Starting with the studio you already have
Before anyone touches a camera, I visit or call to learn how the studio is used. I ask who operates, how many cameras run on a typical programme, whether the desk is a news set or an interview couch, and where the crew feels least sure. That short conversation decides the whole day, because a session built for a three-camera news desk looks very different from one for a venue that only shoots live events a few times a quarter.
We then agree who attends. Coaching works best with a small group, because each operator needs real time on the pedestal and a chance to hear the director's talkback. If a producer or floor manager wants to sit in, we welcome that, since they often see habits the operators cannot see from behind the lens.
We also agree what the crew will not be asked to do. Nobody is put on air or recorded for assessment. The studio is treated as a place to practise, and mistakes are the material we work with, not something to be marked down.
- Typical programme format and number of cameras
- Who attends and who stays on the floor
- Where the crew wants the most help
Framing exercises before any live pressure
The first block is slow on purpose. We put a presenter or a stand-in on the set and ask each operator to build the standard shots: wide, medium, close-up and the over-the-shoulder two-shot. We talk about headroom, lead room and where the eye settles, and we check each frame on the monitor rather than relying on the viewfinder alone.
Most of the useful corrections are small. A shot drifts a touch too tight when the presenter leans in, or an operator chases a gesture instead of holding. We stop, reset and repeat until the frame feels natural, then change the subject so the habit sticks rather than the particular shot.
Only once framing is steady do we add movement. Doing it in this order keeps the session calm, because an operator who trusts their basic frame has attention left over for everything else the job asks.
- Headroom and lead room on a seated presenter
- Matching shot sizes between two cameras
- Checking the frame on the monitor, not only the viewfinder
Pedestal moves and the weight of the camera
Pedestal work is where a physical skill shows. We practise smooth pushes and pulls, small height changes and slow arcs around a desk, with attention to how the column is balanced and how the cable is managed on the floor. A move that looks gentle on air usually comes from a relaxed grip and planned footwork, not from speed or strength.
We set marks on the studio floor so operators can find their positions repeatedly, and we rehearse the route between them in the dark of a blackout, as would happen between segments. Cable is a quiet source of trouble, so we walk its path and agree who keeps it clear.
Operators often forget to look after themselves during long programmes. We cover stance, how to take weight off the arms and how to rest between shots without drifting out of frame.
- Balancing the column and head before a move
- Floor marks and cable routes
- Posture over a long programme
Teleprompter work with a real presenter
The teleprompter needs its own time. We set up the mirror and monitor, check the text size and reading distance with the presenter sitting where they will actually sit, and run a script at the pace they read. Small fixes make a big difference here: a few centimetres of distance, or a change to line breaks, can remove a stare or a squint.
Operators also learn to keep the prompter clean and aligned when the camera moves. We rehearse tilting and zooming with the prompter attached and discuss what to tell the director if the text becomes hard to read mid-programme.
Where a separate prompter operator is used, we include them, because the relationship between the person scrolling text and the presenter is part of the shot. Agreeing a few simple signals in advance saves confusion once the programme is running.
- Text size and reading distance at the presenter's seat
- Alignment when the camera tilts or zooms
Calling shots and listening to the director
The last block is the one operators find hardest and enjoy most. We run a short rundown with the gallery calling cues, and each operator practises answering talkback clearly, confirming their next shot and warning when something is wrong. Calm, brief language matters more than correct jargon, and we agree a small set of phrases the whole crew will use.
We start with a slow rundown and speed it up as confidence grows. Mistakes are expected, and when one happens we replay the moment and talk through what the operator heard, what they decided and what the director needed.
Where the director is available, we let them join. Hearing how a call sounds from the other side of the glass, and how long a pause feels in the gallery, changes how operators respond more than any amount of explanation.
- A shared set of short talkback phrases
- Confirming the next shot before moving
- Reporting problems early and plainly
What we leave with the crew afterwards
At the end of the day we write up what we observed: the habits that were strong, the ones to practise and a few simple exercises the crew can run on their own in quiet moments. The notes are plain and specific to the studio, with floor marks, shot sizes and phrases named as they were used.
We do not promise that one session fixes everything. Skills settle with repetition, and the useful follow-up is usually the crew practising for ten minutes before a programme rather than another full day from us.
If the studio wants a second visit, we use the notes to decide what to focus on. That usually means a narrower session on one weak area, such as moving between shots, instead of repeating the whole programme.
Coaching sessions are built from small, repeatable habits: a steady frame, a controlled move, a readable prompter and a short, calm reply on talkback. None of it is dramatic, and most of the progress is invisible from the viewer's side, which is the point. When the crew stops thinking about the camera, the programme gets the attention it deserves, and that is what these days are meant to leave behind.