2 TV Associate Producer Jobs in Annapolis, MD

Associate Producer 1

National and international television broadcast looking for experienced associate producer.

Position requires identifying interesting and newsworthy topics for shows that will support a 25-minute discussion and booking guests for that program. Responsibilities include preparing research packets for program host, writing questions and news-style introductory packages and scripts. Experience finding and choosing b-roll a plus.

Successful candidate will demonstrate good news judgment, excellent writing skills and familiarity with the conventions of booking prominent guests for television interviews. Interest in current events and ability to identify interesting story ideas from diverse areas such as economics, global health, education reform and human rights is essential.

This is a full-time freelance
position based in Annapolis, MD.

Send cover letter and resume to: productiontvjobs@gmail.com

Associate Producer 2

National and international television production company looking for an Associate Producer with experience in all aspects of video production, including shot selection, footage gathering, creating paper cuts for programs and ability to guide editors in post production under the oversight of a producer. Successful candidate will possess solid editorial judgment, excellent writing and organizational skills and be interested in public policy and political affairs. Long form and cross-platform experience a plus.

This is a full-time freelance position based in Annapolis, MD.

Send cover letter and resume to: productiontvjobs@gmail.com

Tape Labeling Etiquette

Yes, I am a tape labeling maniac.  I let every crew I work with know this about me.  I believe that every professional document is the ultimate communication device.  This is especially true for tape labels.  Yes, we are moving into a digital world where a lot of footage is moving around on drives.  But drives and discs sometime need labels.  And, tapes are not dead yet.  I don’t care about spelling. I’m not the best speller in the world myself but I do what to know what is on that tape.

Where did this labeling snobbery come from?  I lay the blame squarely at the foot of America’s Most Wanted.  I worked on the show early in my career and quickly learned the benefits of a well labeled tape.  At AMW, as at many places, the tapes moved between so quickly between so many people (producers, associate producers, shooters, transcribers, editors, production managers, etc.) that it was critical that all the pertinent information be placed on the label so that any person at anytime would know what was on that tape.  This point was driven home years later when I helped a production company sort through their archival tapes that were boxed and stored in a closet.  It was nearly impossible to tell what was what because the tapes were labeled with one word that meant nothing to anyone who was not there when the tape was shot.

Here is some basic tape information I like to include:

• Name of project, tape number, date
• Subject name, title, city
• Type of footage shot (interview, B-roll, stills)
• Technical specifications (frame rate and frame size)
• Audio info like what was recorded on each channel

If space allows, I’ll also include:

• Producer name
• Crew names
• Production company and telephone number (in case the tape gets lost in transit)

If I am working on a long shoot that will generate a lot of tapes, I pre-print labels with all the consistent information typed out.  I leave space to fill in information that will change from tape to tape like tape numbers and dates.

Now that I am supervising and executive producing more projects, I don’t go out into the field as much. But I do give a tape labeling demonstration every time I work with a new production staff after which I expect tape labels to come back full of significant information.