Working with the OU
Working with The Open University (OU) on a co-production means:
- The OU’s Broadcast and Partnerships team will manage all aspects of commissioning, business and production relating to the OU. The ±«Óătv business affairs manager (BAM) remains the productions main business contact.
- An OU Broadcast Project Manager (BPM) will be assigned to manage the liaison between production and the OU.
- A nominated academic (NA) will be assigned to all projects to give academic expertise on the programme.
- There will be academic consultation at various key stages.
- OU credits and branding appear on each programme.
- OU investment secures OU educational rights.
- There will be OU deliverables that are additional to the ±«Óătv broadcast deliverables
- Every co-production is supported by free online resources on the OU’s . Certain projects also offer viewers a free print item, specially written, designed and produced by The Open University.
Once contracted, the productions OU contact is the broadcast project manager (BPM). The BPM will contact the production to set up an editorial/project meeting between the production team and the OU. This is usually held at The Open University campus in Milton Keynes.
For pre-commissions please liaise with Caroline Ogilvie, OU Head of Broadcast and Partnerships.
Further information about OU commissioning can be found on the Commissioning website.
Find OU contacts on the contacts page.
Please note:
- All OU deliverable requirements should be met from within the production budget.
- All deliverables set out below form part of the contract and should be provided in full within the allotted schedule period.
- Production are responsible for planning for and incorporating the OU delivery requirements in their post-production schedule.
- All products and paperwork must be correctly.
Find general information about delivery on the Technical requirements page.
Academic consultation
The OU nominated academic (NA) should be used as a route to academic expertise and consultation. Key points of consultation include:
For television/digital:
- Attending and contributing academic expertise to an editorial/project meeting for the programme and related online content.
- Commenting on draft scripts before and during filming, if available.
- Viewing the rough cut and providing feedback (first viewings are generally in person with the Producer, subsequent viewings are usually conducted remotely).
- Reading and commenting on the final commentary script for fact checking and providing advice on the academic approach.
- Viewing the fine cut (usually remotely) and giving sign off from an academic perspective.
- Development of additional content.
- Contributing academic expertise to the production of supporting Open University online content.
For radio:
- Attending and contributing academic expertise to an editorial/project meeting for the programme and related online content.
- Commenting on draft scripts before recording, if available.
- Reading and commenting on the final scripts for fact checking and providing advice on the academic approach.
- Listening to the final, edited version of a programme and giving sign off from an academic perspective (where possible).
- Development of additional content.
- Contributing academic expertise to the production of supporting Open University online content.OU delivery requirements
Delivery requirements
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Delivery (and queries) to:
Steve Morris, Information and Recorded Materials Manager (IRM)Broadcast and Partnerships teamLevel 1, Perry BuildingThe Open UniversityWalton HallMilton KeynesMK7 6AA
01908 655301
- Delivery to OU should take place on the agreed delivery date stated in the contract.
- Delivery to the OU is via Media Shuttle (OU Portal).
- Production to email OU’S IRM (see contact above) with the programme UID number/s (with appropriate suffix), plus the Production Manager’s contact details for Silvermouse set up (if applicable).
- Production Manager to contact OU’s IRM to set up access to the portal to facilitate OU delivery.
- Production are responsible for planning and incorporating the requirements into their post-production schedule.
- Deliverables should be cleared according to the contract.OU learning journey version
Additional requirements
In addition to the co-production deliverables the OU is often interested in acquiring one or more of the following:
- Extended interviews/activities
- Selected rushes
- Specially shot material
Additional content is negotiated separately to the main commission. Once a specification and costing has been agreed between the OU and production team, the OU broadcast project manager will liaise with OU Rights Department to arrange a contract addendum.
Call to action
All OU TV Learning Journey projects shall conclude with a request made to the audience to continue the learning journey by accessing complementary materials produced by The OU.
- The call to action wording, ±«Óătv URL and OU telephone number (if appropriate) will be a collaboration between production and the OU and must be agreed in advance of the on-line edit.
- The URL should appear in vision and be voiced on each programme.
- The CTA is generally between 15-20 seconds and is placed before the end credits.
- Production are responsible for ensuring the ±«Óătv Commissioner has been made aware of the CTA wording and content.
- The OU shall be entitled to approve the CTA sequence once it is incorporated into the programme.
Crediting
- TV Closing credits: Open University (OU) academics will be credited as "Academic Consultants for The Open University". The OU shall provide and be entitled to approve any such credits prior to their incorporation in the programme.
- Radio attributions: All OU radio content should be voiced: “Produced in Partnership with The Open University”.
- Online: Relevant programme websites on bbc.co.uk should link directly to complementary materials produced by the OU on their Broadcast and Partnerships website, connect.open.ac.uk where editorially appropriate. The OU will provide text and links for these pages. The links will be placed in an OU branded widget or other such device as appropriate.
- Publicity: press releases should include the following references:
- “... produced in partnership with The Open University.”
- End note in body of copy ('call to action'): “To continue the learning journey with The Open University, visit bbc.co.uk/xxx and follow the links to the Open University website.”
Within notes to editors:
- Mention should be made of any OU print offers associated with the series, and should reflect the call to action in the programme eg “For your free xx poster, visit connect.open.ac.uk/xx or call xxx.”
- The name of the commissioner for The Open University and if appropriate the OU academic consultant/s.
Branding
Public recognition of the OU partnership with the ±«Óătv is achieved through branding on screen, online, digitally and via radio announcements.
The partnership has its own endboard branding. The endboard files for creating the partnership endboards are in the Endboard download section below. Any queries should be referred to the broadcast project manager at the OU.
Open University on screen branding
The partnership has its own endboard branding. The endboard files for creating the partnership endboards are in the Endboard download section below. The OU shall be entitled to approve the end board as part of the final end sequence (CTA, credits, end board) once it is incorporated into the programme. Any queries should be referred to the Broadcast Project Manager (BPM) at the OU.
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Dropbox
Endboards
A partnership credit or promotion will be given to the OU in accordance with for:
Partnership branding
Endboards use The Open University animated logo and ±«Óătv animated logo and cannot contain production credits or be distorted in any way.
Please select the relevant endboard from the endcard credit package below. Please note ±«Óătv and OU logos are animated. Please contact the BPM with any queries.
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Endboard one: ±«Óătv Studios or ±«Óătv inhouse
- Check IP and amend copyright accordingly.
- Third party investors need to be referenced at the bottom.
- Any investment over 25% by a third party will have a logo credit, placed below the ±«Óătv and OU logos, subject to ±«Óătv credit guidelines.
- Any investment over 10% by a third party will have a text credit, subject to ±«Óătv credit guidelines, placed below the ±«Óătv and OU logos.
Endboard two: independent company
- Third party investors need to be referenced at the bottom.
- Two indies should be reflected side by side.
- Any investment over 25% by a third party will have a logo credit, subject to ±«Óătv credit guidelines.
- Any investment over 10% by a third party will have a text credit, subject to ±«Óătv credit guidelines, placed below the ±«Óătv and OU logos.
Endboard three: OU fully funded. Any supplier
- Check IP and amend copyright accordingly.
Endboard four: OU worldwide commercial investment only
- OU text credit for productions with commercial investment by OU Worldwide only.
Please note the ±«Óătv is not responsible for the content of external websites.