Show Starter!
case studies

SHOW STARTER™ may be new, but our team's production experience dates back to the original reality explosion! Here's what DMA has done for other series:

Case Study #1
SHOW
A half-hour, field-based, daytime strip
ENVIRONMENT
Field producers must travel nationwide to shoot at least two segments each week. With no story editors staffed, the field prods also must turn around two bay scripts a week.
CHALLENGE
There isn't enough time in the weekly schedule for the field prods to receive, read, select and script two 5-7 minute pieces. The average turnaround time for each is 2-3 days.
SOLUTION
Format then automate the scriptwriting process.
Train the field prods on a tightly formatted beat sheet. Standardize the transcription companies' template. Create "one-touch" Word macro buttons for the field producers to highlight selects, outline and parse down their scripts for the bay.
RESULT
Script-writing time was slashed from 2-3 days to 6-10 hours.

Case Study #2
SHOW
A half-hour, location-based, makeover series
ENVIRONMENT
A non-airing pilot episode has been pre-produced, with two months down scheduled for testing and adjusting before launching pre-production on a 13 order.
CHALLENGE
A schedule shift eliminates the two-month break two days before the pilot episode is to be shot. The pilot episode becomes episode one, with only one week before the next twelve episodes must begin shooting. Ten of those episodes must be shot, posted, cleared, delivered and broadcast over the next twelve weeks.
SOLUTION
Redesign the post process to slash the back end of the schedule.
Design an assembly line approach (rather than dedicated episode editors) with day and night teams. Maximize FCP HD capabilities to reduce or fully eliminate online re-digitizing days from the schedule.
RESULT
All thirteen episodes were fully delivered within twelve weeks of the schedule reduction. Ten were broadcast; some set record ratings.

Case Study #3
SHOW
An hour-long, studio-based, competitive reality series
ENVIRONMENT
Multiple episodes a week are produced by assigned teams. Footage is logged 24-hours/day, and story editors consult binders and databases to write out digitizing requests for round-the-clock bays.
CHALLENGE
The network requests a "special episode" of never-before-seen and highlight footage. The episode requires culling and redigitizing selects from approximately 1500 hours of footage, then scripting and cutting segments, in only two weeks. All of the special episode team members (producer, AP and editor) are new to the show's production process.
SOLUTION
Replace paper-based systems with computer processes.
Trade out paper binders and written forms for database searches and exports and electronic/importable digitizing request lists.
RESULTS
In the first digitizing run, using handwritten forms, the AEs completed one of twelve dig request lists overnight. By the third digitizing run, using imported DRLs, the AEs completed more than ten lists overnight. The special episode locked within hours of the satellite uplink - and received virtually no network notes. At the time, it was the highest rated episode in the history of the series.

Case Study #4
SHOW
A one-hour, field-based makeover show
ENVIRONMENT
A heavily promoted show has a tight start-up schedule and high standards to meet.
CHALLENGE
A hallmark of the prod co brand is savvy integration of multiple products in an intentionally manic shooting environment. The show has no access to branding information from the prod co's other series; it exists only on private contracts at a separate site.
SOLUTION
Prioritize creating a brand integration database at the top of pre-production.
During production, import each episode's multiple integrations from the Product Db into the printed field guide for easy management of brand requirements from segment to segment.
RESULT
Integration information was identical and accessible in the production office and in the field. The Db was mastered and maintained by the integration team, and it remains a key resource for all of the prod co's series.
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