Quilting Arts TV: Behind the Scenes of Series 3000

I’m excited for you to join me for this Quilting Arts TV behind the scenes look! Entering the studio to tape a new season of Quilting Arts TV, I noticed a tingle of excitement go through me. The culmination of weeks, months of planning and anticipation—on the production side and for the guest artists—it was showtime! But before we step further inside the studio, though, I’d like to talk a bit more about what leads up to taping this series.

Quilting Arts TV 101

Our host, Susan Brubaker Knapp, begins planning the next season of Quilting Arts TV practically right after the taping of the current one. Susan researches potential guests based on recommendations and her own resources. And then she contacts dozens of artists to gauge their interest and availability for appearing on the show. Later, Susan confers with the Editorial and Video teams at Golden Peak Media, our parent company. Then six to ten guests are chosen and invited to our Golden, Colorado, studios for the July taping week.

Yes, I said ‘week.’ The entire series is taped in one week! A series includes 13 episodes (with 2–3 segments in each one). In fact, we usually have two guest artists per day, each person taping 2–4 segments while they’re with us in the studio. And there are so many logistical details that need to be handled before we get together for taping week. This includes all of the preparation the artists do, the scheduling of travel and lodging, the forms to be completed, on and on.

Making the Sausage

One thing viewers might not realize is just how many people it takes to create a show like this. There are several video/TV professionals on the set during taping — camera operators, a sound technician, director, producer, and more. This is in addition to many others who plan everything ahead of time in the pre-production phase. After taping, editors and post-production people create the final product.

Believe it or not, I’ve been involved with Quilting Arts TV for over a decade, mostly behind the scenes. And let me tell you, the artistry of quilting and the production of a television show may seem miles apart. But what’s clear is that they both take smarts, creativity, experience, vision, and lots and lots of planning. Just like playing a piano concerto, you won’t get there without a lot of practice and talent!

Next Steps in the Taping Process

Once the guest artists are chosen, my colleagues and I work with them on what they will present (their project, technique, or skill), how they will present it (the quilts and other visuals they’ll bring, the equipment they’ll use in their demos), and what they will write to accompany their presentation (the directions we use to create a companion eBook for the series).

Each guest creates all of the artwork they will demonstrate. And depending on the project, sometimes there are many ‘step outs.” Step outs are examples of individual steps or portions of a project that build to the final quilt or completed artwork. We ask the artists to think long and hard about how they will present their work. And once they’ve decided, we also ask them to actually practice talking to an invisible host and time themselves while doing so. Yes, really!

What Happens on Set?

Time goes by so quickly on set — everybody says that once their segment is completed — and we want the artists to be as prepared as they possibly can be before the cameras roll. So with the help of assistants in the studio, guests organize their artwork and step outs — one tray per segment. When it’s ‘showtime,’ they move their work off of the tray and onto the set’s table to arrange it in the order they’ll talk about it.

During the actual taping, Executive Producer Vanessa Lyman in the control booth communicates with Susan via an earpiece to let her know how the timing of the segment is going. This information ranges from ‘two minutes left,’ to ‘30 seconds left’ and everything in between. In fact, most segments are shot in one take and this communication helps Susan guide the guest to finish their segment on time.

Pulling it All Together

Fun fact: We don’t tape each episode all the way through, beginning to end. There are 2–3 individual segments per episode and guests are only on set for one day so we shoot all of their segments on whatever day they are there — regardless of the order they will be in for the final product. Post-production, editors use their magic to cut, trim, and reorganize the segments into one episode.

Each episode of Quilting Arts TV Series 3000 will end with a “Finishing Touches” segment featuring the quilts and artwork of readers who have participated in some of Quilting Arts Magazine’s Reader Challenges. We began including this segment in Series 2900 and hope to feature readers’ artwork in this manner for seasons to come.

Get Excited for the Latest Season

I hope you enjoyed this Quilting Arts TV behind the scenes look! Series 3000 will be shown on PBS in many markets in November 2023 or purchase your own digital copy, available here later this fall. What are your favorite memories from past “Quilting Arts TV” season? And what are you looking forward to seeing in the latest season? Let us know on Instagram, Facebook, or the comments below!

Happy quilting,
Kristine