I was given the role of an Assistant Floor Manager.
So what does this role involve?
My role will have a head - Floor Manager, as I will be their assistant.
I decided to look up and understand the roles and responsibilites of the Floor Manager as I am assuming that the assistant will have a similar role.
I went through books and websites to find out more:
‘It is the Floor Manager's responsibility to pass on cues to presenters and guests to ensure timings are met and the broadcast goes smoothly.’
Prospects (2015) Television Floor Manager At: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/television_floor_manager_job_description.htm (Accessed on 18.04.15)
‘The Floor Director… is the technical “Boss” of the studio so that they may assist others if needed.’ (Utterback, 2013:77)
Utterback, Andrew (2013) Studio Television Production and Directing: Studio-Based Television Production and Directing Oxford: Taylor & Francis
My understanding of this means that the floor manager is like a Floor Director. They are in charge of the cast and crew on the studio floor, but they take orders from the Director who is usually situated in the Gallery. Floor Managers is the head link between the gallery and the studio floor. Our main person in contact is with the Director. We are the communicators who relay messages cast and crew on the floor, especially the talent where they may not have headsets.
We also make sure the timing of the programme is run smoothly. Each segment of the production is carefully constructed and precisely timed. In order for us to keep the production running on time we have cues.
Cues are simple basic words or hand signals that the studio floor understands. The floor manager usually discuss the signals to the presenter who will be receiving the signals before the start of the show, normally in rehearsals where they will be practising during the run throughs.
My understanding of this means that the floor manager is like a Floor Director. They are in charge of the cast and crew on the studio floor, but they take orders from the Director who is usually situated in the Gallery. Floor Managers is the head link between the gallery and the studio floor. Our main person in contact is with the Director. We are the communicators who relay messages cast and crew on the floor, especially the talent where they may not have headsets.
We also make sure the timing of the programme is run smoothly. Each segment of the production is carefully constructed and precisely timed. In order for us to keep the production running on time we have cues.
Cues are simple basic words or hand signals that the studio floor understands. The floor manager usually discuss the signals to the presenter who will be receiving the signals before the start of the show, normally in rehearsals where they will be practising during the run throughs.
Floor Manager Hand Cues
In the case for our production we had these as our simple hand signals:
Off Air
5 mins - Shout 5 minutes
2 mins - Shout 2 minutes
1 min - Shout 1 minutes
30 seconds - Shout 30 seconds
15 seconds - Shout 15 seconds
10 seconds - Start counting down from 10 until 5 seconds with 10 fingers up, following the countdown
On Air or coming out of Air
5 mins - 5 fingers held up in the air for a few seconds
3 mins - 3 fingers held up in the air for a few seconds
2 mins - 2 fingers help up in the air for a few seconds
1 min - 1 finger held up in the air for a few seconds
1 min - 1 finger held up in the air for a few seconds
30 seconds - Both arms crossed in the air
5 seconds - 5 fingers up counting down the seconds with each finger to cue - in silence
Wrap up - roll hands and arms at quickly
5 seconds - 5 fingers up counting down the seconds with each finger to cue - in silence
Wrap up - roll hands and arms at quickly
Slow down - Rolls hands and arms slowley
Talk Faster - Roll hands and arms at a fast pace
Cut - Shout Cut and move the hands across the neck as if slicing the neck to cut.
Other responsibilities include;
Setting up the stage and props
Talk Faster - Roll hands and arms at a fast pace
Cut - Shout Cut and move the hands across the neck as if slicing the neck to cut.
Other responsibilities include;
Setting up the stage and props
preparing and making sure props are ready for the production.
Stand in through rehearsal so lighting and sound can set up.
Marking out and moving staging around.
Be aware for floor plan
Directing and seating the audience
Stand in through rehearsal so lighting and sound can set up.
Marking out and moving staging around.
Be aware for floor plan
Directing and seating the audience
Liaising with the talent.
Understand and study the script and the schedule of the show.
Part of my job was to help set up the stage. Although the art department knew how to set up the stage, I helped out marking out the furniture on the floor with some duct tape. I used minute amount of tape so the cameras can not see it on the stage. I made sure the floor was wiped down, cue cards were on the table and looked for the photoshopped images that was going to be presented to the guests during the show. For rehearsals we gave the talent images of celebrities because we wanted to film their real reaction of themselves until the live show.
When the Stage and cameras were set up there was a glare on one of the cameras from the lighting behind the stage. The Floor Manager was elsewhere and the Director was looking for someone to change the lighting, so I took over and answered in the talkback to the director to let him know I am on the case. I then went looking for the Lighting department to ask them to move the lighting around. As the lighting department did not have a radio, I stayed to relay messages between the director and the lighting department.
During rehearsals, the Floor Manager had to leave to do something. I was left in charge of the floor. The Director wanted to run through rehearsals as I heard through my earpiece. I then hear from the PA the director was giving us 2 mins to prepare for the next rehearsal. I shouted '2 mins' out on the floor so all the crew knew we were about to rehearse in 2 minutes.
Within the 2 mins, using the talkback I had to find out what part of the production we were going to rehearse, because all day we were rehearsing in segments. I then relayed this message to the presenter so he is aware and can prepare from the starting point that the director wanted to rehearse.
I counted down into rehearsals and cued the hand signals as we were about to come out of the segment of the show.
I took over until the Floor Manager came back.
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