Podcasting (A cast for your pod)

What is 'Podcasting'?
Podcasting, created by former MTV VJ Adam Curry, is a term that was devised as a crisp way to describe the technology used to push audio content from websites down to consumers of that content, who typically listen to it on their iPod (hence the "pod") or other audio player that supports mp3 at their convenience. The term podcasting is meant to rhyme with broadcasting and is a derivative of the iPod platform. While not directly associated with Apple's iPod device or iTunes music service, the company did contribute both the desire and the technology for this capability. Podcasting is not unlike time-shifted video software and devices like TiVo, which let you watch what you want when you want by recording and storing video, except that podcasting is used for audio and is currently free of charge.

Podcasting is an automatic mechanism whereby multimedia computer files are transferred from a server to a client, which pulls down XML files containing the Internet addresses of the media files. In general, these files contain audio or video, but also could be images, text, PDF, or any file type.

The content provider begins by making a file. (for example, an MP3 audio file) This is usually done by posting the file on a webserver. The files may be available to the general public or may only be available to certain users.

The content provider then announces the existence of that file by referencing it in another file known as the feed. The feed is a list of the URLs by which episodes of the podcast may be accessed. This list is usually published in RSS format, which provides other information, such as publish date, titles, and accompanying text descriptions of the series and each of its episodes. The feed may contain entries for all episodes in a series, but is typically limited to a short list of the most recent episodes, as is the case with many news feeds. Standard podcasts consist of a feed from one author. More recently, multiple authors have been able to contribute episodes to a single podcast feed using concepts such as social podcasting.

The content provider posts the feed on a webserver. The location at which the feed is posted is expected to be permanent.

(Wikipedia)

So what's so special about it?
It opens up content to those wanting to consume it. It takes linear media into a non-linear media environment and as a result, it offers more choice to it's audience.
Choice and power are so important to media companies as it is these factors that determine how they run their channel, station, website etc.


What does it mean to broadcasters?
It means that they can utilise the internet, the public's personal devices and computers to enable consumers to access more of their content which, overall, will boost their brand , ratings and figures.
Podcasting opens up other doors for broadcasters. There may be a charge applied to some podcasts due to content which could supply another form of revenue for the broadcaster.

Podcasts are not just for broadcasters though, many companies are beginning to see podcasting as a whole new business strategy.

A certain airline company has offered free pre-loaded Mp3 players as an incentive to use their premium services. Passengers received a corporate branded MP3 player preloaded with an audio magazine about other destinations served the airline.

A luxury car manufacturer offered MP3 players to encourage customers to take test drives. The players were preloaded with an audio infomercial with customer testimonials and interviews with engineers and designers.

A financial institution gave away MP3 players to new customers as an incentive. The players were loaded with an audio magazine giving valuable advice on investment and money management strategies.

National Semi Conductor issued 8500 video iPods to staff. National Semi Conductor has identified podcasting as the most effective way to communicate and train their staff.

(http://podcastmatters.wordpress.com/)


What is typically found on a Podcast?
Podcasts can be about anything the author likes. Often podcasts are extensions of shows already running. For example, BBC Radio 1's Podcast and the Adam and Joe podcast on Xfm (Check out the clip below).

Podcasts can also be news based. Below is an excerpt from the Columbia Journalism Review explaining how the Pentagon are using Podcasts to inform the public about the Iraq war...

"..."new teams of people” at the Pentagon “will begin working to ‘develop messages’ for the domestic 24-hour news cycle.”

But what might that mean? CNN.com followed up, and reported that the new operation is to have four branches: New Media, Rapid Response, TV and Radio Booking, and Surrogates. The idea is to massage the domestic media coverage of the war and of the Pentagon in general.
For example, the New Media branch will create “products and distribute information” for the Internet, as well as through podcasting, DVDs and Web sites, including YouTube."

Podcasts do not just have to be audio based. Quite often, podcasts are in the form of a video. Video podcasts range from small sections of an already popular show, instructions on how to make or do something or diary like casts.

User Generated Content (The Journalist's Nemesis)

We are now entering a new era of journalism, and I don't use the term 'WE' lightly.

'User Generated Content' (UGC) is enabling more information from direct sources of interest to be consumed than ever before.

Potentially gone are the days that an agency would send a journalist to cover a story and retrieve photographs, video and copy to be reported on a major network. Now, thanks to advances in personal portable technology and social utilities such as 'Youtube' and 'Facebook', everyday people who happen to be in the right place at the right time can capture the information and broadcast it to whoever wishes to view it.

One of my first and most vivid experiences of seeing UGC broadcast by a major network was the coverage of the 2000 Concorde disaster. After running over a piece of debris on the runway, Concorde's fuel tank was ruptured which sent hundreds of gallons of jet fuel straight into the afterburner during takeoff, as a result, Concorde could not gain hight or speed and subsequently crashed killing everyone on board. Obviously due to the fact that a plane taking off is nothing special nowadays, no-one save maybe an aircraft fanatic was watching the takeoff. The only captured footage of the accident was done so by two tourists driving near the airport who happened to be filming their journey.

As a result, the major broadcasters all used this footage to detail their stories. This raises certain questions, what does this men for journalists and camera crews? Is footage, photographs and print captured by the public suitable for broadcast morally and technically? And are broadcasters willing to sacrifice quality to bring as much information as possible to as many people as possible.

For details regarding standards that broadcasters must consider when using UGC, please view the BBC Editorial Guidelines.

NEWS DESK MWAH HA HA!!! - Amazon Debuts Digital Book Reader (Because the real thing just ain't good enough...)

"Online retailer Amazon has unveiled an own-brand wireless electronic book reader called Kindle. The paperback-sized device is on sale immediately in the US for $399 (£195). It can store up to 200 books in its on board memory."

But here's the interesting part. The 'Kindle' has no need for wires to be able to receive the information, it takes on the information via wireless connector.

So what does this mean for literature and printing? The digital book reader has some very impressive and more importantly, useful features. It has a keyboard at it's base which allows the user to annotate on the literature they are reading, it can not only store books, but papers, magazines and blogs. Kindle is also potentially very quick at downloading. Amazon reported that it took less than a minute to download a whole book.

The benefits to this system are enormous, a main one that comes to mind is the use in academics. If a student can hold all the relevant texts they will be studying on one device and have the ability to make notes while studying, this system could lend itself to a huge educational market. Other key uses may be in business, a company could use the kindle to store documents for meetings and briefs, it could also be used a database.

So it looks like the bringing together of hand held devices, the internet and literature seems to be a hit, but what will you do with your book ends?

All sources from www.bbc.co.uk/technology and amazon.com.

Television Production Roles (Casualty)

Below is a list of production roles from the BBC medical drama 'Casualty'. Along with the list you will find a brief description of each role.

Executive producer: is a major role in the entertainment industry. Executive producers vary in involvement, responsibility and power. Some executive producers have hands-on control over every aspect of production, some supervise the producers of a project, some manage the financial aspect of the project, while others are involved in name only.

Production Executive: Not necessarily involved in the technical aspect of production but overseas the aspect of production as a whole.

Series Producer: The Series Producer will be on hand to help produce most aspects of production throughout the entire series of production. They are creatively minded and have excellent organisational skills.

Producers: Coordinate and control all aspects of production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking. It is often the producer who is responsible for the show's overall quality and survivability, though the roles depend on the particular show or organization.

Associate Producer: Usually acts as a representative of the Producer, who may share financial, creative, or administrative responsibilities, delegated from that producer. Often, a title granted as a courtesy or to one who made a major financial or creative contribution to the production.

Series Editor: The series editor is a major role within a television shows production and post production. The Series Editor will work closely with the script editor and director to ensure that the final cut meets the standard and requirements laid out by the Executive Producer, as well as humanly possible. The role of the series editor is very creative. They are expected to give the show the 'look and feel' that is required and to make sure that the shows follow a consistent pattern.

Script Editor: The script editor has many responsibilities including finding new script writers, developing storyline and series ideas with writers, and ensuring that scripts are suitable for production. The script editor will work closely with the writer at each draft of their script, giving the writer feedback on the quality of their work, suggesting improvements that can be made whilst also ensuring that practical issues like show continuity and correct running time are adhered to. Unlike the writers, script editors will usually be full-time members of the production team, working closely with the producers.

Director: A television director is usually responsible for directing the actors and other filmed aspects of a television production. His role differs from that of a film director because the major creative control will likely belong to the producer. In general, the actors and other regular artists on a show will be familiar enough with their roles that the director's input will be confined to technical issues. The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live (as in a news broadcast or sports event) or filmed/taped (as in a dramatic production).
In both types of productions, the director is responsible for supervising the placement of cameras (camera blocking), lighting elements, microphones, and props.

Assistant Director (AD): is a person who helps the director in the production of the show. The duties of an AD include setting the shooting schedule, tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, arrival of cast and crew, maintaining order on the set, rehearsing cast, and directing extras.

Script Supervisor: Responsible for maintaining the show's continuity. In the most basic description, the script supervisor is the editor's and writer's representative on set, as well as being the right hand aide to the director. It is the script supervisor's job to make sure that at the end of the day the show can be cut together. In that sense, they back up every department, monitor the script during shooting and make sure that errors in continuity do not occur that would prevent the show from being able to be compiled in the editing room.

Location Manager: The Location Manager is responsible for the finding and securing locations to be used and coordinating the logistics involved for the production to successfully complete its necessary work. They are also the face of the production to the community and responsible for addressing the issues that may arise due to the production's impact on the community.

Unit Manager:
The Unit manager along with assisting in finding the location, manages the unit while at that location. Often also skilled in risk assessment detailing and first aid.

2^nd assistant Director: Assists the director by taking a 2nd unit out to shoot less key scenes or scenes that have to be shot at the same time as others due to time constraints.

3^rd Assistant Director: Similar to 2nd assistant. Can assist directors on an organisational basis.

Production Co-coordinator: The Production co-coordinator's roles will often very from project to project, but common roles/responsibilities include the co-ordination of the television crew with assignment of studio space and equipment by means of accurate day-to-day schedules. Designs sets and lights for television programs and makes ground plans, elevations, etc. The Production Co-coordinator will also sometimes act as a supervisor to the Location Manager.

Runners: are the most junior members of a television crew. They are responsible for fetching and carrying and doing most of the donkey-work of a production. Their role is usually to support anyone who needs help in a variety of ways, until such time as they have learned enough to assume more responsibilities.

Production designer: is the person with the responsibility of the visual appearance of a production. They design, plan, organize, and arrange set design, equipment availability, as well as the on screen appearance a production will have. A production designer is often referred to also as the set designer, or scenic designer. The set designer is responsible for collaborating with the theatre director to create an environment for the production and then communicating the details of this environment to the technical director, scenic artist and props master.

Art Director's: The Art Director will work directly below the Production Designer, and above the set designer and set decorator. A large part of the art directors roles include the administrative duties attached to the Art Department of a show. They are responsible for assigning tasks to other personnel, keeping track of the art departments budgeting, schedules and overall quality control.

Properties Buyer: The Properties Buyer key role, is to locate and purchase any props needed for the production. The properties buyer will be working to a tight budget and will need to be able to supply props to the standard required, often within a tight deadline.

Properties Master: This role incorporates the maintenance, storage and handling of any props being used in a production.The property master also works with other members of the production managing the physical appearance of the stage or set, for example they might work with the script supervisor to maintain set continuity.

Standby Medical Props: For a medical drama such as Casualty, specific medical props are often used to create realism. These are often provided from the manufacturers of the real equipment or from specialist 'prop shops'. Standby medical props are incase any props are damaged or broken and need to be replaced quickly.

Standby Props: Again, a standby in the event that props should be damaged or broken.

Costume Designer: makes all the clothing and costumes worn by all the actors on screen, as well as designing, planning, and organizing the construction of the garments down to the fabric, colours, and sizes. They greatly contribute to the appearance of the film, and set a particular mood, time, feeling, or genre. They alter the overall appearance of a project with their designs and constructions, including impacting on the style of the project, and how the audience interpret the shows characters.

Costume Assistant: The costume assistant will assist the costume designer by aiding them in costume production,

Dressers: A dresser is involved with changes and maintaining costume quality.

Make-up Artist: is usually a beautician, and applies makeup to anyone appearing on screen. They concentrate on the area above the chest, the face, the top of the head, the fingers, hands, arms, and elbows. Their role is to manipulate an actor's on screen appearance whether it makes them look more youthful, larger, older, or in some cases monstrous. There are also body makeup artist who concentrate their abilities on the body rather than the head. Make-up itself is substances to enhance the beauty of the human body, but can also change the appearance, disguise, or costume someone. Along with the make-up artists, the hair stylists, costume designers, and dress technicians all combine their effort into transforming an actor into a character, or a person into a presenter.

Make up-assistants: The make-Up assistant work directly below the Make-up designer, and will help out in whichever way is required.

Lighting Director's: The role of the Lighting Director within television is to work with the Director, set designer and costume designer - to create the overlook look and feel of the show as required.

Gaffer: is the head electrician at the production set, and is in charge of lighting the stage in accordance with the direction of the cinematographer. In television the term chief lighting director is often used instead of gaffer, and sometimes the Technical Director will light the studio set. The gaffer reports to the Director Of Photography (DOP), Lighting Director (LD) or Lighting Designer, and will usually have an assistant called a best boy and a crew of rigging electricians.

Vision Engineer: functions as crew chief, making sure all positions are manned and all equipment and facilities checked out and ready before the taping session or live broadcast begins. Also responsible for the technical quality of the signal being recorded or broadcast, and often uses waveform monitors and vector scopes to measure video levels.

Camera operator: As the head member of the camera crew, the camera operator uses the camera as coached by the director. They are accountable for maintaining the required action is correctly filmed in the frame, and needs to react instinctively as the proceedings take place. If the camera operator is also a cinematographer, they also help establish the theme and appearance of the show. The cinematographer or Camera Operator regulates the lighting for every scene, is responsible for framing some shots, chooses the lenses to be used, decides on film stock and guarantees that the visual appearance of the project follows to the directors initial foresight. However, the cinematographer would usually not maneuver the camera on the set, as this is usually the exclusive role of a camera operator.

Camera assistants: The camera assistant will help the camera operators with day-to-day duties. The camera assistant will also be responsible for light technical/ camera maintenance duties.

Camera Trainee: The camera Trainee will be a 'Camera Operator' in the making. The Camera Trainee will work directly below both the Camera assistants and Camera operators.

Grip: A grip is responsible for camera mounting and support, which can include anything beyond a basic tripod. Grips can also be the people that do the laborious work on sets. These type of grips push, pull, roll, and lift various pieces of equipment.

Sound Recordist: Records audio while the shoot is taking place.

Boom Operator: is an assistant of the sound engineer or sound mixer. The main responsibility of the boom operator is microphone placement. They will also place wireless microphones on actors when it is necessary. The boom operator is part of the sound crew, who manages to keep the microphone boom, near to the action, but away from the camera frame, so that it never appears on screen, but allows the microphone to pursue the actors as they move. They work closely with the production sound mixer, or sound recordist, to record all sound while filming including background noises, dialogue, sound effects, and silence.

Sound Trainee: A sound trainee is someone who works with the sound recordist and sound department to gain experience for a future career in sound.

VT Editor: The VT Editor cues and prepares video inserts into a programme. Heavily used in sports programming, they are also responsible for action replays and quickly editing highlights while a show is in progress.

Casting Director: Casts the actors. Usually one of the first crew members attached to the project. In fact, when a Television Pilot is initially cast the Executive Producer and Casting Director are often the only crew members.

Artist Booker: This job requires getting in contact with the artists' agent and booking their time for a programme. They also liase with the artist on set and answer questions regarding the show.

Production Accountant: Is in charge of the budget for the production, makes sure that the the right amount of money is being spent in the right areas and that the production does not go over budget.

Assistant Production Accountant: Works directly below the production accountant to help run the budget for the production.

Researcher: Researches the project ahead of shooting time to increase truth, factual content, creative content, original ideas, background information, and sometimes performs minor searches such as flight details, location conditions, accommodation details, etc. It is their task to inform the director, producer, and writer of all ideas, and knowledge related to what task is being undertaken, or what a scene,\event, prop or backdrop needs to be included to make the show factual and ultimately more believable.

Script Secretary: Makes sure that each department has the most up to date script and makes sure each script is annotated with the latest changes. Keeps scripts in order when not in use.

Publicist: Or advertiser has the task of raising public awareness of a production, and ultimately increase viewers and sales of it and its merchandise. The publicist's main task is to stimulate demand for a product through advertising and promotion. Advertisers use several recognizable techniques in order to better convince the public to buy a product.

Picture Publicity: Uses advertising slogans, logos, or a common image to increase familiarity, trust, personality of a production, and the ability for the show to be remembered.