14 !!Chapter 1
Not all agencies afford the producer the
same responsibilities and authority. At
some agencies the producers are part of a
production department, and at other
agencies the producers are part of the cre-
ative department. If problems occur, the
producer consults with the head of pro-
duction. At some agencies the producers
report to the production head, while at
other agencies they work directly for the
creative director. Let us assume that the
filming is running over budget and the
creative team wants to continue shooting
because the director has not captured
their vision. The final decision is made
based on the hierarchy at an agency. At
some agencies the head of production has
the ultimate power, and at others the cre-
ative director makes all final decisions. A representative from the client is
always at a filming and will ultimately give permission—or not—to exceed
the budget.
!!Example (television
commercials): Many direc-
tors think that they can im-
prove a commercial that the
client has approved for fil-
ming. Savvy directors film
the ‘‘board’’ (storyboard)
that has been approved by
the agency and the client
and then ask permission to
shoot an alternative version.
The key word isask. Many
directors will not be rehired
by agencies because they
refuse to shoot the ap-
proved commercial.Copywriter
Copywriters and art directors usually work as a ‘‘team’’ to create and
develop advertising concepts and commercials. The creative director gives
the copywriter and art director specific instructions as to the objectives of
the client. A copywriter’s primary job is to write scripts, announcers’ copy,
and print copy. The following is my interview with copywriter and cre-
ative director Joel Harrison:
MZ: What does a copywriter do?
Joel: The basic job of a copywriter is to communicate the benefits
of a product or service to the prospective buyer—the viewer on
television, the reader of any printed material, the listener of the
radio—and to do it in a creative, compelling, riveting way so it’s
not boring. The worst thing a copywriter can do in advertising
is to write boring copy.
MZ: When an agency hires a copywriter, are they expected to write
print as well as broadcasting, or are some copywriters special-
ists?
Joel: These days since there is so much television, you get into the
advertising business as even a cub copywriter, you’ll write tele-
vision as well as print—moreover, more and more advertising is
over the Internet, so there are even more kinds of media these
days for copywriters to get involved with.