TV production team: Crimewatch

For Jill, the unpredictable nature of the changing transmission dates can present enormous challenges, not just in terms of scheduling but in terms of rotating staff and fitting in with police cases. This is compounded by the fact that the show goes out live. The production manager’s job is therefore a challenging balancing act of a lot of guesswork, good forward planning and a good deal of flexibility. Jill's team consists of three production coordinators and a part time production management assistant, all allocated specific roles on the days leading up to transmission, such as producing graphics, planning and logistics, and organising studio briefing notes and the studio plan. "If nothing else, in production management communication is key. Don’t make any assumptions that people will do things or will understand everything." – Jill Jones In terms of budget alone, Jill has to factor in a mix of chargeable items and things hired in, on top of other costs incurred when items are brought in to meet specific appeal points for cases the police are trying to crack. In all it’s a high risk production, as appeals can vary enormously in scope, meaning more locations, a bigger cast and extras, and greater cost, none of which the production manager can control. For Jill the show is a logistical juggernaut, but an incredibly rewarding production to be involved in. “Anyone joining the Crimewatch team for the first time cannot fail to bitten by the Crimewatch bug,” she says. “I think if they come with an open mind and a lot of energy, it is hard work, but the rewards both personally and professionally are huge and you gain such a wide experience of every facet of television production, just neatly packaged into one programme.”

Crimewatch – first broadcast in 1984, it remains a bedrock of BBC One’s schedules, offering ordinary viewers the rare chance to solve real crimes. It was one of the original interactive programmes on the BBC and with nearly 30 years of investigations, appeals and reconstructions behind it, the monthly series has built a reputation for authenticity and sensitive handling of serious crimes. While the show's format has remained largely unchanged in its 30 year history, the slower paced reconstructions have been replaced with a faster paced, edgier style, reflecting the way that television has developed and the expectations of viewers. Production issues for the show are like any other live, studio programme in many ways, however what sets it apart is the unique relationship the Crimewatch team has with police forces around the country. Police detectives are always on hand during the live show to handle calls from the audience, and the programme works hard to manage the editorial and legal challenges of reporting real crime as well as dealing sensitively with victims. As series editor Joe Mather explains, “We take that incredibly seriously and we know that victims of crime will give interviews to Crimewatch when they won’t give interviews to anyone else, because they’re doing it for a purpose to try and solve the case.” He ends by giving advice to anyone wishing to join the Crimewatch team. “It's a great television programme to work on, involving filming reconstructions, involving actors, and sometimes stunts, and it's all quite glamorous and exciting and then there's the big live studio show,” he admits. “But my advice is you've got to have a real desire to want to deal with people, and help them through some of the terrible crimes that they've been through.”

“What we're doing is to help the police catch the people responsible. You're making a film that will get people to ring up and give information.” For Rhys, one of a team of producer/directors on Crimewatch, his role is pivotal to the core remit of the programme – bringing people to justice. Using a mix of presenters and detectives working together to front appeals to the public, Rhys is responsible for delivering the reconstructions which are the most impactful part of the show for its millions of viewers. Choosing which case to reconstruct is by no means easy, as reconstructing real crimes on screen can lead the public’s view and their recollection of events. As Rhys explains, “We want people at home to ring up if they’ve got information, so when we film things we’re very much mindful that we want it to be a true representation.” This can be gory, violent and is often upsetting, but ultimately it helps to underline the true nature of what may have happened to a member of the public. Filming reflects the nature of the subject and Rhys explains how the kit and shooting style make the reconstructions more powerful – faster paced to convey the ferocity of some events, and with careful close-ups to show reactions and the emotional impact of a crime. Presenters are equally involved in the production, and Rhys gives them a thorough briefing to make sure they have a full understanding of the background to a story. He also supports the senior investigating officers working in the studio, so that they’re fully across the appeal points in the studio script and so that other officers can make the best of any phone calls that come in. “What makes my evening is after the programme we have a debrief, and an officer will say we’ve sent officers to an address and we’ve arrested somebody,” he states, as for Rhys bringing people to justice is what the show is all about. “It’s public service broadcasting at its heart and if you want to do that then you will succeed on Crimewatch, but you have to have that at the core of your thought process.”

With a mini budget at his disposal, it's Gavin's job to pull together reconstructions, organising crew, cast, hotels, transport, props and all other elements on location to make sure the film is delivered safely and on schedule. That means being responsible for health and safety on the set, as well as making sure that every shot taken is carefully logged. Crucially, he's responsible for making sure the digital rushes shot on the day make it back to base. "It’s a huge responsibility to look after those rushes," he admits, "because if we lose any of it, we wouldn’t have anything to show on the TV. We’d have to go back and film the entire reconstruction again." His work doesn't end here, however, and transmission brings with it its own logistical challenges, including getting the numerous police detectives to and from the studio, and managing the crucial calls and texts from the public in answer to appeals. It's hard work, but a job he relishes. "If someone was going to join Crimewatch, I suppose the advice I would give them is be aware it’s going to be hard," he says. "There’s a lot of long hours, but it will all be worth it at the end."

There are few researcher roles in television as varied as that of the researcher on Crimewatch, the BBC's flagship factual programme. From sourcing and checking CCTV footage, to identifying stories and building contacts with police, researchers on the show play a crucial role in bringing stories together. As researcher Rachel Newman explains, her role requires a mix of strong organisation skills and clear editorial judgement to ensure that the right spread of stories feature on the hour long programme. Reconstructions are also a major part of the researcher's job, and Rachel supports the director on set to make sure that scripts are ready, props are sourced, schedules are communicated and that cast and crew are briefed and prepared on all aspects of the story. It's not all glamour however, as Rachel is keen to point out - keeping the cast and crew fed and watered is a major factor in keeping morale on set high, and making sure the production runs smoothly. Once back in the studio, Rachel will also be on hand on the phones to field calls from anxious and interested viewers, feeding this information to the police and filtering out what sensitive information can and cannot be broadcast live on air. Researchers may well have to deal with difficult and upsetting cases, and while this is challenging, it's something that Rachel takes in her stride. "The rewarding thing is getting the results and when the phones ring on the night of transmission and arrests are made, then it's really worthwhile."

Since arriving on our screens in 1984, Crimewatch has prided itself on being one of the original interactive programmes, and interactivity with the audience remains at the core of the programme today. As assistant content producer Steven Green explains, viewers have always been able to get in touch with the team of detectives working on the live shows, but new technologies and social media channels mean there are now many more ways to get in touch with the team and stay informed, with the website at the centre of them all. "You still have the studio full of police officers taking a call, but with things changing and technology changing, we enhance that." – Steven Green The main focus of Steven's job is to make sure that the site reflects the main elements of the programme including the reconstructions, wanted faces and CCTV footage. It's a big help for the presenters who refer to the site throughout the live shows, but for many users the site is their main access to appeals and police information so they need to be able to find what they need easily. In addition, whereas most programmes will be available through online media players after transmission, legal restrictions mean that Crimewatch isn't repeated and is only up on iPlayer for 24 hours. The rapid turnaround of information live on air means Steve needs to update the site quickly, so he uses content management systems like iBroadcast and iSite to get clips and information broadcast ready for the web and mobile. Steven's also tasked with making sure that the shows and appeals are promoted through Twitter, giving viewers instant access to the site and to programme information as well as passing information to detectives working on live cases. "When we’re on air and you see the e-mails coming in and Crimewatch trending on Twitter, it's like, this is real. It’s out there and people are responding and that’s great to see."