elements and the other column for
the audio content and dialogue. This clearly shows how the programme will be
developed.
• A script can also be of great importance to you as it provides you with a point of
quality control. Occasionally a production company may suggest that a script is
not necessary for the production of a corporate video and merely supply you with
the narration. This may be an indication that the end product may not live up to
your high expectations. The lack of structure resulting from working without a
script can add considerably to the production and editing time and therefore can
actually cost you more in the long term than paying for the full service in the first
place.
• If you have any suggestions for changes to the script you will have opportunity to
make them at this stage when they can easily be written into the script. It becomes
harder to make changes the further through the production we have progressed.
9. The Storyboard
The storyboard provides a more visual representation of the corporate video It
comprises of a series of sketches showing what the shots will look like that make up
the video.
• The storyboard is also a working document which can be referred to when developing
the shooting script and even when setting up props and organising talent on location.
• It clearly depicts where talent and props should be and also shows the flow of action.
Although it can be very useful to have a storyboard to refer to later in the production
process, actually developing the storyboard itself is very time consuming.
• Therefore, the budget available and time allocated for a specific production often
dictate whether or not a storyboard will be produced. However, there are instances
when we would advise that a storyboard should be developed e.g. if a production is
drama-based and a storyboard is necessary to plan camera angles, the number and
continuity of shots, and exact positioning of props and actors.
10. Scouting locations
Scouting locations is the key to producing a professional result, enabling us to plan
for the Shoot accurately, thus saving time and money. We consider the colour
temperature of the lighting, the available space, location of power supplies etc. For
outside locations we need to consider factors such as traffic noise, weather
implications, to assist in our planning for the Shoot.We may also take stills from
different camera angles which can be used in designing the storyboard if required.
11. Acquiring permissions
At this stage we begin the sometimes lengthy process of acquiring permissions
necessary for your corporate production. For example, should you want to list
companies in your customer-base and use their logos, we would have to get their
permission to use their logos, as they are copyright images.
12. Shooting Schedule
 The shooting schedule is a list of the shots arranged in the order they will be filmed,
with an indication of the timing of the filming. This is produced with reference to the
storyboard and the scouting of the locations. You will be provided with a copy as far
in advance of the Shoot as possible, in order that any arrangements can be made
within your company to ensure everything runs smoothly on the day of the shoot.
Production Process:
Now that you know exactly who, what, where, when, why, and how, you’re ready to start
producing your piece. In this phase you get out and implement your ideas. Shoot your
project, and always have MORE footage than you think you’ll need.
• If your friend is operating the camera, direct him/her to get the shot you want.
Bounce creative ideas off each other, and ALWAYS do multiple takes from multiple
angles. Not only does this help your talent warm up, but your editor will love you for
it.Try to follow your schedule. Keep your crew and talent happy. DON’T go over
your budget. Take control of the creative aspects.
• Production is the actual taping of the TV show or shoot. Cast and crew are assembled,
and the director will orchestrate the taping and work to shoot as quickly as possible.
Production may take place in a studio or on location. Location shooting is almost
always more work, as production equipment needs to be brought to the location along
with the cast and crew.
• Producing also means seeing to it that a worthwhile idea becomes a worthwhile
television show. The producer manages a great number of people and coordinates an
even greater number of activities and production details. The effect-to-cause model
starts with the basic idea, then defines the desired audience effect—the process
message. The definition will determine the medium requirements: content elements,
production elements, and people The program proposal normally contains the
following minimum information: program or series title, objective, target audience,
show treatment, production method, and tentative budget
• The script is the most important preproduction element. It determines the entire
production process. Preproduction coordination involves selecting and contacting the
production people, deciding on facilities and production locations, scheduling all
production activities, and taking care of permits, clearances, publicity, and promotion.
During the production the producer acts as host, watches the production flow, and
oversees the general quality of
• the show. Postproduction activities include scheduling postproduction facilities and
people, supervising the editing, a final evaluation of the program, handling solicited
and unsolicited
• feedback, and record keeping.
Post Production Process:
This is probably the most time-consuming part of the whole video production process, just as
in the case of a hit movie. This will be taken into consideration at the time of scheduling the
production. Below are some of the main activities undertaken when editing your programme.
The order in which they are completed may vary from one production to another.
Assembly of the rushes
Once we have all the footage work will begin on one of our edit suites. Assembling the
rushes refers to viewing the footage and deciding on the shots to be used. They are assembled
in the order they will be viewed in preparation for the editing to commence.
Animations, graphics and titles
We will have discussed the use of animations, graphics and titles at our meeting at the
beginning of the production process, particularly in relation to corporate logos, or possibly
products being promoted in your video.
Music and sound-effects
There is a wide range of music to choose from for your corporate video. There are three main
categories to choose from:
• commercial recordings of popular or classical music requiring copyright clearance.
• library music where you may suggest the style of music you would like and we can
select music fulfilling your requirements from the large selection available.
• music written for your corporate video according to your specifications.
You can be as involved in the choice of your music as you want. If you decide on library
music we can send you some samples to choose from or we can choose the most suitable for
you.
If you decide to have some music written specifically for your production we can send you
samples of music by a number of composers for you to choose the style of music you are
interested in. We can then arrange to have your music composed for you.
Once we have the music for your video we will begin to work on this element of the
soundtrack, checking levels and monitoring the quality using ppm meters and audio
vectorscopes
At Peak Vision TV we have our own recording facilities enabling us to record our own sound
effects to add to the sound track on your programme to enhance the images and add to
animations where necessary.
A good soundtrack is essential to add life and vitality to images, no matter how excellent the
images.
The voice-over
We have a variety of voice-over artists available for our corporate productions. If you want to
be involved in choosing the right voice, we will provide samples to choose from. Otherwise,
the choice can be left to our discretion and we will find the voice to appeal to your audience
and suited to your product and company image. In this case, we will still make sure we have
your approval before the recording is arranged.
'Rough cut'
This is a rough version of the corporate video with music, sound effects, animation and
voice-over. However, it will not look very different from the end product. At this stage we
meet with you providing the opportunity for feedback and any last requests for small changes
to be made to your programme. As our editing is done in-house, it is still possible to make
such changes without taking too much time.
'Final cut'
Having completed the final edit making any small changes requested by you and putting the
finishing touches to the production, the Final Cut will be shown to you for your final
approval before beginning work on duplication if required.