Producer Anna Scott Sharing Her Creativity Around The World

Producer Anna Scott working on the TV show 'The Real'

Probably one of the most misunderstood jobs in the movie and TV industry is the position of producer. What do producers do, anyway, people constantly ask? Anna Scott, the British producer who works on TV shows in UK, the U.S. and Australia, holds that title and she cleared things up a bit for us.

 

She started out in the TV business through a work experience program when she attended Southampton Institute in Great Britain. Before she graduated with a 2:1 honors degree in Media and Cultural Studies, Anna applied for work experience to fifty companies. Forty-nine of them never even got back to her but the one that did gave her a week’s work on GMTV Kids and put her on the path of ultimately becoming a TV producer.

 

Sharing the same office was the Special Project team that was working on GMTV’s annual charity “Get Up and Give.” Apparently, the team and Anna hit it off swimmingly and Anna went to work for them for a month. When she finished her degree course she applied for a job at GMTV, the weekday breakfast magazine program, and was hired. Anna stayed with the show for fourteen years. She attributes this to being open to working for free when you start out �" either as an intern or on a work experience program. That way, you gain tons of relevant job experience and have a contact, when you apply to the company.

 

She started as a runner, which is a production assistant who does whatever is needed, from helping the producers to getting coffee, and then began training as a producer. She worked in all departments at GMTV, such as News, Entertainment, Competitions, Special Projects and on the Lorraine Show. She learned about budgets, setting up a shoot, script writing, directing and basic editing. It was an all round training, learning the aspects of making a TV show within budget and on schedule, which in many production companies, that is the all important bottom line.

 

You can see where this is going, can’t you. The producer is one who gets things done. She (or he) takes responsibility for making sure the talent is on the set at the right time, and if not, then getting someone else to take the missing person’s place. She also coordinates the location and the permits to shoot on location if needed and she delegates tasks to her staff in order to get the job done. Anna is a TV producer and she does her job very well. The nice thing about her producing style is that she does her job with a smile and she fiercely disagrees with the age-old concept that being a ruthless boss is the way to succeed.