Production Manager: Craig Johnston

Craig Johnston is a Seattle-based Internet and multimedia producer with an extensive background in broadcast. He can be reached at craig@craigjohnston.com.

Don't Skimp on Audio

by Craig Johnston, 9.22.2004

When you've got a production problem on a show, it's usually audio. more

Avoiding a Train Wreck

by Craig Johnston, 6.23.2004

When I read a story in "The New York Times" about operating problems the Union Pacific had getting freight trains through its system, I looked for comparisons with the kinds of problems a television station can have. more

Think Like A CFO

by Craig Johnston, 4.21.2004

You may find there's some of that CFO logic that will help you make better purchases. more

Get Your Money's Worth Out of Your Time

by Craig Johnston, 4.07.2004

One of my fondest memories of working in television news (or maybe it's one of my most haunting nightmares) is the race every day to get the story or stories done and on the air. more

Get Them to the Job on Time

by Craig Johnston, 10.29.2003

I met a retired international executive for an electronics giant who told me about an attendance problem you and I are unlikely to ever face more

Your Interns Don't Have To Be Like Dell's

by Craig Johnston, 8.20.2003

The reputation that interns in the workplace enjoy today ranges from invaluable, at one end, all the way down to whatever you would term those interns in the current Dell Computer commercials more

Smaller Isn't Always Better

by Craig Johnston, 6.25.2003

I can remember breaking into the TV business when news photographers still shot film carrying a Bach Auricon 400-foot film-magnetic conversion camera. It came with a separate amplifier for adding sound on a magnetic strip down the side of the film. With a separate battery for mobile operation, we shouldered about 40 pounds. more

I'm Mad as Hell About Bad A/V Sync

by Craig Johnston, 3.19.2003

Something like a year ago I went off in this column about out-of-sync audio and video. It seemed to me that the price of going digital had been making many on-camera speaking appearances look like badly dubbed foreign films. I thought that diatribe had sufficiently relieved the pressure in my spleen, even if it hadn't done any good. That was until I went to this year's Consumer Electronics Show. more

All You Need is Cash

by Craig Johnston, 2.19.2003

I just read Bob Woodward's new book "Bush at War." I was struck by how much you can get done with cash. more

A Wider Look Can Be A Better Look

by Craig Johnston, 12.11.2002

Anybody who has spent much time around cameras knows that shooting a person's face with too wide a lens risks a ghoulish result. There's a fine line. more

Future Needs: Cable Trays and Cooling

by Craig Johnston, 10.23.2002

Although that "what to build" dilemma was new to the dotcommers (while they lasted), it's been a problem for television and video producers for as far back as anyone can remember. more

Hiring a New Cameraman, Part II

by Craig Johnston, 9.18.2002

In my last column I talked about screening applicants for television field photographer positions, using their resume tapes to create a first impression. My point was that because you're hiring them to shoot visuals, the quality of the visuals they shot for their previous and present employers is a good indicator of the quality they're going to shoot for you. more

Pictures Make TV: Tips For Hiring a Cameraman

by Craig Johnston, 9.04.2002

TV picture-takers need to be good picture-takers. Television continues to be a visual medium, and it follows that some of the most important hires in television are the employees who capture those visuals. more

Doubling Budgets and Budget Doublespeak

by Craig Johnston, 7.24.2002

When I moved into my first production manager position, my predecessor had the reputation for being able to predict almost exactly what a particular project would cost. Since we were good friends, I asked him how he did it. "Take the most you think it could possibly cost, and double it," he said. What can I say? He was unbelievably accurate. more

Give Free-Lance a Chance

by Craig Johnston, 6.26.2002

Somewhere within your company's corporate hierarchy, there's at least one official who could read you a long list of reasons why no employee should ever be allowed to free-lance. more

To Negotiate, You Need Choices

by Craig Johnston, 2.20.2002

The economy is in the dumps, advertising sales are down and budgets have been slashed. That's the bad news. The good news is that times are tough for broadcast equipment makers too and there are bargains to be had. more