Television Production Staff

Directions  You may click through each slide in order to learn about the various jobs on a Television Production Team (Staff). Just click on the to take you to the next slide.  You may start on the slide and click on each job for a description and then click on the home button to come back to the home slide.

Television Production Staff  Executive Producer Executive Producer  Producer – Non news Producer – Non news  Producer – News Producer – News  News Director News Director  Director Director  Production Manager Production Manager  Production Assistant Production Assistant  Floor Manager Floor Manager  Camera Operator Camera Operator  Photographer Photographer  Photojournalist Photojournalist  Reporter Reporter  Assignment Editor Assignment Editor  Anchor Anchor  Video Engineer Video Engineer  Audio Engineer Audio Engineer  Lighting Director Lighting Director  Script Writer Script Writer  Graphic Artist Graphic Artist  VTR Operator VTR Operator  Robo Operator Robo Operator  Editor Editor  Makeup Artist Makeup Artist  CG Operator CG Operator  Grip Grip  Maintenance Engineer Maintenance Engineer

Executive Producer  Provides the funding necessary to produce the program.  For large productions, you may have more than one EP  Once the money is in bank, he hires a producer to manage the money.

Producer – Non News Environment  A producer in a non-news environment purchases materials and services need to create a finished program.  Hires director, designers, crew, materials, talent, etc.  Skills require attention to detail and organizational skills  Works with all four phases of production

4 phases of Production  Pre-production – Any activity prior to the cameras rolling (script, set design, etc.)  Production – The actual shooting of the program  Post-production – Any activities after the program is shot (editing, audio overdubs, titles, etc.)  Distribution – DVD authoring, duplication, sales

Producer – News Environment  Coordinates content and flow of the broadcast  Decides what will be aired, the order and developing promotions  Decides whether to interrupt a broadcast with breaking news

News Director  Responsible for the structure of the newsroom – managing the budget, effectiveness of the newsroom  Personnel matters – performance evaluations, hiring/firing  Final authority on which stories will air during the broadcast.

Director  The director is in charge of the creative aspects of the program  Cast talent  Work with EP and Producer  Reviews script and visualizes the production  Guides performance of talent and crew

Production Manager  Handles business portion of production  Negotiates prices, services and other contracts  Ensures program and scripts meet broadcast standards  Manages budget and resources

Production Assistant (PA)  Also called the Assistant Director (AD)  The PA is a jack-of-all-trades and master of none  Generally serves as a “gofer”  May be used to fill key personnel positions when someone is sick or unavailable

Floor Manager  Also called the Floor Director is the director’s “eyes and ears” in the studio.  The floor manager relays the director’s commands to all studio personnel, except camera operators  The floor manager is the only person in the studio who may say, “Cut,” other than the director.

Camera Operator  The camera operator runs the cameras responsible for capturing the video images  Responsible for framing the shots  Directors may call for a particular shot, and the camera operator must provide the shot requested while framing the shot so that annoying or inappropriate background images do not detract from the image.

Photographer  Also called a “photog” or “shooter” is the camera person who goies into the field on location with a reporter in a news operation.  The photog’s responsibilities include all things technical, transporting the camera, tripod, mic, all the cabling and any batteries necessary.  The photog monitors the audio of the reporter and interviewee through headphones.  May also be responsible for setting up and taking down equipment.

Photojournalist  The photojournalist is a photographer who regularly performs duties of both the reporter and the photographer.  This can be an advantage in the industry to be able to handle both ends of the camera – reporter and photographer

Reporter  Reporters are responsible for gathering information from various sources, including research for interviews, for writing news stories and often editing their own stories.  Some stories may require the reporter to do a voiceover, even if they are never seen on screen.

Assignment Editor  The assignment editor schedules the equipment and personnel to cover the stories.  They also pair reporters and photogs and schedule photojournalists  Typically the assignment editor assigns each report two stories per day.

Anchor  The anchor delivers the news from the news desk set in the studio.  Reading content displayed on a teleprompter  Provides the intro and closing of taped stories that are inserted into a live telecast, and conducting converstations with reporters in the field reporting live.  The greatest expectation of an anchor is to accurately read and relay the news and related information.

Video Engineer  The video engineer is responsible for the technical quality of the video signal.  One of the video engineer’s responsibilities is to make sure that the images captured by each studio cameras match exactly.  Consistency is important when cutting from one camera to another

Audio Engineer  The audio engineer is responsible for the audio/sound quality on the production.  The audio engineer often operates the microphone mixer, as well as the music and sound effects recorders/players.  The audio engineer mics the talent and is responsible for overall audio levels on the studio’s master recorder.

Lighting Director  The lighting director decides the placement of the lighting instruments, the appropriate color of light to use, and which lamps should be used in the instruments.  The lighting director’s assistant called a gaffer, does the actual hauling of heavy instruments up and down the ladders.

Scriptwriter  The scriptwriter is responsible for placing the entire production on paper.  The script must meet the objectives of the producer and the message to the viewer must be clear.  A content specialist might be hired to work with a script writer.  A content specialist reviews the entire script before production begins and is often present at the shooting to ensure accuracy

Graphic Artist  The graphic artist is responsible for all the artwork required for the production.  This includes computer graphics, traditional works of art, charts and graphs.  Example: charts for economic forecasts or weather graphics

VTR Operator  The VTR operator is in of recording the program to video tape.  In many newer stations, programs are now recorded to DVD’s or directly to a hard drive.  In a “tapeless” environment, the job is called a video operator.

Robo Operator  In some studios, camera operators have been replaced with remote controlled robotic camera mounts.  All of the cameras are then controlled by the Robo Operator from one location in the studio such as the control room.

Editor  The editor puts various pieces of the entire program together.  Individual scenes are placed in proper order  A skilled editor must be aware of the theory of movement and the passage of time  Everything must flow together naturally

Makeup Artist  The makeup artist applies cosmetics to the talent that will be on-air  Makeup may enhance facial features or balance skin tone under the lights

CG Operator  The CG Operator creates the program titles using a character generator.  Many new digital mixers also include the character generator in the software

Grip  A grip is a person who moves equipment, scenery, and props on a studio set.  In theater productions, a grip is called a stagehand

Maintenance Engineer  Keeps all equipment working to factory specifications  Assists in troubleshooting when need arises  Main function is to make all equipment is working properly

Source  From Chapter 2, Working in the Television Production Industry of Television Production and Broadcast Journalism by Phillip Harris  © 2012