Production Professionals


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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Highlights
Bernie Oseransky on being an Executive in charge of production; on what that job entails; on the difference between that and Production Executive
01:17
Joseph M. Wilcots on how the Star Trek transporter effects were created in post-production
03:19
Stewart MacGregory on the difference between a unit manager and a production manager 
01:53
Abby Singer on the duties of a unit production manager
03:36
Ben Wolf on shot composition 
02:44
Ira Skutch on the craft of staging managing for television, and on stage managing Hour Glass
05:41
Who talked about this profession

John Bartley

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John Bartley on the responsibilities of a Director of Photography
02:45
John Bartley on the importance of the camera operator (and other camera crew)
01:21

Wade Bingham

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Wade Bingham on working with CBS News correspondents and producers when shooting a story
02:40
Wade Bingham on the job of a camera operator/cinematographer on a news program or documentary series
03:25
Wade Bingham on starting to use multiple cameras for news stories
04:23

Frank Biondo

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Frank Biondo on going to school for TV production
05:45
Frank Biondo on the types of cameras he worked with in TV production in the 1960s and working in early color television
02:53
Frank Biondo on the types of camera shots on Sesame Street Christmas specials and Sesame Street
06:11
Frank Biondo on what he enjoys about being a camera operator
01:47

Haskell Boggs

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Haskell Boggs on new filming techniques that came about during the run of Bonanza
01:14
Haskell Boggs on learning to deal with the smaller sized television screen during his time was director of photography on Bonanza
01:45
Haskell Boggs on acting as director of photography for the Bonanza episode "Bushwhacked, and on the importance of a director of photography knowing the script
03:31
Haskell Boggs on dealing with the weather and daylight when working on location on Bonanza
01:49
Haskell Boggs on how cinematography techniques changed during his time on Bonanza and moving to the Warner Bros. set
01:23
Haskell Boggs on the differences between shooting for television and shooting features and on working with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope
02:57
Haskell Boggs on advice to aspiring directors of photography
02:21

Robert Caminiti

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Robert Caminiti on the difference between stage managing and being an assistant director
04:56
Robert Caminiti on assistant directors editing footage
01:14
Robert Caminiti on how technology has impacted Saturday Night Live and the job of assistant director
02:09
Robert Caminiti on advice for aspiring television production professionals
04:05
Robert Caminiti on advice for aspiring assistant directors
03:50

Charles Cappleman

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Charles Cappleman on his duties as a stage manager, and on working on Climax! and Playhouse 90
05:58
Charles Cappleman on his duties as assistant director of design and production operations at CBS in the 1960s
01:33
Charles Cappleman on managing the production electronics department at CBS
04:39
Charles Cappleman on the technological innovation he oversaw at CBS as manager of production electronics
01:50
Charles Cappleman on the role CBS executives like Frank Stanton played in technological innovation while he was manager of production electronic, and on its impact on news gathering
06:42
Charles Cappleman on how new technology impacted the CBS coverage of political conventions
05:07
Charles Cappleman on his duties as director of special projects at CBS
03:14
Charles Cappleman on his duties as director of program production services at CBS
01:32

Gerald Perry Finnerman

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Gerald Perry Finnerman on dealing with the color scheme on Star Trek, and on the visual style of the show
03:17
Gerald Perry Finnerman on making the Enterprise lurch forward or stop short on Star Trek, and on the challenges of lighting the interior
03:46
Gerald Perry Finnerman on the equipment used to shoot Star Trek, and on the special effects of the show
03:19
Gerald Perry Finnerman on dealing with the budgets of Star Trek as the cinematographer
00:58
Gerald Perry Finnerman on being director of photography for Police Woman, being signed to work at Columbia Television, and working with different types of film stock
09:05
Gerald Perry Finnerman on the challenges of doing cinematography for made-for-television movies
01:30
Gerald Perry Finnerman on filming the black and white Moonlighting episode "The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice"
08:03
Gerald Perry Finnerman on the cinematographer's relationship with the director, and on what he looks for in a gaffer
04:20

Frank Inn

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Frank Inn on the keys to his success as an animal trainer
04:21
Frank Inn on advice to aspiring Hollywood animal trainers
01:35
Frank Inn on the specific talents an animal trainer must possess
05:50
Frank Inn on his technique training animals
02:43
Frank Inn on the difference between training male dogs and female dogs, and on his animals getting awards
01:31

Charles Floyd Johnson

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Charles Floyd Johnson on being a production coordinator at Universal Studios
02:03

Stewart MacGregory

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Stewart MacGregory on the duties of a stage coordinator 
04:22
Stewart MacGregory on how the advent of color affected his job as stage coordinator 
03:51
Stewart MacGregory on the technical aspects of being a unit manager on Wide Wide World
05:32
Stewart MacGregory on the difference between a unit manager and a production manager 
01:53

Kent McCray

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Kent McCray on the craft of being a production manager
06:00
Kent McCray on the importance of keeping things light with his crew
01:30

Barney McNulty

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Barney McNulty on how he became involved with The Ed Wynn Show, where he first wrote out cue cards
05:48
Barney McNulty on the physical aspects of cue cards
05:26
Barney McNulty on the logistics of writing out cue cards and working with performers
02:28
Barney McNulty on dealing with emergency situations with cue cards and on the need to be quick on your feet
06:02
Barney McNulty on perfecting his cue card system over the years and on his competition
01:18
Barney McNulty on dealing with shadows from cue cards and getting actors to not look like they're looking at the cards
01:15
Barney McNulty on using shorthand on the cue cards or using key words
02:06
Barney McNulty on how he got his cue card assignments and on his cue card company Ad-Libs
04:19
Barney McNulty on cue card professionals dealing with censorship
01:24
Barney McNulty on working with actors reading cue cards, including an initially reluctant Bette Davis
02:55

Emily Meisler

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Emily Meisler on starting to work for The Ed Sullivan Show in 1963 -- on her job duties as a production secretary, including writing down lyrics for songs that would be performed
03:06

Donald A. Morgan

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Donald A. Morgan on becoming a lighting director under Tommy Schamp's tutelage on Another Day
01:15
Donald A. Morgan on what a lighting director is responsible for
01:40
Donald A. Morgan on what makes a good lighting setup
01:46
Donald A. Morgan on lighting and camera basics - differences between a pedastal and dolly setup
06:10
Donald A. Morgan on shooting on videotape and how that impacts lighting decisions
02:02
Donald A. Morgan on lighting different skin tones for television in the 1970s
04:12
Donald A. Morgan on learning from film cinematographers on films that shot on the KTTV lot during summers
03:00
Donald A. Morgan on how he became a director of photography
04:53
Donald A. Morgan on the responsibilities of a director of photography
06:22
Donald A. Morgan on calling cues
02:10
Donald A. Morgan on becoming a gaffer/electrician/lighting designer
01:14
Donald A. Morgan on lighting cars, and a memorable setup on Last Man Standing
03:46
Donald A. Morgan on working with a fifth camera, often a jib
02:04
Donald A. Morgan on working on multiple shows at once and how his weekly schedule is divided for prep and production
09:24
Donald A. Morgan on where he physically is during shooting
01:19
Donald A. Morgan on the crew that he oversees and who has to be where when
05:46
Donald A. Morgan on how involved he is with post-production and on working with a colorist
03:20
Donald A. Morgan on a cinematographer and a director of photography being the same role
02:22
Donald A. Morgan on a cinematographer and a director of photography being the same role
02:22
Donald A. Morgan on advice to aspiring cinematographers
00:36
Donald A. Morgan on cinematographers who have influenced or mentored him and on cinematographers he has mentored
02:41
Donald A. Morgan on loving the creativity he gets to have with his work
02:19
Donald A. Morgan on how cinematography for television has changed since he first started in the business
01:06
Donald A. Morgan on his work as a mentor
02:08
Donald A. Morgan on advice to aspiring cinematographers
00:37
Donald A. Morgan on his signature style
01:31

Bernie Oseransky

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Bernie Oseransky on deciding he wanted to work on the production side of television while he was still an usher at CBS studios in the 1950s; on his duties as an usher
Bernie Oseransky on what he learned as an usher at CBS Studios early in his career
01:17

Hector Ramirez

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Hector Ramirez on being staff vs. a freelance camera operator
03:17
Hector Ramirez on how shooting in front of a live audience changes what was done in rehearsal
01:38
Hector Ramirez on his start as a camera operator for CBS
01:44
Hector Ramirez on qualities a good camera operator has
03:06
Hector Ramirez on what makes a good camera operator
01:36
Hector Ramirez on the elements of good composition and his visual style
03:04

Ed Resnick

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Ed Resnick on advice to aspiring cameramen
03:27

Thomas Del Ruth

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Thomas Del Ruth on his style of communication and his early projects as a cameraman 
01:50
Thomas Del Ruth on what a director of photography does and working with directors
04:41
Thomas Del Ruth on acting as director of photography on various made-for-television movies and on the technical aspects of the job
03:54
Thomas Del Ruth on his visual style 
02:32
Thomas Del Ruth on the most important developments in television cinematography 
01:40
Thomas Del Ruth on his advice to an aspiring cinematographer 
02:26

Abby Singer

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Abby Singer on the duties of a unit production manager
03:36
Abby Singer on what makes a good production manager
02:38
Abby Singer on the main responsibilities of a production manager/executive, and a typical work week
02:41
Abby Singer on advice to people getting into production management and his influence in the business
02:02

Ira Skutch

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Ira Skutch on the craft of staging managing for television, and on stage managing Hour Glass
05:41
Ira Skutch on becoming a stage manager for NBC
02:10
Ira Skutch on his duties as a stage manager
04:02

James Wall

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James Wall on being the first African-American stage manager on Broadway
03:46
James Wall on the basic role of a stage manager for television
03:03
James Wall on the importance of collaborating with the director as a television stage manager
11:07
James Wall on how television stage managers are assigned jobs
03:02
James Wall on how a stage manager is different from an assistant director in television
01:36
James Wall on advice to a young television stage manager
01:31
James Wall on how Vaudeville, nightclubs, and the Army prepared him to be a television stage manager
03:41

Joseph M. Wilcots

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Joseph M. Wilcots on the challenges of lighting Roots
03:53
Joseph M. Wilcots on depth of field and selective focus when shooting; on the use of filters
05:47
Joseph M. Wilcots on technological innovations during his career and on working with a crew
05:46
Joseph M. Wilcots on advice to an aspiring cinematographer
01:04
Joseph M. Wilcots on becoming the first Black member of the cinematographers union
04:09
Joseph M. Wilcots on the cinematographers union not being quick to welcome Black members
06:05

Ben Wolf

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Ben Wolf on how the television cinematographer works with the lighting director
01:55
Ben Wolf on advice to someone starting out in the cinematography business
02:32
Ben Wolf on how cinematography has changed
01:42
Ben Wolf on then-recent technological developments for cameras and then-current cinematography
02:16
Ben Wolf on the role of a cinematographer in television
05:06
Ben Wolf on the television cinematographer working with the director
03:37
Ben Wolf on cinematographers working with assistant directors and stage managers
02:27
Ben Wolf on cinematographers establishing a look for a show with lighting directors
02:19
Ben Wolf on shot composition 
02:44
About

This category consists of technical professionals involved in the production. These include: camera operators, cinematographers, directors of photography, lighting designers, and lighting directors, as well as dialogue coaches, location managers, medical consultants, stage managers, production coordinators, technical directors, trainers, and unit production managers.