LineupNX 2.0Demonstration

© Baobab Productions 2011

Your quick introduction

Welcome. This presentation will introduce you to LineupNX 2

It is designed to show you many of the program’s features and give you insight into how they may work for your organization, whether it be a production company, television or radio newsroom, university or college media/journalism program or a community cable television operation.

Of course this presentation cannot show you everything. If you have questions about LineupNX, features and pricing, please contact us by email: info@lineupnx.com

• A way to build a lineup / rundown for a television program that keeps all required information well-organized

• A tool to edit and sort the lineup and add and subtract program content and items at will

• A computer program that keeps track of item times, forward-times, back-times and hit-times as the rundown is built, ensuring the production team has the tools to make the broadcast run to time

What is LineupNX?

• A convenient clearing house for writing and editing host/presenter copy

• A program that prints the copy with page numbers in the correct, collated running order

• A program that sends that same copy to a built-in teleprompter

What is LineupNX?

• A file and content management tool to organize all material related to a production including package scripts, research notes, contacts, shot lists and other databases that may be associated with the show

• A personal organization system for TV journalists to keep track of ideas, research material and scripts for their stories

What is LineupNX?

• A sophisticated stop-clock in the control room that gives the director accurate timing information as the show goes to air or is recorded

• A production tool for program packaging• A program planning tool from Future File

to Archive

What is LineupNX?

• In TV newsrooms and production units• In classrooms and journalism labs• In production houses• In community and small market television• In Internet television/video production

Where is LineupNX?

• For live productions– News, magazine shows, telethons

• Live-to-tape productions• Pre-packaging shows• Television or radio documentary planning

Use LineupNX

• On a computer network, large or small– Shared newsroom resources– Desks or views appropriate to job function– With Internet access and built-in RSS

• As a stand-alone program– As a show planner or item planning tool

Use LineupNX

• LineupNX will run effectively on very modest computer systems and networks

• Its memory footprint is small and it doesn’t duplicate functions such as calendars, alarms and contact databases that are already available as powerful standalone applications from other vendors

Operationally speaking

It’s easy

• Login• Initial screen• A rundown• An item record• An intro

More detail

• Control room

• Clocks

• Timing

• Teleprompter

• Desk views

• User is the computer name and is completed automatically

• Function / Job ID

– Admin: the Executive Producer or Administrator (can be changed)

– Editor: the desk (only 1 per show)– Reporter: writers or journalists– Production: newsroom pa– Technical: prompter ops– Altedit: editor for a different show– ShowPA: control room pa– Director: control room director– Anchor: login for talent to use

offline teleprompter

First you login

If the “Network” (two monitors on the icon) button is active you may login to the network and files are shared.

A single monitor icon (as shown) means all files will be stored locally on your computer and will not be available to others on the network. Only the Administrator / Executive Producer can configure the computer to enable network mode.

LineupNX keeps track of how many people are logged in.

• Login• Initial screen• A rundown• An item record• An intro

More detail

• Control room

• Clocks

• Timing

• Teleprompter

• Desk views

The initial screen

Rundown work area

Show statusUpdates as you build

the rundown

Shows total time of items, run time of individual show

blocks, time to air and more.

ToolbarIncludes five item status indicators

when a rundown is loaded

Menus

Different entriesdepending on

role in production

RSS available

Read news / sports feeds from the Internet

The toolbar buttons and available menus depend on the specific job function or desk view (reporter / writer, editor, production, technical etc.)

• Login• Initial screen• A rundown• An item record• An intro

More detail

• Control room

• Clocks

• Timing

• Teleprompter

• Desk views

A rundown Block boundaries in color... orange for show start, black or blue for commercial breaks (blue indicates pages are locked)

Individual items in the block with front and back times. Color status indications in green, red and blue

Press Ctrl R to reveal a script preview screen

A rundown

• Login• Initial screen• A rundown• An item record• An intro

More detail

• Control room

• Clocks

• Timing

• Teleprompter

• Desk views

An item record

Include up to eight events with their times from the start of the item

Block id, location in block, and designator for reader

These headings are also customizable

Five custom headings for status light display

Display thumbnail of linked graphic. Launch graphic editor with play button. Link the graphic, video or audio by dragging onto the form

• Login• Initial screen• A rundown• An item record• An intro

More detail

• Control room

• Clocks

• Timing

• Teleprompter

• Desk views

An introOur built-in, two-column, intro editor creates announcer copy for printing or sending to the LineupNX teleprompter.

Read time is calculated as you write. Just move the cursor to the bottom of the text to see the time.

ERT can be directly entered into the rundown from the Tools menu.

Special codes can indicate voice over, instructions, a second reader.

• Login• Initial screen• A rundown• An item record• An intro

More detail

• Control room

• Clocks

• Timing

• Teleprompter

• Desk views

Control room clocks

Control room timing

Timing for both items and events within items. Modify the running order and hit reload. All timing is adjusted and the light / heavy status updated

• Login• Initial screen• A rundown• An item record• An intro

More detail

• Control room

• Clocks

• Timing

• Teleprompter

• Desk views

TeleprompterPrompter status display shows current run list loaded, coarse and fine speed settings and whether the item is cued, running or stopped.

Prompter can run in mirror mode (shown) if necessary

• Login• Initial screen• A rundown• An item record• An intro

More detail

• Control room

• Clocks

• Timing

• Teleprompter

• Desk views

• Exec Producer or Administrator• Assignment / lineup editors• Production / script assistants• Reporters / writers• Technical / teleprompter ops• Director and show pa

Desk views

EP / Administrator

• Has all privileges to customize LineupNX• Can set options and parameters for the

newsroom• Can correct or reset in case of mistakes

or errors• Can edit rundowns and write and edit

scripts and prompter copy

EP / Administrator

Accessing admin options

The administration function gives you flexibility and control

Preferences and options

The Executive Producer / Administrator can set options that best suit the needs of the newsroom.

Here are some examples of what you can customize in LineupNX 2.0

• Usually the team will use the network to build a rundown.

• In network mode all information about a show is stored in a central location, accessible to each computer user running LineupNX on the network

• It could be a folder on a special server or just a folder on a designated computer in the newsroom

• If the network location is also a Dropbox folder, the rundown information is also accessible from remote locations

On the Network

• Unlock a rundown that has been locked (split in traditional TV newsroom parlance) in error by the Desk

• Release the program lock that prevents more than a single desk editor from being logged in

• Release scripts for editing in case they have been left locked by a reporter or editor

• Monitor how many users are logged in

Other admin functions

Editors

Assignment and Lineup

• Have full control over the content of a rundown (add, drop, edit, running order)

• Can write and edit scripts, prompter copy• Can pass control of rundown to the control

room• Can lock page numbers for show split

• Only one person can be logged in as the Editor for the current show but other rundowns can be edited by other users on the network using the Altedit job function

Editors - the Desk

1. Open an existing rundown to work on

2. Open an existing template to start a new rundown

3. Design a new template for a new show

Editor options

• Select the Open icon from Tool Bar or click File > Open Lineup…

• Drag a rundown icon onto a blank LineupNX screen

• Double click a rundown icon to open LineupNX with it loaded

Option 1: Existing rundown

Option 1: Existing rundown

LineupNX 2.0 comes with several sample rundowns similar to this one for you to try.

Option 2: Open template

LineupNX stores common elements for a recurring show in template files. Select File > Open Layout… to display a list of your templates.

LineupNX comes with a set of sample templates for you to start with. They may be modified or you may create your own from scratch.

A template is the base for a new rundown. From the menu we will select CBS Evening News

Option 2: Open template

All items in the template are common for each edition of the show you produce. For example the name of the show, the running time, the number and times of commercial breaks, etc. Block boundaries are indicated in black.

To make this into a new rundown, select File > Save Format / Layout and then click “Save as a new rundown”

Next select the air day for the show from the drop down box and click OK

Option 3: Create template

To create a new template or a standalone rundown, click on the New icon on the tool bar or select File > New Lineup or Layout.

This starts the process. First you set the basic show details such as the name, the regular On Air and running times. If you select to save as a layout, a new template is loaded into the rundown work area.

You can now add items to the template. Each block starts with a letter or number followed by 00. These are usually commercials or promo breaks.

Adding to the rundown

When you build a rundown you add information as it is available. Reserve a slot for the item by assigning a position and a slug.

LineupNX will assign page numbers automatically

Drop items from a rundown

The Desk (Editor) can drop items from a rundown at any time and hold them for later use.

Dropped items can always be recovered later. LineupNX keeps a clipboard of dropped items for each day of the week and for baggers, outlooks, personal rundowns or any folder in which you choose to store rundown information.

Dropping is not the same as deleting. A deleted item cannot be reinserted into a rundown. LineupNX provides a separate delete button on the toolbar

• You can recover any item that has been dropped from a lineup and insert it back into the lineup or into the lineup of another show. LineupNX keeps separate clipboards in each folder containing rundown information for dropped items. One for each day of the week and one each for outlooks, baggers, personal files and so on.

Recover dropped items

• Each item can have a set of detailed notes attached to it. This could be contact information, background material, event schedule details and so on.

• You can paste information from emails, from web-sites and other sources, even keep shot lists and field notes

• The first paragraph of the note attached to an item can also be used in the outlook for the show

Keeping notes

Every item in a LineupNX rundown can have a complete spreadsheet workbook attached. LineupNX will use the spreadsheet that matches your word processor.

Keeping data

Word (.doc) Excel (.xls)

Word (.docx) Excel (.xlsx)

Open Office Writer Open office calc

WordPerfect Quattro Pro

We ship LineupNX with template files in each format that you can use or modify

Connect itemsLineupNX lets you link items (notes, intros and spreadsheets) that have been written or created offline to the slugs assigned by the desk.

You can also use drag and drop on the item’s data record in the rundown to link files

Production Assistants

Newsroom and Control Room PA

• Can update item information in a rundown but cannot change the slug or the running order and cannot add new items or delete items

• Can use the control room stop-watch and clock features

• Can use and preview the teleprompter copy display

Production Assistants

• LineupNX supports a full newsroom workflow from future file to air

• You can use our Future File template or create your own

• LineupNX can prepare outlooks with varying degrees of detail

Outlooks and future files

• Often you will want to use an item in several programs– For example the same item might appear in

both the supper news and the late news

• These items can be marked and then retrieved

Mark items for reuse

• To insert any items marked from another show use Edit > Merge items marked for retrieval

• This menu item will be grayed-out if no items have been marked

• All copy, intros, notes and spreadsheets for the items will be available in the new rundown

• If, after importing, you want to write new copy, just edit the slug

Adding marked items

Modifying item info

As more information about an item becomes available, both the Editor and Production Assistants can update the record.

PAs cannot change slug or position.

Modifying show info

Sometimes it is necessary to change, on a one-time basis, running details about a particular edition of a show.

For example if a prior, live event runs late, the air time might change. The running time might also change.

By adjusting Show Details, LineupNX will recalculate back- and front-times and light/heavy status immediately.

Reporters

Copy writers and copy editors

• Can write and edit scripts, prompter copy and notes for items in a rundown – both their own and those of colleagues

• Can read and copy from RSS feeds into stories

• They cannot change RSS feeds or change slugs or running order in the rundown

Reporters/Writers

• LineupNX can launch your preferred word processor directly for voice-over scripts and packages.

• The word processor (WordPad, WordPerfect, Open Office Writer or MS Word) is set by the Executive Producer / Administrator in LineupNX Preferences and Options

• LineupNX manages file names and locations so you don’t have to

Writing package scripts

A reporter can also write a package script offline and then drag it onto the item data record for that item.

LineupNX will then rename and move the document into the rundown

If a reporter is using a personal rundown to create copy and package scripts, LineupNX will move all the associated files and attach them to the show rundown in a single move.

Writing package scripts

Writing package scriptsHere we have selected an item from the rundown and asked LineupNX to create the MS Word document

• Put cursor over an item that needs intro or announcer copy and press [Shift]F2 or select Edit > Intro/Prompter Script

• For a new intro answer “Yes”

Prompter copy editor

• A two column editor lets you write prompter copy in the right column and directions in the left

Prompter copy editor

• Align columns using the line count at the bottom of the screen

• Switch columns with the [Tab] key

• If you forget to save, LineupNX will do it for you

Prompter copy editor

• [Ctrl]U converts to upper case

• Tools > Time script gives an approximate read time for the intro and enters it into the rundown

Prompter copy editor

• A reporter can print her/his intro from the Intro Editor screen

• Editors and PAs can print from the rundown either individually, by block or the entire show in running order

Print options for scripts

Technical

Teleprompter operator

• This view is reserved specifically for the teleprompter operator

• Can operate the prompter– Stop, start and cue– Speed controls (Pg Up/Dn for coarse, Up/Dn

for fine adjustments or mouse wheel and buttons)

• Reload the prompter when running order changes

Technical

Teleprompter

Options to send just one script, an entire block, the whole show, or the whole show from a specific page to the teleprompter

Teleprompter

The teleprompter can run individual items, a block of the show, the entire show.

It can pick up from any place in the show rundown.

Rundown changes are automatically communicated to the prompter but it can also be updated by hand

• Lock page numbers• Split copy• Release to control room

To the control room

• Once the show is set, rundowns and copy can be printed for presenters, directors, producers and production assistants

• Traditionally this is called the split, referring to multi-part paper that was split and collated in the final running order of the show before distribution

The split

• In LineupNX the split is done by locking the page numbers (set automatically up to this point)– Tools > Lock page numbers– The colors of the rundown change

• When the show is ready for air, the Desk releases the rundown to the Director– Tools > Release to Control Room

The split

Director / Showpa

When the Desk is done

• Has control over the rundown only after it has been released by the Desk

• Can re-order the show, drop and update items

Director or Show PA

Production assistants and Directors have a special set of displays to use when the show is on the air. They are like a sophisticated stopwatch, keeping track of the light/heavy status of the show, the time to the next event (key or super usually).

If the running order of the show changes while on the air (say during a commercial break), the reload button adjusts for the changes.

On the air

Using RSS

Really simple syndication

Using RSS

If you are connected to the Internet and RSS has been enabled (Administrator function) you can add, delete and view RSS feeds from LineupNX.

We provide a set of links to feeds but you can add your own. Simply click the orange RSS button on the tool bar.

Give your feed a name and paste in the location (usually copied from the RSS information given on the web site providing the feed.

Using RSSYou can also edit feed information or remove feeds from the list very easily.

Remember that many RSS feeds are copyrighted and may not be rebroadcast or published without permission.

Once you have some feeds, they can be accessed by clicking the down arrow to the immediate left of the RSS button on the tool bar.

Using RSS

• Once the item is displayed you can copy text to the clipboard

• To return to the rundown screen just click the green “RSS” button on the tool bar

• To enter the text into a script, open the script and paste

• Remember that copyright restrictions may apply

Using RSS

• Archive all show materials– Final rundown– All prompter copy– All voice-over script material– All show notes– All associated spread sheets

• All material moved and saved in a zip file and originals may be deleted (option)

After the show

Online helpLineupNX has a complete online help system and ships with a special tutorial guide book, setup instructions and user manual

As we add or enhance LineupNX features we issue update release notes

Dual screen teleprompter support Rich Text File export for 3rd party prompters Export rundowns to Excel file Create RSS page for internet Create video playlists Email rundown to up to 100 people Drag digital video icon onto item to attach Preview video from rundown screen

And of course much more…

Cascading child rundowns Live-to-tape mode Import one rundown/lineup into another Use pre-defined Word, Open Office or

WordPerfect templates for scripts All staff can contribute to Future Files – even

from remote locations (via Dropbox)

And of course much more…

• For more information about LineupNX or to request a quotation, please contact Baobab Productions by email.

info@lineupnx.com

In conclusion

Thank you

© Baobab Productions 2009