News series of TV show . .

[jake_crew]

Just googled Itasca Locations.

 

First hit goes "Super stylish day spa & salon, Exclusive to Itasca Locations, in fashionable west London...".

 

Words such as these fill me with dread.

 

The website mentions clients they have worked with, and products but I wouldn't have thought 2000 miles of murky water is quite sexy enough for them !

[ChrisG46]

They'd be excellent locations for some feature films or dramas - and they can charge thousands a day for the right location!

[Tillerman]

Haven't made anything new since Aug 2010!

 

The reality, Charles, is that small shows like our boating show are literally made for out of pocket expenses, because the big broadcaster don't think that there's an audience there . . We use normal broadcast equipment, but don't put money into post production, essentially 'cos there isn't any way to pay for it. Most of the shows are made 'cos we find them interesting to do . . The reality is that they "cost" around 1/5th of the BBC's lowest budget cost for daytime tv . .

 

Our caravanning show was the same when it started, but now (after 4+ years of plugging away) it gets large audiences and makes money . . you have to give things time at this minority end of the market.

 

Sadly Chris the way the broadcast industry is going it would be foolish to limit your production to using out-of-date equipment.

I see the tech spec listed for the IC as 4x3 - industry standard is 16x9 (14x9 protect) and as everyone is gearing up for analogue switch off, any programmes shot using SD low res equipment will look out of date. HD is the way forward I'm afraid.

 

Your equipment is probably best suited to the online market which is where you will probably find your niche market, but by the time you've pad for your airtime license and Sky fees I would be surprised if you made any money at all!

Skimping on sound and editing will ultimately show in the end product - you have to put all of your available money on screen as that is your current market. Cutting costs will ultimately loose you revenue and audiences.

[Nikk]

Only ever seen re-runs of this show so can't wait for the viewing

[ChrisG46]

Sadly Chris the way the broadcast industry is going it would be foolish to limit your production to using out-of-date equipment.

I see the tech spec listed for the IC as 4x3 - industry standard is 16x9 (14x9 protect) and as everyone is gearing up for analogue switch off, any programmes shot using SD low res equipment will look out of date. HD is the way forward I'm afraid.

 

Your equipment is probably best suited to the online market which is where you will probably find your niche market, but by the time you've pad for your airtime license and Sky fees I would be surprised if you made any money at all!

Skimping on sound and editing will ultimately show in the end product - you have to put all of your available money on screen as that is your current market. Cutting costs will ultimately loose you revenue and audiences.

 

We've always shot as 16:9 and HD (HDV and more recently XDcam) - I've made and been paid for 150 broadcast half-hours over the last 5 years, making a very enjoyable living and a reasonable income, too. I don't really understand why I'd have any concerns about "airtime licenses" or Sky fees - they'd be broadcaster issues, not programme makers concerns.

 

You also seem clearly unaware that where we put the money is precisely defined by the broadcaster, too - they pay our budget. We have done some work for one or two of the larger mainstream outfits, but I find I can make programmes that interest me more, and thus fulfil one of my personal ojectives, working with minority broadcasters on niche audience shows, increasingly delivered in very specific ways.

 

I think that you must have only worked in part of a major terrestrial outfit - its that kind of viewpoint that prevents large broadcasters addressing niche audiences clearly, and leaves plenty of room for people to make an interesting living doing things that really interest them!

[Tillerman]

Sorry Chris, I was adding to post #25 and on reading previous posts its been slightly confusing as to if you represent the channel you supply to and your role as a programme maker.

Niche channels, like any commercial channel, rely on revenue from advertisers or sponsors and that was what I was refering to, as was, I believe the poster in #25 so these comments are aimed, primarily at the channel rather than the programme makers.

 

I am pleased you are making a living from making programmes that you feel passionate about and have found a market for that material.

 

Sadly I've seen plenty of niche channels come and go because they forget that the principal aim to their audience is a constant supply of programme material and in this day and age providing programming purely for broadcast without finacial sponsorship is a non starter. Channels of all sizes must look at recouping their investments from other sources of revenue, including online, if they are to survive.

Even the mainstream channels now insist on co production and sponsorship to provide the budgets as money gets tighter and budgets get squeezed.

 

But skimping on any aspect of the production, however tempting, will hit the channels (big or small) in the end.

Edited April 6, 2011 by Tillerman

[ChrisG46]

I make programmes and put together packages to broadcasters, in fact, and am probably one of the msot successful of the very smallest similar businesses - for instance, I completed my 107th (over 4 years run) edition of a fortnightly half-hour called The Caravan Channel just before Christmas, and for that, always put the show together and sold the advertising and sponsorship. I did the same with the first 16 editions of UK Boating in its ealier wider (sea/offshore/coastal) format, and with around a dozen other short runs shows, so I think I'm pretty aware of the market and its realities.

 

Oddly, I was also the first person/business in the UK to start an exclusively web-based hyperlocal broadband TV station back in 2004, as evidenced by the national press, TV and continental TV coverage, including the mighty BBC Newswatch . . ! So I've always had an interest in the web video side of things too, and am presently having a surprisingly loud arguement with Ofcom and their new online buddy, ATVOD.

 

The reality into todays niche marketplace is that many genuine enthusiasts are a bit sick of slick TV, and want to see content which is genuinely interesting, genuinely expert, and in my case, genuinely disinterested in appealing to major mass-market audiences . .

 

If the you recall the fragrant Richard and Judy when they made their terminal appearances on Sky 1, to audiences of 10k per show, The Caravan Channel was then hitting around 70/80,000. My last shows before I sold the catalogue and the rights were hitting 130,000/150,000 - pretty high by satellite reckoning.

[ChrisG46]

We'll be filming on the Thames during the last week in April . . and as well as our main boating story, plan to have a couple of other Thames stories to film too. More details soon.

[cotswoldsman]

I make programmes and put together packages to broadcasters, in fact, and am probably one of the msot successful of the very smallest similar businesses - for instance, I completed my 107th (over 4 years run) edition of a fortnightly half-hour called The Caravan Channel just before Christmas, and for that, always put the show together and sold the advertising and sponsorship. I did the same with the first 16 editions of UK Boating in its ealier wider (sea/offshore/coastal) format, and with around a dozen other short runs shows, so I think I'm pretty aware of the market and its realities.

 

Oddly, I was also the first person/business in the UK to start an exclusively web-based hyperlocal broadband TV station back in 2004, as evidenced by the national press, TV and continental TV coverage, including the mighty BBC Newswatch . . ! So I've always had an interest in the web video side of things too, and am presently having a surprisingly loud arguement with Ofcom and their new online buddy, ATVOD.

 

The reality into todays niche marketplace is that many genuine enthusiasts are a bit sick of slick TV, and want to see content which is genuinely interesting, genuinely expert, and in my case, genuinely disinterested in appealing to major mass-market audiences . .

 

If the you recall the fragrant Richard and Judy when they made their terminal appearances on Sky 1, to audiences of 10k per show, The Caravan Channel was then hitting around 70/80,000. My last shows before I sold the catalogue and the rights were hitting 130,000/150,000 - pretty high by satellite reckoning.

 

Chris as far as I am concerned well done and keep up the good work. I know nothing about production etc as other members seem to I am just pleased to see that someone is prepared to make programmes that have a minority interest. Any programme that gives exposure to the Waterways gets my vote.

 

 

[ChrisG46]

An excellent filming day on the Fens, at Earith Lock and at Ely Marina near the heart of the city. Here's Giles at work . .