The Sims 4 Media Production Skill

Being an Actor in the Get Famous Expansion Pack

The Sims 4 Media Production skill in the Get Famous expansion pack
Media Production is a new skill in The Sims 4 Get Famous Expansion Pack

While being a minor skill, The Sims 4 Get Famous Media Production manages to make itself highly recommended for players building fame for their Sims. It doesn't have many levels to unlock, but it does integrate very well. Here's a guide to using it and abusing it to boost fame gains and add to your Sim's income.

How to: Media Production Cheats
Press Control + Shift + C then type testingcheats on and press enter. You can now set your skill level with stats.set_skill_level minor_mediaproduction x (fill in 1-5) or adultminor_mediaproduction x - we also have a full listing of Skill Cheats and a master list of Cheats in The Sims 4

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Media Production Video Guide

A guide to the Get Famous Expansion's Media Production Skill. Features information on music, video editing, and drones.

The Sims 4 Video

Getting Started: Three Ways

How to get started in the media production skill
How to get started? There are multiple ways. You can make music or vlogs, but equipment can be pricey.

There are a few ways to get into media production as there are about 3 sides to the skill. You need either me Mix Master Music Station ($1500) found under electronics > audio can be used as a stand-alone media production device and lets you mix musical tracks, that can then be released for fame and income.

I can say with some confidence that the second option will be more widely used, however. The More Views Video Station for $1600 found under electronics > misc allows Sims to create vlogs or modify video made via Drones (two models, $410 and $1200ish). You don't need a drone to make vlogs, but you do if you'd like to record anywhere but at your desk.

Use of a drone does require the video station to be fully functional. You'll want to upload any videos you produce, after all, but it can be used alone to stream live footage and increase your Sim's fame and followers however without a financial incentive. Use of a drone alone isn't going to do much for your actual skill levels.

Media Production Skill Levels

The skill only has five levels, as with all minor skills. That's not to say there isn't a lot for you to do here, it's just not incredibly deep. That doesn't impact its usefulness though!

  • Level 1 - Mix music at the mixmaster music station, produce videos and record drone footage.
  • Level 2 - Sims can now add transitions to videos at the video station. More mixes are available at the music station.
  • Level 3 - Add effects and combine views is now available at the video station
  • Level 4 - New types of tracks (genres?) become available at the music station.
  • Level 5 - It just say's you've mastered it.

What with only five levels and a disappointing max level message, it seems like such a boring skill with nothing to it. However, it's extremely useful for Sims who seek fame and provides a reliable revenue stream. Fame can't be built super fast with this alone, but it can be an extra addition to any Sim's routine that will provide a revenue and fame boost.

Mixing Music

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The Mix Master Music Station lets you release one song each day and provides both residual income and fame.

Music can be mixed at the station, and you do have some control over how it sounds via toggles found in the remix track menu. 'Produce Music' lets you pick a genre, and you can turn effects on and off from there. Selecting 'Burn Track' will give you a copy you can keep in your inventory. Also on the station is, Release Track which gives an instant fame boost and provides daily income. It would appear this option is only available once per day, but thankfully you're able to burn a copy of the music and store it in the Sim's inventory. You can then release it.

Even here, there's a bit more depth than meets the eye. When you release music, there's a chance a music label will like it and offer to sign you. Watch for a phone call. Once that is done, you need to release something every 3 or 4 days or else the label will drop you. Signing on provides more income and fame.

We can see why the delay of only 1 track per day exists, in that it's possible to repeatedly burn tracks without spending much time on them at all. See, "Produce" is not a timed event. You end it when you select burn or release. That means any Sim that gets on the station can release a song every day or stockpile them in their inventory and release one every day from there.

Using the Video Station

Access the video station's inventory to edit videos with the media production skill
Click the video station, then access its inventory to edit videos, add transitions and effects, and release your productions for fame and money.

Want to be a Youtuber or video producer? This lets you record and . If you only own the station, you're able to use it to film vlogs and upload videos produced via a drone. The quality and breakdown rate can be improved with upgrades, which are both purchasable and can be installed with handiness. You can, for example, directly buy a better camera for the station for $525. Drones can be upgraded as well.

First, vlogs (Record Video menu). Making vlogs is pretty cool as there are gadget (tech review), beauty, and toy review categories as well as emotional blogs you can do. Sims can also study trends to see what is hot and use either the record menu or a drone to get footage of that. Trends last several days (pay attention to the message to know when trends will be ending).

Drones aren't required to do media production
Drones aren't required to do Media Production, but you can get fame doing skills outside the home if you bring one along. This Sim is recording a vlog while in the mood. Confident, happy or sad, Sims can record and share with their subscribers/followers.

There is menu for Posting updates. Responding to comments can give a fame boost, and you can seemingly help your older videos by promoting them. Hype next video will help your next video's popularity (giving it a permanent 15% revenue boost), You can seemingly only use this menu once per day, so if it disappears nothing is broken. When it's there, use it.

Once you have a video, use the video station inventory button to edit video, and add transitions and effects. You'll have to open the inventory a lot to add the effects, it gets a bit repetitive. However, once you have done all this a 'poor' video may turn to 'good' if things work out well for your Sim. At that point, you can use the stations video inventory to release it to the public and get an instant fame boost as well as residual income and followers for your social media. Earnings come in every day at 10am. The station can hold a number of videos, but upgrading it with handiness increases the capacity.

Drones

Drones in Media Production for the Get Famous Expansion
Two models of drone are available. The white one is better in every way but costs 3x as much.

Drones can be used to do a few things. First and my least favorite is to send it out to film the neighborhood on its own. You have to pay attention to where it goes, or else it can be lost. This video can be brought home and uploaded if you have a video station (required). However, you can also stream with it. Streaming adds fame and followers for every hour or two you use it. The small trickles of fame can help you to get started and take a good fame perk to further your rise as a celebrity.

Drones can also follow you or other Sims around and record their actions. Be mindful of their battery and put them in your inventory when done. If you use a particular type of skill, the video will be labeled as such. You can then upload this video to take advantage of a trend. Sims who don't even care about media production, such as fishermen, can use this to give themselves some fame! Whether streaming or recording the drone will follow you. Streaming doesn't provide income, but trickles of fame. Recording can give you a lump sum of fame and residual income. The higher the quality the more fame you'll get, so upgrade the drone's camera!

Fame Perks

We have a full list of Fame perks on the site, but it's worth noting here that they can be important if you want to get famous using media production whether you are doing vlogs, music, or recording yourself outside doing archaeology (yep that can be done). Take the Corporate Partnership perk first, as it can provide more fame to you as well as a bump in earnings. Next up, the Established Name perk can also boost residual earnings. Watch for opportunities for certain types of videos, and also attend award ceremonies should one of your videos be nominated!

Latest Get Famous Guides

New - Celestial Crystal Crown Effects and Quirk Removal
New - Fame Quirks
New - Media Production
Fame Perks Guide
Becoming a Star: The Celebrity Fame System Explained
Actor Career in Get Famous
Acting Skill in Get Famous
Get Famous Cheats

Sims 4 Skill Guides

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Comments (13)

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New
NickDavidson199says...
Thanks for the guide. Really helped me out a  lot thank you Carl's Guide
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New
The letter lsays...
I still have some doubts, is the combine videos function ever useful? How are tags assigned?
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Admin
Playlotsays...
Mostly I have had combined videos decrease in value, that might improve with a RNG chance element. By tag's do you mean what the game recognizes as a Happy Vlog as opposed to something else? If so..whatever mood your sim is in towards the end of the video seems to be assigned. Travel Videos are the ones where your sims sends a drone around their neighborhood and skill videos are whatever skill your sim is practicing at the time.
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New
Aaron Byrnesays...
Combining them makes them higher quality if combined correctly.....I've combined piano, violin, guitar, and inspired vlog which, after editing, effects, brought it to excellent. Travel combined with photography upped the quality. Home-style cooking with gourmet (also with fishing for whatever reason) combined with inspirational vlog. Just try the combos, a good way to practice is to cheat videos, shift click on the video editor and click "create video" it will spawn random video's of fair quality, test the combo's using those. One thing I've noticed is skill video combined with corresponding emotional v-log (computer review (or electronics it may be called) combined with focus v-log....or painting combined with inspirational....etc) seems to work. Sorry this post is poorly written, I'm a bit tired, but hope it helps.

One thing I can't figure out is how to get a drone video above poor quality.
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Admin
Playlotsays...
Upgrading the drone (handiness skill) increases the chances of producing a higher quality video.
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New
Tim Collinssays...
Am I suppose to be hearing sound from the music station, because I hear nothing coming from it and it doesn't even play the track when selected to play the track. Is this a bug or intentional?
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Admin
Playlotsays...
Yes, the music is actually pretty good. make sure your Options Menu>Game Options>Audio>Master Volume/Object Music/Music sliders are set to high enough so you hear music while in live mode.
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New
Aaron Byrnesays...
also, check your music volume in settings. I turned mine down and no longer heard anything, then turned it back up and sound was back. It's volume corresponds to the music volume (which sucks because I like it turned down so it doesn't play when traveling etc.)
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New
Shirsays...
Hey can teens do vlogs? And can they earn money from it?
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Admin
Playlotsays...
Yes and yes.
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Regular
Sarahsays...
For some reason, every time that I upload a video and I reply to comments, the other time I'm doing it I Have to restart my pc because the options to reply and promote only appear once!
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Regular
Zerosays...
Seems to be a glitch where using 2 drones can cause the battery on the drone to stay fully charged. The drone stops after running out of battery but the instant it lands the battery is fully charged.
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Admin
Playlotsays...
Yeah, I have this in my game to. Not bothered about it enough to report it as it works in my favor! Link here (click) if you do want to make an official Bug Report though :)
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Regular
Sarahsays...
But how can you make it your advantage? In my opinion it's awful starting sims and later have to restart it just to reply comments
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Admin
Playlotsays...
My reply was to Zero about having 2 drones on one lot :)..your issue, Sarah, is not a bug, it is just how the game works, you will have to choose between either replying to comments or promoting videos. There is a cool down after making the choice, after the cool down finishes you can then make the choice again.
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New
Caitiesays...
Does anyone know the exact difference between the two types of drones? I think the "better" one is ugly and a little too cutesy for my game, and much prefer the look (and the price tag) of the more traditional looking drone; but if the more expensive drone consistently takes much better quality videos or something I'll pony up and live with the ultra kawaii look.
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Admin
Playlotsays...
No difference to video/blog quality, the only difference is the look and price.
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New
Caitiesays...
Thank you, Playlot!
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Admin
Playlotsays...
yw Smile
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Regular
Zerosays...
A bit confused on determining the income gain from releasing videos. when making videos your charisma increases but when releasing the video the media production skill increases so do both skills determine the residual income? Or is the residual income based on number of followers?
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Admin
Playlotsays...
Good question but I haven't got a clue. I'll pass this one onto Carl and see if he has any insight. It seems like the amount increases simply with quality of the uploaded video but I may be incorrect.
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New
BL00DIEDHELLsays...
"There is menu for Posting updates. Responding to comments can give a fame boost, and you can seemingly help your older videos by promoting them. Hype next video will help your next video's popularity (giving it a permanent 15% revenue boost), You can seemingly only use this menu once per day, so if it disappears nothing is broken. When it's there, use it."

This isn't actually a once a day thing! You CAN use it multiple times a day - however, the menu only reappears once you've gone through a loading screen. Tried it out myself. Doesn't matter if it's another lot, reloading, going into CAS - any loading screen will do.
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Admin
Playlotsays...
Going through a loading screen is considered a game exploit - which is fine if you want to play that way - no judgment, but it is considered cheating for those people playing legacies or other such 'competition challenges'. Carl tends to not mention game exploits in his guides unless they are unusual. Loading screens will refresh many aspects of a sims life, whims, timed activities, and some game glitches too.
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New
Castoelsays...
Am I the only one annoyed by the video intentory on the Video Station closing every time I click on for example "Edit Video" and the video inventory closes and I have to open it again to click on the same video to do add Effects and Transitions? I think it should stay open until you close it yourself.
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New
TaikaJamppasays...

One question!

I had a famous sim, Judith Ward, move in with my sims (just for the hell of it, she’s such a DIVA!), and I got an idea: have her do videos, then get my OTHER sim(s) to edit and upload them? I mean, does it matter who does the video, really?

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New
Kennethsays...

Hello

I want to know which one gives more money

Releasing track or releasing video

Does releasing video also pay per day?

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Admin
Playalotsays...

Video and it will give your sim a return every day for 7 days.

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New
Nataliesays...

This is great info. But I have a question. When I first bought the video station it worked fine but I moved to another house and since then I can't use it. When I click on record the sim shows a bubble over her as she cant get to it. I tried moving around to different places but it's the same thing. Any ideas as to why this is happening?

Admin:

No idea but I've seen this bug a few times with different objects recently. Try buying a new one and see if that works



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