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PRE-REQUISITES OF A CREATIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR:SET-UP RESPONSIBILITIES

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TV News Reporting and Production ­ MCM 516
VU
LESSON 02
PRE-REQUISITES OF A CREATIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR
A creative Producer has to present the idea and have to work till its execution for making the
programme ready for the telecast.
An idea is any conception existing in the mind as the result of mental understanding, awareness or
activity. It's a thought, a notion, an impression, an opinion, a point of view, a belief, a plan of action a
concept developed by the mind and a theme.
A producer therefore is required to possess certain characteristics and qualities of mind and soul.
Creative
Innovative
Analytical
Logical
Critical
Deep observation
Vast study
Visualization power
Decision power
Sense of humour
Sense of proportion
Acute conclusion
Common sense
Aesthetic sense
Great exposure
Editorial judgment
Self starter
Initiative
Team leader
Forbearance
Tolerance
Practical experience
General knowledge
Courage
Confidence
Bravery
Time management
Accuracy
Precision
Conviction
Consistency
Ethics
Communication
Motivation
Determination
Patience
Fairness in controversy
Disinclined
Unbiased
Unprejudiced
Investigative
Informative
Inquisitive
Objectivity
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TV News Reporting and Production ­ MCM 516
VU
Subjectivity
Technically sound
Pleasant personality
Command and control
Keeping in the view that a TV programme can never be anticipated good or bad as the viewer have there
own choices, a producer has to prepare the programme to the utmost of one's abilities.
The audiences have many choices of channels and the variety of these television programmes give then
open chance to select the programme the want at some particular period of time.
Selective exposure:
we use the medium we want
Selective Perception: we understand the things we like
Selective retention:
we remember the content we need
Thus a producer should feel the pulse of the viewers and should design the programme in such a way
that it reaches to the target audience as it is being telecast and for that there are again two factors one
should bear in the mind;
Common frame of reference
Mutual field of experience
Common frame of reference is that the viewer has the understanding of the content, which is being
shown on the screen as it is in their knowledge.
Mutual field of experience is that the audience can feel themselves a part of the matter they are watching
in a television programme.
The programme will be successful if there are greater numbers of viewers who can relate to the
programme on TV so the producer should take care of the fact that the things close to reality and the
matters of our day-to-day life are of vital importance and capture more attention.
SET-UP RESPONSIBILITIES
Producer & Director
Learn to delegate responsibility. If you personally move props, cue music, or tweak lights you are
wasting valuable time. The more you can put on paper prior to the day of production the less you'll have
to try to remember. If the program is fully-scripted, spend time with the script and mark it carefully.
Become very familiar with any pre-produced elements. If the program is not fully-scripted, study the
subject matter of the show in order that you might be able to anticipate the direction and flow of the
show. The more organized and prepared that you are the less chance for disorganization and confusion
when those inevitable changes arise.
Assignments to your crew must be clear, oftentimes in written form, and usually distributed in the
following order:
1) Give the floor director (FD) his/her floor plan and directions as to the set design and dressing.
Usually a floor assistant(s) will be available to help with the set-up. Ideally you will have met with the
FD before class, so he/she has a good idea of what you are doing.
2) Provide your audio engineer with his/her specially marked script and explain exactly what you want
in the way of microphones, audio carts, CDs, etc. Often this can, and should, be written down to save
time during production.
3) Provide orientation for your camera operators as to position, main subject for each camera, shot lists,
etc. Give operators shot sheets if warranted. Remember; remain flexible so that changes during rehearsal
can be incorporated in the final taping/broadcast. Cameras will not be ready to move into position for
rehearsal until the basic set and lighting are completed.
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TV News Reporting and Production ­ MCM 516
VU
4) Meet with your talent to firm up last minute details and to make him/her comfortable in what may be
a strange environment. It is important for the FD to meet with the talent to explain what is taking place
during rehearsal and what will take place during the actual production. Also, hand signals and cues must
be reviewed so that the FD and talent are "communicating".
5) Provide your production assistant (PA) or graphics operator with a detailed list of graphics to be
inserted and a copy of the script with graphics noted. Ideally the graphics will already be composed and
stored to disk. If so, disk page numbers will be highlighted on the PA's script. Ask the PA to double
check the graphic pages for accuracy--(typos, spelling, etc.)
6) Make sure that your videotape operator has any playback tapes (with cue points noted) and the record
tape(s). Ask the VT operator to review the playback segments that will be used in order to gain
familiarity with them.
7) Check out your technical director on any special or unusual switcher effects to be used. Routine
switcher transitions should be picked up during the run through and rehearsal.
8) Review the program with your assistant director (AD) making sure that he/she understands the flow
of the program and knows what time cues will be needed. Important--Make sure that you, your AD and
talent all agree as to whether the time remaining cues are to end of talent, or end of show.
Confusing the Medium with the Message
As fun as all the visual effects might be to play with, you should consider all this high-tech stuff merely
a tool for a greater purpose: the effective communication of ideas and information.
If that sounds a bit academic and stuffy, you might want to look at things from a broader timeline.
If you think about it, today's latest high-tech effects will look pretty lame a few years from now. (Think
of the special effects in some early films.)
It's only the ideas and feelings that have a chance of enduring.
How many times have you seen a movie and forgotten about it almost as soon as you left the theater? In
contrast, some movies seem to "stick with you" -- movies you may think about for days or even weeks.
In 2005, the average American spent about 1,700 hours watching television, the equivalent of 70 full
days. The average U.S. home has more TV sets than people.
The medium you are learning to control can be used either to provide audiences with time-wasting,
mindless, drivel or with ideas that can make a positive difference in the overall scheme of things. (And,
as you may have noticed, there is a definite need in the world for people who can make a positive
difference.)
How would you rather have your work and life remembered? These readings will add
perspective and a greater understanding of television's role, impact, and responsibility.
George Lucas, one of the most revered film and video innovators of our time, has repeatedly pointed out
that to be successful we must go beyond simply knowing how to do things.
It's very foolish to learn the how without the why -George Lucas, award-winning writer,
producer, and director of the Star War films and a leading innovator in film and video.
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Table of Contents:
  1. CREATIVITY AND IDEA GENERATION FOR TELEVISION:Video Procedures
  2. PRE-REQUISITES OF A CREATIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR:SET-UP RESPONSIBILITIES
  3. REFINING AN IDEA FOR PRODUCTION:Drama, Magazine Shows, Documentary
  4. CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT:Variable. Pure and applied research
  5. RESEARCH AND REVIEWS:Research Procedure, Review of available literature
  6. SCRIPT WRITING:Elements of a successful story, Characters, Effects
  7. PRE-PRODUCTION PHASE:Indoor production, Outdoor production, Essentials of PBE
  8. SELECTION OF REQUIRED CONTENT AND TALENT:Camera rehearsal
  9. PROGRAMME PLANNING:Checklist, Electronic Field Production (EFP)
  10. PRODUCTION PHASE:Floor plan, Traditional set, Representational set, Design elements
  11. CAMERA WORK:Movement of lens of camera, Types of shots
  12. LIGHT AND AUDIO:Importance of sound in TV, Use of microphone, Loudness
  13. DAY OF RECORDING/PRODUCTION:Rehearsals,Point to ponder
  14. LINEAR EDITING AND NLE:Episode, Scene, Editing, Production Switcher
  15. MIXING AND USES OF EFFECTS:Live Sound Effects, ARROW STRIKING
  16. SELECTION OF THE NEWS:Elements of news, Timeliness, proximity
  17. WRITING OF THE NEWS:The inverted pyramid, Lead, Credit line
  18. EDITING OF THE NEWS:Characteristics of good news:Process of editing a news
  19. COMPILATION OF NEWS BULLETIN:Hard news, Soft news, Investigative report
  20. PRESENTATION OF NEWS BULLETIN
  21. MAKING SPECIAL BULLETINS:Agriculture, Show biz, Fashion, Drama
  22. TECHNICAL CODES, TERMINOLOGY, AND PRODUCTION GRAMMAR
  23. TYPES OF TV PRODUCTION:Magazine Shows, Specific audience programming
  24. DRAMA AND DOCUMENTARY:Documentary film, Defining documentary
  25. SOURCES OF TV NEWS:Reporters, Correspondents, Monitoring, News Agency
  26. FUNCTIONS OF A REPORTER
  27. BEATS OF REPORTING:City reporter, Social reporters, Show-biz reporter
  28. STRUCTURE OF NEWS DEPARTMENT:Beat Reporters, Online media
  29. ELECTRONIC FIELD PRODUCTION:Sports, Electronic news gathering
  30. LIVE TRANSMISSIONS:Studio floor, Switcher, Master control room, Camera control units
  31. QUALITIES OF A NEWS PRODUCER:Determination, Awareness, Sharp an active
  32. DUTIES OF A NEWS PRODUCER
  33. ASSIGNMENT/NEWS EDITOR:Accuracy, Fairness and Reliability, Conflict
  34. SHOOTING A NEWS FILM:The Influence of telecast News
  35. PREPARATION OF SPECIAL REPORTS:Uncovering Truth, Reportage
  36. INTERVIEWS, VOX POPS AND PUBLIC OPINIONS:INTERVIEW, Information
  37. BACK GROUND VOICE AND VOICE OVER:Natural or Raw Sound, Sound Effects
  38. SPOKEN WORDS AND RELEVANT VISUALS:Digital Audio, Quantizing Error
  39. TALK SHOWS, FORUMS AND DISCUSSION PROGRAMMES
  40. FUNCTIONS OF VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS OF A TV SET UP
  41. PROGRAMMES DEPARTMENT:Program content, Television series by genre
  42. NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS THE PROGRAMMING & SCHEDULING
  43. COORDINATION AMONG DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS OF TELEVISION
  44. COORDINATION AMONG DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS OF TELEVISION - 2 SUB-DEPARTMENTS AND SMALL SECTIONS
  45. COORDINATION AMONG DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS OF TELEVISION 3