Overview of the role
A development assistant producer (AP) in unscripted TV is responsible for generating and shaping ideas and formats in readiness for pitching, working collaboratively with a wider development team and sometimes with production colleagues. They might work on ideas for a variety of age groups and sub-genres, for example a wildlife adventure series for older children or a mixed media science show for pre schoolers. In targeting young audiences, they will ensure relevancy and appropriateness of ideas by using qualitative and quantitative research and data including understanding how children and young people consume content across all platforms.
They will have a good understanding of the TV market for children’s content across both broadcasters and streamers and understand how to adhere to the relevant regulations around both working with children and making content for them, including safeguarding, GDPR/data protection, the Ofcom Broadcasting Code and broadcaster editorial guidelines. They may provide direction for a development researcher, working with potential new on-screen contributors and preparing pitch decks to support the development producer and head of development (HoD).
Core responsibilities
These core responsibilities are provided as a guide and are not exhaustive. The exact responsibilities in a particular job will vary depending on the size of the production company and development team, the type of show and the budget band.
- Understand UK and global commissioning departments and commissioner needs
- Consume and analyse output from a wide range of broadcasters and platforms. Demonstrate the ability to interrogate programmes and understand the attributes of successful shows.
- Understand the different target audiences of each channel, commissioner, and platform and what content might interest them.
- Review and interpret commissioning briefs and use these insights to inform new ideas.
- Keep abreast of new platform and programming trends and the opportunities they might offer.
- Understand the basics of child development, the specific age segment that ideas are aiming at and how this will determine shape, tone and content.
- Identify and explore new subject matters and topics appropriate to the audience segment.
- Identify who the target commissioners are for ideas and ensure the ideas align with their needs.
- Initiate and contribute to brainstorms with original thoughts and starting points.
- Pitch ideas in a succinct way to the internal development team and senior leadership.
- Understand how materials (video, articles) and research can be used to support and sell your ideas internally.
- Understand how AI could be used to support content creation and ideas generation and ensure any tools and outputs accessed are fully disclosed to and approved by producers and employed in accordance with production company and broadcaster guidelines and EU and UK law.
- Use research, editorial instincts and an understanding of, and empathy with, the audience to help shape a format/ idea to make it suitable for content platforms.
- Identify the relevant experts with whom to consult on audience needs and preferences eg educational experts for the younger audiences, audience specialists.
- For factual shows be able to underpin development with relevant facts and statistics interrogating information for relevance and accuracy. Guide the development researcher in laying out research, double-checking facts and statistics for veracity and reliability of sources.
- Identify original and accessible ways of telling stories and contribute ideas to the development of formats.
- Implement systems to record research and share these with the wider development team.
- In devising formats demonstrate strong formatting skills including an understanding of appropriate immersive experiences and elements like eliminations for young contributors, format beats, closed episodes and series story arcs.
- Find potential access to help generate new ideas or to support existing ideas. Identify places and organisations of interest, make initial approaches with the help of the development producer and take a lead role in conducting research chats and identifying interesting stories and angles.
- Understand which talent is associated with, or contracted to, a specific channel or platform and develop an instinct for where new talent would be best suited.
- Understand that different age segments among young audiences have different needs and preferences when it comes to popular talent and adapt your approach accordingly e.g. a musical performer in preschool versus popular culture icons for older children.
- Identify new, diverse talent through consuming a wide range of media.
- Suggest new and established talent for projects in development by finding links to relevant subject matters.
- Uncover new interests of established and high-profile talent and use this to pitch inventive and unexpected ideas.
- Share new talent with the development team and production teams on continuing output if appropriate.
- Understand how to best ‘sell’ talent internally, including highlighting key achievements and profile.
- Understand and implement all relevant safeguarding guidelines when it comes to advertising for potential contributors, liaising with schools, organisations and families, conducting initial casting interviews and obtaining relevant permissions to film with under 18s if necessary. (See casting producer skills checklist for more details.)
- Ensure diversity and inclusivity is embedded in the casting process from the earliest stages, from accessibility to portrayal.
- Be able to edit recorded conversations into engaging casting assemblies.
- Condense ideas into engaging paragraphs or one-page pitches for the development producer or head of development to review.
- Understand how to shape a compelling initial pitch that is appropriate for the channel or platform and contains all the relevant information on concept, contributors, on and off screen talent, outline budget and schedule where appropriate.
- Prepare arresting written and visual materials for decks and sizzles working with simple design software, sourcing images and footage and filming original footage if appropriate.
- Where needed attend commissioner meetings and contribute to pitches and follow up queries and conversations.
- Feedback the progress of the idea or the outcomes of the commissioning meetings to appropriate interested parties.
- Keep slate and pitch documents organised and up to date.
Skills
Check out the role specific skills, transferable skills and attributes for the role of development assistant producer in children's TV.
- Industry awareness: engage with the output and strategies of a range of broadcasters and platforms and become familiar with the commissioning landscape for the children’s industry nationally and internationally.
- Creativity and storytelling: generating new ideas and encouraging them in others, understanding how to craft narrative structures, develop engaging characters and presenter roles.
- Working with children: understand the Ofcom Broadcasting Code plus any additional safeguarding and compliance guidelines laid out by individual broadcasters and platforms.
- Working for children: understand how the theories of child development can inform and shape storytelling techniques, informing, entertaining and engaging young minds and imaginations.
- Communication: with a wide range of stakeholders, from children and parents to agents and commissioners.
- Collaboration: within own and with other team and departments and external organisations.
- Communication: communicate the requirements of the development team with a variety of internal and external organisations and individuals.
- Collaboration: within own and with other team and departments and external organisations.
- Planning: assist with practical requirements for meetings and diary coordination.
- IT skills: familiarity with a range of software to support the team in the logging, development and design of ideas.
- Deliver under pressure: responding quickly to the needs of the team and urgent deadlines calmly and efficiently.
- Enthusiasm and curiosity: an active interest in learning more about the children’s industry, including consuming content from a range of different broadcasters and platforms.
- Passionate about creating great, inclusive content for all children.
- Resilience: adapting positively to changing work priorities and patterns, ensuring deadlines continue to be met.
- Proactive and problem-solving: exploring new ideas and non-standard ways of working which will enhance and deliver the best results for the ideas.
- Productivity: organising work effectively and achieves required results within deadlines, able to prioritise and where necessary assign tasks.
- Demonstrating the drive and energy to get things done in pressurised situations.
- Ethics and integrity: honest and principled in all actions and interactions.
- Respectful and inclusive of others, encouraging and valuing all input and opinions.
- Flexibility: willing to both listen and learn and to accept changing priorities and working requirements and with the flexibility to maintain high standards in a changing environment. Able to juggle a variety of projects at different stages of development.
- Professional development: develop an ethos to learn and seek out learning and networking opportunities.