Specialist Skills Pre Mortem 

 

Walkie Talkies not working or missing.

 

This would be an issue as it is one of the most important pieces of equipment used to ensure that the runnings of the show remain in order and sticking to plan. It is the main communication link between the Floor manager outside in the studio and the team inside the control room.

 

The impact that this would have is it would mean that there wouldn't be an effective communication method between the control room and studio. Although there are other methods such as a phone call or word of mouth, they don't offer the same benefits such as push to talk features and the ability to keep the volume low so as to not interfere with the mics on set.

 

To prevent this issue from occurring I will dedicate a specific member of the crew to ensuring that all necessary equipment is fully charged and at the end of every show ensures that it is all replaced with batteries or is charged, this should prevent the issue from occurring. Additionally during the pre show practice runs I will get everyone to ensure that no low battery warnings are showing and that the device is working as intended.

 

Crew members absent on show days.

 

This is a major issue as important positions will be left unfilled and therefore may cause issues dramatic enough to cancel the show completely for that day as roles such as the presenters are not something that someone else can just jump in and fill as it wouldn't make sense in comparison to the previous show and would leave areas of inconsistency. 

 

The impact that this would have on the timetable for this project is immense, it would push everything back even further in what is already a tight turnaround of  5 weeks considering the amount of work required to meet the pass mark. This is because it would require us to push the live show back to a day where everyone is in and therefore would leave a day or two where we are playing catch up on other work instead.

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To prevent this issue from occurring i will personally explain to every member of the crew the importance of their position and how it plays a crucial role in the overall runnings of the show, will also explain the consequences for the rest of the team should they not be present during a show and the detrimental effects that it will have on not only them but everyone else as well. I will also work with the other manager positions to ensure backup plans should a genuine reason for absence be required by someone such as a health issue.

 

Power cut or shortage.

 

This would be a serious issue as the majority of the equipment within the studio works on hard wired mains connections and all of the rechargeable battery equipment requires power to recharge them. Although this is unlikely due to the many backups it is still a concern which could occur.

 

The impact that this would have is probably the most serious out of all the issues, if the main source and all backups fail it would simply result in the show being impossible to progress ahead with. There are no residual power sources other than the backup generators etc that would allow us to maintain power for any specific amount of time. This could happen either before or during the show and both have the same serious effect.

 

To prevent this issue from occurring it will be important before every show for someone to check the health of the fuse box and main power sources so that we have confidence in the main source but equally it is important to run tests on the backups to ensure that they are ready to perform their tasks when required and necessary.

 

Slipping behind in the theory work while doing practical work.

 

This would be an issue as not only would it create stress and strain on me it would also mean that the quality of the work may slack as I will have less time to work on it and ensure it's the best it can be. It will all build up meaning that there is an ever hanging worry on me throughout the project that I have outstanding work .

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The impact that this would have on me is both mentally by causing me to feel stressed and tired by the workload which is bad because it means that i am unhappy and that is something i am trying to avoid from happening but also it is something which will impact the quality and quantity of my work which could result in me preventing myself from getting the best grade possible when it comes to my work being marked.

 

I will prevent this from happening by ensuring i follow my planning documents such as my checklist and trello board so that i know what work i have to do and when i have to do it by to ensure that there is always an even spread of workload across the 5 weeks which will hopefully stop some weeks from feeling really difficult and tiring and it will also allow me to keep track of what work needs to be done so that i don't fall behind.
 

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Confusion during the show.

 

This is an issue as it means that we as the managers have failed in our planning and meetings, all of the runnings and expectations from each person within a show are clearly documented and copied to people so that they are all aware of what is happening and when, this then clearly tells them what they have to do to help achieve this expectation. 

 

The impact that this would have on the show is that it would seem unprofessional and confusing to the people watching. It would also make it seem like little effort has been put into the show when in reality it is the complete opposite. It is important that we as managers take partial responsibility for this but also personal responsibility is necessary to be taken by every member of the crew to ensure that they know what they are doing. 

 

This will be prevented from happening by ensuring that every member of the crew attends the rehearsals and meetings which come running up to the actual live show itself. This is where all of the important information regarding expectations and runnings is shared and therefore it is important that everyone is there to listen to it. Additionally as the floor manager I will ensure that during the show everyone knows what is coming next by doing something as simple as reminding the presenter what camera they are addressing for their next piece.