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UK's independent film producers have started looking for alternative forms of funding because of the weak economy, government cuts and changes to the Terms of Trade. Producers are increasingly looking abroad for co-production money while 2010 has become a good year for advertiser-funded production. Insights on the impact of reduced public TV funding are also given.

The natural history genre is reputed to highly benefit from the advantages afforded by three-dimensional (3D) television. However 3D television technology has led natural history filmmakers to adjust their shooting, editing, and storytelling standards. Other aspects of filmmaking that have been revolutionized by 3D television technology are presented.

How the production teams of 10 UK television shows solved cost-effectiveness challenges are presented. Clever scheduling and economic use of management are two ways production teams can improve budget management.

Case studies of television programs using high definition technology that were produced for broadcasting channels like BBC, Discovery Animal Planet, Lion Television etc., is presented.

Innovations in outside broadcast (OB) include flypacks, flyaway kits, mobile broadcast systems, and digital fiber-optic cabling that facilitate multi-camera shoots in difficult locations or remote venues. The need for fully equipped OB trucks is increasingly eliminated. How these innovations were applied in the coverage of sports events and productions is explored.

The local television production sector in Wales is seeing new projects, such as BBC's decision to move the production of 'Casualty' and 'Crimewatch and create a drama production complex in the area. Independent production companies have voiced out concerns that the developments will not serve the local economy. Other trends and forecasts for the sector are discussed.

Trends and forecasts for television broadcasting in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland are given in light of the BBC's plans to create a less London-centric television broadcasting industry in the UK. The unique characteristics that can bolster the idea of moving out of London and producing content in these regions are also given.

A look at the post production facilities that Manchester has to offer to television broadcasting industry is presented. BBC is planning to move its children's, sport, and few other departments to Manchester.

The importance of a good audio in television production is discussed.

Endemol UK has inked a creative development deal with chat show host and entertainer Jonathan Ross. Under this deal, Ross will create, pitch and produce entertainment ideas for the UK and global markets through his firm Hot Sauce TV.

Companies providing camera and equipment rental for major sports events have seen growth in 2010 due to the staging of Winter Olympics, the World Cup, and the Commonwealth Games. How these companies might respond to the increasing demand for stereoscopic three-dimensional technology and support infrastructure is also discussed.

A television writer and producer shares her experiences in filming 'Dappers,' a comedy pilot about two young mothers living on social welfare in Bristol, England. The writer feels that revisiting the street where she once lived was enjoyable but spooky. Challenges in producing the show, as well as views of producer Jane Harrison on working with animals and children, are also presented.

The 250,000 square-foot MediaCityUK in Salford, upon completion, will be the first purpose-built TV studio complex with seven TV and two audio studios, with one dedicated to the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. The facility will also have cafes, bars, and a giant plasma screen intended to connect better with local viewers. High-tech features of MediaCityUK are also described.

A television producer shares his experiences in filming 'Five Daughters,' a drama show which recreates the lives of the young women murdered in Ipswich in 2006. One of the biggest challenges in production was dealing with the weather, since the show was shot from late November to mid-January. Views of 'Five Daughters' director of photography Chris Seager are also presented.

A television producer shares her experiences in filming 'The Prisoner,' a remake of a 1967 series about a man's quest to escape from a place where his identity was taken away. Among the production challenges were the extreme weather and dangerous wildlife in Namibia. Views from the film editor are also given.

There are several issues surrounding 3D TV production, such as the lack of necessary equipment, but more content to work on and better delivery standards will lead to 3D TV's success. The post-production sector is embracing the new trend, and companies need to be involved earlier on in the process in order to make things work. Other insights on 3D TV production are given.

The rise of 3D production techniques has created new roles in TV production, the most important of which is the stereographer. The main role of the stereographer is to plan the viewer's 3D experience and interpret the director's intention, and there is only a few professionals in the UK who have the necessary skills. Other insights on a stereographer's role in TV production are given.

A director describes his experience working in the four-part series 'Young, Autistic and Proud,' where they plunged in the world of autism, meeting experts, charities, therapists, special schools and families. Everyone attended autism awareness training by the National Autistic Society. The filming brought real developments in the young people's behavior and deep changes in their lives.

Virtual studios have been popular in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and South America but not in the UK and the US. However, virtual studios could secure their own place in broadcasting industry at the news department of major broadcasters upon election night. Broadcasters will use virtual studios to help them present a lot of statistical data in an entertaining and informative way.

A director describes his experience during the production of the film 'On Expenses,' which has a low budget and was on a tight schedule. The film is about the untold story of behind the expenses scandal of the Member of the Parliament (MPs) in the UK, which was reported as a scoop by the Daily Telegraph. Insights on the script's development are also presented.

A television producer shares his experiences in making 'Pineapple Dance Studios,' a television program which follows the lives of teachers, students and staff at Pineapple Dance Studios. The show had a unique style of mixing documentary and dance sequences, and it hopes to create a new genre called performance documentary. Other insights on the show's production are given.

A television producer/director shares his experiences in filming 'Spirit Warriors,' a CBBC action-fantasy show. The production team had to create computer-generated monsters, high-powered battles, and a talking dragon spirit, on a very tight television budget. Views of the show's visual effects producer are also given.

A television producer shares his experiences in making 'Cast Offs,' a comedy drama series starring disabled people, for UK's Channel 4. The production of the show allowed Eleven Film to exercise creative freedom despite a limited shooting time. Meanwhile, the casting process has influenced the writing of the script.

A television editor shares her experiences in making television show 'Embarrassing Old Bodies' for UK broadcaster Channel 4. Casting for the show was one of the biggest production challenges, because Channel 4 asked to cast people of retirement age. How this and other problems in production were resolved is discussed.

A television producer shares his experiences in filming 'Paradox,' a television program commissioned by BBC1 from Clerkenwell Films. The show was commissioned immediately after the script was submitted, and the biggest challenge the production team had to face was making the entire series in nine months. Other production challenges are discussed.

A television producer shares her experiences in making 'The Queen,' a docu-drama on the social history of Britain through the key events in the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. The biggest challenges in producing the show include having a small budget and using archive footage carefully. The different stages of production from show's inception to editing, are discussed.

A television producer shares her experiences in making 'Collision,' a television program about a major A12 road collision, for ITV1. Having to shoot the show with a cast of 73 actors and working with feature film director Marc Evans were the easier aspects of production, but finding a location was one of the challenges faced by the team. Other highlights in making the show are discussed.

A television producer shares her experiences in making television program 'Murderland' for ITV. One of the biggest challenges in production was casting 'Harry Potter' star Robbie Coltrane, whose schedule was too hectic. Other challenges in making the show, as well as views of the casting director are presented.

A television director shares his experiences in making 'Bellamy's People,' a television show for BBC2 based on a Radio 4 comedy show. BBC Vision Productions and Down The Line Productions co-produced the show, which took the main characters on a road trip across Britain. Among the biggest challenges in production was editing 30 hours of material into four one-hour episodes.

A television producer shares his experiences in making 'Hollyoaks Later,' a spin-off show of 'Hollyoaks' which delves further into the lives of the latter's characters. Among the challenges in production were organizing actors' schedules and storylines and shooting outside a studio. Other insights on the show's production are given.

A television producer shares his experiences in making the television program 'Crash' for BBC1 Wales. The show is a drama on the lives and pressures of a group of young doctors, and it was produced on a shoestring budget. Among the production challenges were shooting on high definition (HD) and having a producer, line producer and team of writers all new to their jobs.

Insights on the widely popular UK television show 'The X Factor' is presented. The show has become a cross-platform phenomenon, providing dramas and plot twists that do not require an understanding and appreciation of current trends in pop music. Producers could learn a lot from the show, such as creating relationships with record labels and other entertainment industry players.

A television producer shares his experiences in filming an adaptation of Emily Bronte's 'Wuthering Heights' for ITV1. One of the biggest challenges in production was looking for a Yorkshire location, and the team ended up using a number of locations to create one house. The filming process was also hampered by uncooperative weather and crew strikes.

A television director and host shares her experiences in making 'How to Snare a Millionaire.' The reality-type show follows a single and broke 28-year-old woman as she searched for a rich lover. Views of the show's cinematographer are also presented.

A television producer shares his experiences in making the television show 'Man on Wire' for BBC2. The show, which required careful planning and dealing with lots of footages, is about Philippe Petit's 1974 high-wire routine between the World Trade Center Twin Towers in New York. Views of 'Man on Wire' director James Marsh are also given.

A television producer/director recounts his experiences working with Walter Cronkite on ITV's 'City at War' and Legacy of War.' 'City at War' features the work of American correspondents in London during World War II and 'Legacy of War' looks at the rebuilding of post-war Europe. Views of ITV host Alastair Stewart on Cronkite are also given.

New technologies are being introduced in sports television show production in the UK, particularly in slow-motion replays. Replays are important in covering sporting events, as they provide the best angle on the action. Various examples of covering sports using specialist cameras that capture at higher frame rates are discussed.

A television producer shares his experiences in filming long-running police drama 'The Bill' on ITV1. The production faced staff cuts a new time slot, and one of the biggest challenges was filming on tapeless high-definition video. Other insights on the show, as well as views from director Paul Wroblewski, are given.

Trust is one of the most important factors in regaining creativity in producing television programs, in addition to giving the authority back to commissioners. The current production process is faced with lower budgets and is filled with bureaucracy and caution, and these can definitely hamper creativity. Other insights on bringing back creativity in television shows are presented.

The Writers' Guild of Great Britain is calling for a public meeting with the BBC after producer Tony Garnett published a controversial online article on the state of BBC drama commissioning. The corporation has defended itself against critics' views, pointing out that it has over 20 hours of new drama show orders. Other insights on the issue are given.

A television producer shares his experiences in making 'Lunch Monkeys,' a BBC3 sitcom which follows the lives of young slackers in the post room of a personal injury law firm. One of the biggest challenges in production was shooting on a tight budget. Views of director Matt Lipsey on the project are also presented.

Television production studios have had mixed fates during the recession, with some getting a boost from light entertainment TV show production and some struggling to stay afloat. Meanwhile, some studios have added extra services that come at a price or bundled in a package to attract more production companies. Other trends and forecasts for the sector are discussed.

Television producers and broadcasters are encouraged to manage goals and expectations and match them with the programming budget. Disciplined shooting and schedule should also be considered. Details on set design, video and audio formats, and web-based tools that can help produce television programs cheaply and in line with budget are discussed.

The commissioning and filming of the television movie 'Skellig,' which is based on the novel by David Almond with the same name, is discussed. Details on the use of three sets of wings for the bird-like and human-like image of Skellig and the special effects created for the film are also presented.

More countries around the world, in an effort to boost their production sector, are offering incentives that are enticing to UK television production companies. There are several factors to be considered in shooting on location, such as price, accessibility, the presence of unions, and how cooperative the government can be. Views of industry players on the topic are also given.

The television broadcasting industry in Wales is feeling optimistic, due to the boost from 'Doctor Who' and 'Torchwood' and plans of the BBC to move several more production projects to the nation. S4C is another praiseworthy broadcaster, for its creative and financial contributions to the industry. Views from top industry players on the future of Welsh TV are also given.

The benefits and challenges of tapeless production across various television projects are discussed, as more and more producers move to digital high definition (HD). For example, Tiger Aspect's 'Paul Merton in India' was shot using P2, knowing that the footage gathered on location can be graded to match with images taken with Panasonic's Varicam.

The entire production of 'The Devil's Whore,' a four-part English Civil War drama series created by Peter Flannery and Martine Brant, is discussed. Flannery waited 14 years for the epic costume drama for Channel 4, which was shot over 11 weeks during early summer in South Africa. Features of the show and production challenges are also discussed.

Television broadcasters in the UK are deciding whether to upgrade to progressively scanned images in high definition (HD) or to continue using the interlaced system. In the interlaced format, only half of an image updates every 1/50th of a second while in the progressive format, the complete image updates every 1/50th of a second. Industry views on the issue are also given.

Distributor Target Entertainment Group has established itself as a production company with the launch of its in-house production arm Target TV in 2004. It's plans to produce in the US is bolstered by the acquisition of Greenlit Rights in 2008. The company's growth plans in various genres are also discussed.