Jeremy Levin

“We go off the rails, that’s part of [our show],” Jeremy Levin says. “Sometimes it turns better, sometimes it turns worse. That’s part of an unscripted show.” 

“You can’t be scared to not go there.” 

Live TV production, with its edge and fast pace, is the groundwork that lets our on-camera guests have such great careers. Jeremy Levin works behind the camera as a coordinating producer at Turner Sports. He oversees and produces shows like Inside the NBA and NBA on TNT. 

In his interview, Jeremy talks about how he found his home behind the camera, what makes a good crew, and how a highly-acclaimed show like Inside the NBA is put together. 

Time Stamps 

21:32 - Inside the NBA and the process to create the show

22:11 - How many people work behind the scenes on Inside the NBA?

25:10 - As a producer, what is one element that your production crew must have?

26:24 - What is an associate director?

27:53 - What makes guys like Kevin Harlan, Bob Rathbun, etc. so good in your mind?

29:54 - What’s the process of developing the humorous graphics in the show?

32:01 - Why do you believe you are more suited for behind the scenes than in front of the camera?

32:57 - Do you and the crew ever struggle with Ernie and the main guys getting most of the public attention?

33:40 - As someone behind the scenes, what do you think is the best trait that someone on screen can have?

34:29 - Why does the A-block of Inside have a full 3-5 min highlight?

36:01 - Who’s your favorite exec at Turner?

36:10 - If you didn’t work for television, what would you do for a living?

40:25 - Can you explain the working relationship between the producer and the director?

41:49 - How do you keep an unscripted show from going off the rails?

42:48 - Advice for putting a reel together

43:17 - What is one crucial mistake you made when producing a show or film project? How did you recover?

44:36 - How much do you work with NBA or individual teams’ Communications and PR staff?

45:47 - What decisions go into choosing specific talent?

46:47 - What advice do you have for someone in high school trying to get ahead in the business?

47:39 - Being authentic if you’re working for a network team that has a vested interest? How can you keep telling those stories and find your authentic voice?

48:28 - What are the steps of production: production meetings, talking in Ernie’s ear and so on?

50:52 - How do you communicate with Ernie?

51:49 - How did production work when the league abruptly shut down?