The Last Night of the Proms' TV director tells all ...
Post categories: Proms
| 14:53 UK Time, Wednesday, 16 September 2009
Directing 'The Last Night' is one of those things you dream about as a director. It's an amazing event to work on. My responsibility was for the music coverage in the hall.
Saturday was the end of a very busy few weeks of technical planning, liaising over camera positions, getting hold of the correct scores and information, followed by many hours spent scripting. This last process is enerally undertaken at my dining table:Ìýwith headphones on and listening to the music, and with a head full of creative ideas, ÌýI plan the camera shots and where they willÌýhappen, marking these details on my scores.
Watch the Last Night of the Proms, Proms in the Park and other Prom concerts
For 'The Last Night' I had 13 cameras, including 3 jibs (long arms, with the camera mounted on the end, that can swing around and crane up and down) - a brilliant and highly skilled crew of camera, sound, vision and lighting technicians, designers and engineers - together with the fantastic team of script-supervisor, Claire Mathias, and vision-mixer, Hilary Briegel.
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Thursday and Friday was spent mainly at Ö÷²¥´óÐã Maida Vale studios attending the orchestra's rehearsals - a chance to check my camera script was OK with what was being played, and an opportunity to talk with conductor, David Robertson,Ìýabout any questions I had.
And then it's Saturday...
Once on-site, my homeÌýis inside a TV production truck full of television screens showing all the camera pictures and other feeds. The crew, listening on their headphones, can hear my instructions, with Claire calling out shot numbers and counting down bars, guiding the cameras. And Hilary's sitting at the desk between us, her fingers on the mixer buttons cutting the cameras with accuracy and skill. On "The Last Night" there were around 1600 scripted music shots, plus many more "as-directed" that I'd call at the time, to cover the 'walk-ons' and applause etc.ÌýÌýÌýÌý
The day started with a 9am TV and radio production meeting, then a catch-up with Vince, camera supervisor, to check the rig had gone OK, say 'hello' to the crew, and a wander round the stage to confirm the layout was as expected. And then at 1030 it was into a 3hr orchestra rehearsal. This is the only opportunity to rehearse shots and see how it works for television. But I don't have control over which pieces are played. This is David Robertson's rehearsal, so we can only follow 'TV-wise' what he wants to rehearse for 'music'. Some pieces are just topped and tailed, which means we can only rehearse a few opening and closing shots. The first time we get to hear and see it all is when it's happening live on air on the night. Seat of the pants stuff that makes live TV so exciting!ÌýÌýÌýÌý
The rest of the day was tightly scheduled with numerous other rehearsals and meetings, a camera conference at 5pm when I ran through changes with the crew. And then it was a case of getting ready for the live show, checking all outstanding issues had been resolved, that my script was up to date with any rewrites and in order. A quick bite to eat, and back in the truck at 1900 ready for final rehearsals of the opening sequence with the presentation truck next door, and at 1930 the titles roll and we're live on-air!Ìý
Watch the Last Night of the Proms, Proms in the Park and other Prom concerts
Matt Woodward is a freelance TV director
Comment number 1.
At 16th Sep 2009, kleines c wrote:I thought that you did a fine job, Matt, and the television coverage of the music was superb. Out of interest, how do you measure the success of such a broadcast?
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