Production Coordinator Discussion

Group Meeting - Feb 16 2010

Challenges

Pro Co Training Evaluation

9/15/09 Class 4
Brendan Butler
Doug York
Manny Mora
Mikaelah Cordeo
Ron Demele
Steve Larson (half hour late)

Safety reminders

• Get more safety chains for lights
• Barn doors are precarious, no poking with stick

Administration/Bookeeping

• Pro Co Form
  • Sign in to security log if applicable (all doors/locks secure)
  • Make copy of discs, printed label
• Production information
• Show Agreement Form
• Visitor and Volunteer Log sign in
  • encourage all participants to sign in
• Responsibility is to have the door open and equipment working, if Producer wants to ask you to perform specific duties, they can. The issue of how to get volunteers in to work on productions is a COMMUNITY effort.

  
  

9/9/09 Class 3 White balance

9/1/09 Class 2
Lead - John Cumming Start time 6:05 PM
Attendees: Brendan Butler, Mikaelah Cordeo, Doug York, Steve Larsen

Lighting

Review of lighting board power system, for use inside control room and outside in studio proper.
Note of conversion chart on board for numbering system.

Basic zones Left Center Right Hair Back Misc/Wall for use in typical productions

• Hair - highlight
• Fill - softer
• Key - brightness relative to fill. Sharpness.

Break 7 PM

Basic camera operations

Power up control room demo

8/25/09 Second series. Class 1
Lead - John Cumming Start time 6:05 PM
Attendees: Ron Demele, Brendan Butler, Mikaelah Cordeo, Manual Mano, Doug York

Intro to website navigation, set up accounts for Pro Co to interface. Spent at least an hour on this with examples.
Reference overview of staff description on website.

(need to define policy for how assignments will be made)
(commited to providing photos that back up online information i.e. picture of what studio should look like)
(need to get a definition on accountability)

Questions: What if producer is behaving outside of comfort zone?
Protection is in policies. Public Access = free speech. MCTV 15 is not responsible for content.
(need to define paid person's hand's on involvement in production in order to keep the distance between content and involvement).

Call for back up if a problem, or at least make notes on the form.
Provide ED contact info.

Pro Co? form, office staff to indicate essential info on form before form is provided to Pro Co?.

7:05 after one hour, five minute break

7:10 Studio tour "behind the curtains"
8:15 Control room tour

Production Coordinator

The executive staff at MCTV 15 will endeavor to meet it's obligations by providing regular opportunity to the community in it's desire to use our management facilities and equipment in a fair and equitable manner.

MCTV 15 staff will develop a new staffing position entitled 'Production Coordinator'. The coordinator will be paid a stipend to provide production support for a community production. We will train, mentor and supervise a group of trusted community members to act as 'Production Coordinators'.

The active list of 'Production Coordinators' will be maintained and used in the process of assigning staff to a studio booking. Once a production coordinator has been assigned, their name goes to the bottom of the list.

MCTV 15 will take bookings for our regular production schedule without regard to staffing. Then use the list to assign a staff member. If no 'Production Coordinator' can be assigned for a regular production, then several coordinator's of last resort will be called on. Other bookings are possible providing the staffing is arranged before the booking it confirmed.

Production Schedule

Position Description

The Production Coordinator would:

• take responsibility for the studio and ensure safe operation according to OSHA, COS and MCTV 15 policies;
• provide producer access to the studio for the booked production session;
• ensure that all equipment it correctly configured and working;
• assist as needed and requested by the producer for any and all off camera activities in order to support the successful show production;
• provide basic training to volunteers that have come to assist the producer; to transfer the basic set of skills info to get the job done.
• be the official person in charge of the production facilities for the duration of the production;
• get a signed show agreement from the producer;
• receive and process payments of services and DVD's;
• make, label and present DVD's before purchaser leaves;
• ensure that all equipment is turned off and returned to their storage locations;
• lockup or transfer studio responsibility to another staff member; and
• complete production reporting forms.

  
  
  

Studio Support

Production and Technical Support

Technical Assistant (TA)

I propose that MCTV15 provide a paid support person for every regular studio or edit session. Revenues generated directly for providing this services will cover most of the cost. Your recent email shows the promising income for shows with expertise provided that could cover the stipend for the "Access Supervisor". - Audra Gibson

Two community productions were recorded yesterday at the studio:

'Arthur Talks' by Arthur Aday was an hour long show featuring 45 minutes of music form three local musicians. The band donated $40 for two DVD's. Arthur used his credit. Arthur tried and failed to bring enough technical support for this production. I helped by enlisting and instructing audience and guests to crew his show.

In the evening, 'Space Messengers' by producer James Hunter did an hour long set of music and donated $40 for two DVD's and $20 for the production. James did not bring any support crew. I brought in Val Shepard to help. Val operated all the cameras and I did the control room.

- John Cumming

Historically MCTV15 has reserved it's staff time for administrative and other non-production related activities. This was in part to:

• provide some legal protection from liability;
• provide the same level of services to all producers. It was not financially feasible to provide paid staff time for all studio productions; and
• concentrate on business matters.

• shows have been canceled;
• productions have been recorded without sound or very poor quality sound;
• poor lighting and setting; and
• problems with the titler have delayed or interrupted productions.

After observation and reflection I have come to the conclusion that MCTV15 may have to invest some money in providing production and technical support during all regular studio productions.

I suggest that we pay $50 per booked studio session.

WOULD THAT BE PAID BY THE PRODUCER OR BY MCTV15? - Judith Conrad

MCTV15 would meet it's obligation to provide access to production facilities and equipment. In doing so MCTV15 would pay for staffing necessary to meet this obligation. The producers pay a yearly fee, studio fees, equipment fees and many donate money for DVD's of their shows. In a very real sense the producers are paying for the service.

Judith, from my recent experience. Two evening productions at MCTV15 brought in nearly $400 in revenue. No staff time was used nor paid for. If used to pay for production assistance, MCTV15 would still be adding nearly $300 to it's general fund. - John Cumming

• Myself (John Cumming);
• Kathy Blevins;
• Brendan Butler;
• John Googins;
• Sean Marshall;
• Bill McIntyre;
• John Veltri;
• Scott DeMartini;
• Dana Stafford;
• Jody Ciesielczyk;
• Val Shepard; and
• LindaSue Runnels;

• take responsibility for the studio and ensure safe operation;
• provide producer access to the studio for the booked session;
• ensure that all equipment it correctly configured and working;
• assist as needed and requested by the producer for any and all off camera activities in order to support the successful show production;
• get a signed show agreement from the producer;
• receive and process payments of services and DVD's;
• make, label and present DVD's before purchaser leaves;
• ensure that all equipment is returned to there storage locations and all equipment is turned off; and
• lockup or transfer studio responsibility to another staff member.

Production Coordinator will be:

• Trained and certified to provide the services;
• Registered as site user with the College of the Siskiyous for insurances purposes;
• Provide contract information;

Office Times

Public Access will be Wednesday

• Bookings available at Noon, 3pm, 6pm on Wednesday.
• Public can make bookings media class. Tuesday, Thursday 3pm via agreement with College instructor.

  
  

I believe this is moving in the right direction, and will help make it easier for people to come and produce shows. I am looking for us to be more CONTENT driven, with adequate quality for productions. - Audra Gibson

To help us be more 'CONTENT' driven we must provide a level of service that allows an opportunity for the public to use our facilities and provide some technical support in order for them to be empowered to make their television show. - John Cumming

The content and the quality of a production is at the sole discretion of the producer and their creative process. MCTV15's role is to provide the facilities and guidance to the producers in their efforts. My role as the technical director is to ensure that facilities and equipment are maintained for use by the producers. The College of the Siskiyous nor MCTV15 currently provide a level education and training to a standard that allows the producer to be self sufficient. - John Cumming

What John might see as "poor quality or lighting" many of our audiences would give that up for more variety of programming. They liked the "home grown show on the street corner". - Audra Gibson

I feel that I am being misrepresented. My aesthetic views only have authority for my own productions or when a producer delegates some of the production duties to me. Beyond that I have an opinion like everyone else. As volunteers of MCTV15 we hear lots of comments both good and bad. I believe we must be careful then we generalize about what groups like or dislike. Producers can choose to make "home grown show on the street corner". MCTV15 has more equipment than ever to help them make that possible. I hope that we can attract more producers and empower them to get out on the streets or into the studio. - John Cumming

Has my aesthetic views somehow lead to a reduction in variety of programming? Has any producer been denied service due to my aesthetics? Does the average MCTV15 audience member prefer low quality productions? Are our training programs adequate? Do we provide enough access opportunity? To answer some of these questions, I recommend MCTV15 complete our customer survey . - John Cumming

I will be meeting with folks in Ashland in the near future to see about our model for this. I also need to check with the accountant/COS as to how we can provide this stipend without needing to "hire" people. That would be cost prohibitive. - Audra Gibson

I would like to see a cost evaluation of the production services MCTV15 provides. How much money does MCTV15 receive from producer annual fees and production fees? Much much donations for DVD's are brought in each month. How does the production cash flow relate to paid staff time. Does giving away our services improve our service or distract from it. - John Cumming

Audra expressed that some people where overwhelmed by the technical demands in producing a television show. Audra asked about how we might reduce or simplify productions. I would like to work with Audra and others in an effort to investigate production options. The primary challenge is in educating the producers about there roles. How should we progress with these concerns - John Cumming