(Factual) Studio production research- The Graham Norton Show
The Graham Norton show is a weekly comedy chat show that airs on Fridays BBC1 at 22:30. It has a range of guests from Hollywood film stars/directors to comedians, and singers that play out the show.
The show looks at stories that have happened around the world that week and guests are encouraged to share their opinions on the main stories, as well as sharing anecdotes of off screen occasions or personal stories from their lives. It's one of the BBC's most popular shows on air and brings in 3.5 million viewers per episode. (2)
Content
In terms of content the show is a comedy chat show hybrid.
Topics vary from guest to guest and can go from anything between drugs and rehab to red carpet stories.
The show can sometimes include audience participation in the form of questions or anecdotes that the guests can comment on.
Style
 |
| 2017 |
The Graham Norton show has keep a similar style since its inception.
The show primarily focuses around the two sofas in the centre of the studio, the larger being for all of the guests and the smaller being for graham with his desk and computers.
The show has in general kept an iconic colour scheme of purple and orange, however through the years the purple has become more understated.
The show's set is split into three sections consisting of; a soft area for the interviews, a hard area where Norton finishes his introduction to the show and the music stage where the bands play out the show. This is unique compared to other shows where it's more often then not a one on one interview, similarly though especially in the US chat show do have bands that play through out the show either to add emphasise to a joke or to play in/out the show.
 |
| 2015 |
 |
| 2010 |
The fact that this style hasn't changed for the show in all the years it's been on air, is proof that it's successful.
Location
The show is shot completely in studio, the only VTs that get played are trailers/clips from films or TV shows that the guests are trying to promote while they are there.
Presentation
The show is presented in a relaxed chat format, it doesn't drill the interviewees for answers to questions. Instead it lets the conversation develop naturally, and Norton will ask questions to steer it a certain way.
Contributors
The show regularly enlists A list stars, well known TV names, Athletes and musicians to the sofa.
They are encouraged to chat about their lives and share facts about themselves. The researchers for the show will often find family photos or anecdotes from family or friends of the guests and these will then be brought up as conversation starters for the interviews.
More often then not the show will have a short sequence at the start to introduce it which the guests can get involved with, they also are sometimes asked to show off a skill they have for the audience. It's a very relaxed show and that means the guests themselves aren't on edge while in their interview, the fact they are together when they are interviewed means that they can chat with each other and this often assists the show moving along.
Zac Efron Pole
Benedict Cumberbatch funny walk
Blurred lines dance
They are encouraged to chat about their lives and share facts about themselves. The researchers for the show will often find family photos or anecdotes from family or friends of the guests and these will then be brought up as conversation starters for the interviews.
More often then not the show will have a short sequence at the start to introduce it which the guests can get involved with, they also are sometimes asked to show off a skill they have for the audience. It's a very relaxed show and that means the guests themselves aren't on edge while in their interview, the fact they are together when they are interviewed means that they can chat with each other and this often assists the show moving along.
Zac Efron Pole
Benedict Cumberbatch funny walk
Blurred lines dance
Format
The show has a unique format compared to other chat shows. All of the guests are put on the red sofa together and rather then it being a one on one interview it is more of a conversation with them, it creates a relaxed atmosphere where people can chat with each other as well as Norton. Norton has said before (1) “It’s a format that makes sense..stars usually get eight minutes on a chat show to plug their movie and they’d better be funny in those eight minutes. On our show they get several chances to shine.”
One of the most well known pieces of the show is "The Big Red Chair" in which audience members can sit and either tell stories about themselves or ask questions to the guests. This again allows further conversation between everyone on the show.
The show has a unique format compared to other chat shows. All of the guests are put on the red sofa together and rather then it being a one on one interview it is more of a conversation with them, it creates a relaxed atmosphere where people can chat with each other as well as Norton. Norton has said before (1) “It’s a format that makes sense..stars usually get eight minutes on a chat show to plug their movie and they’d better be funny in those eight minutes. On our show they get several chances to shine.”
One of the most well known pieces of the show is "The Big Red Chair" in which audience members can sit and either tell stories about themselves or ask questions to the guests. This again allows further conversation between everyone on the show.
In relation to my show idea
In relation to my show "The Big Top", Graham Norton is a very different format as they are two different genres. As my show is a variety show it isn't as heavily reliant on the interviews.
This being said the VTs for the Big Top would be conversational VTs aimed at educating the public.
Like Graham Norton The Big Top would have an iconic colour scheme/style that would make it recognisable.
In relation to my show "The Big Top", Graham Norton is a very different format as they are two different genres. As my show is a variety show it isn't as heavily reliant on the interviews.
This being said the VTs for the Big Top would be conversational VTs aimed at educating the public.
Like Graham Norton The Big Top would have an iconic colour scheme/style that would make it recognisable.
In relation to the commissioned idea
In relation to Steal the Style our show has the same conversational style to the interviews that Graham Norton has.
It involves it's audience in the show and uses them to push the show forward.
It has a similar studio set up with the Hard area and the soft area, for Graham Norton the hard area is for the introduction to the show, however for Steal the Style the hard area is reused multiple times through out the show.
Graham Norton is also a pre-recorded show where as Steal the Style will be done "As Live" in front of a studio audience.
Overall from this research I have learnt:
- That a show's colour theme, format and style can make it iconic
- That a conversational form of interviewing is much better then a question and answering one, as it allows for development from the question and can often either lead to other answers or lead onto other questions
- The importance to having a charismatic presenter is huge as they carry the show, they can also help out struggling interviewees.
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The Graham Norton Show- www.thetvdb.com/?id=80660&tab=series
(1) "Graham Norton: Secret to the show's success is it's unique format" - www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/graham-norton-secret-to-shows-success-is-its-unique-format-288665.html
(2) "Graham Norton reveals the secrets of ‘chat choreography’ – and why he wouldn’t work on ITV" - "www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-11-08/graham-norton-reveals-the-secrets-of-chat-choreography-and-why-he-wouldnt-work-on-itv/"
In relation to Steal the Style our show has the same conversational style to the interviews that Graham Norton has.
It involves it's audience in the show and uses them to push the show forward.
It has a similar studio set up with the Hard area and the soft area, for Graham Norton the hard area is for the introduction to the show, however for Steal the Style the hard area is reused multiple times through out the show.
Graham Norton is also a pre-recorded show where as Steal the Style will be done "As Live" in front of a studio audience.
Overall from this research I have learnt:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------It involves it's audience in the show and uses them to push the show forward.
It has a similar studio set up with the Hard area and the soft area, for Graham Norton the hard area is for the introduction to the show, however for Steal the Style the hard area is reused multiple times through out the show.
Graham Norton is also a pre-recorded show where as Steal the Style will be done "As Live" in front of a studio audience.
Overall from this research I have learnt:
- That a show's colour theme, format and style can make it iconic
- That a conversational form of interviewing is much better then a question and answering one, as it allows for development from the question and can often either lead to other answers or lead onto other questions
- The importance to having a charismatic presenter is huge as they carry the show, they can also help out struggling interviewees.
The Graham Norton Show- www.thetvdb.com/?id=80660&tab=series
(1) "Graham Norton: Secret to the show's success is it's unique format" - www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/graham-norton-secret-to-shows-success-is-its-unique-format-288665.html
(2) "Graham Norton reveals the secrets of ‘chat choreography’ – and why he wouldn’t work on ITV" - "www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-11-08/graham-norton-reveals-the-secrets-of-chat-choreography-and-why-he-wouldnt-work-on-itv/"
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