Producers and Directors

Producers and Directors typically perform the following tasks: • Plan details such as framing, composition, camera movement, sound, and actor movement for each shot or scene. • Communicate to actors the approach, characterization, and movement needed for each scene in such a way that rehearsals and takes are minimized. • Direct live broadcasts, films and recordings, or non-broadcast programming for public entertainment or education. • Research production topics using the internet, video archives, and other informational sources. • Review film, recordings, or rehearsals to ensure conformance to production and broadcast standards. • Study and research scripts to determine how they should be directed. • Supervise and coordinate the work of camera, lighting, design, and sound crew members. • Confer with technical directors, managers, crew members, and writers to discuss details of production, such as photography, script, music, sets, and costumes. • Perform management activities, such as budgeting, scheduling, planning, and marketing. • Consult with writers, producers, or actors about script changes or "workshop" scripts, through rehearsal with writers and actors to create final drafts. • Identify and approve equipment and elements required for productions, such as scenery, lights, props, costumes, choreography, and music. • Establish pace of programs and sequences of scenes according to time requirements and cast and set accessibility. • Conduct meetings with staff to discuss production progress and to ensure production objectives are attained. • Compile scripts, program notes, and other material related to productions. • Resolve personnel problems that arise during the production process by acting as liaisons between dissenting parties when necessary. • Coordinate the activities of writers, directors, managers, and other personnel throughout the production process. • Obtain rights to scripts or to such items as existing video footage. • Write and submit proposals to bid on contracts for projects. • Compose and edit scripts or provide screenwriters with story outlines from which scripts can be written. • Cut and edit film or tape to integrate component parts into desired sequences.