Overview of the role
A development assistant producer (AP) is responsible for generating ideas. They understand how to condense and compile research and use this as the foundation for drafting an initial pitch or deck. The development AP is also responsible for identifying contributors and talent for shows. They provide direction for the development researcher and 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 scale / budget band / genre of the production.- Watch output from a wide range of broadcasters and platforms
- Understand the difference between the various genre departments, the types of programmes they commission and their specific programming needs
- Understand the different target audiences of each channel and what content might interest them
- Review and interpret commissioning briefs
- Attend commissioner briefings, online and in person and use this intelligence to inform new ideas
- Develop an instinct for ideas that are appropriate for TV and can be tailored towards the needs of specific commissioners and their departments
- Consume a wide range of traditional and social media and use this as the inspiration for new ideas
- Keep abreast of new media and programming trends
- Identify and explore new subject matter
- Develop new approaches for established territories
- Develop an ability to interrogate programmes and understand the attributes of successful shows
- Prepare for brainstorms by responding to commissioner briefs or topics/subject matters as communicated by the HoD
- 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
- Explore a range of subject matters by researching facts and statistics, using them to support the development of ideas under the direction of the development producer
- Identify the correct organisations, individuals, and sources to speak to when conducting research
- Understand the difference between a reliable and unreliable source
- Source the best statistics and facts to support a story
- Find interesting and original information and interrogate this for relevance and accuracy
- Use research and editorial instincts to help shape a format/ idea to make it suitable for TV
- Suggest original ways of telling stories and contribute ideas to the development of formats
- Guide the development researcher in laying out research, double-check facts and statistics for veracity and reliability of sources
- Implement systems to record research and share these with the wider development team
- Identify new talent through consuming a wide range of media
- Share new talent with the team
- Understand how to best ‘sell’ talent internally, including highlighting key achievements and social media presence
- Suggest new and established talent for projects in development by finding links to relevant subject matters
- Understand that talent is associated with or contracted to a specific channel and develop an instinct for the channels that new and established talent feel most appropriate for
- Uncover new interests of established and high-profile talent and use this to pitch inventive and unexpected ideas
- Identify possible people, places and organisations (access) of interest
- Find contact details and make initial approaches via email or phone with the help of the development producer
- Take a lead role in conducting research chats and interviews with potential contributors or access and identify interesting stories and angles
- Cut any filmed or recorded conversations into casting tapes
- 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 genre department and highlight ideas that respond to a steer or brief from the commissioner
- Assist in the design of pitch materials such as pitch decks and sizzles
- Prioritise workload and meet deadlines
- Ensure that research and pitch materials are ready for commissioner meetings
- Attend commissioner meetings and take a more prominent role by contributing research, insights or pitching ideas
- Prepare appropriate questions that give useful insights to help progress ideas
- Work with simple design software and understand how good design can be used to enhance pitch materials
- Source images as well as user generated content (UGC) and found footage for pitch decks and sizzles (those with camera-training may film original footage for a taster tape)
- Develop an idea from a paragraph to a more detailed pitch deck, including information that pre-empts questions from the internal development team or commissioning editor
- Understand how to interpret and include research in a concise and engaging way into a deck
Skills
Check out role specific skills, transferable skills and attributes for the role of development assistant producer.
- Actively engage with the output of a range of broadcasters and platforms and become familiar with the commissioning landscape
- Organise and contribute to the design and production of pitch materials, decks and sizzles
- Manage and prioritise a varied workload, juggling a range of projects at different stages of the development process with varying needs
- Communication: communicate the requirements of the development team with a variety of internal and external organisations and individuals
- Team-working: collaboration within own and with other departments and external organisations
- 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 responding to urgent deadlines calmly and efficiently
- Enthusiasm: an active interest in learning more about the industry, including consuming content from a range of different broadcasters and platforms
- Resilience: adapt positively to changing work priorities and patterns, ensuring deadlines continue to be met
- Proactive: explores new ideas and non-standard ways of working which will enhance and deliver the best results for the ideas
- Productivity: organises work effectively and achieves required results within deadlines
- Demonstrates the drive and energy to get things done in pressurised situations and escalates appropriately when necessary
- Ethics and integrity: honest and principled in all their actions and interactions
- Respectful and inclusive of others, and meets the ethical requirements of their profession/ discretion
- Flexibility: willing to both listen and learn and to accept changing priorities and working requirements and has the flexibility to maintain high standards in a changing environment
- Professional development: develop an ethos to learn and seek out learning and networking opportunities, identifying those that will be most beneficial