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Photography is an integral part of television production. Sometimes when a Director is handling a
show, he does not realize the assets that are available to help in the show when he does not
inquire about a producer' s specialty. For example, you might have producers inside of a
community access project that are working in other fields. (You might have a volunteer producer
who is a photographer or an audio specialist or who excels in another field that is related to video
production). Many times Directors do not have time to inquire or ask about a person's specialty.
Other times the Director feels and knows that he is in charge and does not care to ask. By not
finding out what your producers are good at or what their specialty is you might miss something
great or something special. Other Directors might handle their show as if their show (and other
shows that they direct on) are lessons rather than productions. You might see a Director who
would rather teach someone a new skill rather than appoint producers to jobs that they are good
at. This is wonderful (sometimes) for the person learning if they came there for a learning session.
And it is wonderful for the teacher because that is his focus. But reality is that producers are at the
show to help produce that particular show. And the Executive Producer of the show has a goal in
mind - to complete his show to the best of his ability in the shortest amount of time, and to have
everything turn out well for that particular show. This cannot be accomplished if your Director has
different goals than the Executive Producer has.
If the E.P. (Executive Producer) assigns you do direct a show, know that your main goal is not to
teach producers new skills, but your main goal is to direct that particular show to the best of your
ability. Your main goal is to do a Director's job, nothing more and nothing less. So, when you (as
Director) arrive at the show and you are in the control room, and you hear that there is a specialist
that does sound, do not try and teach the sound specialist a new skill of cg or of camera. That is
not the goal or the purpose of the show, and that is not what the Executive Producer has enlisted
your help for. Your purpose as the Director of the should would be more to ask the sound
specialist to handle the sound. In doing that you know that this part of the production is in good
hands and you can go on to assign other roles. With sound handled properly, you are heading in
the right direction for a wonderful production.
Showing a person how to do something (when you are shorthanded and you have no other
choice) might be a necessity sometimes, but not often. But that is different than actually trying to
teach a lesson (in sound, in cg, or other areas) while the show is in progress or while you are in
the control room just before the show begins. A focus of every person in each production should
be to focus on what their specific job is. If you are assigned to do camera work, that is your main
and only focus. If you stick with that and handle that job first and foremost, you are doing your
assigned job.
Who Helps Whom? What happens when someone else needs help? The Director will handle that
job of helping that person. (In most productions there is a mix of both inexperienced, or newer
producers and well-seasoned producers, and the Director will handle the job of helping others).
There have been instances of where an entire production was made up of inexperienced
producers. In this instance, the whole team banded together, sharing their knowledge. Everyone
worked hard; everyone had fun and the best part was that the production was a complete success.
That says a lot about teamwork. So in newer productions -where most of the crew is
inexperienced, a solid teamwork approach is necessary and that helps the show. When you have
an experienced Director, though you still use teamwork, the Director is in charge and the director
will assist anyone that needs the help to do the show in the proper manner.
So, the key to good television production is first knowing the role of each producer who is helping
out. Second, to know that when others need help, you are free to help them as long as your job is
handled and finished or as long as it does not interfere with your job that you are assigned to do.
(Each Executive Producer runs his show differently;; this is the way I run mine - by using
teamwork, and using good judgment when it comes to making assignments and helping other
producers.
Security and Safety! Another key to good television production is checking BEFORE the
production begins that each and every producer is still certified and or not banned or suspended
from the studio. You want to abide by all rules and by checking beforehand, you know your
production will go off without a hitch. So, ask each producer if they are certified. If you have a
doubt, always check with the studio staff, personnel or volunteers or Public Equipment room. Any
one of those should know which producers are banned or suspended and having this information
from a reliable source helps your show go smoothly. So, begin with all certified producers only,
and give a list of the producers to the Security guard or person at the desk. Give the Security
Guard a list of the talent, hosts or co-hosts and anyone else who would need entrance into the
studio. (You do this in cases where there are no physical "tickets".
Money Matters? Regarding the productions and regarding tickets: All community access shows
are free, so do not ever allow anyone to charge any money for anything involved in the show. If
you are a host or guest and a producer asks you for money, run the other way and find another
producer. Remember and remind them all that community access is free and no one pays to host
a show or to be a guest on the show. In the same respect, producers do not pay talent, guests,
hosts or co-hosts. This is entirely a free venture. Report any instances of demands for payment to
the Administration immediately. That makes everyone do their job as their jobs where meant to be
done.
Camera Operators: Camera Operators are not photographers though some photographers may be
camera operators. That might sound contradictory but that is a true statement of fact. When you
volunteer or are assigned to be a camera operator, you are not going to call the shots (unless the
Director gives you that freedom). So listen to all instructions and follow those instructions. Even if
you are a professional photographer or an avid photography hobbyist who has won awards for
photography, you still do not call the shots when it comes to television production. Follow the
Director's advice and instructions fully and you will be doing your job as you are assigned to do it.
Quite a long while ago, there was a time when I, as a photographer, thought the shot could be
better, and I wanted to change the shot. But what I did not know was that the Director was going to
use special effects and he wanted the host to be in a certain area of the picture. Mistake was
mine, of course, because I was behind the camera thinking as a photographer when I should have
been thinking as a camera operator. That is the problem with me, I think as a photographer and I
need to remember when I am behind the camera I am not a photographer, but a camera operator
listening to the Director's instructions. One of my best experiences on a show was when I was
able to get the shot that I wanted while the guest or host was on the other camera. But this was
only done because the Director told me get the shot while the other camera had the guest or host.
That is not something that I would do on my own.
Cameras, studio and robotics: In most community access television there are two types of
cameras. You have the regular studio cameras (which the producers operate in the studio), and
you have the robotics cameras (There is no producer behind the camera but a producer operates
this camera from inside the control room). The robotics are very fragile and need to be handled
with the utmost care. They will be "on" when you go into the studio. If there ever is a problem with
the robotics cameras, you call someone from the staff (Public Equipment) room to handle the
problem. If it is minor, the staff in P.E. will handle it. If the problem is major, the staff, most likely,
will call an engineer into the studio to do the repair or to take the robotics out of the studio for
repair. Under no circumstance is any producer, volunteer or intern permitted to repair these
cameras or to do any work with them (physically adjust them etc). Only the engineers and the staff
will do such work where appropriate. A good rule of thumb is to tell all of the assistant producers
that are working with you to report any problems to you. And also, tell them that no one touches
the robotics cameras. You, as the Executive Producer are responsible for the cameras and for the
studio, since you sign the contract/responsibility sheet.
Floor Manager The job of the Floor Manager is managing the floor INSIDE THE STUDIO AREA. If
you are a floor manager you should not be going into the control room for anything. You should
not be giving instructions to anyone inside the control room. The Director is there for that. And the
Director will instruct the Floor Manager and all other crew inside the studio. The Floor Manager will
relay messages from the Director to the host, co-host and to others appearing on air. There are
other details to the job of Floor Manager but I am writing here with the sole purpose of reminding
Floor Managers that their job is inside the studio room, not inside of the control room. Instruct the
floor manager that only you (the Executive Producer will handle the robotics cameras and that no
other producer should touch those cameras. This is for the safe handling of the cameras.
CG Character Generator is the job that places the graphics and titles and any credits or other
written or typed information on to the screen so that the viewers can see it and get more
information about the show other than the verbal and visual clues that are offered by camera
operators and sound technicians. I will go into more detail about this job in another article.
Sound/Audio: You need to have someone experienced in audio in order to have a great
production. For some reason, in most community productions, not many specialize in this topic.
When you find a good audio person, try and have this person do your audio all the time, if
possible. Have a second producer as backup. Audio/sound is another important job in the studio.
We will discuss this in length in one of our later articles.
Other Production Jobs Other jobs in the production are Technical Director, Audio Director, Sound
Technician, and some others. I will go into details about these in upcoming articles. I will write
other articles regarding other jobs that producers do on the set and inside the control room and I
will go into more detail about the specific jobs, tasks and give other necessary information. I am
willing to answer any questions also, so email me. You can check my email address that is at the
website listed in my profile here.
The Difference: As you go along your way, producing your shows, you will meet all kinds of
people, each with their own individual personality. And you will meet some, that no matter what
their job is during the show, who will try to take control of situations. (I am not talking about
someone who sincerely is helping out in a fix). I am taking about personalities. There are some
producers who have the personality or attitude that they are indispensable, above the rest of the
producers. Sometimes they will come obviously come across as if they are in a different social
class than you are in, perhaps above you. No, they do not say that to you but they show that to
you and they demonstrate it by the way that they act in the studio and in the control room. If you
are wincing in pain at that statement, and you disagree that such people are not among our
producers, think again. They are there. They do exist. And they will demonstrate their alleged
superiority in the studio and in the control room. Note that I am not talking about education or
training, I am speaking of their attitude of superiority, that is all.
The reason that I bring this up is because no one really wants to work with someone who has a
superiority attitude. Yet, in the community access television world, some feel that they are forced
to work with them. Stop right there in that thought. No one is forced to work with anyone in
community access television production. Yes, producers are required to work on a certain number
of shows, however, they are not required to work with specific producers. We can all choose
producers and ask any producers. Just as producers have the right to refuse to work on a
particular show, we, as producers have a right to ask anyone who is certified. The list is long. With
patience, you will find some great producers to work with. As you get more involved with
community access television production, you will see that you do have choices. And, you will have
enough choices so that you can have your own preferences and work with producers that you are
willing to work with. Never have such a lack of confidence that makes you think that you are
unable to find producers so that you must settle for superiority complex individuals. In the
community access neighborhood, there are many producers who are willing to show up and willing
to do a great job for your show. Have confidence. Stand your ground and vow to work with
producers who know that all producers are just as important as the rest, and that no one individual
is any more important than the next. With an attitude that we are all equal, producers will show
more respect on the set and in the control room, and there will be a more positive atmosphere
both in the control room and in the studio.
Control Room Note: If you are in the control room giving instructions to someone in the studio, use
that person's name when you speak. This way there is no confusion about who is speaking with
whom. Most producers do that and it works wonders to make a smooth operation. It is better to
hear, Jane, zoom in, rather than hear zoom in (with no one's name) and sometimes there is
confusion about who should zoom in.
Your Role: So, what is your role in community access television? Your role is to do your best in
whatever area in community access that interests you the most. Your role is to encourage your
producers to follow the good example that you set. Your role is to find great producers for your
shows, and to grow from the great learning experience that is available to you here at community
access. Your role is whatever you make it here and hopefully , you will soon join in the ranks of the
respective producers that work at community access studios. I wish you luck and and invite you to
contact me anytime through my email address.
Executive Producer: The executive producer is usually the one who began the show - with the
idea, the research, with contacting the talent, hosts, guests, co-hosts and audiences. Basically, it
is his or her show, so you would want to do what this person wants. There is a certain idea, topic
or theme that this producer wants to show, and there are certain ways that he or she wants to
show it. So, if you are working on a show, and the executive producer wants you to work in the
studio rather than work in the control room, then it is your role, your part, your duty to work in the
studio area. When you come to a show to offer your help or your work, you do not come there
offering to work in a particular area and only that area because that is not helpful to anyone. Yes,
you can state what your specialty is and you can state what your experience is but you must
relinquish the final control and final decision to the executive producer. You would not want
anyone taking over your show, so do not attempt to take over anyone's show by demanding to
work in a particular area of the show, studio or control room. Most producers will try and work with
you according to your experience or your preferences. But all executive producers have their own
preferences also, so listen to instructions do not make your own instructions or demands.
Shows: Many of our weekly shows are produced inside the community access television. Some
are produced in the field at remote locations. You can check one of our websites to see some field
and some studio shows that we have produced in the past and more recently. Check at
[http://www.youtube.com/superbooks7] We would be glad to send you our free newsletter if you
request it by email. (These are sent out through email, not mailed).
Choose Wisely: Know that you have choices. Never let anyone convince you that you need them
for your show. If you team up with producers who are respectful to you and to your other
producers, you will produce a show but also you will have a good crew. Network, join a good,
productive producers' group and ask around to find more producers for your show. It is your role,
as Executive Producer, to make choices when it comes to choosing crew to work on the show.
Updated, April 14, 2008
This article, previously published, was recently updated on March 30, 2008.
Linda Perry, a published author, creator of genuine, unique television shows that air on Time
Warner and on Cablevision in New York City. I produce a weekly show plus some specials during
the year. I am a warm-hearted individual who gives a voice to those who have been silent all
along. This author produces television shows about almost all topics that help people in their
lives. Many of the shows are entertainment; some are information and resources and still others
are festivals, fiestas, and community events that bring all people together in one place in the city
or in the country.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_A._Perry
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Hello : Weird trick to full movies affiliates, check it out here:
http://tinyurl.com/tvaffiliateca
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