Visual Data Trims "Weeds" for TV Guide Network

Industry Leading Facility Provides End-to-End Services to
Prepare Series for Basic Cable Debut
October 21, 2010

Visual Data Media Services – a leading provider of integrated end-to-end post production solutions and distribution for all media outlets – is helping Lionsgate's hit series "Weeds" blossom on the TV Guide Network (TVGN). The critically acclaimed series made its basic cable debut on the network October 17, kicking-off with a six night "Weeds" marathon. Visual Data is providing end-to-end post production and management services to ready the series for rebroadcast; including editorial, captioning, audio, and digital file delivery.

TVGN's launch of "Weeds," Seasons 1-6, requires a shortened version of the show that fits a time frame of less than 30 minutes. More importantly, the episodes need to be "sanitized" and able to pass muster with Standards & Practices. The time frame for episode delivery is tight, so before the first show arrived, Visual Data laid out a pipeline that would be crucial to maintaining story quality, security, and timeliness. A key part of that process was developing an automated tool that took the scripts and, by character, flagged words that would trigger Standards & Practices violations. As "Weeds" has one of the highest incidences of expletives, it was understood that getting these shows cleared would hinge on cleaning-up the language.

Adrienne Doucette, Visual Data Project Manager for "Weeds", manages every show from ingest to final delivery. "We have a number of episodes in various stages in the process. Building our pipeline of communication, both in-house and with the clients, has been crucial to staying ahead of our delivery requirements."

Senior Editor Leslie Gache works with the teams from Lionsgate and TVGN to re-cut each episode with an eye for Standards & Practices clearances and the shortened run time, while diligently making sure that the storyline is kept intact.
"My job is to make sure we hit the timing and technical requirements, but primarily it is to maintain the story. We can't lose sight of that, especially when we are cutting whole minutes from the show. The story still has to work, and not only for that particular episode. I could cut something in Season 1 that might come back into play in Season 3. It is a critical balancing act: maintaining the character and plot line of the show, satisfying the requirements of Standards & Practices, and hitting the time allotment."

The visual effects team at Visual Data has been called upon to manage visuals that may not pass muster as well. In one scene taking place on a porn-set, Flame Artist Ray Clark had to digitally cover-up nude actors and actresses walking in the background with various pieces of clothing.

Visual Data also remixes the audio for the program, which does not include ADR. Working without ADR can be a bit of a puzzle, but the team at Visual Data has been able to completely manage word and line replacement without it. Audio Mixer Erick Jolley re-mixes the show with the edited audio tracks and re-mixes the entire 5.1 audio.

To hit its strict run time requirement, an episode might go through Visual Data's Time Tailor process. Every show is closed captioned, and Visual Data creates an "As Broadcast" script. This script is checked for profanity and Standards & Practices requirements as well. Visual Data finishes the process with a complete technical and Standards & Practices QC report to accompany the delivery.

"Working with the TVGN and Lionsgate teams has been great," said John Trautman, President of Visual Data. "I am extremely proud of the Visual Data team that manages and executes this multi-layered process. Taking a project from start-to-finish in a flexible, end-to-end workflow is our core strength, and it is rewarding to see it executed on a project like this."