Okay, ready camera.

Roll server.

 Quiet on the set

5...4...3...2...1. 

{ANCHOR 1}  Good morning, and welcome to NHS NEWS!

Students often blame our news anchors for the mishaps that can happen on a live show, but there is a lot more going on, off camera, that people don't know about. 

Our studio has two rooms:  a control room and a studio. There are five areas students must man In the back room:  the teleprompter, the graphics server, the video server, sound, and a person in charge of everyone doing these jobs, the tech director.  That person decides when to bring up the graphics, when to roll videos, communicates with a floor director about sound checks, and make sure everyone does their jobs. 

The teleprompter operator is the one in charge of  the script the anchors read, and this person completes scripts and rundowns of the show the morning of the broadcast, making sure everyone gets a copy before we go live. They also scroll through the script  during the show so  anchors read it while looking in the camera. This brings us to our next room....

The studio houses the cameras and is also where the live report comes from. As for duties, there's a floor director, anchors, and two camera operators. Most people understand what the anchors do,  but camera operators have a lot of responsibility too.  Cameras are on huge dollies that need to be "trucked" or wheeled into the right position during the show. Camera people need to get to the right spot before the tech director can showcase what they film, and their shots must give enough room on the side of the anchors for OTS (over the shoulder) graphics. Floor directors must communicate with the tech director. If they don't,  it can lead to complete chaos. They tell anchors which camera to look at and when to start talking, and help camera people move the cameras and pan to get the best shot. 

When we don't communicate or are rude to each other, it causes everyone to mess up. No matter what part you play, if you forget to do something because you are dwelling on the argument, anchors might not say the right words or get distracted.  You,  the audience, will catch this distraction, and it may affect your viewing experience. 

{ANCHOR 1} That's all for today, Northern.

{ANCHOR 2} Have a great day!

~Jenna Williams