From William Goldman,
Adventures in the Screen Trade.
(Bear in mind this book was published in 1983, but it's still a great read.)
Producers may just be the least understood figures in the industry. Part of this is due to terminology. Once a movie was simply "produce by" so-and-so. No more. A simple reading of today's paper shows that now there are people who "present" movies. There are "executive producers," "associate producers." There are "executives in charge of production." One recent film had two "executive producers," two "associate producers," and one "executive in charge of production." Now, you may well ask, what in the world do all these terms mean? I can answer in total honesty: I haven't the foggiest.
Some producers are simply money men. They arrange for, or come up with, the cash, and they take some kind of billing (and fee) for their efforts. Others are packagers. They option a piece of material, interest an "element," make a deal with a studio, and head for points west. They literally will have nothing more to do with the picture than that.
Others are in that oldest of Hollywood traditions, the "son-in-law" business. The term is still valid, but with the collapse of the studio system, there aren't that many actual relative by marriage on the payroll anymore. But there are lots of brothers or husbands. You want a star, he makes a deal that includes his spouse. The spouse gets billing.
Most often now, they are agents or ex-agents who are now the star's partner. In the former case, let's say an agent has a hot book; he'll make a deal with the studio to the effect of, sure, you can have it, but you'll have to pay me a little something extra or I'll go across the street. So they become "executive producers" or some other title more to their liking.
Goldman cereal:
That comes off as kind of harsh. He does say this later on in the producer chapter:
And there are quality producers. If they are very smart, they are flexible enough to realize that their specific duties vary with the particular film. Sometimes they're on the floor constantly; at other times, if a production is running smoothly and on schedule, they'll stay away. But if their individual requirements alter more from one job to another than, for example, the cinematographer's, there are certain definites - their job is to get the picture made - and more often than not, they are the first ones on a project, and years later, after the selling has been done, they are the last ones off.
::in the voice of a man who uses the word mook, and wears a real hat::
That kid'll be a stah, Cindy, a real stah.
Television producers and movie producers are verra different.
Television producers and movie producers are verra different.
As are Broadway producers and music producers.
So producers are the real world equivalent of a mother or secretary. They do so much everything, nobody can pinpoint it all, but nothing gets done without them?
Television producers and movie producers are verra different.
Allyson, when a writer like David Fury, or Tim gets a production credit, is that somewhat an honorific (or having to do more with payscale than job change)?
As are Broadway producers and music producers.
Are they really different from film producers? I mean, the product is different, so getting it out is different, but is the function itself that different, Hec?
Also from Wikipedia Executive Producer:
In the production of a television show there may be many executive producers listed. Sometimes it may be a situation not dissimilar to the one listed immediately above for motion pictures: someone with previous involvement with a particular work, a financier of a project, or someone in control of the business aspect of production. Other times it is a celebrity or notable creator who has lent their name to a project but in reality has no input into the production.
In television, however, an executive producer might have more power than any other credited crew member - this is the case with the Show runner. Generally a show runner (still credited as an executive producer) is the creator of a series or an influential staff writer on the show whose role is to guide the overall creative progress of the show's story over the course of a season - they can be seen as the creative director of the show, and all creative decisions from casting to script approval goes through them. Usually, while there may be many producers and executive producers with varying responsibilities on a television series, there are just one or two in the position of show runner.
Television producer (not that informative).
Payscale, job change, all that.
If they're a consulting producer, they may be someone who pops into the office from time to time and says, "that sucks, this is what you should do."
An Executive Producer goes down to the set when shit hits the fan and says, "okay, you need to go sit down over there and shut the fuck up, and also, no, you can't have a hot air balloon in the third act because this is already 50k over budget and the DGA fines are piling up, jackass."
This is my understanding of things.
However, I could be totally misunderstanding, and maybe they don't call people jackasses as much as I think.
Are they really different from film producers? I mean, the product is different, so getting it out is different, but is the function itself that different, Hec?
Theatrical producers are similar to film producers, but they're generally either just moneybags, or impresarios. Music producer is an entirely different thing. Some are famous for having a very particular sound (Eno, Spector, Lillywhite, Albini, Dr. Dre) and work with the musicians to get the right performances and sound in the studio.
Ten different music producers would produce
vastly
different records by the same band doing the same songs.
It's more like choosing a collaboration in the studio. Eno with the Talking Heads was almost like an extra band member.
I like my explanation better than wikipedia's.
