Chapter 3 - Producing

After reading this chapter, you should know . . .

  • About the different types of producers (executive, line, associate, assistant) and how their jobs differ.
  • Why producers sometimes opt to be hyphenates and what their duties involve under those circumstances.
  • How to construct and utilize a treatment and/or proposal.
  • About the different forms of scripts (two-column, rundown, outline, film-style, storyboard) and how and when to use each.
  • How to build a budget and adhere to it.
  • The process of casting and selecting a crew.
  • Methods for preparing schedules for different types of shoots.
  • How to deal with legal issues such as copyright.
  • The types of records producers need to keep digitally and as hard copies.
  • Why it is important to promote and evaluate programs.

1. Using the rate sheets provided in Figures 3.11 and 3.12 and the blank budget sheet in Figure 3.13, create a budget for a hypothetical production.

2. Using the blank FACS form in Figure 3.16, fill out a form for a hypothetical production. If possible, obtain some FACS sheets from other production facilities and compare them to the one used in your facility.

3. Acquire several script forms—such as a two-column script, a rundown, and a storyboard—from a local television facility or from a site such as www.simplyscripts.com. Analyze them and explain why the form of script is appropriate for the particular production and how the director might use each script. If possible, also acquire the budgets for the productions.

1. How do the duties of executive producers, line producers, and associate producers differ? Which one would you prefer to be, if any?

2. Come up with an idea for a sitcom series and discuss the major points you would include in a treatment. What type of script do you think you would eventually use?

3. Come up with an idea for a video that highlights some program or event at your university. What points would you include in the proposal? What type of script would you eventually use?

4. What differences would you encounter between budgeting an action-oriented movie-of-the-week for a network and budgeting a company president’s “state of the company” talk for an in-house corporate video? What would be some differences in terms of casting and selecting the crew? In terms of devising a production schedule?