Media Roles
The Three Production Phases
A media project is usually organised into three stages: pre-production, production and post-production. The stages run in order, and each one describes when a piece of work happens rather than how important it is.
The three stages
| Stage | When it happens | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-production | Before production starts | Planning: deciding the idea, preparing what will be made and organising the shoot or build. |
| Production | During the main making stage | Filming, recording or creating the assets that will be used. |
| Post-production | After production | Editing and finishing the material into the final product. |
Roles and stages
Some roles belong mainly to one stage. A camera operator captures footage during production, so their contribution is tied to that stage. A video editor usually works in post-production, once material exists to edit.
Each stage depends on the one before it. There is nothing to edit until footage has been recorded, so post-production work can only begin after production has taken place.
Other roles span two or more stages. A director may help shape the idea in pre-production, guide filming in production and review the finished edit in post-production. The stages help you explain when a role contributes, rather than assuming every role is involved from start to finish.
Worked example: A school makes a short welcome video for new pupils. In pre-production, the team decides the message and plans which classrooms to record in. In production, they record teachers giving short welcomes. In post-production, the recordings are assembled and polished into the final video. The camera operator contributes only to production; the person leading the project may be involved across all three stages.
Practise this
OCR Creative iMedia · Job Roles in the Media Industry