Producing for TV and Video

Introduction

Know what you don’t know.

—Stephen Reed, producer

If ever there was a succinct description of the television producer’s job, “know what you don’t know” defines it best. The producer in television and video has little choice but to be a lifelong learner, constantly researching, asking questions, and listening — in essence, knowing what you don’t know.

There isn’t one producer in the television industry or in the nonbroadcast realm who knows all the answers, or the tricks of the trade, or grasps the nuances of each and every detail on the producer’s to do list. Although producers share certain skill sets, each genre in which the producer works is different. Each requires a unique result from its producer. This book strives to lay out ...