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Both had similar setups with mirrors in strategic places to give more depth than there really was; the EM Ironing Board really was innovative though. The well placed glass of water for the autocue control a stroke of genius.
That set was a massive departure of style for regions at the time who had been saddled with the cream and red style for a number of years. The set was largely inherited from (and I always get this wrong and noggin will I am sure check me on it!) BBC Three News (or was it still choice then?). Large mirrors were added and three back projectors plus five plasma screens. The director in charge of the project was very ambitious and the leading of sound over the Ident, plus the use of headline text straps, a shiny black floor and long tracking shots was all quite radical. A jib was tried out, but proved too unwieldy. As you can see from that clip, the biggest problem was running the pedestals over the studio floor, which was absolutely knackered and far from level! It was eventually completely replaced.
Given that at the time Bristol had a 2M/E vision mixer, limited sources (tape, manual profile server, three graphics sources) and limited matrix outputs, some compromises had to be made as to how much could be fed into the screens all at the same time. However graphics could stretch into both projectors as in this clip, or separate sources could be mixed into each. This gave quite good creativity for directors at the soft set, as each presenter could have a large image over their side of the set, or you could stretch across both for a split link. It was possible to DTL at that side of the studio too, though it could look rather imposing.
The five plasmas could all have the same source, or be fed in patterns like A-B-A-B-A. You could frame up singles with a couple of plasmas on each side or a split link on a wider shot. Susan always hated wide shots from that end of the studio towards the weather screen because the lens was very wide and the camera quite close to her, so she always felt it wasn’t very flattering.
Originally the director wanted no desk at all on the hard set, with presenters standing by the plasma wall. However, the hostess trolley desk was a late addition to the set because the pilots proved that somewhere was needed to put scripts, laptops, water and hide the autocue pedal for breakfast and weekend bulletins. Sitting down meant the plasmas were a bit high, so the cameras ended up lower on the peds than they might have been.
The afternoon news was all done standing up, with a music bed throughout, captions and the pictures running in the weather projector.
However that set lasted a good few years and was reborn with a wooden effect floor (remember them?) and relit around the mid to late 2000s.
Why have I never seen this set before, it's straight in a number two replacing the South Today News Cafe in absurd BBC regional sets. Obv the East Midlands Today Laundrette cannot be surpassed.
Both had similar setups with mirrors in strategic places to give more depth than there really was; the EM Ironing Board really was innovative though. The well placed glass of water for the autocue control a stroke of genius.
That set was a massive departure of style for regions at the time who had been saddled with the cream and red style for a number of years. The set was largely inherited from (and I always get this wrong and noggin will I am sure check me on it!) BBC Three News (or was it still choice then?). Large mirrors were added and three back projectors plus five plasma screens. The director in charge of the project was very ambitious and the leading of sound over the Ident, plus the use of headline text straps, a shiny black floor and long tracking shots was all quite radical. A jib was tried out, but proved too unwieldy. As you can see from that clip, the biggest problem was running the pedestals over the studio floor, which was absolutely knackered and far from level! It was eventually completely replaced.
Given that at the time Bristol had a 2M/E vision mixer, limited sources (tape, manual profile server, three graphics sources) and limited matrix outputs, some compromises had to be made as to how much could be fed into the screens all at the same time. However graphics could stretch into both projectors as in this clip, or separate sources could be mixed into each. This gave quite good creativity for directors at the soft set, as each presenter could have a large image over their side of the set, or you could stretch across both for a split link. It was possible to DTL at that side of the studio too, though it could look rather imposing.
The five plasmas could all have the same source, or be fed in patterns like A-B-A-B-A. You could frame up singles with a couple of plasmas on each side or a split link on a wider shot. Susan always hated wide shots from that end of the studio towards the weather screen because the lens was very wide and the camera quite close to her, so she always felt it wasn’t very flattering.
Originally the director wanted no desk at all on the hard set, with presenters standing by the plasma wall. However, the hostess trolley desk was a late addition to the set because the pilots proved that somewhere was needed to put scripts, laptops, water and hide the autocue pedal for breakfast and weekend bulletins. Sitting down meant the plasmas were a bit high, so the cameras ended up lower on the peds than they might have been.
The afternoon news was all done standing up, with a music bed throughout, captions and the pictures running in the weather projector.
However that set lasted a good few years and was reborn with a wooden effect floor (remember them?) and relit around the mid to late 2000s.
