I’ve been a Producer for my entire career (which is now almost two decades long). I’m also the oldest of three girls, and I spent a good chunk of my childhood producing a variety of song-and-dance routines for our parents or the neighborhood at large. My little sisters might remember it as ‘bossing them around,’ but I prefer to call it ‘exhibiting leadership skills’ or ‘producing low-budget, high-quality entertainment.’ Producing is in my DNA, and I love it.
As I moved into producing online courses, I found that a lot of my clients had been trying to assume the role of Producer by themselves, but they didn’t have the time, experience, or resources to do it effectively. At Edios Media one of our core promises is that our clients will never have to figure out how to produce an online course on their own – we are here to take care of you, and to get your project done! There are a million details that need to be handled, and you can’t easily teach yourself how to do it in a short time.
So, what does this promise look like for our clients? A good Producer for elearning or video training content should be able to deliver on a few key things for your project:
They know how to take care of you.
A good Producer should take work off your plate, not add to it. While you’ll still need to answer questions and participate in the process, you should feel that your Producer has everything under control and is leading the way. They should make you feel like you’re part of their team, and that they care more about your project than anything else they might be doing. And, a good Producer will take on the stress and worry that comes with a project, so that you don’t feel alone or overwhelmed.
They understand your vision.
A good Producer will ask you enough questions to make sure that they understand what you want to accomplish. For Edios, that means putting you through our process to understand the storytelling elements present in your project. Then we nail down the details of how and when you want to execute on it. This happens early in the process, so that each subsequent decision can be built upon it.
They know how to assemble a strong team.
Each project should be tailored to your needs. A good Producer should have a variety of vendors that will fit the needs of your project, whether it’s live-action or animation. They should know what kind of camera person has the right sensibility for your shoot. They should know what artist is going to be able to transform your brand needs into engaging animation. While they probably have use reliable crew over and over, they should also be able to call on new talent when the moment calls for it.
They know the status of every aspect of the project at all times.
A good Producer should be able to tell you how you’re tracking on the budget, how the schedule looks, when the video shoot will be, and how the editing is going whenever you ask. They should have the details at their fingertips, and be able to respond quickly to anything you’re worried about. And, they should know if one of your requests is going to endanger the budget or the delivery date.
They make it fun!
The world is tough enough right now. A good Producer should make the project fun for you and your team. Sure, there will be long days and stressful moments, but those should be the exception and not the rule. The overall feeling should be excitement that you’re creating a new project together. Online education can transform a learner’s career, and that’s a big thing!
Producing isn’t easy, and it isn’t for everyone. But that’s why we started our company! You can make yourself look good by bringing us on to help you bring your educational video to life. (And we promise not to boss you around…but we will display our leadership skills!)
-Elizabeth Madariaga, Co-Founder & Executive Producer, Edios Media