Why UX makes for better TV

When I started my first job for a TV-network in New York City it quickly became apparent that college didn’t teach you everything you needed to know before venturing out in the big world. I had been hired to write and produce daily trailers for a morning show where news and weather mixed with B-list celebrities hawking cookbooks and hopeful unknowns trying to make names for themselves on the studio sofa. On the rare occasion a ‘star’ dropped by my job was easier. (Who wouldn’t tune in to watch a cast member from “Friends” or “Will & Grace” make an appearance?) It quickly became clear to me that to promote anything a set of rules needed to be applied. For example; a 30 second trailer for the morning show would follow this format.

1. Tell your viewers WHAT they will watch.
2. Let them know WHY they can’t miss it.
3. Tell them WHEN and WHERE they can see it.
4. Then tell them again WHEN and WHERE.
5. And ALWAYS learn from the daily ratings. Did people actually tune in?

This early ‘a-ha’ moment taught me to always look out for principles to follow and to always ask; what does the viewer (user!) want?

In short, throughout my time producing reality and entertainment TV-shows, commercials or content for social media I’ve come to realise that the processes used are more than just a little similar to that of UX design. Every step, from pre- to post-production, is iterative and demand that you know your audience, listen to and implement feedback along with a broadcaster’s own guidelines. Ultimately, you want to know that what you’re delivering is the best product you possibly can before putting a large stash of cash behind it.

So, let me take you through how I recognised and applied the importance of UX in TV-production. Although, keep in mind that just like working in UX, every type of production and company’s process vary vastly.

EMPATHISE

As the UX design process aims to understand its users, the production team hopes to do the same with their audience. We want to know who are they? What and why do they like particular content? Where do they watch it? What current trends appeal to them?

Besides a company’s brand-trackers and broader research on market trends, competition, etc, we usually unmask the answers through more specific research. If you’re lucky (or have tons of money) you may have access to a pilot or even a previous season to use as foundation for the research in interviews and focus groups. This will you to hone in on specifics such as; Are the characters likeable? Are the storylines intriguing? How’s the pacing? Does it need more humour or drama?

In the past, I have had the opportunity to produce pilot episodes to preview on YouTube for immediate feedback from viewers. This kind of unfiltered and honest commentary can be both terrifying and eye-opening but a valuable tool if analysed in correct context. After all, not everyone’s criticism on the Interweb is constructive. The upside, though, is that you can target a bespoke YouTube channel and subscribers or link directly from a newsletter or social media site. One downside though is that the feedback is visible to all and opinions can sometimes be tainted by other user’s comments.

As an example, using a pilot for a music program which featured teens competing to perform at their school’s big showcase on YouTube and in focus groups we discovered that:

1. Some of the cast members didn’t resonate with the viewers and didn’t come across as genuine. This became particularly clear in feedback on social media. In direct response to this we auditioned and cast a group of new teens who we felt were more ‘real’ and would reflect our viewer demographic better.

2. Although there was some drama and intrigue in the single hour-long pilot the storyline was largely centred around one particular event — a competition. How would we be able to sustain interest across multiple episodes? To resolve this, I held workshops with my team and hired a new writer to brainstorm ideas and map out across a full season.

3. Relationships between characters in the pilot felt somewhat arbitrary and fleeting. Our focus groups felt that they wanted to know the show’s characters better. Who was dating who? Who were allies and enemies? This hurdle became a focus during our casting process as we looked for talent that had already established relationships and could function as protagonists and antagonists. I also ensured that our writer who had experience of highlighting interpersonal relationships which resonate with young audiences.

4. The show was very much about music which was easy to showcase in a pilot which revolved around a music competition but how could we make it feel natural in a series without making it feel as though it was a full-on musical? We came up with a series of solutions including adding well-known artists and centred the plot around an on-going music project which would bring the core cast together.

DEFINE

After consolidating our findings and presenting to the broadcaster’s stakeholders we were also tasked with including an additional set of considerations. Some of the requests included the social media team’s need for additional assets for their platforms, music needed to be recorded and officially released, the PR team wanted a marketing kit with graphics, brand guide and still photos.

Taking our research and broadcaster’s needs in to account I proceeded with compiling a production plan including budgets, schedules and a deck with cast and potential storylines which was presented to the commissioner and stakeholders such as programming and brand teams, finance, legal, marketing and other departments for feedback.

With some further revisions, the deck was signed off and we proceeded into the production phase.

ITERATION

With a writer on-board we structured up beat-sheets; a sort of user journey of how our viewers would experience the show. A beat-sheet outlines each episode’s scenes and how the story unfolds. We’d also explore how the characters are introduced and how they interact. Inciting events, conflicts, resolutions and other plot points are broadly covered in this document.

After agreeing that we are on the right track with the commissioner and ensuring that we didn’t break any internal or external rules with the legal and compliance teams we proceeded into the scripting phase. I think of this as the mid-fidelity prototype of what we’d hope the show to become.

This script was then sent to the internal stakeholders for a round of critiques and additional changes. It is crucial to ask the right questions to get everyone on the same page. Are we hitting the right tone? Are the characters interesting enough? Are the storylines believable? This phase generally results in multiple changes and rewrites.

I have during some productions, in particular with scripted fiction, conducted table reads with actors to test whether the script works. On occasion, if permissible, members of the public have also been invited and encouraged to share their thoughts. This is a huge opportunity to gain insights from those who will ultimately watch the product.

At this stage, with a final script in hand, a production crew including director, costume, camera, sound and lighting are brought onboard to help turn what’s on paper into reality. With cameras rigged and cast on location there are few opportunities to make editorial changes. Although on some productions the commissioner request to see material from the shoot and may require changes. And, in the case of a reality show, the storylines will often change as new relationships are formed and unexpected events take place.

PROTOTYPING

When the shoot is finished it is time to put it all together into a program in post-production. This generally includes editing, graphics, colour correcting and audio. As each element is added, each iterations are sent to stakeholders for feedback. The questions we need answers to at this stage largely revolve around the visual and auditory aspects. Does the edit and pacing work and does it tell the story efficiently? Can we hear everyone, music and sound effects clearly in the mix? Are scenes bright or dark enough? And so on… Soliciting feedback on each element of the program is crucial at this stage in order to deliver the best product possible.

TESTING

If time (and budget) allows, further testing can be done at this stage. In the past I have provided a test episode to the research team to find out if it delivers on the objectives we set out in the pre-production phase and how it can most effectively can be promoted. Again, this is valuable feedback but the fixes you can do are limited. I have on rare occasions had to reshoot scenes or re-edits programs to clarify something or pivot a storyline.

DELIVERABLES

Along with the show, the marketing and social media elements I would also supply a style guide (or production bible) which would be the go-to place for anyone who needs to do work tied to the show. It can include look and feel of the show, characters, synopsis, stylistic choices, graphic design elements and more. This, along with a debrief element, is hugely valuable for future consideration.

CONCLUSION

As you can see, the audience/user is put at the heart of the process. After all, why would you make something if nobody wants to watch it? Each step is iterative in the hope of delivering the best product you possible can.

Having come to the UX field from Production and looking back, there are a few things I would improve up on. Although non-disclosure at times prevent it, I would have conducted further checks with ‘the audience’ in the form of preference testing for elements such as graphics and music along the way. Furthermore, I feel that Personas would be very useful to ensure the production team stayed on track and kept the viewers at the top of mind at all times.