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Producing for TV and Video

Producing for TV and Video

by Cathrine Kellison
Publisher: Focal Press
Release Date: November 2012
ISBN: 9780240806235
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Book Description

Producing for TV and Video is a must-read for anyone interested in a career in TV production. This comprehensive book explains the role of the TV producer in detail, including in-depth descriptions of a producer's day-to-day duties and tasks and a big picture overview of the production process in general and how the producer fits in. Complete with interviews and insights from production professionals in all areas of television, such as reality television and children's programming, Producing for TV and Video will provide you with an understanding of the TV production process and the role of the TV producer from beginning to end. The accompanying CD contains forms that you will inevitably need during your production.

Table of Contents

  1. Cover
  2. Halftitle
  3. Title
  4. Copyright
  5. Contents
  6. Preface
  7. Introduction
  8. Part I
    1. 1 What Does a TV Producer Really Do?
      1. I. The TV Producer’s Domain
      2. II. Defining a TV Producer
        1. A. Who Makes a Good Producer?
      3. III. The TV Producer’s Roles
        1. A. The Five Stages of TV Production
        2. B. Why Become a Television Producer?
        3. C. Creativity, Clout, and Control
        4. D. Control: Business Skills
      4. IV. Titles and Job Descriptions of TV Producers
        1. A. Producers’ Titles
      5. V. The Need for People Skills
      6. VI. Summary
      7. VII. Chapter Review Questions
    2. 2 TV: Past, Present — and Future
      1. I. Television Is a Unique Medium
      2. II. How TV Works
      3. III. The Impact of Human Vision on TV
      4. IV. The Creators of Television
      5. V. Television’s Evolution
        1. A. Early Television and Commerce
      6. VI. Television’s Transitions — From the 1920s to the Present
        1. A. Mechanical Television
        2. B. Electronic Television
        3. C. Television’s Experimental Steps (the 1930s)
        4. D. Television in the Trenches (the 1940s)
        5. E. Television’s Golden Age (the 1950s)
        6. F. The First Television Society (the 1960s)
        7. G. Television in Transition (the 1970s)
        8. H. Television Merges with Electronics (the 1980s)
        9. I. Television Moves Toward the Future (the 1990s)
        10. J. Television in the 21st Century (2000s)
        11. K. Television’s Future
      7. VII. Summary
      8. VIII. Chapter Review Questions
    3. 3 Script and Project Development: The Big Idea
      1. I. Think It
        1. A. Ideas for TV Programming Are Everywhere
      2. II. Write It
        1. A. Television Programming Genres
        2. B. From Idea to Script
        3. C. Sitcoms
        4. D. The Title Page
        5. E. Script Components
        6. F. The Spec Script
        7. G. Working with Others
      3. III. Develop It
        1. A. Protect and Control Your Idea
        2. B. If It Is Someone Else’s Idea, Buy or Option It
        3. C. Find the Best Market for Your Idea
        4. D. Getting a Pitch Meeting
        5. E. Selling a Pilot
        6. F. The Impact of Budget on a Script
      4. IV. Summary
      5. V. Chapter Review Questions
    4. 4 Breakdowns, Budgets, and Finance: Connecting the Dots
      1. I. Break the Idea Down
        1. A. Understand the Big Picture of Production
        2. B. Create a Production Book
        3. C. Break Down Your Idea or Script
        4. D. Script Breakdown
        5. E. Storyboarding
        6. F. Shooting Schedule
      2. II. Budget the Idea
        1. A. Budgeting Costs
        2. B. Above- and Below-the-Line Costs
        3. C. Estimated versus Actual Costs
        4. D. Researching Budget Costs
        5. E. Creating a Working Budget
      3. III. Find the Financing
        1. A. Possible Sources for Funding Your Project
        2. B. Bartering, Negotiation, and Tips to Save Money
        3. C. Student Budgets and Resources
      4. IV. Summary
      5. V. Chapter Review Questions
    5. 5 Legalities and Rights: Welcome to Reality
      1. I. Own It
        1. A. The Entertainment Lawyer
        2. B. Intellectual Property Law
        3. C. Fair Use
        4. D. Writers Guild of America Registration
        5. E. Public Domain
      2. II. If You Don’t Own It, Get Permission to Use It
        1. A. Licensing
        2. B. Literary Rights and Clearances
        3. C. Location Agreements
        4. D. Music Rights and Clearances
        5. E. Stock Footage
        6. F. Network Clearances
      3. III. Protect It
        1. A. Rights and Territories
        2. B. Insurance Coverage and Policies
        3. C. Fees and Compensation
        4. D. Contracts for Television versus Films
      4. IV. Double-Check It
        1. A. Production Contracts
        2. B. Agreements with Television Unions
        3. C. On-Screen Credits
        4. D. Ancillary Revenues
        5. E. Making the Deal
      5. V. Summary
      6. VI. Chapter Review Questions
    6. 6 Pitching and Selling the Project
      1. I. Pitching and Selling: The Big Picture of Television
        1. A. TV Is All about Business
        2. B. Know the Market
      2. II. Research Your Pitch
        1. A. Pitch Your Project to the Right Place
        2. B. Get Your Pitch in the Door
        3. C. Potential Markets
        4. D. Understand the International Marketplace
      3. III. Create the Pitch
        1. A. The Cover Letter
        2. B. The Written Pitch
        3. C. The Demo Reel Pitch
        4. D. Next Steps with Your Pitch
      4. IV. Pitch the Pitch
        1. A. The Verbal Pitch
        2. B. The Elevator Pitch
        3. C. Energize the Pitch
        4. D. Work with a Partner
        5. E. The Follow Up
      5. V. Keep Pitching
        1. A. Networking and Connections
      6. VI. Summary
      7. VII. Chapter Review Questions
    7. 7 Preproduction: The Plan
      1. I. The Script
        1. A. Script Breakdowns
        2. B. Production Book
        3. C. The Look and Feel of Your Project
        4. D. Storyboarding and Floor Plans
        5. E. Shot List
        6. F. Production Meetings
      2. II. The Talent
        1. A. Casting Talent
        2. B. Hiring and Working with Union and Nonunion Talent
        3. C. Rehearsals
      3. III. The Crew
        1. A. The Key Production Department Heads
        2. B. The Support Crew
      4. IV. Scheduling the Shoot
        1. A. Shooting Format
        2. B. Sets, Soundstages, and Studios
        3. C. Locations
        4. D. Actors and Talent
        5. E. The Timing of the Shoot
        6. F. Call Sheet
        7. G. Production Report
      5. V. Summary
      6. VI. Chapter Review Questions
    8. 8 Production: The Shoot
      1. I. The Producer’s Role
        1. A. The Producer’s Team
        2. B. Production Protocol and Politics
      2. II. On Set and on Location
        1. A. Virtual Locations
      3. III. The Camera
        1. A. Component Video or Composite Video Formats
        2. B. Shooting High-Definition Video
        3. C. Shooting in 24P Video
        4. D. Time Code
        5. E. Capturing the Image
        6. F. Video Camera Options
      4. IV. Lighting
        1. A. Hard versus Soft
        2. B. Hot and Cold
        3. C. Interior and Exterior
      5. V. Audio
        1. A. Sound Design
        2. B. Four Major Elements of Sound Recording
        3. C. Recording Production Sound
      6. VI. The Actual Shoot
        1. A. Arrival of Cast and Crew
        2. B. Blocking for the Camera
        3. C. Rehearsing the Actors
        4. D. Time for the Shoot
        5. E. The Equipment Breakdown and Location Wrap
      7. VII. Summary
      8. VIII. Chapter Review Questions
    9. 9 Post-Production: The Final Product
      1. I. The Producer’s Role
        1. A. Guidelines
      2. II. The Editor’s Role
        1. A. Working with an Editor
        2. B. Working with New Technology
        3. C. The Steps in Editing
        4. D. Editing High Definition TV
        5. E. Styles of Editing
        6. F. Techniques in Editing
        7. G. Editing Pace and Rhythm
        8. H. Editing to Manipulate Time
        9. I. Editing Transitions
        10. J. Graphics, Animation, and Plug-Ins
      3. III. The Sound Designer’s Role
        1. A. Working with the Sound Designer
        2. B. The Technology Behind Mixing the Audio
        3. C. Components in Sound Design
        4. D. Stylistic Uses of Sound
        5. E. The Steps in Mixing Audio
        6. F. The Final Cut
      4. IV. Delivering the Final Product
      5. V. Summary
      6. VI. Chapter Review Questions
    10. 10 It’s a Wrap! Then, Next Steps
      1. I. It’s a Wrap!
      2. II. Professional Next Steps
        1. A. Create a Resume
        2. B. Build a Demo Reel
        3. C. Make a Short
        4. D. Network
        5. E. Find a Mentor
        6. F. Internships
        7. G. Get Experience
        8. H. Take a Course
        9. I. Keep Up-to-Date
        10. J. Get a Job
      3. III. Festivals
        1. A. Package Your Project
        2. B. Submissions to Festivals
        3. C. Acceptance to a Festival
      4. IV. Grants
        1. A. Preparing and Writing a Grant
      5. V. Publicity
      6. VI. Starting Your Own Production Company
        1. A. Dealing with Clients
      7. VII. Summary
      8. VIII. Chapter Review Questions
  9. Part II
    1. 11 Producing in the Real World: Conversations with the Pros
      1. I. Chapter Review Questions
  10. Glossary
  11. Resources by Chapter
  12. Index