UNIT 11 PRODUCTION PROCESS

Structure
11.0 Introduction
11.1 Learning Outcomes
11.2 Types of Production
11.2.1 Single-camera Production
11.2.2 Multi-camera Production
11.2.3 Other Types
11.3 Stages of Production
11.3.1 Pre-production
11.3.2 Production
11.3.3 Post-production
11.4 Production Personnel: Roles and Responsibilities
11.5 Let Us Sum Up
11.6 Further Readings
11.7 Check Your Progress: Possible Answers

11.0 INTRODUCTION
Nowadays audio-visual content is produced for many platforms. This may
be for movie theaters, television channels or online platforms. Technology
has democratized audio-visual production in the true sense. Now an ordinary
person can also produce videos with the help of a smartphone or DSLR and
can reach billions of viewers through online platforms. There are instances
when amateur video enthusiasts have made very interesting videos and
received millions of views on internet. A large number of YouTube channels
are producing a tremendous amount of audiovisual content. They also have
their own revenue model. In short, a wide range of audio-visual production
activities are going on these days such as highly-budgeted professional
productions, low-budget professional productions, semi- professional
productions, as well as amateur productions. Each type of production
requires different types of equipment, planning and personnel but the basic
process of production is almost the same. The scale of activities, however,
may vary according to the level of production. In this unit, we shall discuss
the process of audio-visual production in detail.

11.1 LEARNING OUTCOMES

After going through this unit, you will be able to:
●● understand the different types of production;
●● describe the different stages of production; and
●● discuss the role and responsibilities of different production personnel.

11.2 TYPES OF PRODUCTION

Audio-visual productions can be classified on various grounds. We can
classify them on the basis of the number of cameras involved in shooting,

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 Audiovisual Production - I location of shooting, production objectives, etc. In this section we shall
discuss different types of production. Firstly, if we consider the number
of cameras used for production as the basis, we can divide audio-visual
production into two categories - single-camera production and multi-camera
production.
11.2.1 Single-camera Production
As the name suggests, this type of production uses only one camera. All
shots and angles are recorded with a single camera. Single-camera shooting
is popular in feature films, short films, documentary films, news gathering,
etc. Now we shall discuss some advantages and disadvantages of single-
camera production.
Advantages: Single-camera production has the following major advantages:
i. Single-camera gives you more control over each shot. You can set the
light and microphone according to the requirement of each shot.
ii. It requires just one camera and camera crew.
iii. If you are shooting in a small space, the single-camera gives the
flexibility to properly set the lights and sound for each shot. The
lighting and sound equipment should be positioned in such a way that
they play their role properly without coming into the frame.
iv. It provides flexibility to the actors/actresses. Their presence on the set
is not required at the same time.
Disadvantages: The disadvantages of single-camera production are as
follows:
i. A lot of repetition: For an effective and engaging production, it is
necessary to shoot a shot from more than one angle. In single-camera
production, you shoot the same shot from different angles with the
same camera, so you have to repeat that shot multiple times. For
example, if you are shooting a dialogue scene of two characters, you
shoot it from at least three different angles. Therefore, to shoot all the
three angles, the characters will have to repeat the same shot three
times.
ii. It takes more time in shooting.
iii. Single-camera production requires more editing time.
11.2.2 Multi-camera Production
Multi-camera production involves more than one camera. Here, we use
multiple cameras to shoot the same action from different angles or various
activities happening at the same time which are relevant to that particular
show. For example, if you are shooting a studio interview, you can use three
cameras. Camera-1 frames a master shot that will be a long shot covering
both the interviewer and the guest sitting on the couch. Camera-2 frames
medium close-up of the interviewer and camera-3 takes medium close-up of
the guest. These three cameras will be connected to a video switcher or vision
mixer. Here in this case we are using three cameras to shoot one activity i.e.
interview. Now just imagine that you are recording this interview with live
audience and you use two more cameras to capture audience’s reactions and
activities. In this case, you are using five cameras to capture two activities -
interview and the audience’s activities. The second activity is also relevant
to this programme.
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 Multi-camera production can be used for both live and non-live programmes. Production Process
This can be a studio based production or field production. Multi-camera
shoots are popularly used in sports broadcasts, recording events, television
interviews, panel discussions, reality shows and so on.
In multi-camera shoots, the video switcher or vision mixer plays an
important role. All cameras used in multi-camera production are connected
to this device. Each camera has a dedicated monitor where you can see
the shot composed by that particular camera. So, if you are using five
cameras, you will have five monitors to view the shots framed by those
five cameras. The vision mixer allows you to select any camera that will
go on air in case of live broadcasting or for final recording in the case of
non-live programme. The producer/director sits with the technical director
or switcher operator and instructs him/her to select the shots. You will hear
the director’s/producer’s commands such as - ‘ready camera-3’, ‘take the
camera-3’, etc. The first command tells that some other camera is on air
and director/producer now wants to make camera-3 on air. So, the first
command is ‘ready camera-3’. Technical director will follow the command
and keep the camera – 3 ready. Now camera-3’s output will be visible in
preview monitor. After that director/producer gives the next command,
‘take the camera-3’ and technical director follows it. Camera-3 will be on
air and its output will be seen in the program monitor. You can also add
transitions and some other visual effects with the help of video switcher/
vision mixer. Director/producer can instruct the camera operators also with
commands like, ‘camera -2 give me a close-up of interviewer’, ‘camera-1
give me a two shot of interviewer and guest’, etc. Now we shall discuss
some advantages and disadvantages of multi-camera production.
Advantages : The major advantages of multi-camera production are
following:
i. Multi-camera production takes comparatively less time to shoot as an
action can be shot from different angles at the same time.
ii. Since a lot of editing (shot selection, sequencing, adding transitions,
etc.) have been done at the time of shooting itself, multi-camera
production requires comparatively less time for post-production.
iii. A live event cannot be properly recorded with a single camera. If you
use a single camera, you will miss many important shots. So, in case
of live events, multi-camera shoot is the best option.
Disadvantages : Some key disadvantages of multi-camera production are
as follows:
i. It requires more cameras, other equipment and more production crew.
ii. You should be more careful to place lights and microphones so that
they do not come into the frames of all the cameras positioned at
different places.
iii. You have to use large light sources to do flat lighting so that the entire
action area is properly illuminated. Flat lighting is comparatively less
interesting.
Many programmes use both single-camera and multi-camera shoots. You
can take an example of a panel discussion on television news channel. Many
discussions begin with news packages that establish the topic of discussion.
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 Audiovisual Production - I In this case, the news package is shot with a single camera, but the rest of
the panel discussion is recorded with a multi-camera setup.
11.2.3 Other Types
As we have discussed earlier, audio-visual productions can be classified on
different grounds. Here we shall discuss some other types of productions.
ENG: ENG stands for Electronic News Gathering. The objective here is to
gather news content for a television news channel using various electronic
devices. In electronic news gathering, we use camcorders, microphones,
basic lights and a team of two or three people. Nowadays one-man teams
are also used for news gathering where the reporter handles everything
including camera. Smartphones and selfie sticks are used to gather news
content for TV channels. But sometimes the channels also use larger crew,
multi-camera setup and OB vans.
Normally, electronic news gathering is not a well-planned activity as you
need to get ready for the shoot very quickly. For example, a TV news
channel gets information about any newsworthy incident. Now it is required
to send an ENG team to the spot as fast as possible. We all know about
the race between news channels to show the story first. So, you can easily
understand that ENG team has very less time to plan. In electronic news
gathering, the main objective is to provide the news content as early as
possible to the channel, so creativity and production aesthetics are on the
lower priority. Speed is the key element in electronic news gathering.
EFP: Electronic field production (EFP) is a term that is used mainly in the
television industry. When we shoot outside the television studio, it is called
electronic field production. Unlike ENG, EFP is a well-planned production
type. Here we have time to plan every aspect of the production. EFP
combines mobility of ENG and quality of studio production. In electronic
field production, we can use multi-camera setups and larger production
crew. Shooting sports events, award shows, big conferences, mega cultural,
religious or business events, etc. are examples of EFP.

Image Source: Pattymooney, CC BY-SA 4.0 <

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Figure 1: Electronic field production
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 Check Your Progress 1 Production Process

Note: Use the space given below for your answers.

Compare your answers with those given at the end of this Unit.
1. How is a multi-camera production different from a single-camera
production ?
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
2. What is vision mixer? Briefly discuss its use.
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
3. In a single-camera shoot, generally the actors have to repeat the
actions.
a. True
b. False
4. Live broadcast of a sports event is an example of multi-camera
production.
a. True
b. False
5. Panel discussions in television news channels are examples of ______
production.
a. Single-camera
b. Multi-camera
c. None of the above

11.3 STAGES OF PRODUCTION

Any type of video or television production passes through different stages
and ultimately reaches the audience. It completes the journey from an idea
to the final programme. In many cases, this journey is quite long but in
news production this entire journey is completed in a single day or only in a
few days. You can divide the entire production process into three following
major stages:
i. Pre-production
ii. Production
iii. Post-production
Now, we shall discuss all these three stages in detail.
11.3.1 Pre-production
Pre-production is the initial stage which includes all activities that take place
before the shooting. It is an important phase and acts like the foundation
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 Audiovisual Production - I of the building. You can understand that a weak foundation negatively
affects the entire building. Similarly, if your pre-production is weak, you
cannot expect a good programme. A well-managed pre-production has the
following several advantages:
●● It makes production and post-production smooth.
●● It saves time and helps to complete production in a given time period.
●● It also saves money. If you save time of the cast, crew and rental
equipment, you also save money because everything is on payment.
Pre-production encompasses many activities. Now we shall discuss these
activities in detail.
Starting with an Idea
Idea is the seed of any creation. Whether it is an article, a painting, a poem, a
story, a film, a documentary or something else, they all start with some idea.
Take an example of writing a poem. You are going somewhere, you observe
something and suddenly an idea comes to your mind. You are inspired to
write a poem on it. Then you elaborate on that idea and write a poem on it.
The same process happens in the television or video programmes. An idea
comes in your mind and you think that a docudrama should be made on it,
this is the beginning point of this production. If you are in any creative field,
always keep a notebook for ideas. Whenever an idea comes to your mind,
just note it down because ideas do not always come into our minds. In this
way you can develop your own idea bank which can be used in the future.
Now a question arises, what are the sources of ideas ? Where do they come
from? Ideas can come from various sources. The source can be a book or a
newspaper story or even your conversations with people. If you keep your
eyes and ears open and carefully observe the things and activities happening
around you, you will always be full of ideas. Travelling and meeting with
people can generate different ideas.
Once an idea comes to our mind, the next step is to develop it further. You
can create a mind map. A mind map is nothing but a graphical representation
of your idea. Here you can structure different elements of your idea. A mind
map helps you to understand and analyse the idea minutely. It can be used
in brainstorming sessions. You can create a mind map with paper-pencil or
with the help of mind mapping software. Mind mapping software provides
great flexibility and support. You can also search for free mind mapping
software. While developing an idea, you need to keep two basic questions in
your mind. First, what is the main purpose of this production? And second,
who is your target audience? If you have clear answers to these questions,
you will develop an idea in the right direction that will ultimately result in
an effective production. Let us discuss an example. You read an article on
organic farming and the idea of making a documentary film on this subject
came to your mind. You created a mind map for this. Figure (2) shows an
example of mind mapping.

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 Production Process

Figure 2: Mind map

Some people consider this idea generation and development process as a
separate stage in the production process even before pre-production, but
you can consider it as the initial stage of pre-production.
Research
Once the idea is finalized, we can enter the next step. The next step is research.
There is a need for proper research in both fiction and non-fiction. We need
to collect relevant information about various aspects and dimensions of the
issue or story. In the research process, we can read the related literature, we
can interview the people concerned, we can visit the respective places to
collect the necessary information, etc. If we do the appropriate research on
the subject, we will be able to equip ourselves with all relevant information
that can ultimately enrich our production.
Nonfiction genres such as documentary, docudrama, TV news feature,
etc. demand extensive research as they are entirely based on facts. In the
production of these genres, research is the key activity. But fiction genres
also require a fair amount of research. Suppose you want to make a short
film on drug addiction among college students, you need to understand the
different dimensions of this issue. For this, you have to step into the research
process. In the case of period/historical films, the role of research increases
many fold. You need to research the story carefully. Here, substantial
research is also required on the language, clothing, hairstyles, building
structure, cultural values and
​​ practices, etc. of that period.
Treatment Writing
After finishing the research process you may have better understanding
about your topic. You can then enter the next step, treatment writing. The
treatment is not a script, but it gives an indication about the script. The
treatment is a narrative inscription of your production. Treatment presents
your audiovisual production in words. A good treatment creates visual
images in the reader’s mind. The treatment is usually written in the present
tense. If you need funding from any production house or agency, you must
submit your treatment first. Once the treatment is approved, you can go for
the first draft of the script.
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 Audiovisual Production - I Script Writing
In general, script is the backbone of any production and is an important
activity of the pre-production phase. But the genre of production can change
the role and placement of the scripting process. In fiction, the production or
shoot depends entirely on the script. Here, we first prepare the script and
then convert this script into an audiovisual form during the production and
post-production stages. Everybody (the director, actors, cinematographer,
production designer, editor, etc.) follows the script. But things are not the
same in the case of nonfiction programmes. For example, in the case of
television news, scripting comes after shooting. Here, first we get the idea
of ​​a story, then we develop this idea and structure the story in our mind or
notebook. We must do the necessary research before structuring the story.
The next stage is shooting the required visuals and interviews. We review
the recorded content after shooting and then write the final script. Since we
deal with the actual incidents here, many times new angles and information
emerge during the shooting.
The documentary is also a nonfiction style. Here too, the final script is
written after the shooting. In documentaries, we usually prepare a pre-
shoot script after research. It is like a planned structure of the documentary
that directs the entire shooting. After completing the shoot, we carefully
review the recorded material and then write the post-shoot or final script.
Since documentary also deals with reality, you may find new things during
the shoot. It is possible that you observe something different during the
shooting and interviews and the whole story can take a completely different
angle. It is also true that scripting is completely missing or has negligible
presence in some television programme formats such as interviews, panel
discussions, live commentaries, etc.
Previsualization
Previsualization is a technique that helps us to imagine how something
will look when created or finished. This technique is also used in audio-
visual production. With the help of previsualization, we can get a rough
idea as to how our production will look like on the screen. This helps us
visualize our script before the shoot. Storyboarding is a popular technique
of previsualization in audiovisual production.
In the storyboard, we draw the sketches of the shots and put them in the
correct sequence. These sketches do not necessarily depict the exact shots,
but indicate the shot sizes, camera angles, and relative position of the
characters. Texts can also be used to give relevant information about the
shots. The storyboard looks like a comic book. Advertising films always
use storyboards but it is also used in short films and even feature films.
Storyboards can be hand-drawn or computer generated. There are many
storyboard software solutions available in the market which provide a lot
of features. With the help of these software you can make sketches and you
can also animate them to get a more accurate previsualization. Photomatic
is also a previsualization technique which uses photographs of locations
with dummy actors. We place these photographs in a proper sequence to
previsualize our scenes.
Previsualization is an important activity of pre-production. It is very useful.
It improves the quality of the final production as many errors or deficiencies
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 can be noticed at this stage itself and we can fix them before the actual Production Process
shooting. We know that professional audio-visual production is a complex
task that requires a team of different types of creative and skilled people.
It is a collaborative work that requires a good coordination between the
director, cinematographer, production designer, editor, etc. With the help
of previsualization they can understand the director’s vision more clearly
and plan their work accordingly. The team members can also give their
useful suggestions to increase the quality of the production. Advertising
filmmakers can show the storyboards to their clients and take their input on
it. The previsualization also makes the actual shooting smoother and error-
free. Therefore, pre-visualization is a significant pre-production activity
that enhances the quality of production.
Planning
Script and previsualization provide clear ideas about different types of
requirements for the production. Now you can enter the planning phase.
The planning phase has the following activities:
Budgeting: First, you have to prepare the budget as the budget will affect
all the other decisions. It decides all aspects of production. Selection of
location, hiring of cast and crew, selection of equipment and many other
things depend on the budget.
Location Hunting: You need to find suitable locations for your shoot as
per the requirements of the script and your budget. The search for suitable
locations is called location hunting or location survey or recce. Photos and
videos from these locations help the core team (director, cinematographer,
production designer, etc.) to take different decisions. Cinematographers and
production designers can understand the needs of the locations and make
their plans accordingly. Once the locations are finalized, the necessary
permissions should be obtained.
Finding the Right Production Crew: Human resource is required in any
video or film production. The number of people involved depends on the
scale and budget of production. We can classify the people involved in the
production into two broad categories - cast and crew. The cast is usually a
group of people who perform in front of the camera and the crew consists
of people who work behind the camera. This means that you can see the
entire cast on screen but the production crew does not appear on screen.
Actors and actresses playing all the characters are part of the cast. Although
many production crew members such as director of photography (DOP),
production designer, production manager are involved from the very early
stage of pre-production, we have to select other production crew such as
art directors, camera operators, prop master, production coordinators,
costume designer, makeup artist and so on. The size and selection of the
production team depends on the budget. In high budget big productions,
all crew members are professionals and are hired in good numbers. But in
low-budget productions, a person may handle more than one responsibility.
Many a times we also engage media students or interns in low-budget small
productions.
Holding Auditions: Selecting the right actors/actresses for different roles is
a significant task of pre-production. Wrong selection can destroy the whole
programme. In fiction and docudramas, you have to select the artistes. You
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 Audiovisual Production - I can hold auditions and invite all the interested people. They give their trial
performances in front of the camera and after evaluating them you can select
suitable actors / actresses for different roles. Auditions are also held for the
selection of television news anchors or presenters.
Arranging Equipment: Audio-visual production requires different
equipment and accessories. Like many other things, the type of equipment
used also depends on the scale of production and budget. We should have
complete clarity about equipment requirements. It is always advisable
to make a complete list of necessary equipment and accessories such as
cameras, lights, microphones, filters, reflectors, drones, mini cranes, cables,
connectors, etc. Check this list twice because if you miss something, it will
create problem during production and will result in delays which will finally
increase the production cost. After creating this comprehensive list you can
arrange these equipment and accessories from your production house or
equipment rental services.
Shooting Schedule: Making a shooting schedule is an important activity of
the pre-production stage. The shooting schedule is like a timetable where
you plan all the activities related to the shooting. In large-scale productions,
the production management department is responsible for preparing the
shooting schedule. We should consider the availability of the cast, crew
and locations while preparing the schedule. In video or film production,
everything is on payment, so it is necessary to finish the shoot within the
stipulated time period. More shooting days mean higher production costs,
but shooting schedules should be feasible. We must plan necessary breaks
otherwise the cast and crew may become heavily burdened and this can
negatively affect the quality of production. Hence the shooting schedule
should be balanced. A well-prepared shooting schedule efficiently manages
the entire shoot. Nowadays production management software solutions are
used to prepare shooting schedules. These schedules are shared with all
concerned.
11.3.2 Production
It is a shooting phase when the camera records the action that takes place in
front of it. At this stage we execute the script. In fiction (short films, feature
films, TV serials, etc.), this production phase takes place in a controlled
environment where everything is under the control of the director but it
is completely different in nonfiction formats (news stories, documentaries,
sports, etc.). Here you shoot reality that is not under your control. Your
characters are not performing and events are not happening according to
your wishes. You have to shoot them in real-life settings. For example, in a
fiction you can instruct your talent (actor/actresses) to perform in a certain
way or if you are not satisfied with the shot, you can go for retakes but when
you are shooting a news story, it is not possible. Staged scenes are against
the ethics of journalism. If you are taking the bite of a cabinet minister, you
cannot ask him/her to speak again.
During the production or shooting phase, you will find a lot of people and
activities on the set or location. Talents, director, assistant directors, director
of photography, the entire camera and light team, hair and makeup artist,
sound related crew, production manager and his/her team and many others
work together to make the shooting successful. It is a very hectic phase.
Many a times you have to take several retakes to find an appropriate shot.
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 There is no doubt that the creative aspect is the most significant concern Production Process
during shooting but some other things are also important such as coordination
between all departments, safety of all cast and crew, arrangement of food
and snacks, etc.
11.3.3 Post-production
At this stage, your story takes the final shape. We gather raw materials during
the production (shooting) phase and convert them into the final product.
Editing is the core activity of the post-production stage. The editors finalize
the production according to the vision of the director / producer. There is
a popular saying that the actual film is made on the editing table. During
editing, we can also correct some of the mistakes made during the shooting.
In some types of production, post-production does not exist or you can say
that production (shooting) and post-production happen simultaneously. Just
imagine any television panel discussion or live broadcast of a sports event.
In these cases we use more than one camera and the producer sits with
the technical director or video switcher/vision mixer operator and decides
the shots to go live. It is a real-time video editing or live video editing. It
is also a type of editing because here we select, decide and sequence the
shots. We can also apply transitions and other effects. In these situations
both production and post-production go on at the same time.
Even in non-live multi-camera shoots, a lot of editing is done during the shoot
only. But a single camera shoot requires a lot of post-production (editing).
Editing is primarily the responsibility of the editor but many directors/
producers involve themselves actively in this process. In television news,
there are dedicated video editors but usually reporters or producers sit with
the video editors to finalize their news package or programme. Some people
also include promotion and distribution as a part of post-production but as
we have discussed, editing is the main activity of the post-production stage.
Check Your Progress 2
Note: Use the space given below for your answers.
Compare your answers with those given at the end of this Unit.
1. What is a mind map ?
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
2. Discuss the different activities of pre-production.
..............................................................................................................
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3. Treatment and script are the same things.
a. True
b. False
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 Audiovisual Production - I 4. Storyboarding is a previsualization technique.
a. True
b. False
5. Camera operator is a part of ______ .
a. Cast
b. Production crew
c. None of the above

11.4 PRODUCTION PERSONNEL: ROLES AND

RESPONSIBILITIES
A professional audio-visual production is a complex work requiring a team
of different types of creative and skilled people. We can divide this team
into two parts - talent and production personnel. Talents play the roles of
various characters and appear on screen, but production personnel work
behind the camera and play a very vital role to produce a programme / short
film / film. The number of people involved in any production may vary. It
depends on the scale and budget of the production. In this section, we shall
discuss the roles and responsibilities of some key production personnel. As
we discussed earlier, professional audio-visual production involves various
formats and platforms. The designation of some personnel may vary by
organization or by platform.
Executive Producer
The role of executive producer (EP) may vary slightly in different
organizations. Generally, EP or executive producer is the head of
production. S/he is responsible for the entire production. S/he mainly
handles the management part of the production but in creative aspects also
his/her consent is required in all major decisions. The executive producer
arranges the finances and manages the entire production. The EP can be self-
employed or an employee of a production company. A production may have
more than one executive producers. Executive producers have somewhat
different responsibilities in television news channels. Here the EP is a senior
journalist who is responsible for an important show or may oversee multiple
shows handled by producers or senior producers.
Producer
In the Indian audio-visual production industry, the producer plays different
roles in different types of productions. In films or short films, the producer
is usually the person who provides finance for production but in television
news channels or educational channels like Gyan Darshan, the producer
plays a different role. The producers here are mid-level journalists or
creative people who handle an entire programme or show on both fronts:
creative and management. They are responsible for the entire programme/
show.
Director
The director is in charge of all creative aspects of a production. It is
the responsibility of all other departments to work under the director’s
instructions and help him to convert his/her imagination into an audio-visual
piece. The director is the creative captain of the entire production team.
S/he coordinates and instructs talent, director of photography, production
designer, editor and others. In many places, such as television news channels
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 or educational TV channels, you will not find this designation. Here, Production Process
producers are responsible for all the creative aspects of the programme.
Scriptwriter
Scriptwriter writes scripts. We need a good script for any successful
production. In films or short films, three elements are usually considered
part of the script - story, screenplay and dialogue. Sometimes a single person
writes all three elements and sometimes different people can write different
elements of the script.
Director of Photography
The Director of Photography (DoP) or cinematographer heads the
camera department of any production. S/he plays a very important role in
converting the script into audio-visual form and determining the visual style
of the production. S/he decides shot compositions, camera movements and
lighting setups in consultation with the director. The DoP is involved from
the very early stage of production. S/he plays important role in finalizing the
locations and shooting equipment. The director of photography recruits his/
her camera team (camera operators, assistant cameramen, etc.) and leads
that team until the final shooting.
Production Designer
The production designer translates the script and the director’s imagination
onto a visual canvas. S/he is responsible to create the mise-en-scène or the
environment within which the characters dwell and the narrative is taken
forward. This environment is created with the help of multiple factors such
as sets, props, costume, makeup, etc. Once the script is finalized, the role
of production designer begins. S/he develops a complete plan to convert
the script into visual form. S/he discusses his/her plan with the director
and director of the photography/ cinematographer. We shall discuss the
production design in detail in unit-14.
Art Director
The art director executes the production designer’s plan. S/he is responsible
for constructing and decorating the set as per script requirement. S/he
prepares the set construction plan and supervises its construction. S/he is
responsible for providing a ready set before shooting. Art director works
closely with the production designer.
Production Manager
Production manager handles the management related activities of a
production. S/he coordinates with various departments in a production unit
to ensure that a TV programme/film/short film is made within budgetary
limits, utilizing optimum resources and delivered on time. We shall discuss
the production management in detail in unit 16.
Editor
The role of editor starts in post-production stage. S/he is responsible for
editing the programme/film. The editor works closely with the director/
producer.
Sound Designer
A sound designer is the person who designs the sound concept for a
production. S/he is also known as creative sound director or sound
supervisor. S/he selects the equipment/studio for recording and takes care
of all the sound related needs of a production.
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 Audiovisual Production - I Make-up Artist
The makeup artist is responsible for understanding the make-up requirements
of various characters and giving them a suitable look.
The above list of production personnel is not complete. There are also many
others who play important roles in the production such as - Music Director,
Lighting Director, Casting Director, Line Producer, Costume Designer,
Assistant Director, etc.
Activity
Read the opening and end credits of a short film and a feature film
carefully. Make two lists of the different types of people involved in both
the productions. Compare both the lists and write your observations.
Check Your Progress 3
Note: Use the space given below for your answers.
Compare your answers with those given at the end of this Unit.
1. Discuss the role and responsibilities of director of photography (DoP).
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
2. Explain the difference between production designer and production
manager.
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
3. The art director supervises the set construction activities.
a. True
b. False
4. The production manager is responsible for preparing the shooting
schedule.
a. True
b. False

11.5 LET US SUM UP

In this unit, we have discussed the production process of audiovisual
programmes produced mainly for television and online platforms. First, we
discussed the different types of productions and their requirements. The three
major stages of production (pre-production, production, post-production)
have been described in detail. We know that television or video production
is a complex task, requiring team of people with diverse expertise. The roles
and responsibilities of various production people have also been discussed.
We have also seen that the genre of production may slightly affect the
production process, like the role and placement of scripting is different in
the production process of fiction and nonfiction programmes.

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 Production Process
11.6 FURTHER READINGS
Belavadi, V. (2013). Video Production. Oxford University Press.
Donald, R., & Spann, T. (2008). Fundamentals of television production.
Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
Shyles, L. (2007). The art of video production. Sage Publications.
Zettl, H. (2014). Television Production Handbook, 12th. Cengage Learning.
Media & Entertainment Skills Council http://www.mescindia.org/

11.7 CHECK YOUR PROGRESS: POSSIBLE ANSWERS

Check Your Progress 1
1. Multi-camera production involves more than one camera. Here we
use multiple cameras to shoot the same action from different angles
or various activities happening at the same time which are relevant
to that particular show. On the other hand, single-camera production
uses only one camera. All shots and angles are recorded with the same
camera.
2. Vision mixer or video switcher is a device which plays an important
role in multi-camera production. All cameras used in multi-camera
production are connected to this device. Each camera has a dedicated
monitor where you can see the shot composed by that particular
camera. So, if you are using five cameras, you will have five monitors
to view the shots framed by those five cameras. The vision mixer
allows you to select any camera that will go on air in case of live
broadcasting or for final recording in the case of non-live programme.
You can also add transitions and some other visual effects with the
help of video switcher/vision mixer.
3. a. True
4. a. True
5. b. Multi-camera
Check Your Progress 2
1. A mind map is nothing but a graphical representation of your idea.
Here you can structure different elements of your idea. A mind map
helps you to understand and analyse the idea minutely.
2. Different activities of pre-production are as follows:
Developing an idea, research, treatment writing, previsualization,
budgeting, location hunting, finding the right production crew,
holding auditions, arranging equipment, preparing shooting schedule,
etc.
3. b. False
4. a. True
5. b. Production crew
Check Your Progress 3
1. The Director of Photography (DoP) or cinematographer heads the
camera department of any production. S/he plays a very important
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 Audiovisual Production - I role in converting the script to audio-visual form and determining the
visual style of the production. S/he decides shot compositions, camera
movements and lighting setups in consultation with the director. The
DoP is involved from the very early stage of production. S/he plays
important role in finalizing the locations and shooting equipment.
The director of photography recruits his/her camera team (camera
operators, assistant cameramen, etc.) and leads that team until the
final shooting.
2. The production designer translates the script and the director’s
imagination onto a visual canvas. S/he is responsible to create the
mise-en-scène or the environment within which the characters dwell
and the narrative is taken forward. On the other hand, production
manager handles the management related activities of a production.
S/he coordinates with various departments in a production unit to
ensure that a TV programme/film/short film is made within budgetary
constraints, utilizing optimum resources and delivered on time.
3. a. True
4. a. True

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