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E! Entertainment
E! Entertainment Keeps it All On Track with FileMaker
Hustle, bustle -- and sometimes, muscle.
That's show biz. Scripts to be
written, gear to be hauled, stars to be prodded and preened. And
at E!
Entertainment, the latest tool for bringing it all together is
FileMaker Pro
-- the award-winning database software application from FileMaker
Inc.!
When you're watching your favorite TV program, you probably never
stop and
think about the work that goes on behind the scenes. Nevertheless,
the show
you're seeing is very much the sum of its individual parts. Each
segment is
assembled, routined, edited, reviewed -- and finally locked into
place as
part of the complete presentation. Whether it's a studio
production like the
popular 'Talk Soup,' or a live remote such as the annual broadcast
of the
Golden Globe Awards, what's on your screen is the result of a
complex
assembly process. And in partnership with FileMaker developer
Pilot Peppler
of PilotWare Systems, E! has come up with an application that
streamlines
that production process. It's called Script Tracking And Rundown
System --
'STARS' -- and uses two FileMaker databases, one dedicated to
'Talk Soup,'
and the other devoted to live events programming. All told, the
STARS
application contains several thousand records, a number which
changes
constantly as the different programs are produced and aired.
'Writers can use FileMaker in building a script,' explains E!
Project
Manager Maxine Henry. 'Each segment of the show -- interviews,
film clips,
bits and teases -- everything that goes into the finished program
can be
broken down into a single FileMaker record, complete with the
exact running
time and everything the production team needs to know.' Rather
than working
it all out on paper -- or endlessly spinning through reels of tape
-- E!'s
production teams can handle the most complex part of assembling a
show
without leaving FileMaker. And, if changes are required, right up
to air
time, it's a cinch to go back into FileMaker and make those
revisions.
FileMaker also fills another important behind-the-scenes role at
E!
Entertainment. A lot of production equipment comes and goes over
the course
of a typical day, as teams head out to tape segments for various
shows --
and FileMaker Pro ensures that a careful record is kept for each
item used.
Cameras, microphones, mixing boards, cables -- all the tools of
the trade,
all in one place. 'Our Electronic Field Production team was having
to do all
this tracking work by hand, ' recalls Maxine, 'and it was very
time
consuming. We might have five or six vans a day heading out for
shoots, and
a very small crew taking care of the paperwork. We needed a way
for teams to
be able to check equipment in and out quickly -- as well as a way
to keep
track of inventory and maintenance. All that can be done easily
in
FileMaker!' Over 1500 records ensure that Asset Tracker keeps
close track on
valuable assets!
Whatever the application, FileMaker fits right in with E!'s
fast-paced
working environment, with the databases available over an internal
network.
'All the information is right there on the screen -- navigation is
so easy!
It's a very easy system to learn, and even easier to make changes,
scaling
the application to fit the needs of every department. If you've
ever worked
with large systems, you know it's usually a major deal to go in
and make
changes -- but not with FileMaker!'
On the air, or in the office -- at E! Entertainment, FileMaker Pro
is always
a star performer!
Contact information
Contact Info for Customer:Maxine Henry
Project Manager
E! Entertainment
323-692-4694
mhenry@eentertainment.com
Pilot Peppler
PilotWare Systems
323-468-8468
pilot@pilotware.com
Filemaker Contact:
Kevin Mallon
Public Relations Manager
FileMaker Inc.
408-987-7227
kevin_mallon@filemaker.com
http://www.filemaker.com
- At E! Entertainment, FileMaker Pro is a star performer, streamlining the production process of shows like Talk Soup and the Golden Globe Awards. Every element of each show -- from interviews to film clips -- is placed into a FileMaker Pro record, along with critical production information such as exact running time. FileMaker Pro also keeps tabs on the production equipment in use at E! Entertainment.
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