You're the Boss. Now What?

	You're the Boss. Now What? Prev 1 2 3

	About now, you'll be feeling the pressure. What if this whole thing flops? What if, what if...? It's been said that if you need to find the producer on-set, just look for the face with the worried look. As producer, you'll have to deal with pressure. Sometimes you'll feel like yelling at somebody. Sometimes, you will yell at somebody -- and if it's for a really egregious error, that might not be a bad idea. Sometimes, in special circumstances, the team members need to have, in the back of their minds, that even though you're a nice person, you are capable of intense anger. But, if you push this anger button too often, or without good reason, your production team will turn on you, only exerting the minimum amount of effort. You've lost them. Don't find yourself in this position. Keep in mind that you're the boss of this shoot, but don't be too bossy. Try to be a teacher more than an overseer. Use tact and diplomacy and you'll keep your group tightly-knit and cooperative. Here is where that delicate balance of leadership comes into play -- that ability to be a master and a servant at the same time. Adding to that pressure will be unexpected situations that just pop up out of nowhere. These are the fires that producers must put out. In general, a suggestion for these unforeseen circumstances is to make every attempt to settle these issues as quickly as possible if they're crucial to the production. And, handle every situation just once. It's like paperwork -- handle each piece of paper once, and take care of it efficiently the first time, and then you won't have to keep fixing the same thing over and over. Also, don't be afraid to delegate tasks to others who might solve a minor problem while you go about the job of keeping the production going. Many producers have run aground because they wouldn't delegate anything. In the midst of production, do your best not to micromanage the director. Know about camera angles and which shots work best, but let the director do his/her job without your meddling in every detail. If you've communicated effectively with your director beforehand, your interference during the production is probably unnecessary. Sure, you might have some valuable suggestions from time to time, so offer them. But you'll know when you've gone too far. Watch the director's eyes. If they shoot darts at you, or if they don't look at you at all, you've probably gone too far. Of course, if you're the director yourself -- being both producer and director is a favorite position of mine, by the way -- this problem never comes up. [an error occurred while processing this directive] During your planning and also during the actual production, it's always a good idea to keep in mind how you're going to edit this production. Like a great chess player, think many moves ahead, and you'll be a smarter producer. Haven't done much editing? Get a feel for it by visiting some edit sessions. Better yet, put a few shots into your computer and edit some sequences yourself, even if you have to use iMovie or Windows Movie Maker, one of which is included with your Mac or PC. Either one lets you place one shot after another, trim the clips and get a feel for what the editing craft involves. Of course, many producers get their start as editors or even edit their own projects, so they will certainly be thinking ahead to the edit session during their planning and shooting sessions. If you're going to be sitting in on the edit sessions -- if you're a brand new producer -- it's probably a good idea to sit back, watch, and learn. If you do have comments, try to offer a helpful suggestion rather than pointing out what you don't like but don't know why. If you're truly a beginner, go with the old saying "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt." Finally, after the production is done, don't underestimate the value of thanking those who did a good job for you. Point out specific things that were exceptional, praise those who deserve it. Careful, though -- if someone stunk up the place, don't praise them, but there's no need to berate them, either. Write down you exultations, and send a copy to these people's bosses, too. They'll want to work with you again. And, if your production turned out well, don't forget to enter it in as many awards competitions you can find. Even if you're trying to win one of those two-bit trophy-selling contests, any award is better than none. It helps to have a statue or two in your trophy case when you're looking for that next job. Digital Media Net Executive Producer Charlie White has been writing about new media and digital video since it was the laughingstock of the television industry. A technology journalist and columnist for the past nine years, White is also an Emmy-winning producer, video editor, broadcast industry consultant and shot-calling television director who has worked in broadcasting since 1974. Talk back -- Send Chazz a note at cwhite@digitalmedianet.com. Prev 1 2 3