Ellen to Go HD in the Fall

'Ellen' Will Move to New Studio to Accomodate HD Switch.

By Paige Albiniak -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/7/2008 4:14:00 PM

Warner Bros.’ The Ellen DeGeneres Show will air in high-definition starting Monday, Sept. 8, the first day of the show’s sixth season.

 To accomplish this, Ellen will move from its current location near NBC Universal’s Burbank-based studio, which is in the process of being sold, to a state-of-the-art facility at Warner Bros.’ new Stage 1 complex in Burbank, Calif. The new 32,000 square -foot studio includes a tapeless, HD production facility encompassing three stages.

 Besides adding HD production capabilities, the new location should give Ellen better access to talent already working on Warner Bros.’ 110-acre lot.

  “When they asked me if I wanted to move to Warner Bros., I was so excited. And it’s not just because they film tons of movies and shows there, or because George Clooney has an office next to ours, or that there’s a Starbucks,” said DeGeneres in a statement. “That’s all great, but the main thing is I get my own golf cart! Finally!”

 Going tapeless offers Ellen significant production advantages. Producers will be able to quickly edit digital video at their desktops, significantly shortening the time it takes to get video from the edit booth to air. And shooting all footage in digital allows for the creation of a metadata-driven digital video library that will make it easier to search for archival footage.

 Also, Ellen’s control room, machine room, audio and editorial suites, host and guest dressing rooms, and the green room all will be consolidated at one location, while Ellen’s audience capacity will expand by 50 percent. Audience members waiting to be seated will be allowed to relax in a waiting area with couches and flat-screen TVS, or they can shop at a co-located Ellen store.

 Finally, Ellen’s new control room will be connected via fiber optics to other stages on the Warner Bros.’ lot, allowing DeGeneres flexibility to roam throughout the lot and shoot segments. When Ellen is on hiatus, other productions will be able to use the tapeless control room for live specials and events.