Welcome Bowie Public Access Television Producers!

Safety

Keeping staff, producers, and guests safe is our highest priority. The studio will follow any and all health directives, orders, or mandates imposed by Prince George's County and the State of Maryland and may add other precautions it deems necessary, based on current conditions and guidelines issued by the CDC or other agencies.

• Masks are not required in the studio, but please feel free to wear them if you wish.
• In-studio shoots are limited to 8 persons (1 producer and 7 guests) in the office and stage area.
• Others accompanying producers or guests will be asked to wait in the hallway outside the studio suite.
• Access to the Studio Control Room will continue to be limited. 

Productions

Producers can create shows for broadcast on the Public Access channel in the following ways:

• In the studio 
• In the studio with guest(s) participating via Skype
• Via Skype
• Field productions shot by producer or a producer's crew

Shows Recorded in Studio

Studio technicians will record your show in studio. After the shoot, they can make simple edits to the video file (adding intros and outros, removing a segment after retake, etc.). 

More extensive editing should be done by producers on their own -- at home or at a scheduled in-studio editing session. One-on-one training on how to edit will be provided to interested producers.

Remote Shows via Skype & Hybrid Shows

Producers can Skype with the studio to create a show remotely. Studio technicians can record you alone or with up to three other guests, each in a different remote location (or 4 remote guests if the producer is in the studio). Each person’s connection will be separate, but the studio will be able to coordinate with you so that you can see and speak with your guests during the recorded call. (Network news shows are using this same product to create panel shows right now.)

From the studio control room, technicians will be able record the Skype session, use your standard lower-third name graphics, add an intro and credits, and submit the finished show to BCMC on your behalf.

Hybrids - Shows can also be recorded in studio, with up to 3 guests joining the show via Skype.

• How Skype Productions Will Work
• How to Create a Good Skype Production

Shows Produced Outside the Studio for Broadcast

Here’s what you’ll need to do:

• Record the show. 
• Send us the file submittal form and the show file (you will need a gmail account to do this)

Studio technicians will receive the file, add graphics as needed, and load it to the BCMC server, where the BCMC Executive Director will schedule it for airing on the channel. 

Before you get started with the file transfers, please be sure to read more details about submitting shows produced outside the studio.

Editing Productions

As stated above, studio technicians can add intros, outros, and make simple edits, such as removing retakes, to your show. More extensive editing should be done by the producer, either at home on their own equipment, or at a scheduled editing session in the studio. Producers who need it can receive one-on-one training on how to edit their productions. After being trained, they will be eligible to do their own edits during a scheduled editing session in the studio.

If producers wish to distribute their shows to other outlets, they are responsible for converting files to the formats and specifications required by those outlets. studio technicians will only assist in rendering files for playing on the Bowie public access channel. However, producers may reserve editing time in the studio time to make the conversions on their own if they do not have adequate software at home.  

Loaner Equipment Checkout

We have a limited amount of equipment that can be checked out by producers to create new content. 

Learn more on the Loaner Program page.

Registration Forms

Producers wishing to produce shows for BCMC must complete a studio form and a BCMC form (available on the BCMC website.)