Television design is the process of creating visual aids to enhance television programme. It is also the art of organizing or arranging certain elements that are related to design to communicate an idea. These elements have to be in conformity with the design principles, and they include lines, forms, colours, textures, tones, space that create images as symbols, illustrations, pictures, etc.

In television production, design comprises of television graphics, television set or scenic design, costume and make-up. Visual design is what makes the television industries to function effectively. The aesthetic arrangement of things in the television is what draws audiences’ attention, appeals to them and generates interest and relaxes their mind. Since pictures give clarity of message in television, and create convictions in the minds of viewers, it is expected that producers do their best to synchronize the audio and visual in a proper manner before transmission. The agreement of audio and visuals for communication purposes in television is also an act of design.

A good or effective design should be simple, bold, aesthetic in value and functional. The purpose of every television design is to entertain, inform, educate, stimulate and make the product (programme) unique. Television design is made to interest the viewer and to allow him derive fun in watching the programme. It must also be able to inform the viewer on the subject matter, educate him as well as playing the role of enhancing the subject matter to the understanding of the viewer. A design should not be irritating and confusing to the viewer.

However, television design can be influenced by a number of factors that include personal creativity, location, time (period) and equipment. Creativity which is an internal desire to perform based on interest and perception, involves the use of skill and imagination of someone to do something new by his or her own peculiar way of acquiring skill or imagination to resent a design. Personal creativity influences the style of design presentation since no two persons reason the same way.

Location is also a big factor because style is learned through being sensitive to one’s environment and that is by observation. Through observation, one is educated and informed on the social needs of that environment which the style of presentation has to meet up with.

The style of presentation in the 1950s will certainly differ from what is obtainable today. These could be due to certain factors like attitude and technological changes. Apart from time and location, development of television equipment influences the style of presentation more than personal creativity and social needs.

In order to give a better scene in television presentation, trial and error system is not employed. This requires knowledge and understanding in the process of achieving it. Knowing that the television set has a rectangular shape, it is expected that every design that is created for television should conform to the television aspect ratio of 4:3. That is, the width has to be 4 units and the height 3 units no matter the size of the rectangular frame.

There are 3-dimensional aspects of scenic designs that portray an interior or exterior of a location, even though done mostly in a television studio. As a designer, director, or a producer in this area, knowledge of various set elements with their scenery names are required. There is the need to know how to read the floor plans, the ability to see an existing on-location interior as a set which could inspire you to handle camera placement and lighting and read the correct camera shot. There is also the need to manage studio space through scenery and properties, which will help you to manage screen space.

Since cameras obtain pictures of sets via close up, long shot, and medium shots, these characteristics of the camera calls for the attention of the designer, director, and producer to make the set detail to portray reality.

Vitus Ejiogu is a writer and publisher with the Fire-Brand Int”l Ministries, a media ministry that is based in Nigeria.

He is the editor of FOUNDATION SATELLITE magazine also published by the ministry. He pastors a Church in Bauchi and is married with two children.

Currently, the trend for screenwriting is writing a horrible screenplay, and then quitting. I say that a bit tongue and cheek, but in all seriousness: showing how NOT to do something is just as effective a learning tool as showing how to do something.

So, what are some of the ways in which a screenwriter can write a bad screenplay….

#1 – Don’t Read Screenplays Written By Other Screenwriters

One of the things that are peculiar about produced screenplays is that they are excellent in giving a beginning screenwriter an idea of what it takes to write a great screenplay. Dialogue, scene descriptions and transitions are all there to analyze. Why should a newbie screenwriter care? One of biggest questions screenwriters have is how to write dialogue. “How do I write better dialogue?” they ask. If you don’t read produced screenplays, one won’t get a good feel for dialogue writing or how to write an action scene.

#2 – Don’t Watch Movies With a “Screenwriter’s Eye”

“Don’t even watch movies for that matter.” What are they useful for? Watching a movie with a “screenwriter’s eye” is a great way of seeing screenplay structure in action. Watching a favorite movie and noting the plot points…is a great way to learn screenwriting.

#3 – Don’t Read Screenwriting Books (or Magazines)

Why read screenwriting books? All they do is teach you how to become a better screenwriter. The one thing that’s been constant through the years since before Christ is the story. All stories from The English Patient to Pulp Fiction to Inception, have a beginning, middle and end. Learn how to structure a screenplay on this foundation and then break the rules. Most screenwriting books do a good job of doing this. So, if you don’t want to write a great screenplay, don’t read screenwriting books.

#4 – Don’t Get Feedback on Your Screenplay

Whatever level of screenwriter you are, getting feedback on your screenplay is required. The screenwriter has a tendency to get caught up in the story and may miss insight that may be helpful. A screenplay coverage firm is ideal, however feedback from any source is beneficial. If you don’t want your screenplay to be the best it can be, don’t get feedback. Just send that screenplay out! See what happens…you just may be in for a rude awakening.

#5 – Don’t Finish Your Screenplay

The surest way to not write a great screenplay is to not finish your screenplay in the first place. Why finish a screenplay if you don’t want to write a great one? If you do want to write a great one, then finish. Your. Screenplay.

So there you have it. Very simple. These are the top 5 ways in which a screenwriter can NOT write a great screenplay.