Sections group your graphics by the part of the match they're for, like pre-match or half-time. They appear as coloured tabs across the top of the Graphics panel, so your operator can go straight to the right graphics. This article shows you how to add a new section and how to choose a layout that suits your production.
[VIDEO PLACEHOLDER: Control_Room_01_Add_a_Section_v2.0.mp4]
Before you start
You have a control room built on your theme. See Creating a control room.
You can open it, either from Themes > Control Rooms or from the overlay of a match it's connected to. See Connecting your control room to a match.
Ways to lay out sections
There's no fixed rule for sections. Choose whatever suits how your operator works on match day. Here are three common approaches.
By part of the match: PRE-MATCH, FIRST HALF, HALF-TIME, SECOND HALF, FULL-TIME and EXTRA TIME. This follows the match in order, so for Harbour City (HCF) v Ridgeview (RVR) the operator simply moves along the tabs as the game goes on.
By graphic type: for example Lower Thirds, Full Frames, TEAMS and Scorebug. This works well when the same graphics are used throughout the match.
By rundown: for bigger productions, small sections that match the producer's running order, such as Talent Names, Promos and Breaks.
Add a section
Open your Control Room and look at the section tabs across the top of the Graphics panel.
Click the + button next to your section tabs. A form opens on the right.
In Name, give the section a short, clear name, like EXTRA TIME. This is the label your operator sees on the tab.
Open the Colour dropdown and pick a colour, for example Blue, so the section stands out at a glance.
Click Add Graphic at the bottom of the form to save the section.
Your new section appears as a tab after your existing sections. It's empty until you add graphics to it. Repeat these steps for each section you need.
What the name and colour are for
Name: what your operator reads on the tab. Keep it short so all your tabs fit across the panel. Many teams use capitals, like HALF-TIME, to make tabs easy to scan during a live match.
Colour: helps the operator's eye find a section without reading. Give every section a different colour where you can, and keep the same colours across your control rooms so operators learn them.
Sections only organise the Control Room. They don't change how graphics look on screen, and your viewers never see them.
Move a graphic to another section
If you add a section after you've already built graphics, you can move existing graphics into it.
Click the three dots on the graphic and select Edit.
On the Details tab, change Section to the section you want.
Click Update Graphic. The graphic now appears under its new tab.
Tips and common mistakes
Plan before you build. Sketch your sections from your rundown first. It's quicker than moving lots of graphics one by one later.
Keep the scorebug easy to reach. Many rooms give the scorebug and its extensions their own section, so the operator never has to hunt for it.
Don't overload one tab. If a section gets long, split it in two. Your operator can also type a name into Search Graphics to find any graphic fast.
Remember the button label. The save button on the section form reads Add Graphic, but it saves your section. You add the graphics themselves in the next step.