production

Carols from Kings – behind the scenes

The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from Kings College, Cambridge, was first held on Christmas Eve 1918. Its fame grew after the service was heard on radio in 1928 and, with the exception of 1930, it has been broadcast at home and abroad ever since. In 1954 Christmas Carols from Kings was televised on Christmas Day as part of a live exchange of programmes with other countries with Midnight Mass coming from Paris on Christmas Eve and Winter Games from Switzerland on Boxing Day.

RTS London hears how AI has plugged programming gaps

In late August, RTS London invited a panel of Arrow representatives, chaired by Muki Kulhan, to explain how the factual indie did it.

Production executive Carrie Pennifer explained that lockdown had meant no shooting or access to the edit suite, and everyone working remotely. Post-production manager Kyran Speirs had more than 20 unfinished programmes to deliver.

Mental health needs to be a priority in the TV industry, urges industry professionals at RTS online event

Nearly nine in every 10 people working in the sector have experienced mental health problems, according to research from The Film and TV Charity, which co-hosted the online event in early June.

“That is significantly higher than the UK population as a whole, where the figure is 65%,” said Alex Pumfrey, CEO of the charity. “There is a much higher prevalence of mental health problems for people working within film and television.”

She added: “More than half of people working in the industry have considered taking their own life.”

Back in Production - Unlocking the TV Production industry in a COVID-19 world

The guidelines provide practical suggestions for assessing and managing the risk of coronavirus (COVID-19) whilst in production, but in practical terms what are the biggest challenges? How are different departments having to innovate? What is the impact on the finished product? What at the biggest challenges? How are we balancing physical and mental well-being of cast and crew? And what learnings can be shared between productions and between countries?

Our Friend in the North West: Cat Lewis talks production centres in the UK

Cat Lewis

As TV producers, we’re facing more global competition than ever before. Whenever they wish, viewers can watch one of many programmes from around the world on Netflix or Amazon, rather than one of our shows. Or they can stream or download dozens of feature films available via their TV sets.

I genuinely believe that the best response to this difficult situation is to embrace the creativity of the whole country, and not just rely on London­based programme-makers.

Belfast workshops season a ‘huge success’

The "project children" featured in the documentary "How To Defuse a Bomb – The Project Children Story" (Credit: RTÉ)

Alleycats head of production Judy Wilson kicked off the season with the session, “How to manage a production”. Over almost five years at the indie, she has worked on many projects, including the BBC NI/ RTÉ documentary, How to Defuse a Bomb: The Project Children Story.

 

Ryan Kernaghan, the director of photography on revenge thriller Bad Day for the Cut, offered a crash course in camera and lightning techniques, explaining to the students in the audience how they should prepare for a shoot. 

 

Leeds hosts RTS masterclasses with Hollyoaks production team

(Credit: Channel 4)

More than 150 students from 20 universities heard Lime Pictures’ Hollyoaks production team and a panel from Leeds-based factual indie True North give two masterclasses. Both panels stressed the importance of work experience placements as a way in to the industry.

 

True North development producer Eleanor Wight, editor Luke Rothery and Hollyoaks editor Jake Whiston were all snapped up as a result of successful placements.