To craft an entertaining production takes both creative vision and leadership skills. Based on a writer’s script, producers and directors create movies, videos, television shows, live theater, and commercials. Producers make the business and financial decisions for a production. They raise money and hire the director and crew. Producers set the budget and approve any major changes to the project. They make sure that the production is completed on time, and hold the responsibility for the final product. Directors make the creative decisions. They select the cast, run rehearsals, and guide actors’ portrayal of their characters. At early phases, directors work closely with costume and set designers and location scouts to set the right scene. After a film is shot, they consult with the film editors and music directors to ensure the final product matches their vision. For live performances, stage directors support a consistent, strong performance. Work hours in these fields are often long and irregular, and pressure to finish projects on time is constant. Employment may be temporary, and travel is common… whether to tour with a theater production, or shoot a TV show or movie on location. A combination of a bachelor’s degree and several years’ related work experience is the usual path to enter these fields. A background in acting, film and video editing, or cinematography are typical.
What they do:
Produce or direct stage, television, radio, video, or film productions for entertainment, information, or instruction. Responsible for creative decisions, such as interpretation of script, choice of actors or guests, set design, sound, special effects, and choreography.
On the job, you would:
Plan details such as framing, composition, camera movement, sound, and actor movement for each shot or scene.
Communicate to actors the approach, characterization, and movement needed for each scene in such a way that rehearsals and takes are minimized.
Direct live broadcasts, films and recordings, or non-broadcast programming for public entertainment or education.
Communications
multimedia
telecommunications
Arts and Humanities
English language
Engineering and Technology
computers and electronics
Business
management
Basic Skills
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
People and Technology Systems
figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Verbal
communicate by speaking
listen and understand what people say
Ideas and Logic
use rules to solve problems
notice when problems happen
Visual Understanding
see hidden patterns
quickly know what you are looking at
Attention
do two or more things at the same time
People interested in this work like activities that include leading, making decisions, and business.
They do well at jobs that need:
Attention to Detail
Dependability
Cooperation
Integrity
Stress Tolerance
Adaptability/Flexibility
You might use software like this on the job:
Video creation and editing software
Adobe Systems Adobe After Effects
YouTube
Web page creation and editing software
Facebook
LinkedIn
Graphics or photo imaging software
Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Cloud software
Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
bachelor's degree or high school diploma/GED usually needed
Get started on your career:
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
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