What Does A Producer Do: 8 Best Reasons To Be One

What Does A Producer Do? We see such amazing films and shows on screen which feature our favourite actors and actresses but we sometimes forget to appreciate the ones behind the screen and deliver us the best entertainment possible.

You may have seen the names of different types of producers at the end of the credits of a movie or a show, but have you wondered what are their roles and how they look after the process, what does a producer do right from the pre-production to the release of the movie.

Well, this blog will be all about answering some of the most asked questions about a career as a producer. We will discuss what does a producer do? Why there are different types of producers? What are their roles and responsibilities? Is being a producer a good career option? The advantages and disadvantages of being a producer and many more such questions. So if you are someone who is looking forward to having a career in TV shows and film production then stick around.

You may have heard terms like an executive producer, associate producer, supervising producer, and so on but have you wondered what’s the difference between all of them? What does a producer do and why they have different names? They all have different functions and roles which are necessary for the production of any film or show. So without any further, a due let’s start from the basics.

What Does A Producer Do?

A producer is someone who is important for the production of a film, Tv show, or web series, without them the process would be incomplete. A producer’s role is to look after different aspects of production like finance, logistics, scripts, administration, and editing, and make sure that the film/web show gets completed on time. The role of a producer is not just for one stage of production but in every stage right from pre-production to post-production.

They can be someone who may work independently or with a production company. They are the ones who look after whether the production schedule is being followed or not, they supervise and make sure that everything is good to go after the project has been completed.

As now we understood what does a producer do next we will see the roles and responsibilities of a producer in different stages of a film or a show production

1. Pre-Production Stage

What does a producer do In this stage of production? a producer gathers everyone who is required to make a film like the writers, director, creative team, cinematographers, and so on. They are the ones who approve who will be hired for the production process.

They also look after the budget part and arrange finances, approve locations as per requirements of the film, and finalize the scripts and production schedules, if the script has some flaws then they can change or improvise it by hiring a script doctor.

2. Production Stage

What does a producer do In the production stage? the producer’s job is to make sure that film production is under the budget that was decided and stays on schedule. If there are any queries or doubts any cast member is facing they can always ask the producer, as they not only manage the production but also gives assistance to those who need it.

3. Post-Production Stage

What does a producer do in post-production stage? They are  involved in the editing part and to complete the overall process of production. Here the producer’s responsibility is to look at whether the final outcome is ready to be released or not.

The producer can ask the team to do necessary changes in a film, reshoot a scene that isn’t properly done, additional scenes to be filmed, or change an ending if required, they can get these things done so that people enjoy an excellent experience while watching.

Advantages Of Being A Film Producer

Now that we are familiar with the answer of what does a producer do let’s look at its benefits.

1. Creative process: To make a good film it’s important to be open-minded and creative at all times so that you create something which is out of the box and express your creativity in front of the world in the form of a film or a show
2. Like-minded people: when you work with people who are just like you and share a common interest like a film or music, you eventually connect. In a work environment like the film industry you get to know and learn different things from the people who work with you.
3. Connect with diverse people: not just like-minded but also you meet people who come from various paths of life and background.
4. Create your own name: Expressing your ideas, thoughts, and creativity through the means of film and putting it in front of the world to watch, allows you to make a name for yourself.
5. Various opportunities: this field opens a lot of opportunities for you, as you connect with various people and make films/shows that entertain and inspire.
6. Good earning: Making films is not an easy job and at the initial stage of being a producer you may get stuck at finding the right team or how to go about the whole production thing, but as you gain experience, learn new things & make a name for yourself you can earn a lot through it.

Disadvantages Of Being A Film Producer

 

1. Responsibility: If you take up a film project, it’s your responsibility to complete it under the decided budget and time. You are responsible for the project’s success and failure.
2. Creativity is not enough: Yes creativity matters in every part of production but also do marketing skills. Because if you don’t know how to market your movie or show to your audience you won’t be able to get the required response from them, even after putting so much time, money, and energy into the project.
3. Pressure: A producer may face a lot of pressure about how the movie will perform at the box office and will it get the needed response or not, if it fails then what. Also, there is a lot of pressure regarding budget, getting things done rightly, completing things on time, hiring people who are best at what they do, managing and supervising different stages in production, and so on.
4. Competition: there is so much competition in the industry that sometimes it becomes difficult to survive for the long term in this field.
5. Less time for yourself and socializing: Making a movie or a web show is a tough job you got to be there on the sets each and every day, and the overall process of production takes months or even a year to complete. So you don’t get much time for yourself or to socialize with your friends or family.
6. Lack of benefits: Income in this field is not steady and also if you work solely as a producer then you don’t receive any benefits related to retirement, insurance, and so on.

Types Of Film Producers

1. Executive Producer

The executive producers are someone who looks after the management of finances and the budget. Their other duties include supervising producers under them and managing all the business sides of the film.

Producers who work for films are those who are given credit for bringing in investors or funding the movie. Other producers of a web show or tv show are given credit for their creative abilities which can be for having a part in writing, scripting, crewing, and so on.

Now you may wonder what is the difference between an executive producer and normal producers, aren’t their duties similar. So the answer is no their duties differ from each other as an executive producer is someone who comes at the top level in the hierarchy of producers, they work with different types of producers but their work is not the same. That we will be looking at below as we understand the duties of different producers.

Responsibilities Of Executive Producers Are:

1. As a movie producer, you need to bring funding for the films it can be your own money, a studio’s money, or an investor’s money who is interested in the project.
2. To recruit the right talent it can be a writer, other producers, cast, directors, and so on.
3. To make sure the film goes by the brand values and image of the studio or organization
4. To provide assistance on a creative level and budgetary things.
5. During the post-production stage, the executive producer doesn’t have much to do, they just watch the final output of the movie and provide feedback to the editors so that in case of mistakes they can make it right.

2. Line Producer

They are hired by an executive producer at an early stage of pre-production. They manage the daily activities during the production period. The line producer job description is huge as they look after various departments in a production of an ad film, feature films, or a tv show.

Other producers report to the line producer for their tasks. A line producer also manages the logistics and other operations. They take care of all activities right from the development stage to when the movie is wrapped and sent for distribution.

 The Responsibilities Of The Line Producer Are As Follows:

1. They have to take out a budget depending upon the script which is finalized
2. To create a rough schedule by seeing the script and knowing how much budget it will cost, what will be the location, days, timing, and the characters required.
3. Also not only do they have to take care of the budget of the film but also other expenses like food for the crew, their salaries, and so on.
4. After all, this comes the pre-production stage where the line producer sets up a production company and along with the director breaks down the script.
5. They create proper schedules and allocate the proper budgets to different stages of a film.
6. Recruits the team which is necessary to make a film like the director, actors, costume designer and others
7. They make sure everything is on track by being updated by different department heads and by providing them with the required assistance.
8. They also make sure that everyone is getting paid on time
9. Further, they think about the post-production phase and the hiring of editors, music composers, and other crew which is required to complete the movie.

3. Assistant Producer/ Associate Producer

An assistant producer’s duty is to supervise every aspect of production to make sure everything is going smoothly. They coordinate with staff and look after the day-to-day creative operation of a film.

They manage the creative and business aspects of the production company. They also conduct research about the locations which would be suitable for the shoot and comes under the movie budget.

Also, they make casting calls with different agencies to hire the apt talent for the project and they also look after the overall auditioning process. They assist the producer in the production process. They make changes in the script if any and work with the post-production team in the selection of shots.

Responsibilities Of An Assistant Producer Or Associate Producer Include:

1. As an assistant/associate producer you may be involved in the production process right from the start till the end.
2. To find the best scripts, hire some great talent, look after logistics, and set up a location for the shoot.
3. If you are an assistant tv producer your role includes pitching stories and editing them if required.
4. They also help with the promotions of the film or tv shows.
5. To coordinate with other producers and departments.
6. Help the editing team in sorting out final shots.
7. To organize and implement production schedules.

4. Segment Producer

Before we proceed further on what a segment producer let’s just understand what you mean by a segment. A segment mostly occurs in television news programs, game shows, talk shows, and so on.

Where the first show you a segment followed by other and which is not related to each other. For eg Lip Sync Battle with Emma Stone on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon show they are not related to one another but they are topic-specific and come in the same program.

The work of the segment producer is related to these segments they find subjects for these segments and also guests who will speak on that particular topic. These segments are sometimes live or pre-recorded. They make scripts for the same and also edit the segments sometimes when needed.

Responsibilities Of A Segment Producer Include:

1. Interviewing different guests and people for shows and news stories.
2. To sit with the post-production team to edit the segments, keeping in mind the guidelines of the production company.
3. They need to pitch people to come to their segment, also they need to record footage for the segment.
4. They need to make sure that people who appear on the segment are aware of what the segment is about.
5. Also, it’s their duty to use their creative skills and put out in-depth and informative news in front of the audience.
6. Also, they write scripts, create graphics for segments, and approach guests for it.

5. Co-producers

What does a producer do? Co-producers works with producers. Co-producers make sure that the crew has all the necessary things before starting the project, so the operations run smoothly. They work along with the producer to produce a movie under budget and also manage the team. They are involved in various activities like taking care of funds, finding locations & recruiting the best team.

As the name suggests a co-producer is someone who jointly produces a film or a tv show with other producers. Sometimes they also invest in a film project or act as a second-line producer, & they devote their time & skills to producing movies. They have a major involvement in taking all the decisions about the production.

Responsibilities Of A Co-producer Include:

1. To manage the overall operations of film production, supervise the crew & provide them with the necessary equipment if they need any.
2. To check if there is any kind of problem at the time of production or if anyone is facing any issue, then they have to sort it out.
3. To take care that the given budget is followed, and the film should produce under the budget.
4. They oversee the production along with their equal partner (the producer with whom they are working jointly)
5. To keep a track of the money spent in different areas of production.
6. Co-producers are either second-line producers or investors so their responsibilities vary in what role they perform.

Who Is A Unit Production Manager And How They Are Different From Line Producers

Now that we got the answer of the question what does a producer do let’s see the difference between unit production manager and line producer

The unit production manager is someone who is hired by the film producer or tv show producers, they make sure everything is going according to the budget, manage daily activities, decide and schedule the shooting, look after the production reports, and so on. Now you may wonder doesn’t this responsibility sounds a little similar to line producers. Let us clear this out for you.

In simple words, line producers deal much with the execution part whereas the unit production manager looks after how things will be implemented. Directors guild of America gave this title of unit production manager to its below-the-line staff. They are physically present on the set and assist the director in making sure everything goes smoothly and the vision of a movie is brought to life. They don’t have much of a responsibility related to the creative process or aspect of the film but they look after the administration.

Now that the idea of what does a producer do let’s look further into how’s it’s like being a producer in a film or television industry.

Is Being A Producer A Good Career Option And Should One Go For It

As now you got a clear idea on what does a producer do , it’s time to know about is being a producer is a great option in today’s world.Just like other career fields being a producer comes with a lot of responsibility and it’s not really an easy job. In today’s world entertainment industry is booming, and people too love to have a career in a field that is creative. Here are 8 reasons why pursuing a career as a producer is a good option

1. To guide the cast and crew in the production process, everyone in the project works hard and gives their best but producers are important for any kind of production may it be a film or a tv show because they show you the way of what will work and what won’t which is necessary to achieve the desired goals of a project
2. You get to work with creative people and get to learn more about the process of filmmaking. You may not always have your favorite people around at all times for different projects but you get to meet and connect with new/famous people.
3. A producer’s job requires a lot of dedication, commitment & responsibility, they work long hours for months or even a year sometimes to create that 2hours movie that the audience watch on screens. It’s a lot of hard work.
4. Though filmmaking is a very tiring process, it’s a fun process as well as it showcases the creative skills of the whole team.
5. Shoots can be at any location for a film, this gives you an opportunity to travel around the world and explore different cultures which also helps you in getting some creative ideas about your next project.
6. The audience watches the movie which the whole cast and crew made, but people behind the scenes actually get the chance to watch how the whole project unfolds.
7. You get to know well-known people they can be writers, directors, screenwriters, actors, cinematographers & so on.
8. Also, there are various types of producers so you can go for the one that aligns with your interests.

Final Note

With this we come to an end of this blog of what does a producer do producing a movie or a show is an exciting job to do, you get to bring the ideas that you thought to real life. So if you are someone who has an interest in this field then go for it.

That’s it for today’s Blog I hope this blog answered the what does a producer do? question and you got to know about this field from a career path perspective as well. Thanks for reading!