Production Guide Menu

Direction to be provided by your production team. In-Show Features (ISFs) are one- to two-part elements that typically provide a “nugget” of information and help with viewer retention across commercial breaks. There should be at least 1x ISF per episode for a ½ hour show, and 1-2 per episode for a 1 hour show- for a series of 3 episodes or more. ISF’s could be a sponsorable single element, but a two-part element that wraps around a commercial break is preferred. The idea is that these elements are organic to the show and will enhance the editorial whether there is a sponsor. ISFs must deliver as part of program content, counting toward the APL Program Clock length, and could be potentially used by APL International. You should, however, provide enough snap-in materials to replace the ISF if need be (see “Snap-Ins”). There is no specific requirement for the length of ISF’s, but they should be long enough to house a sponsor logo, and VO tagline. Please be sure to allow enough space in the VO track after the feature title to allow for a tagline to be added after delivery. For example: “And now for ‘Bigfoot Facts … brought to you by Gold Bond Foot Powder.” Did you know that…? See examples of sponsored/unsponsored versions of “Bigfoot Facts” in the Survival Guide Examples screening room on the DMC. In certain instances, the ISF will be sponsored. In these cases, the production team will pass along the product logo, which will need to be incorporated on both parts of the feature. Sponsor logos should be added so that they are organic to the ISF, and logos should animate onscreen when appropriate. Sponsor logos should not be simply placed onscreen. The product tagline may also need to be added in VO, and will be provided by the production team. Once you’ve created the sponsored ISF, you should submit to your production team for client approval. All masters should deliver with the unsponsored ISF within the show. If you are asked to create a sponsored ISF, it should be completely produced with sponsor logo and VO attached and delivered at the end of the final program master (much like a snap in).

Keep in Mind:

ISF’s cannot appear within the first or last act breaks of a program.
ISF’s should appear in the same position across all episodes in a series. For example, if Ep. 1 has the ISF at the end of segment 2 and the top of segment 3, all latter episodes in the series need to have the ISF in the same position in the show.
The feature should have a unifying title with text/graphics on each part of the feature. For ex. “Think Tank” (Tanked”) or “Know it Cold!” (Whale Wars)
For specials or recap shows, consult your Network EP/APL team to verify if an ISF is required.

Examples of ISF around a commercial break:
“Think Tank” – Tanked
“Angling Anecdotes” – River Monsters
“Alask Us Anything” – Wild West Alaska
“Bigfoot Facts – Finding Bigfoot

Example of In Show Features during a segment:
Verizon Maps in Whale Wars
“Play of the Day” in Puppy Bowl

In Show features (Discovery Channel):

DSC’s in show features provide the audience with additional takeaway information.

DSC has two types of in-show features: the more common break-adjacent features (such as “Crab Count” in Deadliest Catch), and floating features (typically multiple per episode).

DSC’s in show features are not always sponsored. When they are, DSC adds the sponsor’s logo after master delivery from the production company.

See your DSC project team for further information.

Examples of DSC Channel in-show features:

Dual Survival – Art of Self Reliance – Break adjacent – these run at the end of a segment. Has a little opening title page we can add a logo to but the factoid itself is footage of one of the guys giving a survival tip.

Gold Rush Golden Nugget – fact based break-adjacent feature that is graphic based and runs end of a segment