ABSTRACT
Many people start their television directing careers by directing panel programs. These programs make up most of the work seen on Sunday mornings at the networks and on public-access channels. They’re probably the most popular and certainly the cheapest kind of programming to produce. Knowing how to shoot them well makes working in other formats easier, because although the preparation for other formats is different, the conventions governing panel programs are the same as those for shooting any kind of conversation or discussion. Those conventions include discussions in a drama, a sitcom, or simply the banter associated with a late-night talk/variety program.
