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Steps to a Job as a Television Producer
by Gary
Reynolds
FabJob Inc. publishes
books, e-books, and CD-ROMs that can help you break into a "fab"
job. Visit www.FabJob.com
for information and career advice.
In every
television production, the Producer is "the boss.”
Producers
supervise everything from the money and script to hiring
actors and distribution. They have the power to make or break
million-dollar careers, and the vision to see a project
through from idea to TV broadcast.
As a
producer, you might be responsible for overseeing the
production of sitcoms, music videos, made for TV movies,
newscasts, talk shows, commercials or even DVDs. The work is
creative, glamorous, and incredibly hectic.
Here are
some ways to break into this fab job:
The very, very easy way
The first is
the very, very easy way… have a relative or friend already in
the business get you a job as a TV Producer. Unfortunately
this is not possible for the majority of us.
The very, very hard way
Another is
the very, very hard way. That is to just start knocking on TV
station doors without education, experience or connections.
The chances of being hired are few and far between, but it
does happen every so often. You’re most likely going to start
at the very bottom and the trip up will be terribly hard.
Doesn’t sound like your thing either?
The path of least resistance
Luckily,
there is a third way: a path of least resistance based on my
experience and the experience of colleagues in the industry.
The basic plan follows. (Many more details about each of these
points are included in the
Guide
to Become a Television Producer.)
Step
1: Go to school
The
traditional way is to get either a bachelor’s degree or an
associate’s degree in communications, media or broadcasting.
It doesn’t hurt to go on and get a Master’s degree, but it’s
not necessary. For those who don't have the time or wish to
college full-time, there are some alternative ways to educate
yourself including evening classes and self-study on the
Internet.
Step
2: Get volunteer experience
Work on as
many school and community television projects as possible.
Chances some television shows are being taped at a public
access cable TV station in your community. Volunteer for all
different positions on the crews no matter how small a
position it is.
Step
3: Join professional organizations
Organizations to join as soon as possible include the American
Association of Producers and the Broadcast Education
Association. Getting involved is a great way to network,
observe people in action and possibly get that first job.
Step
4: Get an internship
Complete an
internship program at a television station. This is critical.
Many of these internship positions lead to full-time work
after you complete them so work your butt off. This is also a
great place to make contacts in the industry for the future.
Step
5: Produce effective materials
You will
need an effective cover letter, demo reel and resume. Your
resume should be complete and describe everything you’ve done.
The demo reel is a collection of excerpts from productions
you’ve worked on. It is your calling card when beginning your
career and a great record of your achievements later on. Make
sure you keep your materials current.
Step
6: Get that important first job
Start
looking as soon as possible. If you are in school, start
looking before you graduate. This will be almost a full-time
job for a little while.
Step
7: You’re in, now what?
It’s all up
to you now. Work hard. Keep your eyes open. Volunteer for any
positions that will give you producing experience or expose
you to projects where you can observe Producers in action.
Stay active in those professional organizations, attend
conferences, subscribe to magazines and watch TV!
FabJob Inc. publishes books,
e-books, and CD-ROMs that can help you break into a "fab" job.
Visit www.FabJob.com
for information and career advice.
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