Gabriele Lukesch is a television director at the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF), responsible for some of Austria’s most prominent live and current affairs formats, including “Report,” “Thema,” “Eco,” “Bürgeranwalt,” “Daheim,” “ZIB Talk,” “Studio 2” and “Konkret.” Her work blends skill, creativity and editorial insight, making her a central figure in Austrian public broadcasting.
Spending a day from rundown to countdown
Spending an entire day with Gabriele Lukesch offered a rare look behind the screens of Austrian public broadcasting. From early afternoon preparations to the final seconds before going live, I followed her through cutting rooms, corridors and control rooms to understand the rhythm and structure of her work.
What becomes clear quickly is Lukesch’s day is less about routine and more about constant coordination — balancing editorial decisions, technical precision and live pressure. Watching her move between teams, systems and screens, her role emerges not only as that of a video director, but as the central point where storytelling, timing and trust converge.
When asked about her vision as a television director, she focused not on formats or technology, but on the audience.
“The viewer is always at the center – just as in the theater, it is the audience. Whether live, streamed, or recorded: everything we do is done for them. The viewer should be taken along: feel tension, experience content, sense the images and trust the sound. Seeing and hearing must touch, captivate and convince.”
Early preparations & communication
Lukesch’s workday begins long before the live show. After her ballet training, showering and a short rest, preparations start around 2:00 p.m. and continue late into the night.
One of the first tasks involves selecting visual material. For each moderation, promo (promotion), or signation — the program’s opening title melody and official start-of-broadcast marker, often referred to as station IDs — Lukesch selects one or two images, often from APA (Austria Press Agency, the national news agency and the country’s most important information service) or related sources. These are imported into Office NLE (which stands for non-linear editing) — a video editing environment that allows flexible, non-linear workflows. At ORF, it also functions as a handover point between different networks and systems; Lukesch and her assistants work primarily with Adobe Premiere Pro. She also reviews the rundown, and “color-codes the list” by server destinations.
Scripts and editorial planning are handled in Redsys, ORF’s editorial system developed by APA-IT. Redsys functions as the central newsroom platform where rundowns, scripts, workflows and broadcast lists from “Report” to “ZIB Talk” are managed. Moderators write their scripts in Redsys, and Lukesch pairs them with the right visuals. The SK (Synchron Komplex) ensures precise synchronization of text, image and timing for live broadcasting, and a virtual cutting room is integrated directly into the system.
Technical issues arise occasionally: a call to the helpline connects instantly to Lukesch’s laptop, where she must specify whether or not the issue is broadcast-critical. Even during her commute to work, Lukesch multitasks — contacting the “Report” and “ZIB Talk” broadcast manager to confirm the day’s moderator and to let them know she will be directing the show.
In the editing room
At 5:00 p.m., Lukesch heads to the cutting room to work alongside the broadcast cutter. Together, they assemble elements, refine story sequences and make final adjustments using Adobe Premiere Pro. Finished segments are then linked to the broadcast list, with promos added at the beginning using her selected images. Each team member marks their segment — their “dot” — in the list, and the completed promos are forwarded to the broadcast management.
ORF’s headquarters houses six control rooms; Lukesch regularly works in studios 1, 2, 3, 7 and the newsroom. Nearby are editors, broadcast managers, the Chef vom Dienst (editor-in-chief of the day), video playback staff — and notably, even an in-house supermarket.
Scripts, graphics & final checks
Lukesch coordinates five video-wall layouts with her assistant using VIZ Pilot, a graphics and inserts system that allows journalists and directors to create, manage and preview graphics remotely and in real-time. The entire production workflow runs through PCMS (Production Content Management System), which organizes all production content and controls its availability and playback across the broadcast.
Around 8:00 p.m., all elements are checked again in the control room. Preparing a live broadcast such as “Report” or “ZIB Talk,” (short for Zeit im Bild, ORF’s flagship news brand) is often very hectic. Stories are cut and revised until the very last minute. Finalized segments are linked to the broadcast rundown and reviewed and approved by the editor-in-chief (“Chef vom Dienst” in Austria) and/or the broadcast manager. Automated system checks detect technical errors, such as missing audio tracks, ensuring only verified content reaches the studio.
When everything comes together
Lukesch then distributes individual rundowns. Each department receives a version tailored to its needs: sound engineers receive the rundown with music cues, image editors receive video-wall assignments and layers, lighting technicians work with lighting numbers and server technicians receive the table only.
Asked what truly defines quality in live television, Lukesch emphasized it goes far beyond technology:
“True quality is created not only through technology, but through people. Through respect, appreciation, and a caring way of dealing with one another. When everyone feels seen and taken seriously, a special energy emerges. It’s an atmosphere in which everyone gives their best — not because they have to, but because they want to. And it is precisely this energy that the viewer feels in the end; it makes the difference between a good contribution and an unforgettable experience.”
Studio coordination and camera setup
The rundown and camera positions are then discussed in the studio with the camera operators to ensure correct framing.
Lukesch also determines the moderator’s position, particularly when multiple videowalls are in use. Final information is exchanged with the moderators before going live.
Asked where this impact is truly created, Lukesch explained that it begins in the studio and reaches its center at the control desk — the place where all visual, editorial and technical elements come together.
“For everything to succeed, the magic has to be created already where the cameras are positioned — in the studio. Atmosphere, light, people — everything must interact. At the same time, the heart of the production beats at the control desk. There, behind the screens, it is decided whether many individual elements become a coherent whole.”
Going live
In the final minutes before airtime, promos are recorded and the broadcast sequence is activated, serving as a safety buffer in case of technical issues. Edited segments typically run about eight minutes, with an additional buffer of approximately nine minutes before going live. Depending on interview length, a broadcast includes three to four stories and may be monothematic or cover multiple topics.
When the countdown reaches zero, the signation marks the official start of the broadcast. Lukesch selects previously adjusted camera angles live and remains in constant communication with her assistant, the vision mixer (“Bildmeister”), audio and lighting teams and the moderator.
Behind the expertise: ballet, harp & academic study
This seamless confidence and precision on set are built on decades of training and experience.
Lukesch’s artistic education began early with classical ballet training at the Ballettschule Prof. W. Fränzl, where she completed her stage qualification while also attending the High School for Music Students. She later studied concert harp and piano at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (mdw) , as well as musicology and theatre studies at the University of Vienna, earning her diploma in December 1994. She also completed a directing seminar under Wolfgang Glück in 1989.
This early combination of music, movement and academic study would later shape her approach to live television direction, where timing, structure and visual storytelling are central.
Gabriele Lukesch is married to Martin Lukesch, Head of the Sound and Multimedia Department at the Volksoper Vienna and Vice President of the ÖTMV (Austrian Association of Sound and Music Designers). They have one son, Patrick.
Professional history
From 1992 to 1996, Lukesch worked as a dancer and extra at the Volksoper Vienna and served as a directing assistant on several productions, including “Robert Stolz Gala – Servus Du,” “Im Weißen Rössl,” “Karneval der Tiere,” “1001 Nacht,” and “Der Mann von La Mancha.” She also worked as a production assistant for the Gesellschaft für Musiktheater “Spectaculum” and as a sound assistant at the Volksoper between 1994 and 1995.
From 2005 onward, Lukesch expanded her profile with extensive training in movement, fitness and bodywork, qualifying as a pilates trainer, personal fitness trainer, nutrition coach and completing numerous certifications, most recently as a Progressing Ballet Technique trainer in 2024.
Lukesch began her television career at ORF in 1992 as a program assistant, followed by work as a stage manager and production manager for children’s and entertainment programming. In these early years, she gained hands-on experience in live production workflows and coordination across departments, laying the groundwork for her later work in news and current affairs.
From 1996 onward, she worked as a directing assistant across entertainment, news (e.g. “ZIB,” “Zeit im Bild”), science, documentaries and cultural programming, contributing to numerous major formats, live broadcasts and large-scale events. From 1999, she took on directing roles for ORF productions, children’s programming, commercials and high-profile live events.
Since 2007, Lukesch has been active in ORF’s current affairs division, directing “ZIB,” the science program “Newton,” followed by “Thema,” “Eco,” and cultural programming. Since 2022, she has directed the current affairs program “Report,” followed by “Heimat Fremde Heimat,” (from 2022) “Bürgeranwalt” (from 2024) and “ZIB Talk” (from 2025). In April 2025, she was formally appointed director within ORF’s PD1 magazines unit, responsible for “Thema,” “Report,” “Eco,” “Bürgeranwalt,” “Daheim,” “Konkret,” “Studio 2” and “ZIB Talk.”
The heart of a live broadcast
Spending a full day with Gabriele Lukesch made clear a live broadcast is more than just images and sound. It is the coordination of people, technology and storytelling. From the first preparations to the final countdown, Lukesch navigates complex systems, coordinates multiple teams and makes split-second decisions that shape the viewer’s experience.
Behind every broadcast, she ensures that even the smallest details — from graphics to camera angles and timing cues — come together seamlessly, turning complex workflows into a polished live production. Her work combines precision, creativity and editorial insight, showing the director’s role is not just a position in the control room, but a central point where vision, execution and human collaboration meet. Watching her in action highlights the skill, preparation and trust needed to bring live television to life — and shows great broadcasts rely as much on human coordination as on technology.
Asking what continues to inspire her after decades in live broadcasting, Lukesch described her work not simply as a profession, but as a calling.
“Working with people is my greatest passion. Bringing them together, providing orientation and creating something together that goes beyond the individual fulfills me deeply. I love the intensive editorial collaboration, the creative struggle over content, and the technical realization under live conditions. Accompanying the technical team, growing together in the handling of the broadcast, and trust within the team are essential to me. Flexibility, respect, and a solution-oriented approach shape my work — especially when the unexpected happens. Developing new ideas, taking on challenges, and mastering them together gives me energy. Guiding presenters safely through the broadcast, motivating the team, and radiating calm, clarity and confidence even in intense live moments is my goal. Combining all of these facets, taking responsibility, and making the best possible outcome in the interplay of people, technology, and content is more than a profession for me — it is my passion.”
Edited by James Sutton
