Production Roles within the Media Industry

Sound Engineer

The Sound Engineer is the person who deals with all aspects of sound mainly in the recording side of a production. The types of jobs that the Sound Engineers contributes to are as follows;

·        Planning recording sessions with producers and artists

·        Setting up microphones and equipment in the studio

·        Making sure the volume and recording levels are set correctly

·        Operating recording equipment and adding effects

·        Recording each instrument or item onto a separate track

·        Mixing tracks to produce a final ‘master’ track

·        Logging notes and other details of the sessions in the studio’s archives

A sound engineer must have…

·        Good hearing, for distinguishing sound quality

·        A good sense of pitch, timing and rhythm

·        A knowledge of electronics and acoustics

·        Good practical skills

·        Patience

·        A keen interest in music and sound

·        The ability to cope with long hours and tight deadlines

·        Good communication and ‘people’ skills.

Lighting Technician

A lighting technician is the person within the production team that creates the lighting effects for a production, whether is be a music video, a television show, feature film or live performances.

Duties of a lighting technician would include:

·        Rig lighting equipment onto a lighting bar

·        Ensure that equipment is working in order

·        Understanding, discussing and create the lighting designers lighting plans and designs.

·        Takes cues from the floor manager or staging manager.

·        Operating the manual and possible computer controlled lighting equipment and controllers.

·        Safely run cables where necessary and prepare lighting ready for the production or event.

Cameraman

The cameraman is the person who operates the video camera to effectively capture shots for a video or live broadcast over the internet or via television. The skills that are used to be a cameraman are both visual and technical as it requires them to capture the best shots possible for the director or producer.

A cameraman has many duties within a studio which include:

·        Setting up their camera safely and ensuring all health and safety guidelines are followed.

·        Pre-planning shots so that all shots are effective when recording.

·        Practising the camera moves required for pre-arranged shots.

·        Receive instructions from the visual mixer or producer as they would also want certain shots to mix with the other cameramen for a high quality video.

·        Think about location, the position of a camera within the studio can affect the way a video looks, so It may be useful for them to try different positions of the camera before recording. If it is a large studio, the cameraman may be able to use scaffolding to access a higher area and have some wide angle shots.

Floor Manager

The floor manager is the person who manages any interaction or activity within the studio live area. They make the deacons to where everything goes and the general activity of the studio – this may include, giving instructions to the cameramen, the performer(s) and anyone else who is in the live area. The floor manager takes instructions from the producer via earpiece to tell them what is wanted from the team in the studio.

Visual Mixer

A visual mixer operator controls all the shots that are coming through from the cameras and is able to decide what shots are going to be broadcasted or used during the recording. The visual mixer operator must have creative skills to be able to produce a high quality mix. The visuals are as crucially important as the sound when shooting a music video within a studio as the person watching the video wants to see a high quality video.

Grip

The camera grip is the person responsible within a production team who organises and prepares the relevant equipment such as; dollies, track, cranes, camera cars, and insert trailers. The grip is also an assistant to the cameraman during the filming and recording of the production as they secure the camera tripod to the dolly and keep a hold of it throughout the recording to ensure that there are no camera shakes or problems with the equipment.

Producer

A producer is probably the most important person within the production as they see it and supervise from the start to finish and ensure that everything is running to plan and has the final say when it comes to decision making or in general. The producer deals with the practical side of the production and behind the scenes work and keeping a project running smoothly, so that the director and the rest of the team can concentrate on the creative aspects of the production.

Director

As mentioned above, the Director is the team member who deals with the creative side of the production and basically makes it come to life from ideas that they would have created beforehand. General duties that a director undertakes could include;

§  working out the human and material resources needed;

§  drafting a timescale for the job;

§  estimating costs and setting the quality standards;

§  monitoring the production processes and adjusting schedules as needed;

§  being responsible for the selection and maintenance of equipment;

Assistant Sound Engineer

The assistant sound engineer assists the main sound engineers during setup and throughout the recording process by setting up equipment, recording software and ensuring that all recordings are documented detailing all of the times of recording to ensure a smooth running. The assistant sound engineer may not have a direct say in how the recording should sound but they would help the main sound engineer to make it the highest quality recording. 

Photographer

The Skills of a photographer

Arthur Mills & The Black Eyed Fridays

A photographer within a production team would have to be imaginative to be able to capture the best images possible of the performer. During chapel sessions I have had experience of being a photographer. As the artists weren’t there for a long time recording, I had to be quick thinking and creative as well as focusing on the end product which was to provide high quality images for the artist but as well as to use them in their music video. 

Chainsaw Addiction - Live at The Chapel

As I was using a DSLR Camera with changeable lenses I had to have top knowledge of technical skills to be able to capture a high quality image. As well as technical skills I had to use my interpersonal skills to liaise with the performer to find out what images they would like as well as what is needed as i could ask them to look at the camera lens during certain parts of the song for greater creativity and effect.

By also liaising with the lighting designer we could create an effective scene which would look fantastic on both my camera and the production video cameras. Also, positioning myself and the camera in certain heights and locations of the live area I could use my creativity and find different angels that would work affectively with the lighting.