Producers and Directors

Also called: Animation Director, Animation Producer, Art Framing Manager, Artistic Director, Broadcast News Producer

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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.

Write and edit news stories from information collected by reporters and other sources.
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.
Coordinate the activities of writers, directors, managers, and other personnel throughout the production process.
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.
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.
Consult with writers, producers, or actors about script changes or "workshop" scripts, through rehearsal with writers and actors to create final drafts.
Identify and approve equipment and elements required for productions, such as scenery, lights, props, costumes, choreography, and music.
Establish pace of programs and sequences of scenes according to time requirements and cast and set accessibility.
Conduct meetings with staff to discuss production progress and to ensure production objectives are attained.
Compile scripts, program notes, and other material related to productions.
Perform administrative duties, such as preparing operational reports, distributing rehearsal call sheets and script copies, and arranging for rehearsal quarters.
Resolve personnel problems that arise during the production process by acting as liaisons between dissenting parties when necessary.
Arrange financing for productions.
Perform management activities, such as budgeting, scheduling, planning, and marketing.
Compose and edit scripts or provide screenwriters with story outlines from which scripts can be written.
Negotiate with parties, including independent producers and the distributors and broadcasters who will be handling completed productions.
Cut and edit film or tape to integrate component parts into desired sequences.
Choose settings and locations for films and determine how scenes will be shot in these settings.
Review film daily to check on work in progress and to plan for future filming.
Obtain rights to scripts or to such items as existing video footage.
Write and submit proposals to bid on contracts for projects.
Develop marketing plans for finished products, collaborating with sales associates to supervise product distribution.
Hire principal cast members and crew members, such as art directors, cinematographers, and costume designers.
Hold auditions for parts or negotiate contracts with actors determined suitable for specific roles.
Select plays, scripts, books, news content, or ideas to be produced.

Work Context

Electronic Mail —
Face-to-Face Discussions —
Telephone —
Work With Work Group or Team —
Contact With Others —
Freedom to Make Decisions —
Structured versus Unstructured Work —

Work Activities

Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates — Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Developing Objectives and Strategies — Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Detailed Work Activities

Edit written materials.
Write informational material.
Determine technical requirements of productions or projects.
Coordinate artistic activities.
Direct productions or performances.
Coordinate activities of production personnel.

Communications and Media

Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

English Language

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Administration and Management

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Oral Comprehension

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Written Comprehension

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Problem Sensitivity

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Speech Recognition

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Speech Clarity

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Deductive Reasoning

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Written Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Near Vision

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Originality

The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

Inductive Reasoning

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Information Ordering

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Fluency of Ideas

The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Far Vision

The ability to see details at a distance.

Selective Attention

The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

Category Flexibility

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Visualization

The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Flexibility of Closure

The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.

They do well at jobs that need:

Achievement/Effort

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self Control

You might use software like this on the job:

Document management software

Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat

Project management software

Microsoft Project

Presentation software

Microsoft PowerPoint

Get started on your career:

New job opportunities are very likely in the future.

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Producers and Directors

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