Higher Media Studies Production Unit Module 2: Who does what in production Lesson 1: Producer & Production Management

The core creative team Film WriterDirectorProducer In an ideal world, these people will be driven by the need to do what’s best for the film, and so it should be central to all their plans. In the last session we looked at story so now……

The Producer finds the crew  After completing the story a producer has to find a director.

Director and Producer  Sometimes the director helps during the writing process, but mostly, when the story is done, director and producer get together and decide how the film will be made.  Generally, the producer raises the funds to help the director achieve their ideas and vision for the film.  It is the key relationship in getting any film made.

The Director Can you name the following directors and the films they might be best known for? The Lord of the RingsPeter Jackson The Bourne SupremacyPaul Greengrass Spiderman I and IISam Raimi JawsSteven Spielberg Bend it Like BeckhamGurinder Chadha

The Director…continued What’s the Director for? Making the script better than it is on the page. Getting the best performances from the actors. Making moving images that tell a moving story.

But the producer needs many more people to help make the film….

First Assistant Director  AKA: 1 st AD.  Makes and manages the schedule for the shoot.  Manages the set on behalf of the director  Calls ‘Stand-by’ ‘Quiet on set’ ‘Action’ and gives general abuse to lazy crew members! On Bye-Child, the 1 st AD also helped the child actors get into position during difficult scenes.

First Assistant Director Page 1 of the Bye-Child schedule. Day 1 involved shooting all the scenes at the chapel in the Ulster Folk Museum, and then moving the unit to the new location near Templepatrick. See the website, for fuller notes on the schedule.

Production Manager/Line Producer  Manages the budget on behalf of the Producer.  Hires the crew and the equipment companies.  Expert in doing deals and getting things done.

Production Coordinator  Arranges for cast and crew to work efficiently on the film.  Essential hub of activity in prep for film.  Manages travel plans of actors, crew and facilities.  Prepares budget reports for producer and financiers.  Expert in deal-making, managing people, information technology.

Production Runner/Assistant  The foot soldier of the production.  Will be part of the earliest prep of a shoot by helping to set up offices.  Jobs range from getting quotes for plumbing jobs to visiting hotel rooms to take pictures for fussy lead actors.  Unsung hero, does most of the leg work.  This applies to all runners in every department.

Legal issues  All productions have to work within the law.  It is the producers job to know as much as possible about the laws of:  Employment  Health and Safety  Child protection  Contracts  Finance, accounting and money laundering

Task: Children’s working hours 1. Go to the web-site: esAndTheLaw/ChildrensRights/DG_ esAndTheLaw/ChildrensRights/DG_ Read the information about children’s working hours. 3. Write a report on the ways that this might cause problems for the makers of Harry Potter films in three areas, and how you would work around them: 1. Stunts 2. Working hours 3. Education of actors

Conclusion?  Producers raise cash for films and then need a production team to help spend the money wisely and legally.  Any job within the production department carries lots of responsibility to the film- makers AND to the financiers.  Production is therefore a bridge between ‘the money’ and ‘the talent’.