Wednesday, June 10, 2009

TV Producer Career Investigation

Career Investigation

By Tracy Au

Career goal

I am interested in taking the NAIT Radio and Television (Television) program because my career aspiration is to be a television producer. This program is instrumental in obtaining my desired career.

Personal Background and Qualifications

Computer literate in using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Indesign, CorelDraw, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, e-mail and Internet software.
Strong writing and speaking skills which is demonstrated by accomplishing English 30 with a satisfactory mark.
Taken Effective Communications (English) in the Graphic Communications Program at NAIT.
Occupation Research

Work Environment

Producers work in a variety of different environments. They can either, “…work on staff at a network, public, local or cable television station, a production company or in a corporate television department.” [1] A path to get into the industry is through, “…entry-level positions in sales or operations and work your way up to a producer's position.”[2]

Working in a Staff or a Freelance Position

There are two alternatives between being a producer that has a staff position and working as a freelancer. The differences are that a staff job has, “…an annual salary, sick leave, paid holidays and pension rights.”[3] Freelancers are “self-employed, responsible for their own tax, National Insurance and pension contributions.”[4] There is, “…no security of employment, and may be contracted for anything from a few hours to many weeks.”[5] Furthermore, Alberta Learning Information Services states television producers usually work on a contract basis.


How Programs are Produced

According to TV Careers Behind the Screen by Jane Blanksteen and Avi Odeni, a producer’s main responsibility’s to create programs for the network. They introduce ideas to a TV network. The network authorizes a treatment to be made about the show. A treatment contains character descriptions and episode ideas. Next, the network may like the idea and then, “…pay the producers ‘development dollars’ and commissions more scripts. In exchange for the development dollars, the network gets creative control over the program and first refusal rights for scripts.”[6] It is the network that gives license fees to produce the pilot. “Production companies who produce series for the networks actually lease the programs to the networks.”[7] The network acquires their casting directors to choose actors. A pilot episode is produced and shown to test audiences to see what they like and dislike about it and if they would watch it on a regular basis.

A problem that often occurs is that the network doesn’t provide enough financial backing to the producers. According to, A Career Handbook for TV, Radio, Film, Video, & Interactive Media by Shiona Llwewellyn and Sue Walker, the higher the ratings, the more money the network will pay the producers to make the show. Local cable TV gets their funds through advertisements and sponsorship.

Skills and Abilities

One of the skills is to be able to manage the cast and crew of the show. Producers need, “…creative skills, communications skills, problem –solving abilities, team skills, a flexible approach to life, tenacity, ability to sell your skills to potential employers, an awareness of the applications of technology.” [8]

Duties

An executive producer hires a producer to complete a program. There are often, “…two or three producers may be responsible for individual programs within a series and may have alternating responsibilities on a daily or weekly basis, depending on the complexity of the productions.”[9] The duties of a producer are to keep the project on schedule and on a budget. “They are responsible for contracts with performers, handle clearances, order technical facilities and equipment, and schedule rehearsals and performances.” [10] Producers also have to plan, “…how many cameras you need, scouting the location, taking stock of the studio to ascertain what kind of movements the cameras can make, finding out what kind of lighting you need, and working out strategies. Pre- production planning also involves the producer and director working together (ideally) to decide where the talent should be, how the scenes will be shot (if it’s a scripted program such as an entertainment special, drama, or comedy.)”[11] Producers also have to obtain all the equipment that will be needed to develop the show before it starts filming. Another duty is hiring writers for the production by meeting with the writer’s agents.

Salaries
According to Alberta Learning Information Services, “The Producers, Directors, Choreographers and Related Occupations occupational group which is expected to grow 1.5 to 2.5 per cent each year from 2004 to 2009 in Alberta. It is forecasted that 20 to 40 new positions will be created each year in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.” Producers who work at television stations, “…earn from $25,000 to over $55,000 per year, depending on their qualifications and the size of the television station (2002 estimates).”[12] The 2003 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey say that, “…most Albertans in the Producers, Directors, Choreographers and Related Occupations group earned from $12,000 to $99,900 per year. The average salary was $37,300 per year.”[13]
Industry Contact
I interviewed TV producer Lori Stewart on May 17, 2005 who works at Dynacor Media Group. She has been working in the industry since 1976. She describes that a typical workday varies, “Depending on what project you’re working on.” The tasks could be from, “Creating a proposal for a shoot, preparing a shoot or working on a shoot.” There are no normal hours of work. It varies on what needs to be done and how the shoot goes. The working conditions can be, “Good or bad depending on the nature of the shoot, the organization you’re working for and how your clients treat you.” The opportunities for promotion are based on, “Luck, timing, what you know and who you know.”
Stewart listed that the skills and abilities that are needed are, “Common sense, technical experience, being creative,” and the ability to multitask. Her dislikes about the job are, “It can be very stressful.” She includes the unreliability and uncertainty about when the next project will come. She says that the education to get into the industry is by attending NAIT. The job can range from full-time, part-time, seasonal and contract. The outlook for this career, “Depends on where broadcasters are at.” If the broadcasters decide not to produce their own show and to employ independent producers, the producers earn cash.
In conclusion, I have thoroughly researched the NAIT Television program and the career of a television producer. I find that I am qualified for the program and career because of my computer skills, creative skills, exceptionally strong reading and writing skills in English.
[1] Jane Blanksteen and Avi Odeni, TV Careers Behind the Screen Pg. 85
[2]Alberta Occupational Profiles, http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo/Content/RequestAction.asp?aspAction =GetHTMLProfile&format=html&occPro_ID=71002716 (accessed May 21,2005)
[3] Shiona Llwewellyn and Sue Walker, A Career Handbook for TV, Radio, Film, Video, & Interactive Media Pg. 270
[4] Shiona Llwewellyn and Sue Walker, A Career Handbook for TV, Radio, Film, Video, & Interactive Media Pg. 271
[5] Shiona Llwewellyn and Sue Walker, A Career Handbook for TV, Radio, Film, Video, & Interactive Media Pg. 271
[6] Jane Blanksteen and Avi Odeni, TV Careers Behind the Screen Pg. 7
[7] Jane Blanksteen and Avi Odeni, TV Careers Behind the Screen Pg. 8
[8] Shiona Llwewellyn and Sue Walker A Career Handbook for TV, Radio, Film, Video, & Interactive Media Pg. 83
[9] Maxine K. & Robert M. Reed, Career Opportunities in Television, Cable and Video- Second Edition Pg. 45
[10]Maxine K. & Robert M. Reed. . Career Opportunities in Television, Cable and Video- Second Edition Pg. 45
[11] Jane Blanksteen and Avi Odeni, TV Careers Behind the Screen Pg. 86
[12] Alberta Occupational Profiles, http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo/Content/RequestAction.asp?aspAction =GetHTMLProfile&format=html&occPro_ID=71002716 (accessed May 21,2005)
[13] Alberta Occupational Profiles, http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo/Content/RequestAction.asp?aspAction =GetHTMLProfile&format=html&occPro_ID=71002716 (accessed May 21,2005)

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