What does it take to be a series producer?

The series producer (SP) is the linchpin of any production and can make or break a series. But making the leap from producer/director (PD) to SP can be tough. One minute you’re part of the team, the next you’re leading it. With a shortage of SPs across the UK, Creative Skillset has launched its Series Producer Programme to find and train the next generation of showrunners. Commissioning editors, creative directors and heads of programming consider the skills needed to make the grade.

Key shows: Marrying Mum and Dad; The Gatwick Baby: Abandoned At Birth

The SP is the organisational and creative glue of any successful production team. They can make a good idea into exceptionally well-made TV, or they can kill a team’s spirit. They need versatility, unending stamina, brilliant communication skills, patience and the ability to deliver bad news to their executive producer with a solution attached.

The best are multi-skilled and can balance editorial, logistical, pastoral and the all-important job of managing up. They are close enough to the team to identify who’s working too hard; who’s not pulling their weight; where the editorial gaps are and how to plug them; and which ideas aren’t working, no matter how hard the team are trying. They need to have an industry-wide perspective so they know what’s going on elsewhere, who’s making what, who the best people are for any job, and how to assemble the best team.

The move from PD to SP is like GCSE to A level – it’s huge and needs to be taken seriously. An executive producer wants someone who is calm under pressure, who they can trust without constant super vision. Communicate – make sure everyone knows what they need to. When it comes to making TV, no one likes surprises. Love your job – your passion will rub off on your team, and will show in the final product.

Key shows: Hunted; The Island With Bear Grylls; Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares; Heston’s Feasts

A brilliant SP needs creative vision, storytelling nous in the edit, great visual ideas, ambition and a sense of humour. But it’s most important to be a team player. If you’re all about yourself and your status – the big ‘I am’ – you might make a good series, but everyone will hate you. Just as there is no ‘I’ in team, there is a U in ‘ungenerous lazy git’. Respect has to be earned and is not a right. Lead from the front. Get your hands dirty. Go on shoots, carry the tripod and put in the hours.

I make big, dramatic, factual entertainment shows where the SP is critical. I wish I could clone the good ones. Being organised is important; being able to design and co-ordinate a realistic schedule is crucial. Working with your production manager in a positive way is also key. Do things within budget and think around problems rather than just throwing money at them. Sometimes clever sequences don’t have to cost a bomb.

I owe a massive debt to Optomen’s Pat Llewellyn for my first series producer job – Ramsay’s Kitchen Night- mares – because she trusted me to do it. You have to be careful with everyone’s fragile creative egos and I made lots of mistakes on that front. But apologise and have the emotional intelligence to learn from your mistakes.

Watch more TV and analyse why successful shows work. Be TV literate. Exploit every part of your passion and soul to make your series a success. Don’t bullshit. Take responsibility for big decisions but be a team player. Buy your team lots of drinks down the pub. Have fun.

Key shows: The Tribe; Educating Cardiff; Muslim Drag Queens; The Vote; The Secret World Of Lego

The best SPs act as a kind of conductor of this unique orchestra – through remarkable organisational, creative and interpersonal skills. Having the ability to swap quickly from one mind- set to another is key. SPs have to cope with dealing with a huge compliance issue that might threaten to derail a project one minute, and with under- standing the minutia of a crew member’s personal problems the next.

You’re protected somewhat as a producer. When you make the leap to SP, you’re in an exposed role: responsible for crewing up, budgeting, legal and compliance issues, schedules, press and marketing. It can be difficult not to be overwhelmed first time around. It’s about throwing yourself in at the deep end and learning to swim, fast.

If anything, the role is becoming more and more demanding and giving our future SPs the tools they will need to succeed is essential as we continue to push the boundaries of innovation and creativity. It’s crucial that we support and nurture our next generation of talent.

Key shows: The Met: Policing London; Louis Theroux: Life And Death Row; Don’t Take My Baby

The exceptional SP is a perfect combi- nation of editorial know-how and practical can-do, with seemingly contradictory qualities: demanding, motivated, decisive, extremely organised, thorough, precise, singular, with an anal attention to detail and yet simultaneously passionate, ambitious, inspiring and imaginative.

They juggle the different stakeholders involved in making a successful series – building and maintaining access, attracting top talent and motivating their teams. My perfect SP knows when to obsess about the detail without taking their eye off the big picture. The worst are slapdash or too easily distracted by detail to retain oversight. The best know how to film with focus and build narrative.

Key Shows: Doctor In The House; Who Do You Think You Are?; Embarrassing Bodies

An exceptional SP supports their team, talent and contributors, motivates them and makes it fun. They bring ace storytelling abilities, intellectual rigour, a creative take and killer organisational skills to realise content and make it sing on screen. The SP sees the bigger picture and is not afraid to make difficult decisions.

There is a massive shortage of SPs, especially at peak production periods, predominately spring and summer.

Understandably, commissioners want tried and tested SPs rather than first-timers. One solution is job shares, where a PD who is ready to take on an SP role is mentored by an experienced SP. It’s all about confidence and trust. Training in core skills provides vital know-how and boosts confidence.

Key shows: Royal Marine Commando School; Alex Polizzi – The Fixer; Doctor In Your House

Obviously you want SPs to be creative and talented programme-makers. They don’t have to be good directors, but they need good instincts and an understanding of what the channel has ordered. Crucially, they must be decision-makers. I want an SP to own the series.

Everyone has a critical function on a series but the SP is the linchpin. They set the creative tone and ambition, and must keep the team buoyant but focused at all times.

We’re lucky that we’ve been established in our regional base for a long time so we have some talented SPs in- house, but we also know some good people who are willing to travel. We have to be flexible in how people work if we want to get the best.

The move up from PD tests your abilities in different ways. You know how to make a programme, but now you need to lead and manage different characters.

There is a reliance on people picking up their skills as they move from project to project. I’m all for that – there’s no substitute for experience – but how do you strike a balance so that you are across the details without micro-managing? If you’re handing someone £1m and the responsibility of managing dozens of people on a tight schedule, they will benefit from learning the skills to do that well.

My advice to new SPs? Employ a team that is better than you. Treat your team fairly. Make decisions. You are the leader, so lead.