MY LIFE PRODUCTION.
N ever work with children all seriousness, he had a point. Aside from their inexperience in front of camera, you’ll be confronted with many hoops to jump through. From compliance with various safety regulations to careful consideration of what is shown on screen, the production of children’s TV programmes involves more than capturing great stories and talents. One such example is the popular CBBC series My Life , which follows the experiences of young individuals with extraordinary stories. Benjamin Field, a producer/director at production house The Format Factory, explains how one episode of the series or animals” is a quote often attributed to famed American actor and wit WC Fields. In
– titled Taking My Shot – came about through a recommendation from people who knew about the achievements of a young man named Stan Moody. “At the time of pitching, Stan had won the under-14 English snooker championship – and the under-16, under-18 and then the under-21 as well – all in the space of about 12 months!” says Field. “So he seemed like a natural candidate to have a documentary made about him.” Securing access to the talent – often the most difficult part of the commissioning and production process – ended up being the easiest step on this occasion. However, filming the 16-year-old suddenly threw up a number of different challenges that the production team would never face when working with adults. A DUTY OF CARE “There are quite a few differences,” Field ventures, on the difficulties of producing and directing a TV show targeting an audience of children. “The main one is that you can’t take for granted any assumed knowledge. You have to put
BACK TO SCHOOL Filming children’s TV presented the team with fresh challenges and a steep learning curve
in a lot more signposting for viewers of children’s TV than you would for adults.” He also emphasises the importance of compliance with safety regulations, explaining that the team had to be cautious about what was shown on screen to ensure young viewers do not imitate unsafe actions. “People always
“You can’t take for granted any assumed knowledge. You have to put in a lot more signposting for viewers of children’s TV than you would for adults”
TOP BILLING My Life has been a CBBC mainstay since 2010, with guest narrators including David Tennant and Matt Lucas
55. JULY 2023
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