Electronic field production

Director of Photography with Sony FS7 camera and Convergent Design Odyssey 7Q+ recorder monitor, a video production rig used for ENG and EFP shoots

Electronic field production (EFP) is a television industry term referring to a video production which takes place in the field, outside of a formal television studio, in a practical location, special venue or fitting environment. Zettl[1] defines EFP as using "both ENG (electronic news gathering) and studio techniques. From ENG it borrows its mobility and flexibility; from the studio it borrows its production care and quality control. EFP takes place on location (which may include shooting in someone's living room) and has to adapt to the location conditions... Good lighting and audio are always difficult to achieve in EFP, regardless of whether you are outdoors or indoors. Compared to ENG, in which you simply respond to a situation, EFP needs careful planning."[2]

Multi-camera exterior EFP shoot at a BMX Rally, California, 2004

Typical applications of electronic field production include awards shows, concerts, major interviews for newsmagazine shows like Inside Edition, Extra and Dateline NBC, large conventions such as the Democratic National Convention, Republican National Convention or San Diego Comic-Con, celebrity red-carpet events and sporting events.

EFP ranges from a camera operator or crew of two (camera operator with sound mixer) capturing high-quality imagery, to a multiple-camera setup utilizing videography, photography, advanced graphics and sound.

  1. ^ Herbert Zettl, Television Production Handbook, 12th Ed.
  2. ^ Television Production Handbook, Fifth Edition, Herbert Zettl, Chapter 20 / Field Production and Big Remotes, pp. 568-569, 1992 by Wadsworth Inc.