Chapter 2 Working in the Television Production Industry 37

This sample chapter is for review purposes only. Copyright © The Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Objectives After completing this chapter, you will be able to: • 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 workfl ow. Introduction To understand an individual role in the broadcasting industry, you must be familiar with Professional Terms all aspects of the production process. Each production area is interconnected to many others, anchor makeup with the interrelationships resembling a spider web, assignment editor makeup artist Figure 2-1. To learn proper camerawork, you must assistant director (AD) news director understand proper lighting technique. Proper lighting audio photographer (photog) technique is dictated by the colors used on the set audio engineer photojournalist and on the costumes. The colors of the set and camera operator post-production costumes directly affect the kind of special effects cast pre-production used in the program. Special effects are created in the CG operator producer special effects generator, but must be edited. Knowing content specialist production the tools and techniques of editing is also required. crew production assistant (PA) To learn television production, you must have a solid cue production manager understanding of all the contributing roles. director production switching distribution production team editing production values editor reporter executive producer (EP) robo operator fl oor director scenery fl oor manager scriptwriter frame special effects framing staff gaffer talent graphic artist video grip video engineer lighting director VTR operator maintenance engineer video operator 35 36 Television Production & Broadcast Journalism Chapter 2 Working in the Television Production Industry 37 Figure 2-1. In order to Production Note do your job properly, you There are exceptions to the “not seen by the camera” criteria for staff must know the jobs of Producer and crew. At the opening or closing of many newscasts, for example, Director others on your production Performer there is often a long shot of the studio. The audience may see a shot that staff. This illustration Camera includes the studio’s camera operators. Camera operators and depicts the spider web of Editor Operator technicians are regularly seen on sports programs, such as interrelationships between on the sidelines of a football fi eld. These types of production jobs on the production Props Set Designer personnel, who may be seen by the viewer, are not considered staff. Master talent—they are considered part of the production environment. Set Dresser Lighting Designer The talent hired for a production also includes the individuals who provide only their vocal skills to the production. These positions include Executive the on-screen actors, cast of extras, the narrator, voiceover talent, and Producer Costume announcers. Cast is the collective name given to all the talent participat- cast: The collective Designer ing in a production. It is important to remember that a program’s talent name given to all the includes more than actors and on-screen personalities. talent participating in a Grip Makeup production. Artist Gaffer Talk the Talk Music & Sound Technical Effects Designer When referring to multiple individuals hired as talent for Director a production, the correct plural form of the term is “talent.” It is incorrect and unprofessional to say “talents.” Graphic Audio Designer Engineer Video Executive Producer Engineer The executive producer (EP) provides the funding necessary to pro- executive producer duce the program, but rarely steps foot on the set. There are times, how- (EP): The person, or production team: people, who provides ever, when the EP is involved in every aspect of the production. The level Everyone involved in the the funding necessary production, both staff of involvement varies from production to production. A single production to produce the program. and talent. may have several executive producers. The more expensive a program is staff: Production Dividing Up the Work to produce, the more likely it is to have multiple EPs. In some cases, an EP personnel that work All television production organizations, from the largest to smallest, is merely an individual who invests a large sum of money in the program behind the scenes divide the production workload among the company’s employees. In large and, in return, is given a credit at the beginning of the program and portion and generally includes of the profi ts generated by the sale of the program. The executive producer management and production companies, a different individual may be assigned to each job title. In smaller production companies, however, it is not unusual for a essentially puts the money for the production in the bank, hires a producer, designers. and hands the bank account over to the producer. crew: Production single person to fi ll multiple jobs on the same production. Some jobs are personnel that are easier to combine than others. For example, it is diffi cult to imagine acting normally not seen by in front of a camera when you must also fi ll the role of camera operator. On Producer the camera, which the other hand, the person who painted the set could certainly be an actor The producer in a non-news environment purchases materials and services producer: In a non- generally includes because these two jobs do not take place at the same time. needed to create a fi nished program. The producer hires a director, designers, news environment, the equipment operators. The following sections address many of the main jobs included in the camera operators, a lighting director, sound engineer, and the talent. Materials producer purchases talent: Anyone seen by collective term production team, also called production staff. All production purchased for the production include, but are not limited to, set construction materials and services in the creation of a fi nished the camera, whether personnel can be divided into three categories: items, costumes, and props. The producer also arranges travel plans, if neces- or not they have a program. In a broadcast • The staff works behind the scenes. These individuals work in the sary, for the staff and talent, including transportation, lodging, and meal cater- speaking or any other news facility, the producer more creative levels of production management. ing. Because of the many facets of a producer’s job, being successful requires coordinates the content signifi cant role in the • program, as well as The crew are generally equipment operators. They are not normally extreme attention to detail and strong organizational skills. The producer is and fl ow of a newscast. individuals who provide seen by the camera, but are integral to the production. ultimately responsible for the program’s successful completion. only their vocal skills to • Anyone seen by the camera, whether or not they have a speaking or The amount of input a producer has on creative decisions varies. the production. any other signifi cant role in the program, is talent. Ideally, the producer hires a director with whom he works well. Together 38 Television Production & Broadcast Journalism Chapter 2 Working in the Television Production Industry 39 the producer and director make the hiring decisions regarding the rest of News Director the production team. As decisions are made, the producer and director The news director is responsible for the structure of the newsroom, for news director: The must constantly be aware of the budget. Compromise is necessary to bal- personnel matters (performance evaluations and hiring and fi ring employ- person responsible ance and successfully complete all aspects of the program production. ees), managing the budget, and the overall effectiveness of the newsroom. for the structure of The producer interacts with a majority of the production staff on a day- pre-production: The news director’s involvement in the actual newscast varies from station the newsroom, for to-day basis during all four phases of production—pre-production, produc- personnel matters Any activity on a to station. However, the news director is the fi nal authority on which sto- tion, post-production, and distribution. Pre-production refers to any activity (performance program that occurs ries will air during the newscast. prior to the time that on the program that occurs prior to the time that the cameras begin recording. evaluations and hiring the cameras begin This includes production meetings, set construction, costume design, music and fi ring employees), managing the budget, rolling. This includes composition (Figure 2-2), scriptwriting, and location surveys. Production Production Note and the overall production meetings, In a broadcast journalism class, the role of news director is commonly refers to the actual shooting of the program. Post-production involves any effectiveness of the set construction, activities done after the program has been shot until the fi nished program held by the instructor. This is because the instructor is costume design, newsroom. The news is completed, including music beds, editing, audio overdubs, and titles. responsible for teaching journalistic principles and ethics, news director is also the music composition, judgment, and adhering to the objectives of the broadcast scriptwriting, and Distribution is the fi nal phase of production and includes DVD authoring, fi nal authority on which journalism course. The grade assigned to students’ work location surveys. DVD/videotape duplication, and distribution to the end user. stories will air during a In a broadcast news facility, the producer coordinates the content and is equivalent to a performance evaluation in the broadcast news broadcast. production: The actual journalism industry. shooting of the program. fl ow of a newscast and is very involved in the decision-making process post-production: during the daily morning production meetings. In a news environment, Any of the activities this is an extremely high-pressure, important position.

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