Why does no one want to be a Producer?

NickClapper

NickClapper

I know, I know it looks like it has a simple enough answer.

But even amongst people who take a realistic view of the industry everyone still aspires to be writers, actors or (most likely) directors. I know the producers don't get much of the glory and in independent movies get to do all the tedious work that the director can't be bothered to do, but it's still a great job.

One of the very few successful moviemakers I've ever known was a Producer who had worked his way up through independent movies right to Hollywood alongside a Director who had followed the same career path. Sure, he started out doing grunt work on sets and getting small producing gigs but in his 40s and 50s he was working on major productions doing really cool work.

And yet no one seems to want to be a producer. Picking up a producer to help with an indie films is really, really difficult. No one on Craigslist wants to do it, no one on Talent Circle wants to do, heck no one on Indie Talk ones to do it. I reckon if someone really wanted to be a producer in independent movies it wouldn't be at all difficult to get some gigs. Sure you wouldn't make any money from it, but that's the same for directors and writers at this level.

I would be more than happy to work as a producer on a film (which I've never done), and as a director (in theatre, not in film although the principle is the same) it's amazing to have a producer. I think it makes the production ten times better from the off, because the less stress you can put on any one person's shoulders the better. If you have a producer who actually takes pride in doing what they're doing and letting the director get on with what they're doing then all the better.

But if everyone wants to be a director then the job title 'Producer' gets stigmatised and it gets harder and harder to find people who actually want to do that sort of work, even though it should be really easy. For people who love movies and love filmmaking, being a Producer should be almost as appetising as being a Director. But people want to make it big as a director, because that's what all the big names are credited as. Does anyone here on IT work exclusively as a Producer? Do the directors hire producers, or do they just try and spread the load around the few people involved in the crew? Wouldn't life be easier if all the young guns, like me, wanted to be producers instead of directors?

And, if you can't be bothered to read all my rambling answer me my original question: Why does no one want to be a Producer?
 
You don't see many producers at Indy level because everyones doing about ten job titles anyway. For a piece I'm working on now; I'm writing, assistant directing, camera operating and pretty much producing the damn thing too.
 
Actually i know a few people who are and want to be producers. And by producer i mean line producers, which leads to Murdock's question.

There are different types of producers (executive, producer, line producer) and sometimes what they do can get vague. But basically it can vary from simply investing in a movie to being the person who hires out the different jobs to being on the set each day and managing all the daily activities.
 
Producers hire directors - not the other way around.

Also, I think you may have confused the role of Producer with that of 1st AD (Assistant Director) - the AD works with the Director on all the planning for the film - the Producer raises the finance.

That's a gross over-simplification but really - you can't just 'be' a Producer - you need to work at it and it takes contacts and persistence - in fact, a lot of Directors (and other types of filmmakers) take on the role of producer (or Exec Producer which can mean many different things) once they've got enough influence to get films financed.
 
Ernest Worthing said:
Actually i know a few people who are and want to be producers. And by producer i mean line producers, which leads to Murdock's question.

There are different types of producers (executive, producer, line producer) and sometimes what they do can get vague. But basically it can vary from simply investing in a movie to being the person who hires out the different jobs to being on the set each day and managing all the daily activities.
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So I'm guessing that a line-producer would be the one on set all day??? And the executive type would be more of the invester??
 
I hate producing. It is a real pain in my butt hole. I just want to direct.

Why? Because that's where my creative juices flow, that's the best I can answer. I enjoy envisioning how I want a movie to play out, and then directing all the people required to get those pieces to fall into place.

A producer's job is extremely important (any kind of producer), but there's not a tremendous amount of creativity going into it. It's more like a job, in my opinion. Especially at the indie level, it can be so F-ing tedious. Call this person, call that person. Arrange this, arrange that. Get this form signed, make sure we purchase the right amount of such-and-such. God, it's tiresome. Extremely important, but I don't see the fun in it. For those who do enjoy this work, God bless 'em.
 
Alike Ernest, i also know folks who are producers, although those aspiring are few.

Cracker brings up a great point, that i believe is at the heart of why it is you believe the younger generation are amiss with the title.

Would the work of any form of "Producer" inspire you? It's exponentionally important, fim-makers can recognize this, but today, within a generation that is progressing towards a hand never to be lifted, or a sweat to be broken, it is seen as a form of "labour", in an establishment always depicted as golden.

Now, to my point.

There are many that are blissfully drawn to Cinema, but lack the creative touch, or the belief that they could offer anything beneficial in the "Art". Yet the longing is still there, it is then they discover the craft involves positions that require hardwork, and that alone, artistic intent or not.

Another likely outcome, is the simplicity that the positon elicits Business skills. There are many, many, business men/women that would relish being a "Producer", and would thrive to do so. Love of the art or not.
 
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What credit would you give this person?

My casting director ended up taking on the role of de facto assistant producer, in that she stayed busy making phone calls, arranging actors to show up at this place and time. She didn't quite do enough to get credit as Producer, so what credit do I use? Assistant Producer? Or, is what she did just part of Casting Director's job. This was a run-and-gun production, tons of stuff arranged at the last-second, so I kinda feel like what she did is more than just Casting Director. What do you guys think?
 
Aegis said:
Producers hire directors - not the other way around.

Also, I think you may have confused the role of Producer with that of 1st AD (Assistant Director) - the AD works with the Director on all the planning for the film - the Producer raises the finance.

That's a gross over-simplification but really - you can't just 'be' a Producer - you need to work at it and it takes contacts and persistence - in fact, a lot of Directors (and other types of filmmakers) take on the role of producer (or Exec Producer which can mean many different things) once they've got enough influence to get films financed.
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It I was to grossly over simplify the role of Producer I would say the job is 'to get the film of the ground (and ultimately get it seen)'. Predominantly this means raising money, but this is by no means the exclusive job or a producer- at any level, indie or Hollywood.

I'm not confusing it with 1st AD (at least I don't think I am ;) ) because I'm not talking about any creative involvement, I'm simply talking about business, legal, contractual, marketing, publicity...etc. issues.

And yes whilst at the top end an executive producer is responsible simply for putting the money in, at the bottom end they're responsible for getting the film going.

I would agree with Paper that it ends up being people who are not really that creative but still love movies. And yet there are loads of people who would sign up to a board like this, who go to the cinema ever other day, who spend their weekends watching Sky movies marathons- but who assume that the route they should take is to try and become a director. Nobody seems to be offering the advice of trying to break into producing. Also lots of people are creative, but lots of them don't have much talent :P

I would also contest the point about producing being the result of having contacts. Sure that is what helps and an essential part of producing, but you can easily get contacts working on films. I tried to get a project of the ground that I was trying to produce but not direct or write (it's a long story that has an unhappy, boring end) and after a couple of weeks I had people offering camera equipment for a 90% reduction and I had been to visit my local MP (for you yanks, that's like a Senator except there's one per constituency and there are 636 odd constituencies) who had given me the support of the local council in terms of locations and filming permissions. I also got the headmaster of the local school to sign up his drama department to be extras. So whilst contacts are good, they're not necessary because if you're kind and polite you can make contacts really easily.

And it was fun. The couple of weeks I put into that project were really gratifying.
 
So all Iv officially done is produced a 48hour film project, and frankly it was freakin awesome experience. And from what I can tell, I did a passable job of it. Unfrotunately, the fallout is that all the contacts I made from that project think of me as a producer. Im struggling to convince the director, the DP and cast that Im a a creative asset.. which sorta ruffles my artistic feathers a bit.. but the fact that I have those contacts is good and I own that 100% to being a producer.


For noobs, I would suggest a producer role with a good director is a great way to get an education.
EDIT: The producer roles is pretty LOW stress once the production day has started, which lets you tail the director, hang out around the dp and just poke nose into stuff. (keep your own production assistant to be your legs!)
 
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"I hate producing. It is a real pain in my butt hole. I just want to direct."

Yep. I actually hired one for my last film because my girlfriend who produced my first film wasn't available.
A "Producer" as opposed to an executive producer or a line producer, hires the crew, creates and maintains the budget, and generally deals with all the business shit that I don't want to be bothered with..
 
Cracker Funk said:
What credit would you give this person?

My casting director ended up taking on the role of de facto assistant producer, in that she stayed busy making phone calls, arranging actors to show up at this place and time. She didn't quite do enough to get credit as Producer, so what credit do I use? Assistant Producer? Or, is what she did just part of Casting Director's job. This was a run-and-gun production, tons of stuff arranged at the last-second, so I kinda feel like what she did is more than just Casting Director. What do you guys think?
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Associate Producer, maybe?
 
Cracker Funk said:
What credit would you give this person?

My casting director ended up taking on the role of de facto assistant producer, in that she stayed busy making phone calls, arranging actors to show up at this place and time. She didn't quite do enough to get credit as Producer, so what credit do I use? Assistant Producer? Or, is what she did just part of Casting Director's job. This was a run-and-gun production, tons of stuff arranged at the last-second, so I kinda feel like what she did is more than just Casting Director. What do you guys think?
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Yer, I agree with 2001 that Assosciate Producer sounds about right on the bullshit scale :D

That's the thing with 'run and gun' productions, someone ends up doing the jobs that the producer should want to do, but it means that you've got time taken away from Casting Directors and the Director themselves. Having a Producer makes life super easy, yet the Hollywood image has sucked the life out of it!
 
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