Industry Pro: Television Producer Lynn Hughes

Today’s subject, Lynn Hughes, started by interning at a theater in Chicago and then, while working as a Production Assistant in the London theater district, had an encounter with a Monty Python icon that spun her out of classical music training and into a successful career as a producer. Read on for more on her path…

Location: Washington, DC

Current position:  I’m an independent filmmaker who produces content for broadcast, private industry, and government. If it’s an interesting project, I’ll take it. I have a couple of series in development for cable outlets and just completed a bunch of videos for corporate and government clients. I was also recently in Sweden speaking on media and literacy at the World Summit on Media for Children and Youth.

College & degree:  Northwestern, BA in Speech (with a concentration in Theater)

Internship:  I interned at the Goodman Theater in Downtown Chicago.

First job in the entertainment industry:  I worked as a PA (called “runner” there) in the London Theater district.

First job out of college:  At Arena Stage in Washington, as the Assistant Production Manager. (I actually started in the box office to get my foot in the door and then moved into that position.)

What made you want to be a producer? I figured that out in college, I think. There was a point where I knew I had the right mindset, and that I was the person who could get everything done. I never even thought about it. I just jumped into. Somebody needed someone to organize everything and I just started into it.

Career path:  I moved into education when my first son was born. I went to work as a theater teacher at a private boys’ school, then I went to Howard University for a teaching position. While I was there, I got an opportunity at Time-Life, where I had temped one summer earlier in my career.

It was the greatest job in the world. I was the Executive Assistant to the vice presidents of Marketing, Business Affairs, and Production. I learned everything I know about the television business from those three people. They had two series in development, one at Warner Bros. and one at NBC. I would help cast re-enactments for the Production VP. I would proof the broadcast and distribution contracts for the Business Affairs VP and act as a sales assistant, since ancillary sales were done by that office. For the Marketing VP, I processed the focus testing results and helped her put together the reports.

I also got to read the trades and clip relevant articles, read project submissions, and go on sales calls. I ended up representing Time-Life on the Time Warner Educational Task Force, doing outreach and designing and giving away 30,000 educational kits to pre-schools and kindergartens. Unfortunately, once the Time-Warner merger happened, the television department was folded.

I freelanced for a couple of years after that, and then I got a call from a placement agency that BET needed a producer with a musical background. I went on the interview which ended up being for a hip hop show called “Rap City.” Though I am a classically trained musician and did not know much about hip hop at all, the series producer and I just hit it off and I produced the international version of the show for two seasons. (And during that time, became a hip hop junkie.)

After that, I went to BBC America. I was the supervising producer in the programming department. I was there for about three years and then I got called to work in Discovery’s international division. I ran a department that made sure all the programs from all the Discovery channels that went to air in the UK and other international markets met with the guidelines of those territories. The European version of the FCC is very stringent. My department rebuilt the programs and made them appropriate for the international market.

I left there to start a production company with Richard Dreyfuss, who I’d met through a program on the History channel. He wanted to do documentaries and I advised him on that. Illumine was a small company that produced educational TV programs (one for the History Channel) and live presentations which he would give at various venues. This was for about four or five years.

I went independent after that and have done a couple of small series for Animal Planet. I’ve recently been involved more in educational outreach, and I’m writing a lot. That’s where the media literacy thing came in. I just did a presentation on the topic, “What is the responsibility of the media makers to their market?” I’m getting hooked on digital distribution and non-traditional outlets as well.

Big break:  For television, I have to say it was getting hired at BBC America. There were a chain of events that got me there, but for me that was pivotal. I really blossomed. The team that was there taught me to understand story in a way I hadn’t before. And because it wasn’t an American broadcaster, it allowed me to look at things from a whole new perspective.

Eureka moment (when you realized you did or did not want to do something or that you should do something differently, etc.):  When I was in London, I was training as a classical musician (piano and flute) when I got the PA job. I was in an elevator going up to the Monty Python offices and the door opened and John Cleese was standing there with his staff and cast. He was telling a joke and I arrived just as the punchline hit and everyone doubled over in laughter.

Describe a typical work day in your current position:  I make myself have a routine. I get up and have tea and read the headlines on every newspaper and the trades, then I go through email. By noon, I make myself start writing or editing or scheduling, doing nuts and bolts of whatever the task is, depending upon where I am in the process.

Worst job (or day) in entertainment industry:  I was in Cuba covering a music event. I had a bunch of interviews lined up (including Bonnie Raitt and Jimmy Buffet). There was a point at which I was told I couldn’t shoot and I was being sent out of the country. I was out there on a limb doing the story already and I didn’t have a lot of flexibility. I had to solve the problem or I was going home. (I did.)

Best job (or day) in entertainment industry:My best job was doing the Tibetan Freedom Concert hosted by the Beastie Boys at RFK in DC. I was covering it for BET. Lightning struck the stadium and blew out the system on the MTV production truck and they were lost. The studio I was editing out of was just a few blocks away. I grabbed the MTV production manager and let them come and cut there so they could get on air that night. It was a great moment. I didn’t want to see them lose the moment.  It was such a great lineup- and so much fun.

Best thing about your current job: The freedom. I make my own schedule.

Worst thing about your current job: The freedom. I make my schedule. You really have to be disciplined and some days you just don’t want to be disciplined.

Brush with greatness (can be a celebrity encounter or just being exposed to someone being brilliant at what they do): My former boss at BBC America (who I went to Discovery with). Her name is Liz Barron. She was then the Vice President of Programming. She is my touchstone. I was in awe of her the first day I met her. She has taught me so much, not just about work, but about life.

Secret of your success/advice to the newbie: Find people who are smarter than you and surround yourself with them. Know your strengths and weaknesses and find people who can complement the former and make up for the latter.

Next move: The thing about being a broadcast professional that I don’t think enough people are talking about is that you can’t be stuck in one area. I was lucky in that I was trained as an Avid editor, but I’ve made myself learn Final Cut and am now teaching myself to shoot. I don’t want to see a story come to me and not be able to cover it, and I don’t want someone to make an offer to me and have me have to say no because they can’t afford a big budget. I still prefer collaborating. I really like working with a good DP, a good editor, a skilled writer. But we just can’t afford that these days.

I’m also getting more involved in advocacy, looking to build a community digital learning center, perhaps tackle the local journalism conundrum with some area leaders. I’ve been speaking about media literacy and most recently represented Discovery Channel’s Global Educational Partnership at the World Summit on Media for Children and Youth in Sweden. Trying to find the balance (and the means) to do both advocacy and production is a challenge.  But I feel pretty strongly about issues like net neutrality and tackling the digital divide, so I’m sure I will find a way to move forward with both.

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