2. Working in the Television Production Industry2
Working in the Television Production Industry

3. Objectives
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.

4. Production Staff

5. Production Staff (Cont.)
Behind the scenes
Creative, department heads
Crew
Equipment operators
Not seen on camera

6. Production Staff (Cont.)
Talent or Cast
Anyone seen by camera
Anyone whose voice is heard on program

7. Executive Producer Provides funding for program Hires producer
Expensive programs may have multiple e.p.’s

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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”

17. Floor Manager Cues

18. Floor Manager Cues (Cont.)

19. Floor Manager Cues (Cont.)

20. Floor Manager Cues (Cont.)

21. Camera Operator Runs piece of gear that captures video images
Frames pleasing shots
Follows director’s camera directions

22. 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

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

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

25. Assignment Editor Schedules personnel to cover stories
Pairs reporters with photogs

26. Anchor Delivers news from news desk set in studio Reads teleprompter
Provides intro and closing to stories, if needed
May sometimes provide commentary

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. Scriptwriter Places entire production on paper
Often employs content specialist to provide expert input on subjects present in production

31. Graphic Artist Responsible for all artwork required Computer graphics
Traditional works of art
Charts
Graphs

32. VTR Operator Responsible for recording program on videotape
This job only exists in facilities where video tape is used

33. Video Operator Responsible for recording program on digital media
DVD
Hard drive
Other technology
This job only exists in tapeless facilities

34. 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
Brian Franco

35. Editor Combines all scenes of production into correct order
Eliminates bad takes
Operates electronic device which is also called “editor”

36. Makeup Artist Applies cosmetics to face and body of talent
Responsible for enhancing talent’s appearance
Responsible for changing talent’s appearance, if necessary

37. 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

38. Grip Responsible for moving things on or to set
Equipment
Scenery
Props
This job is called “stagehand” in theater

39. Maintenance Engineer Keeps all equipment operating at factory spec
Not repair person
“Tweaks” gear, keeping it at optimum level

40. Production Staff

41. Production Values General aesthetics of program
Goal is to attain high production values

42. 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

43. Program Proposal First step in production includes:
Basic idea of production
Format
Intended audience
Budget considerations
Locations
Rough shooting plan

44. Scripting Outline script often follows proposal Many different formats
Most common is two columns
Left column: video
Right column: audio

45. Producing Coordinate schedules Acquire necessary resources
Monitor activities and progress of production team
Weigh budgetary considerations

46. Directing Shaping all creative aspects Involved in pre-production
Involved in production
Involved in post-production

47. 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

48. Scenery, Set Dressing, and Props
Placement of these contributes to 3-D effect
Scenery stops distant view of camera

49. Costumes and Makeup
Makeup is cosmetics applied to skin to change or enhance appearance
Enables performers to look like themselves or characters they play

50. Graphics Should be bold, not highly detailed
Should always be previewed on TV screen–not computer monitor

51. 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

52. Framing

53. Audio Recording Music Sound effects Spoken words (narration, dialogue)
Background sounds

54. 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

55. 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!”

56. Editing Putting scenes in order on finished program
Scenes are usually not shot in final order
Scenes are usually shot by location

57. Duplication and Distribution
Master program is duplicated onto required media
DVD
Tape
Streamed on Internet
Other media

58. Career Page
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

59. Discussion
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.

60. Review Question
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.

61. Review Question
What are the four phases of production? Pre-production, production, post-production, duplication/distribution

62. 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.

63. Glossary
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.

64. 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.

65. 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.

66. 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.

67. 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.

68. 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.

69. 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.

70. 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.

71. 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.

72. 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.

73. 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.

74. 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.

75. 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.

76. 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.

77. 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.

78. 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.

79. 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.

80. 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.

81. 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.

82. 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.

83. 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.

84. 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.