A television studio, also called a television production studio, is an installation room in which video productions take place, either for the production of

live television Live television is a television production broadcast in real-time, as events happen, in the present. In a secondary meaning, it may refer to streaming television over the Internet when content or programming is played continuously (not on deman ...

and its recording onto video tape or other media such as SSDs, or for the acquisition of raw footage for post-production. The design of a studio is similar to, and derived from, movie studios, with a few amendments for the special requirements of television production. A professional television studio generally has several rooms, which are kept separate for noise and practicality reasons. These rooms are connected via ' talkback' or an

intercom An intercom, also called an intercommunication device, intercommunicator, or interphone, is a stand-alone voice communications system for use within a building or small collection of buildings which functions independently of the public telephon ...

, and personnel will be divided among these workplaces.

Studio floor

The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore — Set

The studio floor is the actual stage on which the actions that will be recorded and viewed take place. A typical studio floor has the following characteristics and installations: * decoration and/or

set Set, The Set, SET or SETS may refer to: Science, technology, and mathematics Mathematics *Set (mathematics), a collection of elements *Category of sets, the category whose objects and morphisms are sets and total functions, respectively Electro ...

s *

professional video camera A professional video camera (often called a television camera even though its use has spread beyond television) is a high-end device for creating electronic moving images (as opposed to a movie camera, that earlier recorded the images on film). ...

(sometimes one, usually several), typically mounted on pedestals *

microphone A microphone, colloquially called a mic or mike (), is a transducer that converts sound into an electrical signal. Microphones are used in many applications such as telephones, hearing aids, public address systems for concert halls and publ ...

s and foldback speakers *

stage lighting Stage lighting is the craft of lighting as it applies to the production of theater, dance, opera, and other performance arts.

rigs and the associated

Lighting control console A lighting control console (also called a lightboard, lighting board, or lighting desk) is an electronic device used in theatrical lighting design to control multiple stage lights at once. They are used throughout the entertainment industry and a ...

, although it is often located in the

production control room The production control room (PCR) or studio control room (SCR) is the place in a television studio in which the composition of the outgoing program takes place. The production control room is occasionally also called an SCR or a gallerythe latt ...

(PCR) * several video monitors for visual feedback from the PCR * a small public address system for communication * a glass window between the PCR and studio floor for direct visual contact is often desired, but not always possible Late night talk show view from an audience seat

Late night talk show view from an audience seat

While a production is in progress, people composing a television crew work on the studio floor. * the on-screen presenters themselves, and any guests - the subjects of the television show. * a floor manager, who has overall charge of the studio area stage management, and who relays timing and other information from the television director. * one or more camera operators who operate the

camera A camera is an optical instrument that can capture an image. Most cameras can capture 2D images, with some more advanced models being able to capture 3D images. At a basic level, most cameras consist of sealed boxes (the camera body), with ...

s, though in some instances these can also be operated from the PCR using remotely controlled robotic pan tilt zoom camera (PTZ) heads. * possibly a teleprompter operator, especially if this is a

news broadcast News broadcasting is the medium of broadcasting various news events and other information via television, radio, or the internet in the field of broadcast journalism. The content is usually either produced locally in a radio studio or televis ...

Production control room

The production control room is the place in a television studio in which the composition of the outgoing program takes place. The production control room is occasionally also called a studio control room (SCR) or a "gallery"the latter name comes from the original placement of the director on an ornately carved bridge spanning the BBC's first studio at Alexandra Palace, which was once referred to as like a minstrels' gallery. The vast majority of devices in a PCR are interfaces for rack-mounted equipment that is located in the Central Apparatus Room (CAR).

Central apparatus room

The central apparatus room (CAR) houses equipment that is too noisy or runs too hot to be located in the

(PCR). It also makes sure that coax cable, SDI cable, Fibre optic cable or other wire lengths and installation requirements keep within manageable lengths, since most high-quality wiring runs only between devices in this room. This can include the actual circuitry and connections between: * character generator (CG) * camera control units (CCU) *

digital video effects Digital video effects (DVEs) are visual effects that provide comprehensive live video image manipulation, in the same form as optical printer effects in film. DVEs differ from standard video switcher effects (often referred to as ''analog effects' ...

(DVE) * video routers * video servers * vision mixer (video switcher) * VTRs * patch panels

Master control room

Master control Master control is the technical hub of a broadcast operation common among most over-the-air television stations and television networks. It is distinct from a production control room (PCR) in television studios where the activities such as swi ...

is the technical hub of a broadcast operation common among most over-the-air

television station A television station is a set of equipment managed by a business, organisation or other entity, such as an amateur television (ATV) operator, that transmits video content and audio content via radio waves directly from a transmitter on the ea ...

s and

television network A television network or television broadcaster is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, where a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay television providers. Until the mid ...

s. Master control is distinct from a PCR in television studios where the activities such as switching from camera to camera are coordinated. A transmission control room (TCR) is usually smaller in size and is a scaled-down version of centralcasting. The master control room in a US

is the place where the on-air signal is controlled. It may include controls to playout pre-recorded

television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication Media (communication), medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of Transmission (telecommunications), television tra ...

s and television commercials, switch local or

feeds, record

satellite A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioiso ...

feeds and monitor the transmitter(s), or these items may be in an adjacent equipment rack room. If the program is broadcast live, the signal goes from the PCR to MCR and then out to the transmitter.

Other facilities

A television studio usually has other rooms with no technical requirements beyond video monitors and studio monitors for audio. Among them are: * one or more make-up and changing rooms * a reception area for crew, talent, and visitors, commonly called the green room * an audience handling area

References

External links

{{Broadcasting Film and video technology Television terminology fr:Studio de télévision#Plateau de télévision