Read Online Producer by Wendy Walker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Wendy Walker
Tags: BIO022000
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to go into any situation and get the job done right.
DETAILS MATTER: THEY ARE EVERYTHING
When you are creating something, anything, you want to leave a lasting impression. You want to present your idea and have
somebody say, “Whoa. This is one great idea.” So how do you stand out? It’s all in the details.
Each time you have a presentation to do, think about the details that will make your work look better than the rest. You can
hand in a generic computer printout of your presentation, or you can jazz it up with a specialcover and attractive colors. People will see that you took the extra step and they will be impressed.
In order to be detail-oriented:
• Make sure you write down all the details that must be completed.
• Correct all spelling before you hand in anything.
• Take a second look at your work before you hand it in.
• Remember whom you are working for and what they want from you. And do it.
• Return all your phone calls.
If you can’t manage this last one, there are several things you can do. Try picking up the phone and saying, “I’m on the other
line but I saw your name come up on my caller ID. I can’t talk now but I just wanted to check quickly in case you need something.”
That way, the other person understands that you can’t talk now but you still made the effort to let them know.
If you have one, you can ask an assistant to let the person know that you are busy now but will call later. If you have no
assistant, you can send an e-mail that lets the other person know you care but can’t speak right now. Any of the above will
keep you from being known as someone who doesn’t return phone calls. Don’t try lying and saying, “Oh, I just didn’t get your
message.” With our current state-of-the-art technology, that one doesn’t work.
Right now, we are trying to book a big star to do an interview on our show. But instead of just calling herassistant and asking for the interview, we’re making a video in which Larry speaks to her personally, explaining why he thinks
his show would be the best venue for her. In a similar fashion, we did videos for Jack Nicholson, Brad Pitt, Al Pacino, Bob
Dylan, Eminem, Amy Winehouse, and John Edwards.
The point is that a job is never done until you’ve completed the last detail.
C HAPTER 4
Organize, Organize, and Then… Organize Some More
I was at a dinner party recently at a friend’s home. I knew some of the people there, others I had never met, and I took my
place at the table with everyone else when dinner was ready. As we were all chatting, sipping wine, and enjoying some wonderful
food, a woman sitting beside me, probably in her midforties, caught my eye and said, “What do you do?”
“I’m a producer,” I answered.
A group of heads suddenly swerved in my direction. It seemed like everyone had gone silent, wide-eyed and expectant, waiting
for me to tell my story. When I explained to my new acquaintance (and everyone else who was listening) that I had been the
executive producer for
Larry King Live
for the past seventeen years, and CNN White House producer for ten years prior to that, so much attention got riveted on
me, I might as well have said I just got back from walking on the moon!
I have discovered over the years that with the right kind of organization, a person can pull off just about anything, from
a charity tennis tournament for the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation to a Soviet-US summit, to raising two active, demanding, and fabulous kids while producing one of the most watched television
programs in the world on cable. Being extremely well-organized is a tried-and-true formula that I have counted on in just
about every area of my life. In my opinion, it is the key to maintaining balance and success. Without organization, how could
I be devoted to raising my children while producing a daily show that rarely goes as planned and often requires a total reboot
with
DETAILS MATTER: THEY ARE EVERYTHING
When you are creating something, anything, you want to leave a lasting impression. You want to present your idea and have
somebody say, “Whoa. This is one great idea.” So how do you stand out? It’s all in the details.
Each time you have a presentation to do, think about the details that will make your work look better than the rest. You can
hand in a generic computer printout of your presentation, or you can jazz it up with a specialcover and attractive colors. People will see that you took the extra step and they will be impressed.
In order to be detail-oriented:
• Make sure you write down all the details that must be completed.
• Correct all spelling before you hand in anything.
• Take a second look at your work before you hand it in.
• Remember whom you are working for and what they want from you. And do it.
• Return all your phone calls.
If you can’t manage this last one, there are several things you can do. Try picking up the phone and saying, “I’m on the other
line but I saw your name come up on my caller ID. I can’t talk now but I just wanted to check quickly in case you need something.”
That way, the other person understands that you can’t talk now but you still made the effort to let them know.
If you have one, you can ask an assistant to let the person know that you are busy now but will call later. If you have no
assistant, you can send an e-mail that lets the other person know you care but can’t speak right now. Any of the above will
keep you from being known as someone who doesn’t return phone calls. Don’t try lying and saying, “Oh, I just didn’t get your
message.” With our current state-of-the-art technology, that one doesn’t work.
Right now, we are trying to book a big star to do an interview on our show. But instead of just calling herassistant and asking for the interview, we’re making a video in which Larry speaks to her personally, explaining why he thinks
his show would be the best venue for her. In a similar fashion, we did videos for Jack Nicholson, Brad Pitt, Al Pacino, Bob
Dylan, Eminem, Amy Winehouse, and John Edwards.
The point is that a job is never done until you’ve completed the last detail.
C HAPTER 4
Organize, Organize, and Then… Organize Some More
I was at a dinner party recently at a friend’s home. I knew some of the people there, others I had never met, and I took my
place at the table with everyone else when dinner was ready. As we were all chatting, sipping wine, and enjoying some wonderful
food, a woman sitting beside me, probably in her midforties, caught my eye and said, “What do you do?”
“I’m a producer,” I answered.
A group of heads suddenly swerved in my direction. It seemed like everyone had gone silent, wide-eyed and expectant, waiting
for me to tell my story. When I explained to my new acquaintance (and everyone else who was listening) that I had been the
executive producer for
Larry King Live
for the past seventeen years, and CNN White House producer for ten years prior to that, so much attention got riveted on
me, I might as well have said I just got back from walking on the moon!
I have discovered over the years that with the right kind of organization, a person can pull off just about anything, from
a charity tennis tournament for the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation to a Soviet-US summit, to raising two active, demanding, and fabulous kids while producing one of the most watched television
programs in the world on cable. Being extremely well-organized is a tried-and-true formula that I have counted on in just
about every area of my life. In my opinion, it is the key to maintaining balance and success. Without organization, how could
I be devoted to raising my children while producing a daily show that rarely goes as planned and often requires a total reboot
with
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