How to Learn TV Production

The world of television can seem exciting and glamorous. That is part of the reason why so many people flock to a career in TV production. Learning TV production, though, takes time and a lot of effort. Television production is not for everyone, because long hours, low pay, especially when starting out, and lack of the previously mentioned glamour can dampen enthusiasm. For those willing to go the distance, however, learning TV production can lead to rewarding opportunities.

Things You'll Need

• Access to television studio equipment such as:
• Cameras
• Teleprompters
• Graphics programs
• Audio mixing boards
• Video playback equipment
• Editing software (Adobe Premier and Final Cut are good choices)
• Video switcher
• A PC or MAC with a high power processor and lots of RAM with a firewire port
• Books on video P\production, lighting, audio, editing, storyboarding

Instructions

1. Go to your local Community/Public Access station and sign up for the production classes. This allows you to find out if this is right for you, before laying out money for a television production school. Many times they will offer training materials and tests to demonstrate that you are ready to train for a new position.

2. Volunteer to crew for an experienced producer at the Public Access station. Expose yourself to all of the different positions involved in production, from camera to editing, directing and producing.

3. Enroll in a television production school. Hands-on experience on the school's equipment allows you to gain knowledge not found in books. Experienced teachers show proper techniques for professional studios and offer tips and pointers for the real world of TV production.

4. Get an internship at a local TV station. Internships provide invaluable experience to work on real productions. Depending on the type of internship you get, you could do anything from regular production assistant work to helping the producer plan a vision for a new show.

5. Apply for Production Assistant jobs. These entry-level, usually low paying positions are a foot in the door and most everyone in the production industry starts here. You can use this to learn the ropes and eventually climb the ladder to better paying, more prestigious positions.

Tips & Warnings

• Take advantage of free resources, such as Public Access, to get familiar with real studio equipment and online courses to learn theory and insight. Although you can get your own equipment and try to teach yourself television production from books or online, you are not likely to have access to the specialized equipment found in a television studio or at a school that teaches broadcast production. If you are looking to make a career in TV production, hands-on, actual TV production experience is a must. To thoroughly learn television production requires a lot of time and dedication. You should expect it to take anywhere from six months to two years. New York and Los Angeles markets have the most television production work, but you will also find them the most competitive. Consider smaller markets to start out in. You are more likely to get a job in a lower market share location than trying to land one in a top 20 or even top 50 market. Instead of applying for jobs in Chicago, Illinois (#3), Boston, Massachusetts (#7) or Tampa, Florida (#13), try landing a job at a station in Rockford, Illinois (#132), Springfield-Holyoke, Massachusetts (#111) or Fort Myers, Florida (#62.)

References

• Public Access Television.net
• DMA (Designated Market Area) Rankings

Resources

• An online, free interactive course in Studio and Field Production