Multi Camera Job Roles.

Duties - Duties are the tasks an individual should do within their role, these

tasks are required due to their positioning in hierarchy and their job role. An example with someone who needs to fulfill duties would be someone like myself, a student. I am obligated to come to school on time, meet deadlines bring correct equipment to class etc. This is because it is my duty to do so. These duties are general ones which everyone should really have, it does not separate the individual from anyone else as they are generic duties. 

Skills - Skills are different in the sense that everyone has their own niche and specific set of skills to help better themselves within their job roles. They are elements that reflect your personality that help you perform effectively in your job role. 

Hierarchies - Hierarchies are based on how a production team is organised. An example of a hierarchy would be based on the fixed structure of a school. It would go from the head teacher, deputy heads, heads of departments, head of years, teachers etc. In the case of multi camera job roles  there are again many different job roles which are in a structured list of hierarchy. Each role as a specific set of attributes and duties which are needed in a multi camera production. The image below represents the hierarchy of jobs that are needed in a multi camera production. From most highest to the lowest. This however does not mean certain jobs are more important.They are all needed at some point for the production to run smoothly. 

Camera Operator

Camera operators need to have a range of skills to fulfill this specific job role. It is of a high expectation that they are done to the highest of standards with great flair and initiative 

Skills that are needed from a camera operator would be to: 

- Support a directors view and carry out any tasks set accurately regarding the que of the shot and the type of the shot. This must be done precisely to ensure they are getting exactly what the director wants. They also have great control over what is being shown on the televisions, so if what was shot was not good enough or exciting enough, it would not fulfill the viewers interests in the show. 

- A clear idea on how to use the equipment available to them. Although it may sound obvious it is very important for the camera operator to actually know how to operate the camera. If the operate didn't know what to do it would be disastrous and cause many problems such as disturbance throughout live feed.

-  An operator should be highly skilled and qualified to work on set with the equipment. Without any good knowledge of qualification in IT skills an operator wouldn't know what he is doing so it is important that in case of a problem due to the cameras someone will know what to do about it. 

- Camera operators must be able to have good communication skills and the patience to work for long hours along with other team members. When working on set it can take a long time. This would mean constant working around the same people all day. They must be able to communicate along with floor managers to other people politely and in a stern manner to ensure the job is done. This makes the working environment have a better atmosphere

- Have good colour vision and hand-eye co-ordination. When working with equipment and handing out instructions you need to be really quiet as the action is taking place on set. Having good colour vision can also help due to the fact the colours could 

- A final skill would be to have a clear idea and understanding regarding the rules and safety regulations. When working with loads of people, space becomes limited with the hazards of lose wires and expensive equipment laying around everywhere. Everyone on set must be wary of their surroundings to limit any accidents at work. Knowing the drills in case of a fire is also important so they know where to go and not to panic.  

Camera operators are one of many jobs which are vital for a multi camera production. It is their duty to fulfill a range of jobs which are required in this role of work.

These duties are:

- To make sure they have the correct equipment on them if the director has a change of heart on what the location may be etc. If no camera equipment is on hand there would be no footage on the camera to air on television, this would be a massive problem. 

- Full knowledge of the camera script that has been given to them which involve the script of camera movement and shots. This is also very important, if the camera operator does not follow the script given certain shots would be missed and will confuse the audience. An example of this would be if it was a game or talent show, if the operator does not follow the script or movement correctly he/she would miss the reaction shot that cannot be done again. 

- Must be prompt on set - If the operator is late the whole production would be behind especially if it is live television. This causes a knock on effect as if the recording is held back so is the airing of the programme.

On the hierarchy system for a multi camera production the camera operator would come second i feel as without them there would be no footage to view. However they are below a director as they have not got much of a say on what they want to film and how they want to film it.  

When doing some research into the job of a camera operator i had come across a recent case study from June 2013 of somebody who had been in the job. It really shows the progression of somebody and how it benefited them. This is the Case Study of a Camera Operator : Brian. It clearly states that Brian had to keep up with the technology, especially particular camera formats for example HD, new lenses and lights etc. It also states that he had to have a widened knowledge of the sound equipment, this is because he says that "shooting with a sound man is becoming more common these days due to budget cuts" 

Director 

The director is the most important job when being part of a multi camera
production.Without this particular role it will become messy with no order and no one to enforce the hierarchy system The director would also need a set of skills to qualify for the job. These skills would be

- To be patient with their crew and actors. Working with people all day can be rather stressful if they are not level headed and relaxed. Other crew members and actors should also be wary of the fact that the director has more of a senior role than them which would mean that they should follow instructions the first time. 

- Financial and Marketing knowledge. When planning a production there may be a lot of expense and also the visuals for the viewer at home. This is important as television is all about visuals, if the aesthetic element is not there it could bore the viewers which could lead to a lack of viewers in the long run.  

- Clear and good communication skills. Directors must be precise on what they want but in an understandable manner for everyone to understand. If the allocated task is not clear enough it could cause massive confusion to the crew which could lead to a mishap during filming. 

- Develop a good understanding of what they want. If the director is indecisive of what he/she wants nothing will get done on time. They needs to have a crystal clear understanding of what they want to show to viewers and a lot of planning 

The Duties a Director should hold are:

- Good clear concise knowledge of the script in hand - The director must knows when cuts go where and what shots go where. They need to delegate the specific jobs to people regarding the script. So if there was a light change in the script the director MUST be aware of it to tell the people at the lighting desk  

- To be on time or maybe even earlier on set - Directors need to be punctual as they have the highest authority in the hierarchy system. They are in full control of the set and make sure that everything is on target for a day of shooting. 

- To put the company first at all times and avoid any conflict of confrontation between themselves and any other companies. -  The director must keep level headed in the television industry and must not rise to any conflict between themselves and another company. This would be unprofessional and could lead to unnecessary drama at work. 

In the hierarchy system, The director would be at the top of the list. They have the most power and authority when it comes to a multi camera production. Without the director the production could become pear shaped and have no order within the studio. They are in charge of what is done and how its done. 

When doing some research for the director I had come across a specific case study for the director of Eastenders. This told me that the director should act as an "enabler" allowing team members to express the way they do things. They also need to be well prepared in order to guide his cast and crew, creating a bubble bursting of talented individuals. The director works with everyone involved with the production guiding them into the vision he/she has created. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/production/article/art20130702112135220

Lighting Desk 

Individuals that manage the lighting task also contribute a great amount to the

multi camera production. They have full responsibility of the lighting on set. Like the other job roles they must hold a specific set of skills to qualify for the job 

- They must have a good eye and pay attention to detail when given instructions. Lighting desks have a lot of buttons that lead to certain commands. There attention must be sharp to know which button they are pressing and when. If not paying attention they could press the wrong button which could either mess up or delay the lighting command from the director. 

- Must have an extensive knowledge of the equipment they have on set. Lighting desks can be heavy on the eye and look very confusing to someone who has not got an idea to how to use it. It is very important that the person in charge of them knows what he/she is doing. If they didn't it could mess up the lighting which could lead to a disaster when filming either live or not. 

- Good colour vision. Lighting is all about colour and the intensity of the light. The director could request a more tinted blue lighting, as this colour is not an obvious one the person in charge of the lighting must have good eyesight to be able to tell what colour is what. 

- Good memory. There are loads of non labelled buttons on the lighting desk so it is important for the man or woman in charge to remember what button means what 

- Health and Safety must be well known. - They are constantly around electrics which would mean they would need to be wary when working in case of an accident. 

There are also a list of particular duties someone should possess whilst having this particular job role. These duties are 

- Must be prompt when working on set. They need to be early to prep for the rest of the day. They haven't really got any time to waste so the earlier the better

- It is their duty to manage the lighting budget and help to advise on the purchase or hire of certain equipment. They must know what to do and what equipment is needed on set. As they are on a budget it is important that they know what they're about to spend their money on.

- Review footage shots with the director. It is their duty to look through footage with the director to ensure all lighting is done correctly or whether they need to change anything, which means re doing shots. 

- Assemble lighting equipment together - no one else on set would know what to do when assembling the lighting together it would only be a safety hazard for someone who does not know what they are doing 

The hierarchy that this particular job is placed in third place just under the director and the camera operator. The lighting is important because without it the camera quality shown on screen would look rubbish as it would be too dark. 

A particular case study I came across regarding someone that works on a lighting desk is shown on the link below

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/case_studies_lighting_technician_broadcasting_film_video_case_study_1.htm. This particular link has a mini study which shows the qualification this individual had and how he himself enjoys this specific job role. 

Sound Mixer 

The sound mixer is important as he/she is responsible for all the recording

made throughout the day and the correct sounds needed when shooting specific shots. The skills they must inhibit are as follows -  They must know how to operate a sound mixing table. If they don't know what they are doing it could lead to a mishap when recording the sounds.- Follow commands at a clear and concise level. They need to know when the sounds need to be played to ensure they are played at the right time so the production runs smoothly, especially in the case of a live programme 

- Must have a good memory to remember what buttons mean what. Like the lighting desk every button is not labeled which would mean a good memory to remember what button does what. 

- They must have good skills on how to record and mix certain CDs, MP3s or tapes together which good flow to not disrupt any recording on set. They must be aware of what the director wants and if the music or any sound effect is not on target it could make the whole thing look very unprofessional 

- They must be fully aware of all safety rules and regulations. In case of emergency they would need to what to do and how to do it. Safety is really important in the work place and without it could really cause harm to the people around them 

The duties that a person working behind the sound mixer would be as follows 

- Good knowledge of the script. They must know their ques of when they need to play the specific sounds. Without this knowledge it could mess up the flow which could lead to a limited amount of time to fix things or re record. They must also know when they should put sound down or up. 

- Be on time to set with all the correct equipment on hand. If their is no one prompt on set regarding sound there will be a massive set back on the shooting of the production. 

Someone who is in charge of the sound would come in the same place as someone in charge of the lights in the hierarchy. They are both important aspects towards a multi camera production and without them there would be know way of creating a good production. 

I had come across a case study which was written by someone who had fitted into this particular job role. When reading it i noticed that it wouldn't be something i would want to be part of as it says that the job itself can be "stressful" and "pressured". It also stated that i needed to have a good idea of what the latest electronics are out. I am not as well up to date with this particular element which would mean that i am not cut out for this specific job role and will not apply for it in the future. 

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/case_studies_sound_technician_broadcasting_film_video_case_study_2.htm

Vision Mixer. 

Vision mixers are often in charge of what people at home see on their televisions.

They edit the show ensuring that all the correct and interesting shots are shown at home to viewers. The required skills for this job are: - They must know how to edit and use the software on hand to enable them too edit. If he/she does not know what they are doing when it comes to editing the show would look unprofessional and would really lose a lot of viewers due to the lack of professionalism. The knowledge of the software is vital and must be known to ensure that the editing will be done at a fast pace. 

-Must be able to carry out more than one task than once. They would need to listen tot he commands of the director, look at the screens to see what needs to be changed. If this is not done correctly the focus could be lost which would then mean there is a lack of detail in the editing. 

- Must have a good eye. Attention to detail and knowing what part of the production is the best bit is very important. This would mean that every little thing that is needed will be in the multi camera production at  a very good level. 

The vision mixer also has a set of duties which are needed

- To be able to communicate well with the director. They need to have a mutual understanding with the director and must follow what his orders are. communication is key when it comes to a team. 

- Overlook their technical team. They need to make sure that their teams knows what they are doing and how they should do it. This would mean ensuring that all their work is up to scratch and at a good quality.

-Be ready for a long day at work. A vision mixer would mean that they would need to be on target with the best attention all day everyday no matter how long they work. 

In the hierarchy system the vision mixer would come third place again but ahead of the lighting and sound team. This would be because this particular job role works closely with the director out the three. If there were any problems to do with the lighting or the sound they would go to the vision mixer and if he/she cant do anything about the problem they would ask the director. 

The BBC here explains in a nutshell that "if you hesitate, you've missed a shot". This quote by  Naomi Neufeld had told me that in this job there is no time to properly think about whether to keep the shot or not. Once its gone its gone, which proves that it would be one of the toughest jobs for me as i feel that i wouldn't be too certain on whether i would want that cut or not. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/production/article/art20130702112135766

Set Designer

Set designers are usually in charge of what the set looks like. They have complete

control over where the people on stage will go along with props, furniture etc. The key skills a set designer would need to possess would be:- Must have amazing designing skills. The whole point of a set designer is to make the set look visually appealing to the audience at home. They must have a good eye for what they want to show on television.

-Good leadership qualities. When working on set amongst other people you are in charge of what they do and how they do it. You must show that you can handle a group of people in a calm manner. 

-To take on constructive criticism. The director would want some input on the set and will tell you how he/she wants it to be done. Instead of taking any comments to offence you should take them on board and apply them to the work already created. 

- To have a good sense of initiative. If something goes wrong due to a prop the set designer would need to have quick thinking and quickly revert the problem as there is no time to lose whilst on set.

The duties a set designer would need to abide by are

- To create an interesting "look" for the set. If the set looks boring it will not be visually engaging for the audience at home. 

- Discuss any ideas made with the director. The set designer would need to confer with the director his or hers vision for how the set looks. If the director does not like it they wont be able to go through with it as the director is at the top of the hierarchy. 

- To maintain the look of the set. It is vital the set looks perfect and pristine throughout the day to keep up with the continuity of the production and the general look of the set 

In the hierarchy system the set designer in my opinion would come in fourth place just under the vision and lighting desk. I feel this way as it isnt such a huge deal if the set was on a really low budget. The main budget would go towards camera etc. 

I had come across this particular questionnaire that a set designer had answered regarding how her job as helped her and what this job role involes. http://www.stagejobspro.com/uk/casestudy.php?uid=2818&user_uid=283576 . I found out to be entitled for this job role you would need to be creative and be able to "work outside the box" which in itself is seems like loads of fun 

Graphics Generator 

The graphics generator is in charge of what graphics should be aired/displayed.
This can also involve the animations shown on screen. The dutied a graphic generator should possess are as follows- Have full knowledge on how to use software and the computers. If the designer did not know how to use the software handed to them it could really slow the process down to create any particular graphics the director has ordered. 

- Must know how to edit. Editing is very important to ensure the production looks slick and clean. Without good editing skills the production can look very unprofessional 

- Must have a good sense of creativity. The ability to think out of the box with fresh new ideas will really make the production memorable. A lack of creativity and flair could potentially loose out on viewers as they have probably seen it before. 

- To be able to work well in a team. Being a team player is important and can really cause a drift between the members of the crew if no body is putting the effort in 

The duties required for a graphics generator would be. 

- That all equipment is set up beforehand to ensure that everything is ready for a busy day ahead. This would keep the graphic generator on top of the production schedule 

- They must also be punctual. Being on time is important when working with a team that relies on your skills. Especially if your the only person that knows the ropes in this specific job title 

- They must fulfill all safety regulations when on the premises.

In the hierarchy system the graphic generator would partner up with the set designer the graphic generator would work alongside the director at some points as they will confer with each other about what they want.

Floor Manager 

The floor manager is someone who is control of the set when the filming is going

on. They give strict instructions from the director to the camera operators presenters etc. This however must be done using only gestures as it would be live.The skills a floor manager should have are as follows- Have to be able to communicate well without sound. The floor manager is under a strict silence as they cannot be heard on the camera. - Organization is key. They need to keep calm and composed when on the floor and make sure that everything is organized. 

- Good leadership skills. They must be able to lead a group of people in a polite way to ensure that everyone is treated fairly. 

They also have a set of duties which they would need to uphold these duties would be.

- Make sure the set is clear and easily accessible to ensure that all safety regulation are in play.

- Must be able to follow the script at follows to ensure that everything is up to date and done correctly  

- Must be reliable and on time to make sure that everyone is in their allocated position. 

In the hierarchy system the floor manager would come 5th place beneath the graphic generator and the set designer. realistically a production like this would not need this specific job 

VT operator 

VT Operators are in control of getting all the film ready for airing on television. The

key skills needed for this particular job would be. -To be able to communicate and interact with other team members. They must be aware of what is going on so communication would be key in this instance. With lack of communication the VT operator would be clueless on what they are doing - Be able to work in tense situations whilst working under pressure. The video operator must know what they are doing as it can really build pressure as the day goes on. 

- Must be able to use the equipment given at a excellent level. If they dont know what they are doing on know how to do it, there would be no footage to show on television.

The duties needed would be as follows below:

- To be able to communicate with the director. The director and VT operator would need to work hand in hand as it will need the directors opinion on what will be shown etc etc

-Must make sure they have the correct tapes on hand to ensure they are fully prepped for a day of footage. If they dint the day would be a complete waste and nothing will be done.

- To be reliable. They need to be trust worthy so the director can ensure that they will be on target with the tapes at all times.

In the hierarchy system the VT operator would come second to last however they are still important and will be working alongside the director. 

Presenter.

The presenter is somebody or more than one person which would be the face of

the show. They will be the ones in front of the camera presenting to the audience. They are there to entertain the audience so they feel more engaged and more interacted with the programme. The skills a presenter must have are as follows below
-To be able to grab the audience. Communication and energy are very important for a presenter. They are designed to ensure that the people at home are enticed by whats on the television. If there is no energy the atmosphere becomes boring which could result in a lack of viewers.

- Know what the show is about. The presenter must have all information of the show on standby as they are are ones that are delivering it to the viewers at home. if they don't know what they are talking about the show could look very unprofessional. 

- Confidence is key. The presenter must have a voice to engage the audience. This really makes the viewer feel welcomed into watching the show.

The duties needed for a presenter would be

-  Remember the script on hand - It is important that the presenter knows what needs to be said when on set, remembering a day beforehand for a day of shooting is good as it speeds up the process and shows that the presenter is on target.

- Be prompt. They must be on time to every set production as the show cannot move on without he or she.

- To be reliable. Like the other roles the presenter must be reliable. Without the presneter there would be nothing to show on television which would make the whole day a waste of time. The presenter must be in at all times when the director needs them.

On the hierarchy system the presenter would come at the bottom unfortunately. This would be because they don't really have much say on the going ons behind set. Although they are heard they may not be taken seriously as they probably don't know what other jobs require.