The term broadcast has changed in the last 15 years with the rise of the internet.

It used to mean film, TV and Radio. Now it has extended to include other streams like You Tube, Vimeo, Online, DVD, Web Streaming, Vial Video campaigns. Couple this with the rise in devices such as iPhones and handheld computers that mean users can watch video and interact anywhere. Has the term ‘broadcast standard’ been watered down, as now anyone can make video for broadcast? Maybe the question to ask is “is your Camera Crew working to an industry approved standard?” I use this term broadcast standard but what does that mean. It is up to interpretation, but I believe it means that my work is judged by various phases of production crew, camera crew, directors, producers, make up artists, video editors, engineers, actors, channel executives and finally by the public at home when turning on the TV. Not the same on a corporate or commercial job, where you still expect the same results but the people involved at each stage is much smaller. Sometimes one person doing the pre production, shoot and edit. So there’s no filtration of where that standard bar is set as to whether it meets an industry standard. This is a very frank observation but is not as clear cut as that. As I have seen some of the best video productions coming out online by independent filmmakers and documentary makers who have shot and edited the whole thing themselves. So this expansion of what is deemed to be broadcast can be a good thing in showcasing the talent and forward thinking of the industry. But when your booking your camera crew and video production services you expect a certain quality. The BBC offer an approved status to certain crews for there productions. I regularly work with these approved companies. So ask your self these questions:-

• Do they have broadcast television credits?
• Can you watch video examples and not just a edited highlight showreel?
• What do the clients say?

The video production services and camera crews that Platform 80 supplies meet all these requirements.