Procedures

NCTV PROCEDURAL MANUAL – January 20, 2005

Hours of operation;
Monday through Friday, noon to 6pm

1. TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION

1.1. Interested parties must have basic instruction from NCTV staff before reserving or using any NCTV equipment. NCTV members need to discuss training before checking out equipment. Sign ups for training workshops are in the NCTV lobby.
1.2. Particular items of equipment may require specific instruction. NCTV offers classes for these pieces of equipment and may charge a tuition and/or materials fee for them. Experienced producers may request to take a hands-on examination from NCTV staff for certification.
1.3. Production crew members handling NCTV equipment are encouraged to have basic instruction for that equipment. (NCTV recommends that your primary talent have at least basic instruction. Guest talent need have instruction.)
1.4. Advance registration is required for all classes. The schedule of all classes is posted at NCTV’s offices and on the NCTV Website, www.nevadacountytv.org. Select a class and call or stop in at NCTV to register.
1.5. Any fees must be paid at the time of registration. Fees are refundable provided you notify NCTV at least one week before the first class session. Volunteer time in lieu of fees is available but requires NCTV staff approval.

2. RESERVING AND CHECKING OUT PORTABLE EQUIPMENT

2.1. In order to reserve equipment, you must be working on a program for cablecast or be taking a class at NCTV. (There is an exception to allow for paid leasing of equipment.)
2.2. Plan your production schedule, and submit an Equipment Request Form. You must come to the NCTV office to submit your form; telephone reservations will not be accepted. Forms at available at our website, www.nevadacountytv.org.
2.3. The NCTV staff will help you find a time when the needed equipment will be available. They will also check to make sure you have not exceeded the maximum that a member may reserve equipment.
2.4. At the appointed time, come to NCTV to pick up your equipment. Be sure to allow time to go through each individual item (batteries, cables, microphones, etc.) with the staff; these will be checked again when you return the equipment.
2.5. When you have the equipment out, remember that you are financially responsible for its safe return. Keep it secure and use it carefully!
2.6. Please do not smoke while using NCTV equipment, even outdoors! Tobacco smoke can be very damaging to camera lenses.
2.7. Return the equipment by the appointed return time. Allow time for the staff to check off each item. If you had any problems with the equipment, please let the staff know so it can be checked and, if needed, repaired or replaced.

3. RESERVING AND USING THE STUDIO

3.1. In order to reserve the studio you must be working on a program for cablecast on NCTV. (There is an exception to allow for paid leasing of these facilities.)
3.2. Plan your production schedule, and submit a Facility Reservation Form. You must come to the NCTV office to submit your form; telephone reservations will not be accepted. Scheduling of studio use is complex, so you need to come in and finalize with NCTV staff.
3.3. The NCTV staff will help you find a time when the needed facility will be available. They will also check to make sure you have not exceeded the maximum allowable time in a month that any producer can reserve that facility.
3.4. A studio production is a team effort. Remember that every member of your crew that will be handling equipment should have received the recommended NCTV instruction. You will have to write the names of your crew members on the Reservation Form so they can be checked against the list of certified NCTV members.
3.5. Get your crew to NCTV before your reservation time to make sure you can get started on time.
3.6. During your production session, be sure to follow any rules and procedures learned in your certification classes, as well as any specific directions from the NCTV staff.
3.7. Although studio production can be exciting and energizing, remember that other people are probably using NCTV’s facilities as well. (There may even be a simultaneous productions going on in the other rooms.) Be courteous and conscious of the need to control unnecessary noise.
3.8. At the completion of your session, clean up and put everything back the way you found it (unless otherwise directed by NCTV staff). NCTV staff will assist in set up and take down to be sure that all equipment is ready for next use. Production crew will need to clean up and vacuum.

ROP will meet daily from 12:30 until 2:30pm five days a week. The NCTV facility will not be available while classes are happening. This will limit NCTV members and members will need to adjust their usage, so please be ready to be flexible.

4. EDITING YOUR PROGRAM

4.1. Make sure you have reserved the editing equipment with NCTV staff.
4.2. No food or drink is permitted in the editing room.
4.3. Be sure all of recorded materials are removed before you leave. Do not leave materials overnight.
4.4. Sign out with NCTV staff to make sure all equipment is left in operating order.

5. SCHEDULING AND CABLECASTING YOUR PROGRAM

5.1. Due to the large amount of new series programming, producers are expected to reserve and show up for each scheduled production. Lateness or no-shows will jeopardize producer future reserved time-slots.
5.2. As we enroll new producers, all current producers will lose their 3rd replay choice due to the new series scheduling. Shows will still air more than twice a week.
5.3. Series productions need to be submitted on a regular and timely basis otherwise producers jeopardize their reserved airing times.

6. SUBMISSION OF VIDEO MATERIALS

6.1. Producers need to submit recorded programs two to seven days in advance of the anticipated cable-cast time. Turn around time in getting back the tape will be at least one week.
6.2. Submissions need to be cut to 2 minutes less than their scheduled time to accommodate station identifications and underwriter acknowledgements, for example, a 30 minutes program would need to be 28 minutes.
6.3. Submissions will need to meet minimum technical standards of audio and visual quality to be aired on NCTV. Staff will determine quality of recordings, return programs to producers when minimum standards are not being met, and discuss specific technical problems with producers.

7. GUIDELINES FOR RE-RUNS

7.1. NCTV wants to encourage the continuous creation of new programs. In fact, new or almost new programs receive priority when putting together our schedule. Programs fall into two categories;
1st run programs contain at least 75% new content not previously submitted and presented on the public access channel.
Re-run programs are those that have already been submitted and aired two or more times. Re-runs will be moved at the discretion of NCTV staff when new locally-produced programs are submitted and air-time is unavailable. Re-runs will need at least six months since the program’s previous submission to be aired again.