麻豆约拍

Esther Cox, 24, joined 麻豆约拍 Sport after graduating in August 2015. Last August she became a Production Management Assistant for 麻豆约拍 Football. To mark International Women’s Day, she takes us behind the scenes during a typical day working on 麻豆约拍 One’s Football Focus.

8.30am 

The life of a 麻豆约拍 Sport Football Focus PMA (Production Management Assistant) begins at around 8:30am on a Saturday morning. My first job is always to grab the day’s newspapers and take them into the Programme Editor so he can cast an eye over any major football stories and decide whether or not they would be good to discuss on the show.9.00am – Next, I turn my attention to more important matters; food! Our presenter Dan Walker would be the first to admit he loves a good egg, and Saturday mornings are no different. Three eggs, scrambled with a sizeable portion of ketchup, coupled with a banana and a green tea ensure that Walker’s hanger is kept at bay. I’m also responsible for keeping the production office in working order.

The office is used throughout the day by guests for Football Focus, Final Score and later Match of the Day to watch all the games. It’s the PMA’s job to make sure it’s fully functioning which normally means plenty of chocolate! Food is very important during a long Saturday at 麻豆约拍 Sport.

9.30am

Whilst tucking into his breakfast Dan will have been working with the Editor to tinker with the script, putting in enough excellent puns to keep the 麻豆约拍 One viewers chuckling.

When the Production Coordinator arrives just before 10am they can get the go-ahead from the Editor to print the final script, which I deliver to the studio floor for the floor manager, autocue operator, camera operators etc. Whilst this sounds a simple task, the printers sense the fear induced by a time sensitive deadline and invariably decide not to work, chew up paper or simply refuse to recognise there is anything to print. Believe me, it’s a constant battle that gives many a Production Coordinator a sleepless night.

10.30am

Anytime from now the two pundits for the show will arrive – today it’s Danny Murphy and Dion Dublin. I make sure they have everything they need before they go into the pre-show meeting with the Editor. Here they discuss what they will be chatting about on the show checking that there will be some good debate and a variety of viewpoints presented.

11:00am

Dan is always first into the makeup chair to get a once over before he goes onto set to begin rehearsing. This rehearsal allows the Director to try out different camera angles, and gives the crew plenty of time to work through any issues which might come up.

If the Director has chosen to use the touchscreen for some analysis then this definitely needs rehearsing with the guests – like the printers, it also has a tendency to be a little temperamental.

11:15am

Whilst the guests are busy rehearsing I use the time to check my work e-mails making sure all the commentators and floor managers covering games for Match of the Day have arrived at the various football grounds across the country without hiccup. During the week it’s my job, along with the other PMAs, to book all the travel for our commentators, floor managers and staff working at the various games. It’s a mammoth task and if something goes wrong I need to be on hand to fix it.

11:30am

The teamsheets for the early kick off are now available. I print them off (more wranglings with technology) and distribute these to the guys in the edit suite and those who help the pundits with analysis. It’s always worth keeping a couple of spare copies for the pundits themselves to have on hand whilst they watch too.

12.00pm

Once the show goes on air at midday most of the production team will be in the gallery, speaking into Dan and the guests’ earpieces and making sure Football Focus is delivered without a hitch. However for me, this is when my Focus (forgive the terrible pun) switches to Final Score and Match of the Day.

12.15pm

If there is an early kick off, the two Match of the Day pundits will arrive now ready to watch this game, while the Final Score pundits arrive around 1pm. Again I am responsible for making sure everyone has arrived and knows where to be and when, and ultimately that they get to the studio floor on time for the Red Button to go live a 2:30pm.

3.00pm

My shift ends at 3pm when the Match of the Day PMA comes in to tag me out and takes over until we’re off-air around midnight, whilst I head home usually to eat, nap and catch the end of Final Score!

The PMA role is certainly varied, I can be organising complicated international travel for a pundit one minute then running around White Hart Lane in search of missing accreditation the next. It’s a great role in which to cut your teeth at 麻豆约拍 Sport, you get to see everything, meet everyone and of course work on some amazing events. Career progression is very much encouraged here and I definitely see myself working my way up the ranks.

Esther Cox is Production Management Assistant

• 麻豆约拍 Sport have secured the rights to - broadcasting coverage of every game across TV, radio and online.
• is live on 麻豆约拍 One every Saturday from noon.