There are many things to consider when creating a film, music video or animation. How much will it cost? Who needs to be employed? How long will it take? These are the main questions that need to be answered before anyone even begins to create a piece of media.
Personnel
Producer
Producers are the main individuals in television, film and video production. The initial idea for a project often comes from a producer, who will oversee each project from beginning to end and may also be involved in the funding, marketing and distribution processes. A producer or executive producer is meant to report directly to the client (the person who wants the film/music video created).
Producers work closely with directors and the other production staff on the media piece. Most of the time, they need to have directing skills themselves as it is likely that the producer will also be the director and take care of all of the production operations. Producers arrange funding for each project and are responsible for keeping the production within the allocated budget.
Directors
Directors are responsible for the look, sound and style of a film or media piece. Their job usually starts when they receive the script, although in some cases the director may also be the scriptwriter. It is the director's ‘artistic vision’ that will guide the work of the crew as they look for the right locations, hire the cast, design the sets, sound and lighting, and finally edit and dub the finished recording.
Typical work activities include:
-interpreting the script;
-directing actors;
-managing technical details, such as camera shots and the use of lighting;
-making final decisions about location and design;
-talking with the producer at certain stages, for example, when editing the final 'cut';
-managing the work of the other production staff and delegating tasks accordingly to create the final production.
Scriptwriter
A scriptwriter is a person who writes scripts.