I get this question all the time. So let”s take a look at your various producer credits. While there are no limits to the number of producing positions, they are valuable industry credits and should not be given out too hastily.

Executive Producer (EP)

The EP is usually either the money guy or the connection guy. If you put $5M into a film, chances are you are an EP. However, you could just as easily put a production company together with 10 investors that each invest $500k and you would still be an EP.

Producer (and Co-Producers)

The Producer(s) is the project manager if you will. They are the ones that take a film from inception through delivery (and sometimes beyond). Sometimes they are broken into Creative Producers and Production Producers. But on indie films, the producer usually takes on both the creative and production tasks (if not the line producing tasks too!). This includes:

• Finding/Optioning a Script/Story
• Hiring a writer to write/rewrite the screenplay
• Hiring a director.
• Hiring talent.
• Hiring below-the-line crew.
• Guiding all personnel through the entire film life cycle.

The Producer(s) can best be described as the CEO of the company. The buck stops with them. All things go through them and they are responsible for all things. Sounds like a great job until you do an hourly wage calculation. Oftentimes, you end up making less than minimum wage when all is said and done.

Associate Producer

The Associate Producer position is often derided in the industry. Many joke that it is given to girlfriends, agents and managers and has no real value to the production. While this is often true (“Get so-and-so on-board and we’ll give you an Associate Producer credit!”), associate producers can also be producers in training that are still learning the ropes. When in doubt, take the Associate Producing credit if it is offered and offer the Associate Producing credit if it helps your film.

Line Producer

A Line Producer handles the initial budgeting and scheduling of a film. Once funds are being spent, they will match accounting cost reports against their proposed budget and make sure the production is tracking correctly to the funds available. The initial schedule is usually given over to the 1st A.D. for revisions and corrections. Unless days need to move completely, the line producer no longer changes the schedule.

Once the production is green lit, the line producer will hire (with Producer”s approval) all department heads (1st/2nd A.D., D.P., Set Dec, Props, Gaffers, Grips, etc.). Usually, the department heads then give recommendations on crew they have worked with and like to work with. The Line Producer continues to handle the day-to-day production and cash flow issues. They are usually buried in paperwork in the Production office and pull some VERY long hours.

So what does a Producer do?

They are responsible for putting together every single element of a film. If it weren”t for producers, directors couldn”t direct, actors couldn’t act and crew couldn’t crew (…ok that was a stretch). But you get the idea. Make sure you have good and hardworking people in these positions and you will have a much better production experience and final product.