Overview of the role
The producer is a senior member of a production team, a strong creative thinker and skillful story teller who works closely with series producers and production managers to ensure content is produced and delivered on time, on budget and to the highest standards. The role can vary significantly depending on the type of content, from sole producer on a contributor led observational documentary to one of several producers working collaboratively across a large scale studio or event piece or a multi episode factual format.
All producers will demonstrate strong market awareness of the children’s content industry and use this when shaping engaging and inclusive programmes and projects for a range of channels and platforms. They also understand and apply regulations around working with children, including health and safety and legal requirements and GDPR/data protection and ensure content complies with the Ofcom Broadcasting Code and other editorial guidelines. They will line manage APs, researchers and runners, promoting an inclusive culture.
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 team, the type of show and the budget available.
- Inspire creativity and inclusivity - initiative fresh ideas for new and returning series in line with the overall vision; encourage ideas from the team, filtering the best and most appropriate for the series producer.
- Know what the audience is interested in. Have a thorough knowledge and appreciation of current trends in content consumption (what, why, when, where) across all platforms amongst younger audiences to ensure ideas are relevant and meet audience needs and demands.
- Understand the different age segments in the audience and ensure all the team’s ideas and topics are identified, shaped and pitched appropriately, bringing in child development experts to support where necessary.
- Ensure all ideas comply with the Ofcom Broadcasting Code and broadcaster editorial guidelines on producing content for children, and that the team follows all guidelines and regulation on working with children including safeguarding and welfare, GDPR/data protection and regulations on working with children.
- Quality control - be able to scrutinise own and others’ ideas, building on them and solving problems to make them as distinctive as possible.
- Demonstrate an up to date awareness and understanding of how AI can be used to support content creation and generate cost savings and ensure any uses are employed and disclosed transparently and in accordance with production company and broadcaster guidelines and UK and EU law.
- Guide the rest of the team, displaying strong editorial judgement and strong scripting and story telling skills, offering support and expert feedback to APs and researchers.
- Work with production management colleagues to ensure deadlines are met and budget lines adhered to, understanding how to implement changes if overspends occur in order to balance the budget without compromising the editorial vision.
- On hybrid projects for young audiences, work collaboratively and creatively with writers, performers, musicians, designers, animators and directors to create innovative new narratives.
- Drive all research, ensuring best practice is followed in teams on sourcing and checking fact with meticulous record keeping. For factual and current affairs projects understand how sensitive topics can be explored within the compliance guidelines and guide the team accordingly, ensuring contributors have given informed consent. If necessary, conduct off camera interviews.
- On entertainment shows, demonstrate strong formatting skills including an understanding of appropriate immersive experiences and elements like eliminations for young contributors.
- Build respectful and productive relationships with on screen talent, providing feedback on performance and addressing any issues or concerns in a timely and appropriate manner, escalating where necessary.
- Work closely with production management team to plan location and studio shoots, ensure schedules and filming meet all legal and regulatory requirements including sustainability, health and safety and working with children guidelines.
- If producing an entire show, create the running order and demonstrate excellent writing skills in the completion of scripts.
- During filming on location, work closely with the wider production team to ensure schedules are completed safely and on time, all contributor guidelines are adhered to and scripts are delivered to the highest standards, working with performers on delivery.
- In studios, work closely with the multi-camera director including dealing with urgent content issues, ensuring effective communication between the studio team and crew and operating efficiently as a gallery producer if required including on talkback to presenters.
- If taking the project on into post production, understand how to prepare thoroughly for the edit and work closely and creatively with a craft editor on crafting the show, delivering rough cuts on time to the series producer and adapting to all edit notes and feedback.
- Work with SP on implementing aftercare practices for contributors and families after production has finished especially around first transmission/upload.
- Additional duty of care considerations are required when working with under 18s. These should be discussed with editorial management, commissioning editor and compliance contacts at the start of the production process.
- If production is casting young contributors directly - see casting producer skills checklist. If working with a casting producer or celebrity producer establish good communications to ensure a compliant and enjoyable working environment.
- Production teams using young contributors may decide to implement the principles of the Ofcom risk matrix into to determine a project’s level of risk and include steps that will be in place to mitigate potential risks to contributors before, during and after production.
- Be diligent in applying GDPR/data protection rules throughout production, ensuring all personal data is stored in a safe and appropriate way.
- During the handover to production from casting and before filming starts, ensure all relevant welfare processes are in place and all aftercare practices for contributors. Ensure contributors have a single and clear point of contact on production and know who to contact with any concerns. Understand how to escalate those if needed.
- Keep up to date with industry best practice and Ofcom compliance guidelines on working with under 18s including fairness, harm and offence, imitative behaviour.
- Where appropriate work with the series producer on recruiting and then managing a diverse editorial team, setting clear tasks and goals for reports, offering support and timely feedback and fostering a creative working environment where all voices are heard.
- Lead and manage and develop junior members of the team, monitoring the quality of their work and support them in shaping ideas.
- Assist the team in understanding prioritises and managing workload ensuring they have clear and realistic objectives, giving constructive feedback, treating team with consideration when under pressure.
- Oversee workflow to ensure the project hits key deadlines.
- Be available as senior support to junior members of the team to ask questions.
Skills
Check out the role specific skills, transferable skills and attributes for the role of producer in children's TV.
- Knowledgeable about the TV market for children’s content with an understanding of young audiences needs and behaviours across all platforms and how to present engaging and appropriate content for different age groups.
- Knowledgeable and up to date on all working with children regulations, GDPR/data protection, Ofcom and broadcaster compliance guidelines and AI laws.
- Display strong editorial judgement and story telling skills for younger audiences. Ensure content is entertaining, empowering and appropriate for the age of contributors and the audience.
- Ability to manage colleagues to do their best work in the best working environment.
- Creativity: sound editorial judgement and storytelling skills.
- Communication: able to convey creative and editorial vision, clarity on direction and goals for teams, liaise effectively with series producers and production management colleagues and with a variety of internal and external organisations and individuals.
- Multi-tasking: able to juggle multiple shoots, edits, teams.
- Problem-solving: assessing ideas for practical, editorial, and financial considerations, able to prioritise and make quick and effective decisions, listen to others and be proactive
- Deliver under pressure: responding quickly to the needs of the business and commissioners and responding to urgent deadlines calmly and efficiently.
- Fiscally aware: understand production budgets and efficient working practises and scheduling
- Passion for serving young audiences with entertaining and empowering content and a commitment to fostering diverse and inclusive creative voices.
- Resilience: adapt positively to changing work priorities and patterns, ensuring deadlines continue to be met and fostering resilience in teams.
- Positivity: able to keep the team morale high particularly during challenging production periods.
- Proactive, exploring new ideas and non-standard ways of working which will enhance and deliver the best results for the ideas.
- Drive and energy: get things done in pressurised situations and escalate appropriately when necessary.
- Ethics and integrity: honest and principled in all actions and interactions, clear and transparent communication with teams, talent and stakeholders. Respectful and inclusive of others ensuring all voices are heard.
- Flexibility: willing to both listen and learn and to accept changing priorities and working requirements; flexibility to maintain high standards in a changing environment.
- Independent working: the ability to work unsupervised, exercising initiative and assessing priorities but referring issues upwards where appropriate.