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The Insider's Scoop The film producer. What does a film producer do? Well, most people in my own family don't even know and I've been doing it for 20 years, so I guess it's about time I explained it.
Most people I know have come to producing through the ranks of the production department—production assistants, coordinators, production managers, assistant directors, assistant producers, and associate producers. In commercials the freelance producer is usually hired after there is a script, a director, and even a budget. A creative team at an advertising agency has created the concept and usually lots of lawyers and client managers have approved it by the time you are hired. The producer is then given the task of working with the director to bring their vision of the spot to life. Building a house is a good analogy to creating a TV commercial. The producer on a commercial shoot is much like the project manager who works for the general contractor on a construction project. The future homeowner (the client) wants to build a house (TV commercial). The homeowner hires an architect (ad agency) to draw up plans (commercial scripts). The homeowner (client) and architect (agency) work together to choose a plan (script) to build (produce). The architect (ad agency) hires a designer (director) and general contractor (production company). The contractor (production company) hires a project manager (producer) to implement the plans (script). The project manager (producer) meets with the interior designer (director) to assess their vision and the specific requirements for the project. Then the project manager (producer) hires the sub-contractors (crew and vendors) required for the job. Much like building a house, each commercial has a lot of standard work to be done, but each project is an original. Some houses (commercials) are big, some small, some contemporary, some rustic, some expensive, some not.
The producer's role is basically the same for short films as it is for feature films. Short films are typically less than 30 minutes long. I've produced two short films through the 48-Hour Film Project: White Bitch Down and Moved . This fast paced project is great for producers because there is a deadline and time limit for the finished movie that forces filmmakers to get it done and to boil down the story to its core. A great script is key. After discovering—or hammering out—a great script, it's time to get the money raised and start talking to actors, distributors and maybe studios about the project. The producers work with all of the various players to make the deal happen. They talk with production funds, actors, directors, distributors, investors, co-production funds, product placement agents, musicians and anybody else they can to get their movie made. The producers hire and supervise everyone. They supervise the entire production, through editorial as well as the marketing and eventual sale of the film to a distributor. Along this journey there are many, many experts who are instrumental to producing movies. Movie making is a collaborative medium, and producers work hand-in-hand with literally hundreds of people throughout the process. Spending the time in pre-production to get it right—whether that's in refining the script, interviewing crew, or more casting—is absolutely vital. There's an old saying: “Perfect the script. Then cast it perfectly.” I want to add, “Crew it perfectly,” too. My personal credo has been: hire the right people and let them do their jobs. Producing is pretty much an on-the-job trained profession. If you want to become a producer, pay attention to the jobs you work on. Take notes and see what works and what doesn't. You can learn a lot from watching other producers. Producing is one of the most amazing jobs on the planet. I've been all over the world as a producer and have enjoyed every bit of it. Well, almost every bit… Richard Sampson |
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