Television Production Staff
Directions
 You may click through each slide in order to learn
about the various jobs on a Television Production
Team (Staff). Just click on the
to take you
to the next slide.
 You may start on the
slide and click on
each job for a description and then click on the
home button to come back to the home slide.
Television Production Staff

Executive Producer
 Producer – Non news
 Producer – News
 News Director
 Director
 Production Manager
 Production Assistant
 Floor Manager
 Camera Operator
 Photographer
 Photojournalist

Reporter

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Assignment Editor 
Anchor
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Video Engineer
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Audio Engineer
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Lighting Director
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Script Writer
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Graphic Artist
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VTR Operator
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Robo Operator



 Editor
Makeup Artist
CG Operator
Grip
Maintenance
Engineer
Executive Producer
 Provides the funding necessary to produce the
program.
 For large productions, you may have more than one
EP
 Once the money is in bank, he hires a producer to
manage the money.
Producer – Non News Environment
 A producer in a non-news environment purchases
materials and services need to create a finished
program.
 Hires director, designers, crew, materials, talent,
etc.
 Skills require attention to detail and organizational
skills
 Works with all four phases of production
4 phases of Production
 Pre-production – Any activity prior to the cameras
rolling (script, set design, etc.)
 Production – The actual shooting of the program
 Post-production – Any activities after the program
is shot (editing, audio overdubs, titles, etc.)
 Distribution – DVD authoring, duplication, sales
Producer – News Environment
 Coordinates content and flow of the broadcast
 Decides what will be aired, the order and
developing promotions
 Decides whether to interrupt a broadcast with
breaking news
News Director
 Responsible for the structure of the newsroom –
managing the budget, effectiveness of the
newsroom
 Personnel matters – performance evaluations,
hiring/firing
 Final authority on which stories will air during the
broadcast.
Director
 The director is in charge of the creative aspects of
the program
 Cast talent
 Work with EP and Producer
 Reviews script and visualizes the production
 Guides performance of talent and crew
Production Manager
 Handles business portion of production
 Negotiates prices, services and other contracts
 Ensures program and scripts meet broadcast
standards
 Manages budget and resources
Production Assistant (PA)
 Also called the Assistant Director (AD)
 The PA is a jack-of-all-trades and master of none
 Generally serves as a “gofer”
 May be used to fill key personnel positions when
someone is sick or unavailable
Floor Manager
 Also called the Floor Director is the director’s “eyes
and ears” in the studio.
 The floor manager relays the director’s commands
to all studio personnel, except camera operators
 The floor manager is the only person in the studio
who may say, “Cut,” other than the director.
Camera Operator
 The camera operator runs the cameras responsible
for capturing the video images
 Responsible for framing the shots
 Directors may call for a particular shot, and the
camera operator must provide the shot requested
while framing the shot so that annoying or
inappropriate background images do not detract
from the image.
Photographer
 Also called a “photog” or “shooter” is the camera
person who goies into the field on location with a
reporter in a news operation.
 The photog’s responsibilities include all things
technical, transporting the camera, tripod, mic, all
the cabling and any batteries necessary.
 The photog monitors the audio of the reporter and
interviewee through headphones.
 May also be responsible for setting up and taking
down equipment.
Photojournalist
 The photojournalist is a photographer who
regularly performs duties of both the reporter and
the photographer.
 This can be an advantage in the industry to be able
to handle both ends of the camera – reporter and
photographer
Reporter
 Reporters are responsible for gathering information
from various sources, including research for
interviews, for writing news stories and often
editing their own stories.
 Some stories may require the reporter to do a
voiceover, even if they are never seen on screen.
Assignment Editor
 The assignment editor schedules the equipment
and personnel to cover the stories.
 They also pair reporters and photogs and schedule
photojournalists
 Typically the assignment editor assigns each report
two stories per day.
Anchor
 The anchor delivers the news from the news desk
set in the studio.
 Reading content displayed on a teleprompter
 Provides the intro and closing of taped stories that
are inserted into a live telecast, and conducting
converstations with reporters in the field reporting
live.
 The greatest expectation of an anchor is to
accurately read and relay the news and related
information.
Video Engineer
 The video engineer is responsible for the technical
quality of the video signal.
 One of the video engineer’s responsibilities is to
make sure that the images captured by each studio
cameras match exactly.
 Consistency is important when cutting from one
camera to another
Audio Engineer
 The audio engineer is responsible for the
audio/sound quality on the production.
 The audio engineer often operates the microphone
mixer, as well as the music and sound effects
recorders/players.
 The audio engineer mics the talent and is
responsible for overall audio levels on the studio’s
master recorder.
Lighting Director
 The lighting director decides the placement of the
lighting instruments, the appropriate color of light
to use, and which lamps should be used in the
instruments.
 The lighting director’s assistant called a gaffer, does
the actual hauling of heavy instruments up and
down the ladders.
Scriptwriter
 The scriptwriter is responsible for placing the entire
production on paper.
 The script must meet the objectives of the producer
and the message to the viewer must be clear.
 A content specialist might be hired to work with a
script writer.
 A content specialist reviews the entire script before
production begins and is often present at the
shooting to ensure accuracy
Graphic Artist
 The graphic artist is responsible for all the artwork
required for the production.
 This includes computer graphics, traditional works
of art, charts and graphs.
 Example: charts for economic forecasts or weather
graphics
VTR Operator
 The VTR operator is in of recording the program to
video tape.
 In many newer stations, programs are now
recorded to DVD’s or directly to a hard drive.
 In a “tapeless” environment, the job is called a
video operator.
Robo Operator
 In some studios, camera operators have been
replaced with remote controlled robotic camera
mounts.
 All of the cameras are then controlled by the Robo
Operator from one location in the studio such as
the control room.
Editor
 The editor puts various pieces of the entire program
together.
 Individual scenes are placed in proper order
 A skilled editor must be aware of the theory of
movement and the passage of time
 Everything must flow together naturally
Makeup Artist
 The makeup artist applies cosmetics to the talent
that will be on-air
 Makeup may enhance facial features or balance
skin tone under the lights
CG Operator
 The CG Operator creates the program titles using a
character generator.
 Many new digital mixers also include the character
generator in the software
Grip
 A grip is a person who moves equipment, scenery,
and props on a studio set.
 In theater productions, a grip is called a stagehand
Maintenance Engineer
 Keeps all equipment working to factory
specifications
 Assists in troubleshooting when need arises
 Main function is to make all equipment is working
properly
Source
 From Chapter 2, Working in
the Television Production
Industry of Television
Production and Broadcast
Journalism by Phillip Harris
 ©2012