Interview with Charles Tudor

Charles Tudor

Virginia Beach, VA

Credits: "Good Morning America" (ABC), "World News Tonight" (ABC), "Nightly News" (NBC), Family Channel (various), "Movie Magic," "Treasures In Your Home," "Storm Warning," "Personal Story," "Modern Marvels" (Actuality Productions).

I called Charles Tudor in Virginia Beach, and he was extremely friendly and knowledgeable, and the interview lasted about 20 minutes. Here are the points I managed to write down as we were talking:

1) Can you briefly define your job to me?

-There are several different ways I could describe it to you, depending on the project. If it's a film I start with a script. If it's a documentary I start with an idea or a theme. If I don't have anything, I start looking for a script or an idea or a theme. Once I've got the basic theme of the project the big task is to get everybody together. You've got to get a crew, you've got to get a production manager, everyone who is going to make this happen for me. The most important thing about this part of the job is MAKING SURE THESE PEOPLE WORK WELL TOGETHER. Get reliable, creative, effective, people who all mix well together. I'm juggling egos! I'm a babysitter! I'm an organizer. The best producer is one who is able to get the best people together to make a product. You've got to have connections, and those people have to have connections; getting the group together is mostly just networking. You use people who have done good things in the past that are going to do good things for you, because it's YOUR name on the product! And these people have to make it for you!

-You've also got to be a businessman. You've got to make sure the product is bankable. It's got to make money. You're spending a lot of money to make it in the first place it better return some. Don't waste anything! That's another reason you've got to get a good crew. You don't want to have someone not call the talent and then have the talent not show up and everyone's waiting around for an hour while the clock is ticking and we're losing money! Again, you've got to make sure to GET GOOD PEOPLE!

-You get the project off the ground, these people have to keep it running. The production manager is probably the most important to me of the crew in that aspect.

2) How did you get started in the business?

-My father was a cameraman in WWII and he got me interested in photography. We moved to France and I watched some filming of Is Paris Burning, then moved o Naples, Italy and saw a few more movies being shot so I decided to get a job in the movie business. I got a job sweeping floors! I moved to the US and got involved in television. My first job in the US was as a cameraman on a TV station. From there I met people, started to do projects with other people, and eventually somehow got to wherever I am now!

3) How do you tell someone over you (your boss) that you can't accomplish an assigned task?

*awkward silence*

-I have a problem saying no! I always say yes!

-The first thing I learned in TV was don't say "I can't." I was on camera 3, the director told me to dolly over to get a shot. There were chairs and people in the way and I told him I couldn't get over there. We didn't get the shot, and the director became very quiet on the headset. At the end of the show he came up to me and he said, "In TV, we don't say we can't."

-As a boss, I find the biggest problem is high expectations. You have to learn to temper expectations with reality. You have this vision of this really amazing project, and in reality it's just probably not going to be perfectly as you envisioned it! Just don't be disappointed, because that can turn into attitude. You can't get mad at a cameraman and get an attitude with him, because he's got to get the next shot!

4) Do you have any advice for a media student starting out?

-"RUN!!!!! Be a doctor!!!!!!"

-Networking. Get a reel out of school. Hone the craft of creativity but also develop a good business sense.

-Make one, sell many!

-If you're going to do it, go where it is happening.

-Be personable. Don't oversell. Listen. Get connected to someone who is going places. Do good work for them and they'll want to hire you more. Be known as the best at what you can do.

-Humility.

-Have a plan. 5, 10, 15 years. Think about retirement!

-Own what you do, have other people's help to make it happen.

-Be able to work a percentage.

-Find people who can do what you can't do!

-Find encouragement, and a partner to work with.

-Don't be afraid to ask questions!!