Hello Everyone.

I had the time of my life. I met so many wonderful people. Everyone in the audience was so excited to be there. I got to work with Tom the gentleman who warms up Ellen's audiences. He is the person who gets the party going. He has everyone dancing and boy did we dance today. There were dance contests. There were people in the isle moving body parts I didn't even know could move. LOL. .We handed out some IQdou? t-shirts to our winners that way they will always remember the fun they had today.

I laughed so hard, not knowing what Ellen was going to do next. She wore different props to see if we could figure out what was different, first sunglasses then the sombrero and a Tiara. How about Ellen bedazzling the product. You just never knew what she was going to do. I almost forgot when she got on the rotating platform to model the products. Ellen is amazing. I don't think I will forget this show for a long time.

The show was over before I knew it. Oh did I tell you how beautiful the weather is in Burbank? It was over 80 degrees today. I love warm weather. I now can confirm that I am ready for summer.

Thanks everyone hope you had a great time watching our show. I certainly had a great time giving you some behind the scenes details.

I hope to see you all at a future Remote Broadcast.

Nancy

Hi!

I’m getting ready to leave the office and head home to start packing for my trip to California. Oh, what should I wear? I heard it's going to be 85 degrees — much nicer than it's been here. We’ve had rain all week, so I’m really looking forward to some California sunshine.

I have to be back at QVC tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. to hop on a shuttle, which takes our crew to the airport. Thank goodness, because I hate to drive myself there — plus, we have free parking here. I don’t mind the flight, which is about five hours. I get to catch up on my reading or sleep, whichever comes first.

The excitement is starting. I might get to meet Ellen. I can’t wait. I told you I loved my job!

Talk to you soon,
Nancy

Hi everyone!

I’m Nancy Swisher, the Event Coordinator for QVC’s Remote Broadcasting division, and I think I have the best job at QVC. I get to help create audience-targeted events and activities that are held in conjunction with our remote broadcasts. In other words, I make sure the customer has a great time! I’m getting ready to go to California to work on The Ellen DeGeneres Show — how awesome is that?

I’ll be working with Ellen's Audience Department team to make sure everyone watching has fun. And I’ve just rolled 36 iQdoU? T-shirts to be handed out to the audience…but they’re also going to get another great surprise from QVC. I can't tell you what that surprise is — you’ll just have to wait and see.

Since QVC sent out e-mail invitations to customers within a 100-mile radius of Burbank, CA, where the show is filmed, I’m in the process of calling everyone back. They’re so excited, and I can't wait to meet them all in person.

I’m now heading to our production meeting, which we always have before each remote broadcast. We make sure all show details are taken care of and, if there are any issues, we resolve them before filming. Lots of different people work on these shows, including the producer, director, production manager, coordinating producer, associate producer, studio assistant, engineer, lighting director, audio director, set dresser, and camera people.

I’ll keep you in the loop as I travel to California. I can't wait to see the studio and hopefully meet Ellen. Don’t forget to tune-in and watch on Saturday, April 18th at 3:00 pm ET.

Bye for now,

Nancy

Sunday 3/22 at 4:35 pm

WOW…that was incredible and the fastest three hours I have ever produced. I thought the show went off without a hitch. Even though we did have a few bumps in the road along the way, overall, I felt the production meetings and "checking and double checking" really paid off in the end. This show was the total team effort from those we had on site here in Chicago to those who assisted back at Studio Park in West Chester. I say a hearty THANK YOU to everyone who was involved with this production. I thank you all for your dedication and support…we really do have a great team here at QVC.

We had to juggle the lineup just a bit from the original plan…as Paula Deen mentioned on air, her driver couldn't find the venue. She was originally scripted to appear first in the show, but since she wasn't here when the show began, we moved a few sells up to make sure we could get her on the air. It was my call to make the product lineup change…I collaborated with the CP and AP's on site along with the team back at Studio Park, but the decision needed to be made and be made quickly. When you juggle the lineup that includes a guest with a hard goods item (demonstrable item), it is more involved that simply changing the lineup in a jewelry or fashion show. The current setup needs to be moved off and the new setup moved in…the guest must be mic'd and provided an IFB. Talk about total team effort, everyone responded as we were able to get Eric Theiss on air rather quickly to present the first item in the show. We rebounded well and continued moving forward. Thanks to Eric for being a team player.

Now about the products, from what I could tell, you liked just about every product in the show although there were a few that really stood out. We sold completely out on four items…you liked the S/2 Easy Tear Food Wrap Boxes, the Slice Solutions Meatball Pan (this was also my favorite from the moment I saw it on Saturday), the Acrylic Pitcher with Fruit Infuser, and Kuhn Rikon Knife Sharpeners. Be sure to look out for these to make their QVC return sometime in the future.

Now comes the fun part…product breakdown and set de-construction. Yes, that is correct, all the product we unpacked yesterday gets hand washed, boxed up, and sent back to QVC later this evening. The set dresser removes the props…engineers pack up the trucks and the production trailer gets powered down…freelance camera operators break down and pack away cameras…audio lines, camera cables, electric and distribution boxes, and satellite lines are coiled up and packed away as well. By the way, this all has to be done by 6:00 pm since that is when the union guys arrive to move the pallets of product and set props, set pieces, camera and audio gear, refrigerators, and ovens through the International Home and Housewares Show venue. They'll take them back to the loading docks where we can get our hands on them again to pack on our trucks that will be leaving tonight to return to West Chester. The team needs to get started and I'm going to help out wherever needed.

Well, I guess that is it for me. It was a great experience and one I hope to be able to do again soon. Tomorrow, we fly home and coming home is something I always look forward to. I miss the family and can't wait to see everyone. It is back to reality with traveling soccer and little league practices every other night...baseball games on Saturday and soccer games on Sunday. Honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Thanks for reading my blog. I hope you had as much fun reading as I has writing. In my first entry last Thursday night, I promised to give new meaning to the phrase, "Lights, Camera, Action." I hope you were satisfied. I wanted to take you behind the scenes to show you what really goes into putting on a live remote broadcast in another city. It starts with a great team of people and we have some of the best.

When you see some of the items I spoke about earlier in this entry return to QVC for another airing, you can always remember you saw them here first in this show, live from Chicago.

Until we blog again, be safe everyone and happy shopping on QVC.

Bye.

Saturday 9:30 pm

Back from dinner and I must say, yet another great meal in Chicago. We went to Gino’s East (162 E. Superior St. downtown Chicago) for some traditional Chicago style deep dish pizza and it was awesome. I went with the pepperoni and cheese…three slices, but no room for desert tonight. Three people I’m traveling with went for the meat lovers. It was cheese with pepperoni, sausage, ham, Canadian bacon, and regular bacon. It looked really good and I was definitely tempted.

Crew call for tomorrow is 6:45 am and it will be here before you know it. Tomorrow is show time…all the planning and pre-production comes down to three hours on the air tomorrow. I think we are in great shape to provide an entertaining and great shopping experience for all of you. I hope you enjoy what we have to offer.


Sunday 8:00 am

Oh boy, here we go…it is the day of the show. An early crew call today for the entire crew…we have arrived on set and are giving the once over with all the props and products that we had set up yesterday. The food stylists are already hard at work preparing foods and recipes for the products we will be selling. It smells really good in here.

The freelance crew has arrived as well and is going over the camera’s…testing IFB and mic’s one last time to work out any kinks that may have showed up during the overnight hours. We call those kinks…”gremlins.” Just when you least expect it, something does go wrong, but so far we are looking really good and all systems are a go for the show. Some final touches to the set by the set dresser, steaming tablecloths and moving some props on the shelves to accommodate the blocking changes we made last night before we left and called it a day.

We are having our first of three production meetings at 7:45 am with the food stylists, CP, AP’s, and Studio Assistant. We’ll be discussing set positions and requirements…whether or not we’ll need to “hot switch” sells. A “hot switch” is when two products need to be sold at the same sell position. We strategize on the best way to get the first product out and the second product in. Are there cords to unplug…containers to drain…food to be moved, etc…not to mention we need to get the first guest moved off and the next one moved in. I’ll check back after the meetings are done.

Sunday 9:30 am

All three meetings are now complete…set blocking is now officially finalized. David Venable has arrived and we (TD, SA, CP, AP, Managing Producer and Line Producer) have gone over the entire PAL (our script for the show). I can tell how minute’s items will get and at what time they are being presented in the hour.

Remember all items are BRAND NEW! See, I told you I couldn’t keep a secret…anyway, I hope you enjoy the lineup we are offering. Just a few of the products include a Waring Pro Waffle Maker, a Keurig Special Edition, Kuhn Rikon, KitchenAid, Nordic Ware, and Deni. We have some special guests as well…Chris Freytag and Paula Deen are stopping by. We have the debut of a cookbook on “How to Live Lean and Green” by Sophie Uliano.

The vendors and guests are starting to arrive and I’m seeing some familiar faces that I usually see in the studio. They are all going over their items with David and the food stylists for some last minute touch ups. The AP’s, CP, and Studio Assistant are all taking care of last minute guest requests. I need to get out to the production truck to test out IFB and headsets. I probably won’t be able to check in again before the show so wish me luck on my first remote. It is going to be a great show. We do have a few surprises up our sleeve. I think you are going to be very happy. See you on the air at 12:00 noon.

Saturday 3/21

10:30 a.m.

Well, it is load in day (also known as set up day) and there is a lot to set up. The early crew call for Managing Producer, AP's, CP, Production Manager, EIC, Audio Engineer, Camera Engineer, Set Dresser and Studio Assistant was 7:00 am. For myself and the Technical Director, we were meet up with the crew at 9:30 am.

The two trucks arrived on site…they parked at the loading docks and are were ready to be unloaded of contents to bring in the building. The union guys from Chicago took over and got all the contents unloaded and in the building for the crew to start setting up. You name it and it was in there…4 refrigerators , 2 working glass top ovens, folding tables…lots of folding tables, set pieces and props for the shelves, product, product and more product. The CP was responsible for gathering working samples for every item in the show and he did this all before we left West Chester. We unloaded 5 samples of every product and every sample had to be taken out of the box…packaging removed…plugged in and tested out. There is a lot to get to so I'm going to jump in a lend a helping hand.

1:40 p.m.

Well, the product is all unloaded and the set is really taking shape. The lights are hung and cameras are set up…the audio lines are being laid out and will probably be tested in another hour or so. The set positions are built and this year we have two working sell positions, one with a working cook top for the live cooking demos. The set dresser is making some final tweaks to the props on the shelves. I just walked past two engineers setting up the satellite dish that will be transmitting the signal to the "bird in the sky" or satellite…that signal will be received at QVC for tomorrow's show. With that being said, you know where I’m headed…that's right…I'm going to the QVC production truck parked outside the building. See you there.

2:45 p.m.

Holy Cow…this truck is AWESOME! The production truck is really cool…state of the art with plasma screen monitor walls, a SONY production switcher, lots of cables running to and from and the IQDoU logo painted right on the side. It is an expandable truck with the one side expanding out to create more room on the inside. There is the TD station, producer station, camera shading and video tape operator stations. The A-1 (lead audio engineer) has his own area with a really BIG audio board to control all the microphones and IFB's for the show tomorrow. How he can keep it all straight, I have no idea.

4:00 p.m.

Camera Fax and Audio Check:
The TD, Managing Producer and I are checking camera positions and angles, going over sell positions and communicating with the freelance camera operators regarding responsibilities. We are currently watching the return feed of QVC and the Patio and Garden 24 hour event. Looks like you all liked the Topsy Turvy Tomato planters since they have just sold out. Anyway, we'll have two handheld camera operators and four other hard camera operators. The hard cameras are stationary and won't be moving from their designated positions. The handheld cameras allow us a little more flexibility being able to capture the action from angles we can't get using the hard cameras. We are also testing out intercom so I'll be able to communicate with David through his ear piece (IFB) while the show is happening. We are tweaking host/guest placement on the set, some final set dressing with the set dresser, placement of props on shelves and sell tables, etc.

Matt Fischer will be the TD for this show tomorrow and is doing a great job getting all the camera angles we need to give you the best visual experience possible. I mentioned some of the crew responsibilities in an earlier post. If you are interested, here is an explanation of the Technical Director position.


TD The TD is responsible for camera blocking, directing cameras and operators, and execution of live shots for the show. It the decision of the TD to use handheld vs. hard camera during the show to capture all the angles and shots needed to best showcase the product and how it works, what it does, and how to use it. He works with a large video production switcher… in the QVC truck it is a SONY and it is very impressive.

Well, that is all for now…I have taken some pictures of the inside and outside of the truck. I hope to post them soon. We are off to dinner…tonight it is Chicago style deep dish pizza. Be back later.


Tune-in March 22nd at 12PM EST for In the Kitchen Live from Chicago!

Friday 9:45 p.m.

We are back from dinner…we ate at Harry Caray's famous steakhouse and I must say, it was the best Filet Mignon I have ever had. No doubt about it…without any question in my mind, the best Filet ever. Our server was Steve and he brought out the tray to showcase each of the cuts of steaks they offer. You could pick the type of cut and how you wanted it served and seasoned. I went with the 9 oz. Filet with a touch of peppercorn sauce. I like it medium well and it was prepared to perfection. After dinner, I’m not really one for desert because I’m usually full from dinner, but I figured since I'm in a new city, I'll step outside the box and indulge. I went with the chocolate fudge brownie topped with vanilla ice cream and it was the perfect complement to a great dinner.

We'll be heading over to the site tomorrow for our first look. It will also be my chance to get acquainted with the production trucks which is something I have been looking forward to. Crew call for the Line Producer (that's me) and the Technical Director is a little later than the regular crew call of 7:00 am. We don't need to be there until 9:30 am. Either way, it is time to turn in for the night. I'll check back tomorrow after I check out the site and production vehicles.

Tune-in March 22nd at 12PM EST for In the Kitchen Live from Chicago!

Frank

Friday 10:30 a.m.

We are on our way to the airport and as I am driving along the roads and through the towns I grew up in, I am remembering why I really love where I live and more importantly why I have no reason to ever leave.

There is so much history and culture to the city of Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. Within the city limits, there is the Philadelphia Art Museum and Boat House Row…the Reading Terminal Market and the shops and restaurants along Broad Street. You have China Town, South Street, Penn’s Landing, the sports complex which is home to the 2008 World Series Champion, Philadelphia Phillies, and Pat’s Steaks on 9th and Wharton. Outside the city limits in the surrounding counties, we have Valley Forge and the Brandywine battlefields, the famous Longwood Gardens and the surrounding counties of Delaware, Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery.

We just arrived at the airport…the bags have been checked and we arrived at our terminal. The flight leaves at 11:30 am and looks like we will be departing on schedule. Once in the air, I’ll check back in.

Friday 12:30 p.m.

So far, smooth sailing at an altitude above the clouds. We are on schedule and will be arriving in about 1 hour 39 minutes to Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

In an earlier post, I mentioned that it took many great people to put on a production of this size. For this live broadcast on Sunday at 12:00 noon, there are about 15 people traveling together; all QVC employees. I mention that because we are also bringing in several freelance production personnel to work on the show as well. The camera operators and other essential personnel will be from the Chicago area and many of them have worked this broadcast in the past. They know what to expect and what QVC expects from them.

Of course, we couldn’t go anywhere without our show host; for this show it will be David Venable. We have two Producers (a Managing Producer and myself…the Line Producer), a Coordinating Producer, two Associate Producers, one Technical Director, one Studio Assistant and one Set Dresser. We have lighting technicians, production engineers, a Production Manger, an EIC (Engineer in Charge), A-1, and 5 Food Stylists. Now I guess you are asking…why so many people and what their responsibilities are? I’ll try to explain as best I can what everyone does.

For now, here are just a few of the assignments.

Show Host:
Obviously, David Venable is the show host who will be traveling with us. We all know what he does…he makes great “yum-yum” faces. By the way, before I forget, David has one of his favorite guests in this show on Sunday, but I’m not letting out who that might be, If you have seen David on the air over the years and you all know how much he loves his southern cooking, you might be able to figure out who it could be.

Line Producer:
As mentioned earlier, this is my first live broadcast at a location other than our home set in West Chester, Pa. Just as in the studio, my responsibility on location is pretty much the same. I work along side the other production personnel to put on the best show we can. It is the total team effort. Tomorrow, I will familiarize myself with the new production trucks which I can’t wait to see. We will test all cameras, headsets, audio, video and satellite feeds. We will block the set locations, set up the product we are selling and make sure all the pieces are there.

During the show on Sunday, I will mostly support David Venable providing him with updates and alerting him to customer calls. Like stated earlier, QVC is at the forefront in modern technology. Every day is different and very exciting. For the show on Sunday, we have 22 products to offer and they all have one thing in common. Some of them, I think you are going to really like, while a few others may surprise you.

Studio Assistants
The studio assistants are the unsung heroes of the studio. They gather the product before the show and make sure all the pieces are there. They set it up, we sell it, and then they break it down and put it all away. They make sure the hosts are in position and on the correct set…they also make sure the guests are in place and looking at the right cameras. They provide the hosts with their famous “blue cards” which have all the pricing and easy pay information clearly stated. If a product is a While Supplies Last or on 5 easy payments, all the information is right there just in case it is needed.

Engineers, Audio and Video Technicians, EIC,
I have been in the production industry for many years, and I still am amazed at how the engineers can know how to get all the cabling and signals right to put on a broadcast of this nature. We have three production trucks. The main truck is a TV control room on wheels. Lots of camera cables, audio and video feeds, signals to and from the satellite…it is enough to make you dizzy, but these guys are very good at what they do and they do it with ease. It really is a sight to see…every cable has a purpose and the engineers know exactly what that purpose is…it is amazing.

Food Stylists
If you have ever seen a QVC cooking show in the past, you have probably said to yourself…”man, that food looks delicious.” Well, that is where the food stylists come in and we have some of the best in the industry. The food is always prepared to the on air guests’ satisfaction, from the recipes in the cookbook to secret family recipes, it has been prepared by our food stylists and prep chefs, and it is always mouth watering. You are in for a treat on Sunday.

Okay, we are getting ready to land. Captain has turned on the “no electronics” light which means I have turn off the computer.

I’ll check back later after we come back from dinner. I hear we are headed to Harry Caray’s Famous Steakhouse in downtown Chicago. I hear the steaks are unbelievable…I can’t wait to try one for myself.

Tune-in March 22nd at 12PM EST for In the Kitchen Live from Chicago!

Frank

Hey everybody, I'm back and it is the day of the trip. Our flight leaves I a few hours, but I wanted to stop by the office for a quick note and print out my scripts for the show.

This morning was a little harder than most mornings when you I go to work…leaving the family for four days rather than just an eight hour day is a little harder than normal. As I was leaving to put the luggage in the car, my youngest ran out after me to give me one more hug and then felt the need to whisper in my ear…don't forget to bring me something back. That is the great thing about kids…they just want to be kids.

I'm in the office now and going over a few last minute things. I just printed out the Broadcast PAL also known as our script for the show. It has all the products that we will be offering during the three hours…pricing breakdowns, which items will have a guest and which ones won't. I can already tell you that we have several items with easy pay and others with S/H included. We have an item that is already an advanced order and three others that are really special. I can already see who will be stopping by on set and which celebrities will also be in the show. As I look even closer, I am beginning to notice that every item in the show has one thing in common. Now don't think the obvious here, think outside the box a little and try to figure it out. Every item in the show has one thing in common and it is not the fact that all items are kitchen related. There is your first hint…you'll come to realize I'm not very good at keeping a secret, but this one, I'll keep until sometime before the show. Good luck trying to guess…you won't get the secret out of me just yet.

Time to go…the buses are picking us up for the ride to the airport in about 15 minutes. I'll check back once we land in the windy city. Here's to a safe flight…we'll talk again soon.

Tune-in March 22nd at 12PM EST for In the Kitchen Live from Chicago!

Frank

I think I have everything I will need for the trip. I often wonder if Chicago really is the "windy city." I can't wait to find out and I also hope the river is still green from earlier in the week. I have heard so much about the tradition and I think it is very cool that Chicago can really make the entire river green in color. Can't wait to see that…don't worry, I packed my camera.

My kids helped me pack what I needed and as I was packing the suitcase, I realized, I can't take them with me. Reality really does hurt some times…I have three boys, ages 13, 10, and 7. They are very active in sports and I'm just as active in their sports as Manager, Coach, Assistant Coach, cheering parent or anything else that is needed. Luckily, we don't have any games scheduled this weekend so I won't be missing any live action on the field. They keep me busy and I will miss them when I leave on Friday morning. As much as they don't want me to go, they are more excited to see what I'll be bringing back for them. My wife, who also works for QVC, is very supportive and sees this as a great opportunity. She is very excited for me.

Well, the flight leaves early and I can't be late. It is time for bed. I'll try to check in before we board, but if not, I'll check back once we land in Chicago.

Thanks for reading along...there is so much more to come.

Frank

Hello out there everyone…meet QVC's newest "blogger." What exactly is a blogger anyway? I guess it is someone who writes about daily experiences …challenges those experiences bring and happenings and/or accomplishments in your everyday life. It could be someone who writes about places they have been or tries their best to take others (through writing) to places they might not be able to go. For those of you who have been watching QVC for as long as I have been working here, that would be about 18 years now, we can pretty much say we have experienced it all. For me, I thought that was true until a few weeks ago. Please allow me to explain if I may.

I thought I would start off by first introducing myself. My name is Frank DeVice and I am a member of the Line Producer team. Many of you probably have heard my name mentioned before on the air from several show hosts like Dave James, Sandra Bennett, Leah Williams, Jane Treacy, Dan and Pat during the Morning Show and especially Antonella Nester. That's right…it is me…the Line Producer that Antonella is always calling out on air.

Welcome to my Blog!

You may be asking yourself…what am I blogging about? Well, it is very simple…just when I thought I had experienced it all, I realized that I hadn't. A few weeks back, my manager approached me with an opportunity to be involved with something I have never experienced in my 18 years with QVC…my first ever live remote. I've held various positions within the company…I started out as a Production Assistant...was a Videographer, Production Manager, Coordinating Producer and now my most recent position, Line Producer. I have traveled many times for QVC…been all over the United States…traveled on the first ever Richard Simmons "Cruise to Lose"…been to the Rose of Tralee pageant in Ireland 2x and the Royal Dalton factory in England. I've mined Idaho Garnet with David Venable…floated in a hot air balloon in Albuquerque New Mexico and even interviewed Michael Jordan. But what I have never done is been a part of a live remote for QVC…and I'm not just a part of it, I'm co-producing it.

That's right, I’m heading to Chicago for a live broadcast from the Chicago Housewares show with David Venable Chicago Housewares show with David Venable. Be sure to tune in on Sunday March 22 at 12:00 for three live hours from the Housewares show live from McCormick Place in Chicago. It is going to be a great show and I'm taking you with me. I'll give you a behind the scenes tour of what it takes to put together a live broadcast of this size and scope. Everything from loading the trucks to unloading the trucks…setting up the set…getting cameras in position and the location ready to go. I'll do my best to give new meaning to the phrase "Lights, Camera, Action."

The three production trucks left QVC earlier this week…we meet up with them on Friday afternoon. I have never seen the production trucks let alone worked in them. I hear they are "state of the art" and can't wait to get inside the broadcast semi and check it out. It is always a great thrill to work with the most updated technology on the market, and I will say, that QVC is always at the forefront in technology. A new production switcher, new cameras, tape machines…I can't wait to see all of it.

And then there is the Housewares show…a large gathering of vendors and companies from around the country all trying to introduce their products as the "latest and greatest" products on the consumer market. I wonder what products will be the hot new gadgets and gizmos of 2009. I wonder which ones we might see on QVC in a few months or later in the year. That is also very exciting.


Frank