Why should I become a producer?

 

As a public access TV station, BRTV promotes media literacy and nurtures an appreciation of the local community and all of its citizens. This is arguably the most important part of our mission; without producers, we have no video for the community to watch! Local independent producers create shows on various topics from a variety of local viewpoints, doing our community a unique service by offering show content that would otherwise not be available. Public, Government, and Education Access television has a very select audience, so you know you will be reaching the people you most want to communicate with. As a trained producer, you can also use your skills to express your creativity and your ideas.

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How do I become a producer?

 

Start by contacting BRTV Station Manager, by emailing studio@brctv.org to schedule an introductory class to begin a training course. If you are interested in studio production, you will learn about camera placement, tripod adjustments, studio lighting, set design, and floor and technical direction. You will also learn how to operate the camera control unit, video switcher, an audio mixer, and get hands-on-training by working as part of a crew for an established show. Field production requires in-depth knowledge of cameras, power sources, microphones, and audio mixers, and lots of practice. Both studio and fieldwork require a solid grasp of digital editing software; BRTV teaches Apple Final Cut Pro X for Mac and Adobe creative suites for Mac.

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Do I work on my own or with a crew?

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Much depends on your vision; a lot can be done by one person, and some crafts, such as camera work and editing, are by their nature singular activities. But some projects, especially studio shows, lend themselves to working with a crew. Getting friends and volunteers to help out can make it easier to produce a show and add to the fun. It is also common practice in local TV to get to know other producers and crews and help each other out on productions; we learn from each other, get to practice our craft more often, and end up producing better shows. It may also be that you find you love camerawork, but aren’t so crazy about editing – we know someone who feels the exact opposite; get together and you have a great production team.

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Sounds good, but how much does all this cost?

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If you live, work, go to school, or volunteer for an organization in a town that provides financial support to BRTV, you can take our training courses, borrow our equipment, use our in-house video studio and editing stations, and air your show(s) on BRTV for free. If you live in a non-supporting or partially-supporting town, you can still participate in all that BRTV has to offer but may be subject to fees.

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Can I hire BRTV to produce my video project?

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Yes! Depending on the availability of equipment and staff, you can contract with us for your complete video production needs. Please inquire with us about our availability and the scope of your project.

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