TV Production Notes

TV Production Personnel

TV Production

• Making a TV show needs many people to work together.

• The producer or director are in charge, but they listen to ideas from the team.

TV Production Staff

• TV teams usually have two groups:

  • Creative Team

  • Technical Team

• These groups help with money stuff:

  • Above-the-line: Money for creative work

  • Below-the-line: Money for technical work

Above-the-Line Staff

• These are people who do not work with machines.

• They handle the creative parts of the show, like writing and acting.

• They do things like:

  • Writing the show

  • Making the show

  • Acting

  • Directing

Below-the-Line Staff

• These are the people who work with machines.

• They handle the technical parts of making the show.

• They do things like:

  • Using and fixing machines

  • Helping on the set

Division

• It's not always easy to say who is above or below the line.

• Above-the-line is usually for people who don't work with machines.

• Below-the-line is usually for technical and machine people.

• Some jobs can be in different groups depending on the show.

  • Example: A DP (Director of Photography) is very important for how a movie looks.

  • But in small TV shows, the camera person might just do what the director says.

Types of Staff

• Above the Line

  • Bosses:

    • Executive Producer

    • Producer

    • Production Manager

  • Creative:

    • Director

    • Writer

    • Art Director

  • Performers:

    • Actor

    • Announcer

• Below the Line

  • Technical

    • Technical Director

    • Technician

    • Audio Director

    • Lighting Director

    • Camera Operator

    • CG/Graphics Operator

    • Audio Operator

    • Assistant Director

    • Editor

    • Stage Manager

    • Stage Crew