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What Successful TV Producers Do

By Enid Hinton


Becoming a TV producer requires understanding of the production process. Most TV producers have a basic degree and experience in cinematography. They are tasked with producing programs that meet broadcasting quality and adhere to production policies of the organization. The roles determines if you will be a line producer or an executive producer.

Any producer must fulfill certain requirements in terms of technical skills, academic work and personality traits. Experience in production is required considering that the role is not an entry level. You must have worked your way through the production system to rise and become the lead producer. It is by understanding different roles that you can manage the team and produce the desired work.

The academic requirements to produce television programs include a basic bachelors degree. While famous producers have been drawn from diverse fields, you stand a better chance if you study communication, directing and TV or Film production course. However, individuals who have been participating in production can still master the required skills.

Academic work does not make a successful producer. Creativity, management and leadership sets the producers apart. Creativity is required to produce unique programs. The team involved in production relies on your guidance and thus you must be a good leader.

Management skills determine who succeeds in production and who fails. Producers are tasked with auditioning crew members, overseeing the storyline and managing the production budget. A line producer is in-charge of the shooting venue and schedule, among other roles.

A student who aims to become a producer must understand screen writing, sound, lighting, editing and cinematography among other production skills. These skills are obtained from alongside camera work in journalism schools. Working as a production assistant is an excellent way of acquiring necessary practical skills.

A producer has to be on location during shooting and thus is required to travel extensively. The resources required to actualize a program are immense. It is the producer who mobilizes these resources through his networks. The biggest headache you have to deal with is broadcasting deadline. Time management is likely to mess poor managers. Space and lighting will affect the quality of your work to a great extent.

Additional roles of a producer include supervision of marketing, distribution and monetizing the content. This means that your program must be oriented towards your target market. The program should be easy to sell or attract a sizable audience that will make the project profitable. Poor quality makes it very hard to market and distribute the program.

The work of a TV producer is very rewarding. It gives you control over content and its presentation such that you are in charge of the overall results. The entire production team is dependent on your direction and instructions. This calls for foresight and strict adherence to professional conduct.

Shooting of programs happens at weird hours and in different locations. This complicates personal schedules and could derail your personal life if you are not careful. You must conceptualize the entire program before commencing production. A producer must be knowledgeable in the area he is producing a program about.




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