Producer Careers Information
Producers are responsible for coordinating many aspects of television and film content creation. They can oversee script writing and editing, audio production, and cinematography, as well as many off-camera aspects of production.
Producers help coordinate budgets, oversee the work of support staff, and often have a hand in marketing and advertising of their projects.
Producer Careers & Degrees
- Art Institutes: The Art Institute of Atlanta
- Associates: Video Production (AA)
- Bachelors: Audio Production (BA)
- Bachelors: Digital Filmmaking & Video Production (BFA)
Brown Mackie College: Cincinnati, OH
So how does a producer create a new project? Well, every TV series and movie is different, but generally speaking, the procedure follows the same order. The producer develops an idea or script, or secures the rights to an existing script.
Producers then seek financing from studios or investors while simultaneously assembling the crew and the cast. He or she also assembles postproduction crews,hiring video editors and sound editors, commissioning music, and much more.
The producer’s input during the actual creation of the film or show depends on his relationship with the director, sometimes, the producer is very hands-on, other times, they simply sit back and watch the magic happen.
Throughout producer careers, the producer is responsible for maintaining the budget, sticking to the production timeline, encouraging the project’s stars, and coordinating publicity for the project
Producer Careers Path
A bachelor’s degree can be quite helpful for a producer, particularly a degree in film or composition. However, it is not required by the industry.
In fact, the most important aspect of a college degree for an aspiring producer may be the experience gained outside of the classroom: working at a college radio station, in the university theater department, or taking on video-production projects or working in the college cable TV station, if there is one.
Producers often get their start as assistant producers, providing clerical support and background research, ensuring schedules are adhered to so as not to run over the production timetable, and at times even operating cameras or audio equipment.
Producer Careers Compatible Personality Traits
Combination of an artistic eye and a keen attention to clerical details, strong personality and the ability to get one’s point across forcefully but fairly, excellent communications skills, passion and knowledge of film and television history, strong management and operational skills
Producer Careers Salary Expectations
The median annual salary for producers is $64,430, with the middle 50% earning between $41,890 and $105,070 per year. Those working on larger projects or with large production houses can expect to earn much higher salaries, but such positions only come with proven success in the industry.
Producer Careers Job Outlook
Employment within television and film production is expected to increase by 10% by 2018, which is as fast as the average of all careers. As the television and film industries continue to consolidate, there are fewer and fewer positions available to new talent.
Further, new technology has, as in many other areas, made it possible for fewer people to do the work that many more used to do.
Though job competition will be fierce, there will always be a place in television and film for dedicated and talented young producers.
Slightly off the Footpath
- Line Producer
- Art Director
- Operations Manager
- Project Manager
- Assistant Producer
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Psychologists, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos093.htm (visited November 3, 2011).
