040: How Do You Direct Non-Scripted TV? (with TV director Steve Abramson)

Until you find a groove getting hired for narrative projects, most directors make their money in the non-scripted world. How can you make the most from your time doing non-scripted work? How can you help your interview subjects feel at ease? How do you know what b-roll to film? How can you keep your set running smoothly? And how does all of that translate to your narrative film work? We’ll talk about all that and more with TV director Steve Abramson on this episode of the working director podcast.

(Episode 40)

Hosted by Director/Producer⁠⁠ Jenn Page.⁠⁠

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More on Steve:

Steve Abramson a multiple award-winning Television Director for over four decades.

 For 16 seasons, he directed at Dr. Phil, including two episodes on location in New Orleans examining the one-year aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  He also directed hundreds of segments, telling the stories of countless guests.

He has a wealth of experience directing, writing, and producing for many acclaimed television shows for NBC,CBS, Fox, A&E, Disney Channel, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, FoodNetwork, and SyFy.  His A&E Biography of the Amistad revolt leader, “Cinque: Freedom Fighter,” was nominated for the prestigious NAACP Image Award.

Other credits include Sightings, A&E Top 10, Disney’s American Teacher Awards, CBS Morning News, The Christopher Lowell Show, Name Your Adventure, and Calling All Cooks.  He’s earned one Emmy nomination along the way.

He’s been an active member of the DGA for 30+ years and the PGA for 20+ years.  He’s also been a member of the Television Academy for over 30 years, where he served on the Directors Peer Group Executive Committee and the Primetime Awards Committee for nearly 10 years.  He’s also moderated the "Directing For Television" panel for the annual TV Academy Faculty Seminar, and judged candidates for the Academy Foundation’s esteemed Intern program.

Steve is most proud and fortunate to have interviewed nearly 80 television pioneers for the TV Academy’s prestigious oral history project, The Interviews, including Steve Binder, Pat Boone, Mark Burnett, Jonathan Murray, Richard Chamberlain, Dick Enberg, Tom Freston, Louis J. Horvitz, Arthur Hiller, Cliff Robertson, William Shatner, Nichelle Nichols, Suzanne Somers, Adam West, Patty Duke and Larry King.