Get a behind the scenes look at how a TV show gets made from script to screen. Does this sound like something you would like to be apart of? Is there a job that sounds more interesting than the others? 

Career

Find out how a TV show gets made!

Read excerpts from the book "Showrunners: The Art of Running a TV Show." If you want to know more, you can watch the documentary that this book is based on online (it's also called "Showrunners").

Learn what it's like to run a TV show.

Find a volunteer opportunity at your local public television station. If you don't see yours here, search for your local station online and check the volunteer opportunities listed on their website!

Advice

Volunteer at your local television station.

Producers and Directors

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.

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

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.

Research production topics using the internet, video archives, and other informational sources.

Review film, recordings, or rehearsals to ensure conformance to production and broadcast standards.

Study and research scripts to determine how they should be directed.

Supervise and coordinate the work of camera, lighting, design, and sound crew members.

Confer with technical directors, managers, crew members, and writers to discuss details of production, such as photography, script, music, sets, and costumes.

Perform management activities, such as budgeting, scheduling, planning, and marketing.

Consult with writers, producers, or actors about script changes or "workshop" scripts, through rehearsal with writers and actors to create final drafts.

Adobe Systems Adobe After Effects

Apple Final Cut Pro

Screencastify

YouTube

Adobe Systems Adobe Dreamweaver

Content management systems CMS

Facebook

LinkedIn

Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Cloud software

Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop

Graphics creation software

Adobe Systems Adobe Audition

Avid Technology Pro Tools

MAGIX Software Sound Forge

Magix Vegas Pro

Cascading style sheets CSS

Drupal

Hypertext markup language HTML

Google Docs

Microsoft Word

Scripting software

Email software

Microsoft Outlook

Adobe Systems Adobe ActionScript

Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Suite

Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign

Microsoft Publisher

Microsoft Excel

Grass Valley Ignite Automated Production System

Video switchers

Digital video cameras

Electronic news gathering ENG cameras

Teleprompters

Lens finders

Laptop computers

Robotic cameras

Studio lighting systems

Sound mixing equipment

Video editing equipment

Multimedia editing equipment

Producers & Directors

Get an internship with a production company. That is one advantage that most people do not get, so take advantage and get experience.

Be creative with your spare time, seek help from your family if you can.

Arrive at 6am, have a morning meeting of the game plan for an hour-long show, be on-point and always thinking ahead during show time, have a post-show meeting about how things went that day and plan for the next day.

Associate Producer

You should try to apply yourself in a stable job.

Lindsey Patterson

Associate Producer

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Radio

Television

Learning / Being Challenged

Day to Day

Advice for Getting Started

Recommended Education

Hurdles

The Noise I Shed

From Parents:

Challenges I Overcame

Financial

Lindsey Patterson

Associate Producer

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Radio

Television

Learning / Being Challenged

Day to Day

Advice for Getting Started

Recommended Education

My career is not related to what I studied. I'd recommend this path instead:

Hurdles

The Noise I Shed

From Parents:

Challenges I Overcame

Related Leaders