So I've been appointed as producer for our group. As I mentioned in my previous post I have produced events and performances before, including a production of Benjamin Britten's Noyes Fludde for an Arts festival in Coventry which involved over 100 performers. But producing live events is very different to producing a live TV show and I'm eager to get my head around the roles and responsibilities of a TV producer before I really get stuck into the job.
Producers are responsible for looking after a show from creation to post-production. Some producers are very hands on in the day-to-day workings of the production, such as set-designing and casting, whilst others focus on business matters – I think I will be amongst the former. However, in live television it is generally accepted that the producer has very little control over the operational aspects of the show, and instead takes a back seat and views the show through the eyes of the audience.
I found this great round table interview by Shoebox Pictures Inc. featuring five producers of fairly well known films.
Whilst these comments are all based around film production, the overall comments about producing are still applicable and helpful to me. These are my favourites:
Josh Mond - You should be able to do every job. You're job is to make everyone else's job easier. You're servicing the director – you never want the director to say 'I didn't have this' because that's on you. My experience as a Producer on the Noye's Fludde project a few years ago has taught me much of this, and I found that my extensive knowledge of music and acting really helped make that production a success.
Jared Goldman – You will be managing people, time and money. Again, this is something my previous experience within the Arts Industry has taught me, and it's important to have a good grasp of these three things, how to acquire them and how to utilise them wisely. For this production I don’t need to worry about money, but managing time and people is going to be critical. I think perhaps he's missed out something about managing other resources such as set, props and equipment, as I think these are also things that a Producer should have a hand in.
Michelle-Ann Small – You get better as you go and you'll learn by fire. Producers have all the pieces – they know the talent, access to money; they're like the executives. You're the responsible person – you're job to get something from a script and disseminate it to the people. More of the responsibility and less of the glory. These statements are all very true and I think I'm ready to take on the challenges she outlines. It's going to be a tough assignment, but I think the experience, learning and (hopefully) the final product, will be worth it!
After doing some further research on the internet it seems that there are a variety of producer roles that I could adopt for this module.
Executive Producer
An executive producer is usually the most powerful position in the crew for a television show, and is often the 'showrunner'. They are responsible for everything from the creative development of the show right down to the daily management of shooting.
I think this role is similar to the one I'll be fulfilling for the project. I will be overseeing all the aspects that will go into making this production a success, but it will be important for me to delegate roles as it will be impossible for me to do everything myself (as much as I would like to do it all!).
Supervising Producer
This is a role usually reserved for fictional shows, but I think there is some relevance of this role to my work. A supervising producer will usually aid the creative process by hosting ideas-generating discussions, critiquing scripts and guiding the writers.
I will definitely have a large hand in shaping the creative direction of our production. As I am a confident writer I will be critiquing the script with the writers to ensure that it is the best it can be. As of writing this blog I have already facilitated one meeting where we came up with the idea for the show and will be leading more of these as ideas and plans develop.
Field Producer
This kind of producer works on creating and coordinating stories in the field. This is a very hands on role, and they may have to be the videographer, manager and production assistant (amongst other things) whilst on a shoot.
I don't really feel that this role is going to apply to me as much, although I could well be doing this when we produce our inserts. Hopefully I will be able to coordinate my team so that much of this work is done without my direct input.
So there's definitely plenty there for me to think about. Seeing as we have such a small team I don't think there's any way that I can get away without having a hands-on role, but I will need to ensure that I take the time to step back and see the show through the eyes of the audience. This is a critical aspect of being a producer because if we don't do this we could create a piece of content that just doesn't appeal to our target demographic – and what would the point of that be?
There are a number of over-arching responsibilities that a producer must attend to over the course of a production.
Finances: a producer will be responsible for creating a budget, finding financial backing for their project and then ensuring that the project comes in under-budget.
Staffing: a producer will be the one who assess the skills of individuals to form the best team for the project, and hire key staff (e.g. director). They may also have a hand in casting.
Administration: it is important for the producer to be on top of all administrative work for a production including shooting schedules and a production timetable. They are also responsible for ensuring that all legislation is upheld throughout the production process such as health & safety and copyright laws.
Supervision: arguably the supervision process is the key role of the producer. It is the producer who ensures that acceptable progress is being made on all aspects of the production, and makes sure that any concerns or delays are adequately addressed.
And there you have it - an overview of the role of the producer in a live television context. For the module I will definitely be focussing on administration and supervision, which means I need to be aware of what things need doing. Currently the list involves:
Ideas development – this is in progress but needs further work
Casting – we've already got some people in mind for this, I'll just need to confirm them as we get dates and times locked in
Script-writing – I've set Phoebe and Mia the task of writing this and I'm eager to see the results
Show-formatting – this is something I will ask Calum to work on as Director
Set-design
Lighting design
Title sequence creation - Issac has expressed an interest in doing this as he enjoys using After Effects
Insert production
General project planning and administration – including creating a production schedule
This could well expand, and it's important for me to keep a track of everything – it's already a lot of work. But it's certainly an achievable role and one I think I'll fulfil pretty well. We'll have to see how things go – wish me luck!
Production Assistant
I should probably also spend some time discussing my role as the PA. Basically, it is going to be my responsibility to call out the shots in good time for the camera operators to react in an appropriate way. I'll be the key point of communication between the floor, the sound gallery and the main gallery, so it's important that I'm at the top of my game.
Although our production is going to be nothing like as difficult as this, here's an example of someone undertaking the PA role at the Superbowl Halftime Show. It's a very impressive display of skill, and I can't helped but be mesmerised every time I watch this.
I'm not gonna lie, but this role is the one that's really got me worried. I have no previous experience, and no real way of knowing if I'll do it right. I'll be very dependent on feedback from the camera operators to make this a success.
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