Working in the Television Production Industry

2 Working in the Television Production Industry

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• Explain how the responsibilities of each production staff position are dependent on the functions of other production staff positions.

• Identify the primary responsibilities of each production staff position.

• Recall the activities in each step of a production workflow.

Objectives


Production Staff


Production Staff (Cont.)

• Staff• Behind the scenes• Creative, department heads

• Crew• Equipment operators• Not seen on camera


Production Staff (Cont.)

• Talent or Cast• Anyone seen by camera• Anyone whose voice is heard on program


Executive Producer

• Provides funding for program• Hires producer• Expensive programs may have multiple

e.p.’s


Producer (non-news)

• Purchases materials and services• Hires production staff • Develops budget• Arranges travel, lodging, catering, logistics• Possesses extreme attention to detail• Carries ultimate responsibility for program’s

success• Interacts with all staff


Four Phases of Production

• Pre-Production• Planning, scripting, everything before cameras

roll

• Production• Shooting

• Post-Production• Editing, music, and effects addition

• Distribution• Duplication and delivery to end user


Producer (news)

• Coordinates content and flow of newscast• Involved in story decision process• Develops order of stories for newscast• Decides on “break-ins” for special reports• Supervises reporters• Reports to news director


News Director

• Responsible for structure of newsroom• Responsible for personnel matters• Responsible for effectiveness of newsroom• Final authority on which stories air• In classroom emulation of real world,

usually teacher gradually gives this authority to students when they are ready for the responsibility


Director

• In charge of creative aspects of program• Interacts with entire staff• Casts program per budgetary constraints• Has clear vision of finished program• Provides vision and direction to

departments • Communicates vision to all personnel


Production Manager

• Handles business portion of production• Negotiates fees for goods, services, etc.• Assures that programs and scripts meet

broadcast standards• Manages budget that producer prepares


Production Assistant

• Sometimes referred to as the Assistant Director

• Entry-level position• Jack-of-all-trades• Able to fill variety of positions as needs

arise• Extremely motivated and energetic


Networking

• Most common way of getting job in industry• Tell professional friends you are looking• They tell their friends, who tell their friends,

etc.• Eventually, someone hears of opening• Word comes back to you through network • You apply for job


Floor Manager

• Eyes and ears of director in studio• Relays director’s commands to studio

personnel• Wears headset connected to director• Provides nonverbal cues to talent• Only person other than director who can

say “cut”


Floor Manager Cues


Floor Manager Cues (Cont.)


Camera Operator

• Runs piece of gear that captures video images

• Frames pleasing shots• Follows director’s camera directions


Photographer

• Also known as photog or “shooter”• Goes into field with reporter in news • Operates field camera in news• Transports gear• Sets up gear• Tears down gear


Photojournalist

• Performs duties of photog and reporter• A “one-man band”• Very employable due to ability to fill two

roles


Reporter

• Responsible for gathering information• Writes stories• Interviews people• Edits stories• Usually supplies audio narration of story• Backbone of news


Assignment Editor

• Schedules personnel to cover stories• Pairs reporters with photogs


Anchor

• Delivers news from news desk set in studio• Reads teleprompter• Provides intro and closing to stories, if

needed • May sometimes provide commentary


Video Engineer

• Responsible for technical quality of video signal

• Trained in electronics of video production• Ensures that images from different cameras

match in quality and color


Audio Engineer

• Responsible for technical quality of audio signal

• Responsible for maintaining and stabilizing overall audio levels on master recordings

• Goal is for viewer to never adjust volume • Often is audio mixer operator• Often operates all other audio gear, such as

recorders and players


Lighting Director

• Decides placement, color, intensity, and aiming of lighting instruments

• Often employs gaffer as assistant to physically carry, hang, and manipulate instruments per LD’s direction


Scriptwriter

• Places entire production on paper• Often employs content specialist to provide

expert input on subjects present in production


Graphic Artist

• Responsible for all artwork required• Computer graphics• Traditional works of art• Charts• Graphs


VTR Operator

• Responsible for recording program on videotape

• This job only exists in facilities where video tape is used


Video Operator

• Responsible for recording program on digital media• DVD• Hard drive• Other technology

• This job only exists in tapeless facilities


Robo Operator

• This job exists in facilities with robotic camera mounts on studio camera pedestals

• Responsible for operating all studio cameras from one remote control console

• Manipulates all camera movements with joystick and other controls

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Editor

• Combines all scenes of production into correct order

• Eliminates bad takes• Operates electronic device which is also

called “editor”


Makeup Artist

• Applies cosmetics to face and body of talent• Responsible for enhancing talent’s

appearance• Responsible for changing talent’s

appearance, if necessary


CG Operator

• Responsible for creating titles for program • Responsible for any text that appears • Operates character generator (CG),

computer that functions as word processor for television


Grip

• Responsible for moving things on or to set• Equipment• Scenery• Props

• This job is called “stagehand” in theater


Maintenance Engineer

• Keeps all equipment operating at factory spec

• Not repair person• “Tweaks” gear, keeping it at optimum level


Production Staff


Production Values

• General aesthetics of program• Goal is to attain high production values


Terms

• When in production environment, always use professional terms

• Never use consumer terms in production environment

• Use of professional terms is perceived as indication of knowledge


Program Proposal

• First step in production includes:• Basic idea of production• Format• Intended audience• Budget considerations• Locations• Rough shooting plan


Scripting

• Outline script often follows proposal• Many different formats• Most common is two columns

• Left column: video• Right column: audio


Producing

• Coordinate schedules• Acquire necessary resources• Monitor activities and progress of

production team• Weigh budgetary considerations


Directing

• Shaping all creative aspects• Involved in pre-production• Involved in production• Involved in post-production


Lighting

• Must be sufficient light for tech requirements of equipment for acceptable picture

• Must be designed to create desired mood, appearance, and setting

• Must contribute to creating image with as much 3-D effect as possible


Scenery, Set Dressing, and Props

• Placement of these contributes to 3-D effect• Scenery stops distant view of camera


Costumes and Makeup

• Makeup is cosmetics applied to skin to change or enhance appearance

• Enables performers to look like themselves or characters they play


Graphics

• Should be bold, not highly detailed• Should always be previewed on TV screen–

not computer monitor


Camera Operation

• Video is portion of program you can see• Camera composition is getting best

shot/angle on subject arrangement of items in picture

• Frame: the actual four edges of the picture• Framing: the action of composing a shot• Bad framing occurs when objects have

oddly cut-off parts


Framing


Audio Recording

• Music• Sound effects• Spoken words (narration, dialogue)• Background sounds


Video Engineering

• Production switching–using production switcher to cut from one camera to another—live—as opposed to having to do it with an editor in post-production


Special Effects

• Anything audience sees in image that did not happen as it appears on screen

• “It doesn’t have to be, it only has to appear to be!”


Editing

• Putting scenes in order on finished program• Scenes are usually not shot in final order• Scenes are usually shot by location


Duplication and Distribution

• Master program is duplicated onto required media• DVD• Tape• Streamed on Internet• Other media


• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada, AFL-CIO, CLC

• Explore this union’s website at www.iatse-intl.org

Career Page


Divide class into small groups and assign each group a staff position. Have groups show their interdependence and the flow of production, from beginning to end. Make sure each group identifies staff members’ titles and responsibilities.

Discussion


Why would a photojournalist be more employable in the job market than a reporter or photog?Photojournalist can perform more than one job. Employer can save money by hiring photojournalist instead of photographer and reporter.

Review Question


What are the four phases of production?Pre-production, production, post-production,

duplication/distribution

Review Question


Why is it impractical to shoot all scenes of production in order?It is less expensive and time-consuming to shoot all scenes that take place at a particular location one right after the other. Then tear down and move to new location and shoot all scenes that take place in that location at the same time.

Review Question


• anchor: The person who delivers the news from the news desk set in a studio.

• assignment editor: The person who schedules necessary equipment and personnel to cover the stories for the day’s newscast.

Glossary


• audio: The portion of a program that you can hear. Audio includes narration, spoken lines, sound effects, and background music.

• audio engineer: The person responsible for the audio/sound quality on the production and related equipment.

Glossary


• camera operator: The person who runs the piece of equipment that captures the video images of the program.

• cast: The collective name given to all the talent participating in a production.

• CG operator: The person who creates the titles for the program using a character generator.

Glossary


• content specialist: A person who works with the scriptwriter and is considered to be an expert in the program’s subject matter.

• crew: Production personnel that are normally not seen by the camera, which generally includes equipment operators.

• cue: A signal that directs something specific to happen.

Glossary


• director: The person who is in charge of the creative aspects of the program and interacts with the entire staff.

• distribution: The final phase of production, which includes DVD authoring, DVD/videotape duplication, and distribution to the end user.

• editing: The process of placing individual recorded scenes in logical order.

Glossary


• editor: The person responsible for putting the various pieces of the entire program together. The editor removes all the mistakes and bad takes, leaving only the best version of each scene, and arranges the individual scenes into the proper order.

• executive producer (EP): The person, or people, who provides the funding necessary to produce the program.

Glossary


• floor manager: The person who is the director’s “eyes and ears” in the studio. The floor manager relays the director’s commands to the studio personnel. Also commonly called floor director.

• frame: The actual edge of the video picture; the edge of the picture on all four sides.

Glossary


• framing: Involves placing items in the camera’s frame by operating the camera and tripod.

• gaffer: The lighting director’s assistant who often does the actual hauling of heavy instruments up and down ladders.

• graphic artist: The person responsible for all the artwork required for the production. This includes computer graphics, traditional works of art, charts, and graphs.

Glossary


• grip: A person who moves the equipment, scenery, and props on a studio set.

• lighting director: The person who decides the placement of lighting instruments, the appropriate color of light to use, and which lamps should be used in the instruments.

Glossary


• maintenance engineer: The person who keeps all the production equipment functioning at its optimum performance level.

• makeup: Any of the cosmetics applied to a performer’s skin to change or enhance their appearance.

Glossary


• makeup artist: The person responsible for applying cosmetics to the talent’s face and body, giving them the intended appearance in front of the camera.

Glossary


• news director: The person responsible for the structure of the newsroom, for personnel matters (performance evaluations and hiring and firing employees), managing the budget, and the overall effectiveness of the newsroom. The news director is also the final authority on which stories will air during a news broadcast.

Glossary


• photographer: The cameraperson in the field, on location with a reporter in a news operation. Also commonly called photog or shooter.

• photojournalist: A photographer who regularly performs duties of both the photographer, as well as the reporter.

Glossary


• post-production: Any of the activities performed after a program has been shot. This includes music beds, editing, audio overdubs, titles, and duplication.

• pre-production: Any activity on a program that occurs prior to the time that the cameras begin rolling. This includes production meetings, set construction, costume design, music composition, scriptwriting, and location surveys.

Glossary


• producer: In a non-news environment, the producer purchases materials and services in the creation of a finished program. In a broadcast news facility, the producer coordinates the content and flow of a newscast.

• production: The actual shooting of the program.

Glossary


• production assistant (PA): The person who provides general assistance around the studio or production facility. The PA is commonly hired to fill variety of positions when key personnel are sick, out of town, working on another project, or otherwise unavailable. In many facilities, the production assistant position is synonymous with the assistant director (AD) position.

Glossary


• production manager: The person who handles the business portion of the production by negotiating the fees for goods, services, and other contracts and by determining the staffing requirements based on the needs of each production.

• production switching: The process of cutting between cameras.

Glossary


• production team: Everyone involved in the production, both staff and talent.

• production values: The general aesthetics of the show.

• reporter: The individual responsible for gathering information from many sources, including research and interviews, for writing news stories, and often editing their own stories.

Glossary


• robo operator: The person who remotely operates all of the cameras from a single location in the studio or control room.

• scenery: Anything placed on a set the stops the distant view of the camera. Outside the studio, scenery may be a building or the horizon.

Glossary


• scriptwriter: The person responsible for placing the entire production on paper.

• special effects: Anything the audience sees in a video picture that did not really happen in the way it appears on the screen.

• staff: Production personnel that work behind the scenes and generally includes management and designers.

Glossary


• talent: Anyone seen by the camera, whether or not they have a speaking or any other significant role in the program, as well as individuals who provide only their vocal skills to the production.

• video: The portion of the program that you can see.

• video engineer: The person who manages the video equipment and is ultimately responsible for the technical quality of the video signal.

Glossary


• video operator: The individual responsible for recording the master video file in a tapeless television production environment.

• VTR operator: The person in charge of recording the program onto videotape by correctly operating the VTR equipment.

Glossary

Working in the Television Production Industry

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