Btec media job roles

1. BTEC Media
Roles and responsibilities

2. The Production Process
• Pre-Production
• Production
• Post-Production
• Distribution
• Exhibition

3. Why have job roles?
To ensure employees work as efficiently as possible it is important to have clearly
defined job roles and responsibilities. This is particularly important in large firms
to ensure no part of the workload is overlooked. In smaller organisations job
roles may be less structured as employees may be required to take on a variety
of tasks and responsibilities. Clear job descriptions and personal remits enable
workers to focus on their job-specific tasks. It allows employees to prioritise their
workload and reduce the chance of work duplication. In the offshore
environment, where safety is a key priority, defined roles and responsibilities
ensure that workers are competent and qualified for the tasks they undertake.

4. Key roles in media production
•Director
•Production Manager/ Producer
•Casting Director
•Screenwriter
•Sound operator/ technician
• Editor

5. Director
The Director is the driving creative force in a film's production, and acts as the
crucial link between the production, technical and creative teams. Directors are
responsible for creatively translating the film's written script into actual images and
sounds on the screen - he or she must visualize and define the style and structure
of the film, then act as both a storyteller and team leader to bring this vision to
reality. Directors' main duties include casting, script editing, shot composition, shot
selection and editing, also other duties include always being aware of the
constraints of the film's budget and schedule. Being a Director requires great
creative vision, dedication and commitment. Directors are ultimately responsible
for a film's artistic and commercial success or failure so it is a very important job
role within the industry.

6. Production Manager/Producer
Production Managers organize the business, finance and employment issues in film and
television productions. As a Production Manager, you would be in charge of how the
production budget is spent and making sure that everything runs smoothly during
filming. To become a Production Manager you will need substantial experience in TV or
film, in-depth understanding of the production process, and a network of contacts in
the industry.
A Producer sets the situation for the production of a television show or movie. A film
Producer initiates, coordinates, supervises and controls all aspects of a production, from
fundraising and hiring key personnel, to arranging for distributors. The Producer sees
the project through to the end, from development to completion. Traditionally, the film
Producer is considered the chief of staff while the director is in charge of the line. This
"staff and line" organization mirrors that of most large corporations and the military.
Under this arrangement, the Producer has overall control of the project and can
terminate the director, but the director actually makes the film.

7. Casting Director
Casting Directors organize and facilitate the casting of actors for all the roles in a
film. This involves working closely with the director and producer to understand
their requirements, and suggesting ideal artists for each role, as well as arranging
and conducting interviews and auditions. Once the parts are cast, the Casting
Director negotiates fees and contracts for the actors, and acts as a liaison between
the director, the actors and their agents. Casting Directors must have an extensive
knowledge of actors and their suitability for a particular role. On larger productions,
Casting Directors may supervise casting assistants, who will support and assist them
in this work.

8. Screen writer
Screenwriters create ideas and bring stories to life in scripts for feature films, TV comedy and
drama, animation, children's programmes and computer games. As a screenwriter, you might
develop your own original ideas and sell them to producers. Alternatively, producers may
commission you to create a screenplay from an idea or true story, or to adapt an existing
piece such as a novel, play or comic book.
Your work would typically involve:
•coming up with themes and ideas
•researching background material
•developing believable plots and characters
•laying out the screenplay to an agreed format
•preparing short summaries of your ideas and selling (known as 'pitching') them to producers
or development executives
•getting feedback about the first draft of your work from producers or script editors
•rewriting the script if necessary (you may need to do this several times before arriving at the
final agreed version).

9. Sound Operator
Sound technicians are required to assemble, operate and maintain the technical
equipment used to record, amplify, enhance, mix or reproduce sound.
They identify the sound requirements for a given task or situation and perform the
appropriate actions to produce this sound. Sound technicians of different types are
required in a range of industries including film, broadcasting (radio or television),
live performance (theatre, music, dance), advertising and audio recordings.
As a sound engineer, you would control the sound at live events such as theatre
performances and music concerts. You would operate microphones, amplifiers and
control desks to balance the sound levels, and you might also provide background
music and sound effects.

10. Camera Operator
A Camera Operator works with digital, electronic and film cameras in multi and
single camera operational conditions, producing pictures for directors by
combining the use of complex technology with creative visual skills. The work is
based in either a studio, where the Camera Operator usually follows a camera
script (which gives the order of shots practiced at rehearsal and is cued by the
director during recording) or on location, where there is likely to be more
opportunity for creativity through suggesting shots to the director. A Camera
Operator usually works under the direction of a director or director of
photography and is sometimes supported by a camera assistant (or a focus
puller/clapper loader, although with the advent of digital and electronic cameras
these functions are in decline). The role is an interesting mix of the creative and
technical.

11. Editor
Film Editors assemble footage of feature films, television shows, documentaries, and
industrials into a seamless end product. They manipulate plot, score, sound, and
graphics to refine the overall story into a continuous and enjoyable whole. On some
films, the film Editor is chosen before cast members and script doctors; people in
Hollywood recognize that the skills of a good film Editor can save a middling film. Film
Editors spend a long time perfecting and honing their craft. Like most industries, the
film industry has embraced new technology. Assistant Editors must now have strong
computer skills to work in the industry. While some Editors stay removed from the
project during the filming process so as not to steer the director away from his or her
concept of the film, many of them do visit the director on set while production is
underway. Nevertheless, the majority of a film Editor’s work is done alone.