What is a Film Producer?

When creating a film, regardless of whether it has a small or multi-million-dollar budget, there are many people involved in a variety of complex chains of command. One of the roles that is often displayed first when the end credits begin to roll, but almost no one is sure of its responsibilities, is that of the producer. In fact, producers have such a wide array of responsibilities that it is difficult to create one job description. For the most part, they are in charge of supervising the preproduction, production, and postproduction process of a movie on time and within the budget.

A lot of their work happens before the movie begins filming. While tasks are delegated to different producers based on their experiences and skills, this article will provide a general list of tasks. First, a film producer must procure a script or find a book that can be turned into a good movie. From there, they’ll want to make sure the film has adequate funding and then they will begin searching for a director. The producer(s), director(s), and other members of the team will then cast the actors for the roles. Simultaneously (or after casting), the producer will find locations and create a schedule for filming that fits the budget and the time commitment of the actors/director. Furthermore, they will also hire the rest of the creative team, crew, and cinematographers.

During production of the film, the producer will be tasked with working with the director, actors, and other crew members to facilitate the creative process. An ongoing responsibility will be to make sure the movie stays within its budget limitations. Once a movie finishes filming, it moves into the postproduction phase. During this time, the producer will aid in the editing process to reach a final version of the movie. Finally, they will negotiate distribution and advertising deals so that the movie reaches its target audience.