A TV producer manages one or more aspects of video production in a TV program. These individuals also work with directors, screenwriters, funders, and actors for the smooth execution of a production project. Here are a few questions you should expect in a TV producer interview I’d you are eyeing a position in a TV station or production company:
1. Why are You Interested in this Job?
This opening question helps the interviewer determine your motives and whether you will be a good fit in the workplace. The reasons behind your application should be to help the workplace advance. Your answer should also show enthusiasm about the particular role and willingness to deliver beyond expectations.
Sample Answer
I immensely enjoyed several TV shows when growing up, which informed my decision to pursue this career. I always wanted to be at the forefront of production and specialized in TV production later in life. I would like to apply my expertise and the skills I have obtained over time to better your shows and keep viewers entertained.
2. What are the Roles of a TV Producer.
This is one of the most straightforward questions you will ever be asked in an interview. The interviewer is testing whether you understand what is required of you in this position. This is the time to mention your mandates. Please take a look at the job description and use it to answer this question.
Sample Answer
A TV producer is in charge of one or more aspects of video production on a given TV program. Depending on how the position is structured, he/ she may take up an executive role, come up with new programs and convince the television network to adopt them. ( You can go on and on. This is just an overview of the position)
3. What are the Qualities that a TV Producer Needs to be Effective?
Do you know what it takes to be an excellent TV producer? You are expected to mention the requisite skills, behavioral attributes, and abilities of TV producers. You can mention some of the qualities you rely on in your daily work.
Sample Answer
A TV producer should be creative, selective, patient, and efficient. Other requisite qualities are high concentration, good communication skills, attentiveness to detail, and proper project management skills.
4. Mention the Main Challenge that You Faced in Your Last Role and How You Managed It
By mentioning a challenge that you faced and managed, the interviewer is trying to tell if you are a good problem solver. You should always be on the lookout for solutions to different problems in your workplace. Therefore, give an experience that will highlight your problem-solving skills and convince the interviewer that will be an excellent addition to the company.
Sample Answer
My former employer wanted sophisticated effects on the films I produced but on a tight budget. At first, I struggled with the projects. However, I chose to limit the screen time of these effects, thus solving the problem. I was then able to stick to the budget provided.
5. Describe Your Daily Routine
What are your daily roles in your workplace? The interviewer expects a complete breakdown of what you do daily in your place of work. Make sure that you only mention the relevant activities. Exclude information such as dropping your children at school or feeding your pets.
Sample Answer
I have a packed day. It revolves around determining air time, fact-checking to ensure that everything is okay, managing aid production, and coordinating writers and performance. I take responsibility for the entire show and only rest once it has been aired. I also look for areas that need improvements, which I effect in the next shows.
6. Briefly Mention Your Experience
This is a pretty straightforward question that interviewers love asking. It would be best to mention some of the mediums you have delivered content for, areas of production that you are skilled in, achievements, your roles and the positions you have occupied in your career. Your experience should sell you.
Sample Answer
This is my fifteenth year in production and fifth year as a TV producer. I started working as a theatrical producer, overseeing films and skits before moving to movie production. I decided to venture into TV after seven years. I managed to win the best TV producer in 2015 and 2016, which came with several benefits. I am also skilled in ad production which saw me work with several candidates in the last election.
7. Mention a Strategy and Mindset Required for this Role
What strategies do you usually use in your work? Do you have a set of beliefs that make your work better? The strategy can be a way of working or a plan that helps you achieve a long-term goal. We advise that you draw from your daily experience when answering this question.
Sample Answer
I believe that the best strategy for any television producer is to embrace teamwork and closely monitor production. This ensures quality work and helps eliminate issues on time. Attentiveness to details also plays an important role. As for the right mindset, staying positive and believing in change makes production better.
8. Mention the Main Challenge that You Foresee in this Role
Mentioning a challenge won’t make you look incompetent in the eyes of the interviewer. On the contrary, it shows that you have taken some time to find more about the organization and even identified some of the potential challenges. You can also offer a possible solution, if any.
Sample Answer
I have looked at your job description and found it appealing. One of your former employees recommended you because of the supportive environment you give employees. These two factors address some of the problems I have had in my former places of work. I may not, therefore, be able to pinpoint any other challenge while on the outside.
9. How Do You Normally Stay Motivated In this Field?
The interviewer wants to know where you usually draw your motivation. Where do you get the strength to face the demands and challenges in this field? There are several approaches you can take when answering this question. However, make sure that you avoid material reasons such as money or work benefits that your employer gives producers.
Sample Answer
I am passionate about production. My fulfillment comes from the successful production of a show or TV program. I am motivated to do better based on my previous production. However, when work gets overwhelming, I reflect on my past successes, which give me the strength to continue.
10. Mention a Time that You Failed in This Role and the Lesson You Learnt
This is a chance to share some of the insightful lessons you have learned with the interviewer. Do not, therefore, shy away from mentioning such an experience. Remember, you can talk about any particular point in your career. Make sure that you properly highlight the lesson learned.
Sample Answer
My show once failed to air because I hadn’t made the right changes by the time it was supposed to go live. I had a lot on my plate and got so engrossed that I failed to finish everything on time. I learned the importance of proper organization and prioritizing work and even came up with a way of managing my time. I have never had such an experience again.
11. Why Do You Feel You are the Most Suited For This Job?
The interviewer wants to know what sets you apart from the competition. Remember, you are not the only one interviewing for the job. This is the right time to mention some of your outstanding qualities and experiences. This is also a chance to talk highly of yourself. Sell yourself and ensure that the hiring manager is impressed.
Sample Answer
I have vast experience in different areas of production. I have delivered content for several mediums and worked in various production environments. I am therefore flexible and highly skilled and can help revolutionize your show production. I am also a diligent worker willing to sacrifice everything for successful production… ( Continue mentioning what you will offer. You should also look at the job description and mention related qualities)
12. Share With Us Your Greatest Achievement
You must have been asked this question in different interviews. Your most outstanding achievement will tell the interviewer some of the things you hold dear. We, therefore, advise you to choose an experience or achievement that shows excellence in your work. It would be to talk proudly of it.
Sample Answer
The most outstanding achievement in my career was when I got a chance to produce a show which featured the award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o. We met later, had a chat, and shared contacts. It is an experience I can never forget.
13. What Do You Normally Look For in a Script?
The interviewer wants to establish how creative you are and the type of projects you love to hop on. Remember, we all have our preferences. Your answer will tell whether you will be a good fit for the employer’s projects in the future. It should show your creative preferences as well as your writing and editing experience.
Sample Answer
When deciding on projects to join as a producer, I usually look for aspects that the audience can easily relate to. I believe in scripts with natural character dialogue and meaningful stories that audiences will not have a hard time relating to.
14. Your Work May Involve Picking a Director. How Do You Normally Do That?
Your work will be to oversee the production of a film or TV show which may also include hiring staff. The right TV director will influence whether a project will be successful or not. Therefore, you should tap into your previous hiring decisions for past projects to explain the hiring process for a director’s position and the qualities you look out for.
Sample Answer
The director plays a vital role in every project. From my past experiences, I have realized the importance of choosing a person with a similar personality and can relate to the staff working under them. A director must also be creative and knowledgeable of what is needed for the project at all times.
15. Are There Changes You Would Make on Your Past Productions? What Would You Do Differently?
The interviewer is gauging your professional growth and the experience you have gained this far in the industry. It is assumed that you must have learned some critical lessons and got better at your work. Remember to be careful when answering this question since the lesson you choose will tell how well you fit in the organization.
Sample Answer
I once ended up rewriting scenes evolving in a direction that I didn’t love. Looking back, I feel that I wouldn’t have gone through such an experience if I chose to be more active during the first shoots. This show also taught me how important it is to work closely with the directors and writers throughout the project’s life cycle.
16. How Will You Stay Under Budget When Working on a Show That Requires Expensive Effects That You Haven’t Tried Before?
This is a chance to reveal your management skills to the interviewer. Remember, part of your job description is to deliver a project while sticking to the provided budget and deadline. Therefore, you must make sure that the money allocated for this kind of project covers everything, including the expensive effects. The interviewer will be looking for an aptitude for financial management, experience with huge projects, and communication and persuasion skills.
Sample Answer
I will limit the screen time of such effects to make use of the provided resources and stay within the budget, which I once did when working on a show which needed expensive CGI budgets. I managed to keep it under budget, and it turned out to be a success.
17. How Do You Ensure that Projects are On Schedule?
Timely delivery is essential when working on projects. The hiring manager must therefore test your project management skills. Most aspects of show production are interdependent and must be executed within a suitable timeframe if you intend to meet a specific deadline. Show how your management skills will help you deliver the project on time. The interviewer will be on the lookout for your experience managing projects, mastery of film production, and whether you can communicate well.
Sample Answer
One of the biggest challenges in this job is keeping a film production on schedule. However, I know what to do given my experience. I usually have a weekly progress tracking ritual made possible by my close relationships with every supervisor. I have also learned that setting milestones help in such cases.
18. Are There Other Platforms that You Have Produced for Apart from Television?
Specializing in TV does not necessarily limit you to one platform. The interviewer is therefore testing your experience and flexibility in this field. Do you have the right skills to work with several mediums? Your answer should convince the interviewer that you are flexible and understands the different mediums for content delivery.
Sample Answer
I delivered content for different platforms before specializing in TV. I have worked for ad agencies producing content for radio and various social media platforms. In the beginning, I made theatrical works, an experience that I found enjoyable.
19. How Do You Normally Communicate With Directors and Your Crew Members?
Communication is vital during production. You will need to pass critical information to those around you, which calls for excellent communication skills. Show the interviewer that you can make people do whatever you need them to when producing a film. Think through your answer when tackling this operational question.
Sample Answer
Every member of my crew has a different communication style, given that I work with a diverse group. My communication style is pretty flexible and can be altered to fit different communication styles. However, I usually stay as neutral as possible when talking to the whole group.
20. Would You Rather Miss a Deadline but Deliver a Perfect Project or Meet One But Compromise on Quality?
This is a tricky operational question that seeks to understand your preference when it comes to quality and staying on schedule. Describe what you would choose between the different compromises required in film production.
Sample Answer
At times I am forced to choose between compromising on the quality of my work and staying on schedule. Even though I am required to uphold both, I usually have to agonize over them. However, I normally find ways to speed up production without compromising on quality. I know how to handle pressing timeliness while delivering quality products.
Conclusion
These are a few questions that you should expect in a TV producer interview. Make sure that you think through your answers and convince the interviewer that you are a perfect fit for the job at hand.
