By Ivana Dukanovic
Tuesday, November 29, 2011 | 4:32 p.m. PST
Article from ATVN
Hands down, this has been the most rewarding class I have taken in my four years at USC. I have evolved as a journalist and as a person. I have learned what it takes to be a leader and team player, while developing a passion and love for producing. The easiest way to sum up all my advice from this life-changing semester is in an organized fashion, fittingly one of the most crucial skills you will develop as a producer.
1. Stay Organized: Write Everything Down.
I thought I had a great memory, until I became a producer. There is so much going on from before the morning meeting until the credits run at the end of the show. You will not remember every detail and I really suggest developing your own system of organizing not only the information you receive from reporters and teammates but your thoughts and vision for the show. For instance, I made myself a "producer organizer" sheet on which I sectioned separate spaces for each story to jot down notes regarding: video, audio, reporter status, sound bites, writing, people to contact and any creative elements. The sheet allowed me to stay up-to-date with every single story and visualize the progress of the story. I also made a to-do list the night before my producing shift, which was always separated into tasks for the morning, early afternoon and late afternoon. Chunking my tasks together with deadline to-do lists allowed me to keep calm and not be overwhelmed by the massive amount of delegation throughout the day. Sometimes it is easier to create the list the night before and add additional tasks throughout the day since your day-of-air shift oftentimes does not allow you to take twenty minutes to develop a solid to-do list. Honestly, take advantage of the night before your show. Spend some time organizing your thoughts as well as the top stories for the night and how you can update them tomorrow or how they may progress overnight. Organizing entails homework and package lists. A smart producer always does his or her homework. Personally I think it is risky to approach the package and story lists in a carefree "I'll do it in the morning" manner. I always had two package ideas and my whole story list ready the night before, but did leave spots open for stories that I would find in the morning after watching the 6:00 a.m. news and scouring through the budget and wires. Organize every last detail of your show and start as early as possible. Remember, scatterbrains are not ideal for the newsroom. Staying organized will keep your mind sharp and enable you to lead the team to a successful show. Side note: keep all the handouts. They will guide you when your memory checks in and out throughout the semester!
2. Start Communicating From the Get-Go: Broken Records Make Good Producers.
One amateur mistake I made when I first started producing was that I kept limiting when and where I would speak up. Oftentimes I did not want to overstep boundaries or speak up if someone else was lead producing. You have to remember that everyone is working together and even though the lead producer has the final say, he or she needs some help in making decisions along the way. Teammate meetings are crucial and set a tone for the rest of the afternoon up until the show. Let your teammates know what changes you may be making and, if you are not the lead, make some suggestions. This class will teach you the process of collaborative thinking and decision making under pressure, and I can guarantee you will learn more from each other than you can imagine. That aspect of communication is purely between teammates and your executive producer; it is the most significant communication throughout the day and must remain constant. However, when it comes to communicating with the rest of the team, from multimedia journalists to studio crew members, I have found there is no such thing as a broken record. I repeat myself until I know my point has been understood and executed properly. Still, you want to do so in a manner that is friendly but authoritative. By communicating with every member of the team you will build relationships and learn to trust each individual for certain tasks. Above all, make sure you are a positive reinforcer and communicator. Many of these MJs and crew members will one day be in your position and we want to make sure we set positive and productive examples for them.
3. Be Confident: Love every story in your rundown and know why you love it.
Own your show. You should decide upon every story and all its elements with some help from your teammates. Do not be stuck on stacking stories. I am a believer in deep coverage. If you have the time in your newscast, you should want to talk to experts, students, professors, or whoever is applicable or affected by the story. Make decisions based on your own news judgment and then be prepared to defend it. As hard as it is for some of us, producers should be flexible when uncertain with some elements of the show but firm when they truly love a story or aspect of a story. All of us do not have the same take on what is more appealing to the audience or more newsworthy, but a confident producer can convince the strongest of non-believers. At the start of the day take a direction you feel is meaningful and logical for the show and go with it. Develop reasoning behind your choices and exude a sense of authority and stability to the rest of your team. This skill becomes amplified when you go into the afternoon meeting. I will admit that at first those meetings made my heart race a little and my voice shake while I was trying to explain my story selection and order, but that lasted only a few weeks. Once you learn to trust yourself and your judgment the confidence will follow. Do not let the intimidation and workload of the first few weeks discourage you. It is a part of the learning process, education and personality wise. You will overcome so many challenges by the end of this class that you will eventually start jumping at the chance to take every possible life challenge.
4. Take Some Risks: Get Complicated and Creative…but Not Crazy
Stacy may tell you at some point in the semester that it is worthwhile to have a mini train wreck at some point in the show in order to add more complicated and creative elements. This is a piece of her advice that I want to relay to future producers because it is something you want to start thinking about as soon as you have had your first stab at producing. Think outside the box, or better, build your own kind of box. There are plenty of features you can incorporate as a producer, whether it is a live shot, chroma key appearance, or Google map. Never play it safe because that gets boring. Make the most out of this experience, its failures and successes. Still, you cannot be unrealistic. Shoot for an optimistic and "can-do" creative approach, but remind yourself that this is not a perfect world and that boundaries do exist. This class is stressful but it is also so much fun. Creativity with your newscast will allow you to express yourself as a producer and enjoy the process in the meantime. But, please take this seriously. Whether you want to be a producer or not, this class is laced in life skill training. Taking reasonable risks, in producing and in life, will make you a well-rounded, decisive, and creative individual in whatever career you undertake.
5. Keep Time on Your Mind: Deadlines, Deadlines, Deadlines…
One thing that will quickly become evident, especially after that first day, is that twelve hours flies by in the newsroom and studio. As a producer your day begins and ends in what seems to be a matter of minutes. The only way to embrace this fast-paced, stop-and-go workday is to set your own deadlines. Even though the advisors provide us with excellent timelines throughout the day, it is wise to make some additional and more specific deadlines for yourself. Depending on your position for the week you really want to zoom in on the most important aspects of your role and make sure those tasks are done efficiently. To-do lists with timelines will help but learning to back-time not only your show but your entire day is a skill, and personality trait, I think you will learn to love about yourself if you work on developing it. Once you become a producer back-timing will become your best friend. It gives your mind time to process the step-by-step trajectory of your day and perform under pressure.
6. Be Proud of Your Production: Good or Bad
After this experience I have found that this is, holistically, the most important characteristic of a great producer. Know now that every show will not be perfect, especially if you are a perfectionist like I am. Sound won't play when it is supposed to, a CG will be placed to the right instead of left, or a whole package may just not make the cut, but as important as the outcome is with broadcast news the process is just as rewarding. You will be spending hours with your team and develop many of these skills listed above but also professional and personal friendships. I was lucky enough to get several big stories on my lead producing days, from Obama visits to the Conrad Murray verdict, but it was not the stories I was always proud of but the team that helped me produce my vision. Tell your team how much you appreciate them and realize that while you may be steering the ship they are all adjusting the sails and taming the waters for you throughout the day.
To end on a more general but personal note, enjoy the semester. When I walked into that first class I was intimidated and scared. But, when you learn to love what you are doing for ATVN, the USC community, and even parts of the Los Angeles community, you will value the time and energy you spend in the newsroom. If I could produce next semester I would do it all over again, mistakes and victories included. This is one of those experiences you are told all your life to take the bull by the horns. You get from this class what you put into it. As cliche as it sounds, it is absolutely true. This is why I urge you to take this seriously and be professional. You are about to become a local television news producer and it takes an immense amount of skill, but nothing that you cannot develop with determination, passion and a yearning to learn. So, brush the fear off your shoulders and remember that by the end of the semester this class will either change your life, your dreams, or your attitude--all for the better.
Article from ATVN