You’re the producer, your reputation is on the line, your job is on the line, and your head is on the chopping block.  Because if something’s not working on the set;  food, wardrobe, art direction, camera, sound, or anything else, you’re going to hear about it and everyone will want you to do something to rectify the situation.

Let me give a little illustration –

Some years ago I was producing a music video and we were shooting in The Tombs in NYC.  For those not familiar with The Tombs, they’re the holding cells in NY for accused criminals waiting for transport to federal prison.  The client wanted to shoot there.  Yes, they did – something about authenticity.   So arrangements were made and we were…

Why pay for a first class plane ticket if your intention was to get there by bus? That’s what happens when you bypass a producer – you end up sitting in the back of the bus with no air-conditioning on a very long journey to an extremely uncomfortable place.

As a producer, it’s my job to make sure that everything runs smoothly –in short, on time, on budget, with the creative vision intact and everybody happy. That only happens when you don’t decide you can do the job of the producer better. If you’re thinking, “Hey I have a friend in the catering business, let me give her a call and make all the arrangements,” you may end up serving the crew baloney sandwiches…

There are two types of production schedules.  Tight and brutal.  Either way, you need all the time you can manufacture, and one way to ease the time strain is have written transcripts of all the video you’ve shot.  I believe that if you do not transcribe tapes the minute you return from a shoot – it will bite you in the ass during the editing process.

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve worked for production companies that do not transcribe tapes they’ve shot.  For me, that’s like throwing your cell phone into a bin with 600 other cell phones and hoping you’ll recover yours just by the ring tone.  Chances are you’re going to waste a lot of valuable time trying to…

If you’re working for a production company on a small budget more than likely they’ll send you out to shoot with a cameraman and a sound person that will sometimes double as the grip and the production assistant. Now it’s up to you, the producer, to take notes while you’re directing and asking interview questions.

Many producers feel, it’s important to keep all their attention on the person they’re interviewing and not be bothered with notes, but you won’t always have that luxury. And after a day, or several long shoot days, you won’t remember who said what when, or what tape the exterior shot of a building is located on. So, take notes.

Always ask your cameraman to supply a video tap with…

There isn’t a production company in the world that doesn’t need extra hands.  Especially when you’re coming down the home stretch of pre production. With last minute script changes, location permits, meals on set to arrange, props, wardrobe, set construction and the like – the final days before actual production can feel like your head is stuck in the spin cycle of a washing machine.  Your budget is tight and as a producer you’re not going to even think about going over budget when you haven’t yet shot one minute of footage.  Interns to the rescue.  However, I’ve found that there are some production companies and producers who not only don’t understand the benefits of an intern but the responsibility that comes with hiring…

Producing an on-camera interview is like having a conversation.  It should be easy and enjoyable for both you and the person you’re interviewing.  I remember producing my first on-camera interview.  When I think about it I get shutters.  I wasn’t as prepared as I should have been, and as a result I spent most of my time looking at the questions I’d written down rather than the person I was interviewing.  Fortunately, they were a pro – so I was able to get great material.

The path from not knowing what you’re doing to being able to get the perfect interview every time requires doing some homework before you even set up the camera.

Research the person.  Before you even think about going to…