Television Producers

Covering all the major areas of television production, this in-depth work highlights the widely varying influences, difficulties and opportunities at work in the industry. Each kind of producer across the seven areas here examined faces the same practical issues of budget, talent and equipment resources, and end-product expectations; however, the self-image of the producers and the creative environment in which they work can differ greatly from one programming sector to the next, and whilst their careers may run parallel they are usually cut off from one another ideologically. Based on interviews from over two hundred and fifty producers working across a selection of British television channels as well as producers of a number of high-profile American shows, this book takes in a panoramic view of production models at work today and concludes with some insightful suggestions for the future.

"The focus of Women Television Producers is upon a new cadre of women producers, who, as a result of rulings by the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission in the early seventies, found employment in the three major networks beginning in 1971-72. In the following decade many of them emerged as television producers and writers."--BOOK JACKET.

Covering all the major areas of television production, this in-depth work highlights the widely varying influences, difficulties and opportunities at work in the industry. Each kind of producer across the seven areas here examined faces the same practical issues of budget, talent and equipment resources, and end-product expectations; however, the self-image of the producers and the creative environment in which they work can differ greatly from one programming sector to the next, and whilst their careers may run parallel they are usually cut off from one another ideologically. Based on interviews from over two hundred and fifty producers working across a selection of British television channels as well as producers of a number of high-profile American shows, this book takes in a panoramic view of production models at work today and concludes with some insightful suggestions for the future.

Film and television production are important components of the Canadian economy. In Vancouver, popular American television series like The X-Files and Canadian series like Da Vinci's Inquest have boosted the city's profile as a centre for international and domestic productions. Serra Tinic's On Location is the first empirical analysis of regional Canadian television producers in the context of developing global media markets. Tinic observes that global television production in Vancouver has been a contradictory process that has, on one level, led to the homogenization of culturally specific storylines, while simultaneously facilitating the development of new avenues for international ventures. The author explains how federal and regional network considerations, funding guidelines, and partnerships with international co-producers affect the capacity of Canadian television producers to negotiate culturally specific storylines in the development process. She further interrogates the concepts of globalization, culture, and national identity, and their relationship to broadcasting from the perspectives of members of the television industry themselves, highlighting the extent to which industry practices in Vancouver epitomize current trends in global television production. On Location fills a major gap in contemporary media and cultural studies debates that question the connections between the politics of place, culture, and commerce within the larger context of cultural globalization.

Imre Horvath, producer of 60 Minutes, was asked how to get to talk to inaccessible people: "People that are busy...are scheduled tight...it's at 5:00 and 6:00 that they're back in their office to unwind...there's a kind of resonance or sympathy that springs up. "Oh, you're still in your office too?" Twenty-two interviews feature the producers or creators of Mister Rogers, Highway Patrol, Sea Hunt, The Cisco Kid, The Tonight Show, Rockford Files, Falcon Crest, Gunsmoke, Family Feud, and Roots, among others. These people offer opinions on the producer's role, the creation and packaging of different program genres, getting the best from the production team, tips for success, and of course personalities and personal moments. Honest and intelligent, these interviews give the reader a fascinating view of the industry.

The Producer's Medium is the first book in which major TV producers look critically at their role in the commercial television industry. Norman Lear, Richard Levinson, Wiliam Link, and eight other producers of prime-time television discuss candidly their artistic aims, their working methods, their social and political views, and their battles with the networks they work for. Combined with these interviews is critical commentary that places the producers' words in perspective and examines TV's cultural role and the problems of creativity within the industry.

Producing for TV and New Media provides a comprehensive look at the role of the "Producer in television and new media. At the core of every media project there is a Producer who provides a wide array of creative, technical, financial, and interpersonal skills. Written especially for new and aspiring producers, this book looks at both the Big Picture and the essential details of this demanding and exhilarating profession. A series of interviews with seasoned TV producers who share their real-world professional practices provides rich insight into the complex billion-dollar industries of television and new media. This type of practical insight is not to be found in other books on producing. This new edition now covers striking developments in new media, delivery systems, the expansion of the global marketplace of media content.

"Factors which led to an independent television production sector in Toronto, Ontario, and the Ontario-based companies that have competed in the U.S. marketplace. Alliance Atlantis Communications is given particular attention as one of Ontario's most successful production companies. Economic and political influences as well as current and future prospects of independent production companies are discussed"--Provided by publisher.