Producing for TV and Video
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Producing for TV and Video Producing for TV and Video A Real-World Approach CATHRINE KELLISON AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON NEW YORK • OXFORD • PARIS • SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier Acquisitions Editor: Elinor Actipis Project Manager: Dawnmarie Simpson Assistant Editor: Robin Weston Marketing Manager: Christine Degon Cover Design: Cate Barr Interior Design: Julio Esperas Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier 30 Corporate Drive, Suite 400, Burlington, MA 01803, USA Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP, UK Copyright © 2006, Cathrine Kellison. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier’s Science & Technology Rights Department in Oxford, UK: phone: (+44) 1865 843830, fax: (+44) 1865 853333, e-mail: [email protected]. You may also complete your request online via the Elsevier homepage (http://elsevier.com), by selecting “Customer Support” and then “Obtaining Permissions.” Recognizing the importance of preserving what has been written, Elsevier prints its books on acid-free paper whenever possible. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Application submitted. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 13: 978-0-240-80623-5 ISBN 10: 0-240-80623-9 For information on all Focal Press publications visit our website at www.books.elsevier.com 050607080910 10987654321 Printed in the United States of America Contents Preface ....................................................................... xi Introduction ................................................................ xiii PART I 1 What Does a TV Producer Really Do? ....................................... 3 I. The TV Producer’s Domain ..................................................... 3 II. Defining a TV Producer ......................................................... 4 A. Who Makes a Good Producer?................................................... 5 III. The TV Producer’s Roles ....................................................... 6 A. The Five Stages of TV Production ................................................ 6 B. Why Become a Television Producer? .............................................. 9 C. Creativity, Clout, and Control .................................................. 10 D. Control: Business Skills ........................................................ 11 IV. Titles and Job Descriptions of TV Producers ....................................... 11 A. Producers’ Titles .............................................................. 11 V. The Need for People Skills ...................................................... 13 VI. Summary ...................................................................... 16 VII. Chapter Review Questions ...................................................... 16 2 TV: Past, Present — and Future ................................................... 19 I. Television Is a Unique Medium .................................................. 19 II. How TV Works ................................................................ 20 III. The Impact of Human Vision on TV ............................................. 20 IV. The Creators of Television....................................................... 21 V. Television’s Evolution........................................................... 23 A. Early Television and Commerce .................................................. 23 VI. Television’s Transitions — From the 1920s to the Present ........................... 24 A. Mechanical Television .......................................................... 24 B. Electronic Television ........................................................... 24 C. Television’s Experimental Steps (the 1930s)........................................ 25 D. Television in the Trenches (the 1940s) ............................................ 26 E. Television’s Golden Age (the 1950s) ............................................. 27 F. The First Television Society (the 1960s) ........................................... 29 v vi Contents G. Television in Transition (the 1970s) .............................................. 31 H. Television Merges with Electronics (the 1980s) ...................................... 32 I. Television Moves Toward the Future (the 1990s) ................................... 32 J. Television in the 21st Century (2000s)............................................ 33 K. Television’s Future ............................................................ 35 VII. Summary ...................................................................... 36 VIII. Chapter Review Questions ...................................................... 37 3 Script and Project Development: The Big Idea ................................... 39 I. Think It ....................................................................... 39 A. Ideas for TV Programming Are Everywhere ........................................ 40 II. Write It........................................................................ 41 A. Television Programming Genres .................................................. 42 B. From Idea to Script ............................................................ 42 C. Sitcoms ...................................................................... 44 D. The Title Page ............................................................... 45 E. Script Components ............................................................ 46 F. The Spec Script ............................................................... 47 G. Working with Others .......................................................... 47 III. Develop It ..................................................................... 48 A. Protect and Control Your Idea ................................................... 49 B. If It Is Someone Else’s Idea, Buy or Option It ...................................... 50 C. Find the Best Market for Your Idea ............................................... 50 D. Getting a Pitch Meeting ........................................................ 51 E. Selling a Pilot ................................................................ 52 F. The Impact of Budget on a Script ................................................. 52 IV. Summary ...................................................................... 54 V. Chapter Review Questions ...................................................... 54 4 Breakdowns, Budgets, and Finance: Connecting the Dots ........................ 55 I. Break the Idea Down ........................................................... 55 A. Understand the Big Picture of Production........................................... 56 B. Create a Production Book ....................................................... 56 C. Break Down Your Idea or Script ................................................. 56 D. Script Breakdown.............................................................. 57 E. Storyboarding ................................................................. 58 F. Shooting Schedule ............................................................. 58 II. Budget the Idea................................................................. 58 A. Budgeting Costs............................................................... 59 B. Above- and Below-the-Line Costs ................................................ 60 C. Estimated versus Actual Costs ................................................... 61 D. Researching Budget Costs ....................................................... 62 E. Creating a Working Budget ..................................................... 62 Contents vii III. Find the Financing .............................................................. 67 A. Possible Sources for Funding Your Project .......................................... 67 B. Bartering, Negotiation, and Tips to Save Money .................................... 68 C. Student Budgets and Resources................................................... 69 IV. Summary ...................................................................... 70 V. Chapter Review Questions ...................................................... 70 5 Legalities and Rights: Welcome to Reality ........................................ 71 I. OwnIt........................................................................ 71 A. The Entertainment Lawyer...................................................... 71 B. Intellectual Property Law ....................................................... 72 C. Fair Use ..................................................................... 73 D. Writers Guild of America Registration ............................................. 74 E. Public Domain................................................................ 74 II. If You Don’t Own It, Get Permission to Use It .................................... 75 A. Licensing .................................................................... 75 B. Literary Rights and Clearances ................................................... 76 C. Location Agreements ........................................................... 76 D. Music Rights and Clearances .................................................... 76 E. Stock Footage................................................................