OUT AND ABOUT

Analysing the finer details of Outside Broadcasting

- ANISHA GAKHAR

Outside Broadcasting (OB) is the electronic field production (EFP) of TV or radio programme: usually covering news, sports and other events, from a mobile remote broadcast television studio or van. The camera and microphone signals are fed to the van/truck equipped with a production control room (OB van), to process it and further transmit it. In today’s time, many events happen outdoors/outside the confines of a studio and thus, cannot be shot inside a studio. This is where OB is summoned. Sports events, live functions, indoor concerts and performances, are typically covered using OB facilities. This type of production forms the basis of the majority of locally produced airtime.

Unlike in a studio, where the director can re-take a shot if necessary, OBs are live, edge-of-the-seat productions. This is what makes them exciting and invested into. Everything happens real-time, the sound, visuals, special effects, graphics and commentary are recorded to the second, and with little or no lag. OB setups are thus, highly-charged environments, keeping each crew member on his toes. This also makes it challenging for the crew, where split-second timing can make or break the production. Television outside broadcasts can be any size and complexity, from a single camera to dozens of cameras and staff. Generally, the term OB implies multi-camera coverage coordinated and directed from a mobile control room.

An OB van is essentially a mobile studio. Cameras, vision control, sound mixing, vision mixing and everything else needed to produce a television production—are housed within one vehicle. Once again, all equipment is broadcast quality with the van being used in numerous broadcast programmes.