Definition of production director

individual responsible for the production activities of an advertising agency, advertiser, publisher, or broadcast station. A production director supervises the production department and staff, and has ultimate responsibility for the scheduling and quality of all advertising from the mechanical stage. A production director must have knowledge of the mechanical requirements of publications, engravings, printing, and typography, since he must evaluate printing bids, approve invoices, order photoengraving, and ost effectively produce four-color work. The production director's expertise has a great bearing on curtailing unnecessary expenses, since proper economy can be achieved by choosing the right suppliers, papers, and production methods. For example, when producing a four-color piece, the production director must select the lowest bidder with the highest quality work, prepare the work for reproduction by choosing the right methods and materials, and carefully check the specifications and quality of the finished advertisement before it is released to publication.