Producing for TV and New Media, 3rd Edition

Chapter 7

The Plan: Pre-Production

The producer is like the conductor of an orchestra. Maybe he can’t play every instrument, but he knows what every instrument should sound like.

Richard Zanuck

This Chapter’s Talking Points

I.	The Script
II.	The Talent
III.	The Crew
IV.	Scheduling the Shoot

In the pre-production phase, hundreds of details come together to form the big picture, like pixels on a TV screen. These details are the essence of production. They add dimension and texture to your project. When you devote attention to these pre-production details—researching, double-checking, and making dozens of careful decisions—you can often save costly mistakes. Planning ahead is easier than going back and trying to cover your mistakes. ...