To better understand my crew's roles and how I fit in with how they are working I did research into all four roles and what they do during the production and post production process.
Producer
“If the director is the captain of the ship, the producer is the hull of the ship that gets smashed in the face with icebergs, and whether it even continues being a ship is up to the hull of the ship, not the captain” producer Ben Wiessner
Broadly speaking across all genres the aim of a producer is to bring a film idea successfully to the screen. They need to organise and manage the cast and crew in order to reach this end goal.
Within the documentary genre the director and producer are usually the same person.
The producer's role is to bring a film idea all the elements it needs to reach an audience, including:
- developing the idea with the director
- anticipating the key audiences for the film
- seeking funding
- creating .a budget and schedule
- working with the director to appoint key crew members
- overseeing all contracts required for the production
- reviewing the creative progress of the film
- ongoing negotiations with financiers, the producer often acts as a bridge between the vision of the director/filmmaking and the needs of the commissioner/financier
Creative documentary: theory and practice
Because the roles are usually intertwined with each other when they are separated the director and producer need to be hands on with each other and work together to achieve the same thing.
I contacted Diliana Deltcheva and asked her about producing, she said: As the producer my job is to think ahead, adjust quickly and give people space when needed.
She also suggested that the level of input a producer has on the filming and post-production process is- mostly about how to shoot more efficiently and how to uphold the integrity of the creative. I keep communication flowing, I challenge ideas, I come up solutions to problems - basically nothing goes without me knowing about it. If the director is doing a great job and we are aligned - then I leave them alone and let them do their job.
Director
On the crudest level there fore, directing could be described as giving direction to the creative contributions of a production team and onscreen participants in order to achieve a coherent and unifying narrative vision- Creative documentary: theory and practice
It's the job of the director to see the underlying story and to use their creativity to bring these thoughts, feelings and emotions to a documentary film.
How my role works with the Director during filming and editing
I contacted various producers during the pre-production period and another during production research to find out how I can interact with Jemma as she is our director.
Lis Olgati said- A lot. We work very closely throughout the whole process. The Producer is the one who tends to find the contributor or get the access, and maintain those relationships, allowing the Director to fulfil their vision for the film. During the pre-production period I found our contributors and locations, I also negotiated the level of access we had for these areas.
However during the filming and post-production process Diliana suggested-I let them lead the creative. I will only give notes once the director is close to where they want to be, but before sending to the client. If there is no client (Studio, Network or Agency) then I am much more hands on in collaborating with the director. I basically become the client. I just try to openly communicate my thoughts and opinions in a diplomatic way. From this I understand that I need to clearly and regularly communicate with Jemma through out the filming process especially seeing as we had developed the idea together, I should be able to do this easily.
Director of Photography/Cinematographer
Cinematography is very much about dealing with these issues, but using the tool of the camera to capture the necessary images to do so.Being a good cinematographer is therefore not about being good with a camera....it is principally about knowing how to use the camera to see...the DOP is responsible for what is to be captured and how.- Creative documentary: theory and practice
Your concerns as a cinematographer should be focused on four principal things: composition, movement, lighting and texture. - Creative documentary: theory and practice
How my role works with the DOP during filming and editing
When in contact with Rob Fletcher another documentary producer he said the interaction he had with his DOP was - Tried to be as light touch as possible during the shoot/edit process.
Due to this I will still have an opinion on what is happening, however as a producer it's isn't always as important as Jemma's is. However because I will be collaborating with Jemma while filming happens I don't see this being an issue.
Editor
The more you and your editor share a common understanding, the more likely that the solutions that your editor proposes will find favour with you - Creative documentary: theory and practice
The editors role is vital in the story telling process when deciding what stays in and what doesn't. They're responsible for assembling recorded raw material into a finish product that will be sent for broadcast. They work closely with the director to achieve the end result.
How my role works with the Editor during filming and editing
When asking Diliana Deltcheva about the role of producer with the editor she said it really depends on the project perimeters but If I am involved during post it’s usually to manage the communication between the client and director ( if they are involved in post ) & editor. I guide the editor and gives notes on the creative based on my ability to interpret what the client wants & what would make for the best final product. Sometimes that could mean that what the client wants doesn’t work and then I have to brainstorm solutions and sell the client on those. I've taken this to mean that while during the edit I can have an opinion on the quality of the edit I need to ensure that the communication between the editor and director is constructive and clear.
Overall from this research I have reaffirmed my responsibilities and requirements as a producer. I have also been able to see how I can help the rest of my group with theirs as it would be in an actual working documentary crew.
