Television Floor Manager Duties & Responsibilities
The role and function of a Television Floor Manager includes the following duties and responsibilities:
- Briefing and looking after those involved in the programme;
- Managing the audience, e.g. explaining safety requirements, show timings and what will happen during filming and when the programme will be aired;
- Dealing with any technical problems;
- Controlling the studio and halting production if necessary;
- Assisting guests on the show;
- Relaying instructions from the control room to the studio floor using a talkback system;
- Keeping the director and producer informed of action off-camera;
- Assisting in the planning and preparation of productions;
- Overseeing the work of other departments, such as sound, lighting and props;
- Rehearsing live shows;
- Liaising with public relations staff to agree who will be interviewed, for example at sports matches;
- Passing information and progress reports from live events to studio presenters;
- Adhering to health and safety regulations, e.g. keeping ‘safe areas’ and fire exits clear of equipment.
- Checking that equipment, e.g. microphones and earpieces, are working before the show;
- Seating the audience (if in attendance);
- Referring to floor plans;
- Giving cues and time counts to presenters, actors or guests;
- Organising runners to make the best use of studio time;
- Looking ahead in the programme schedule to anticipate any changes to the set or to see what props are required later in the show;
Note that this is not an exhaustive list of Television Floor Manager duties and responsibilities. Job functions for specific Television Floor Manager roles may vary, depending on the industry and type of employer.