Producer Career Guide and Counseling

Question: Whats the difference between an exectuive producer and just a producer? In making films. I would also like to know what responisblites they all have including director and assistant directors. Heres a list for ya charlie: Director Assistant Director Producer Executive Producer if there are more positions please tell me about those too.... thanks. I wish to become this.

Answer: Executive Producer finances the movie Producer hires the department heads, so to speak Director directs the film Asst Director usually consults with the director and sets up shots and wrangles talent

Question: What will happen if the director and the producer contributted equally for the movie? Ok my producer handles the contract, the agreements, the conections like editing, distributing and all that. And I as the director, wrote the story and the script, and generally the one who invited the producer for asssistance. Both of us contributed equally for the movie and now am wondering what will happen, who gets the highest percentage and is he supposed to be a producer or what? Honest answers please.

Answer: In general this is something that is supposed to be worked out in the contracts before the movie is made. To the best of my knowledge, there is no specific formula.

Question: How can you tell if a protist is a producer? Not all producers are plants. Some protists are also producers. How can you tell by looking at a protist whether it is a producer? Any help on this would be appreciated!

Answer: In a culture that's been kept in sunlight, look for the green of chlorophyll. Check your organism under a microscope to make sure that green is part of the organism, and not just some algae it's eaten recently.

Question: Do one producer affect all other organisms in a food web ? A food web that has two primary producers. If one producer is removed, does it affect all other organisms (including the top carnivores in food web) or only organisms that directly feed on that removed producer. Assume that the organisms that directly feed on the removed producer also eat the second producer and they are eaten by other top carnivores.

Answer: Everything, that's why its a web

Question: How can I contact a producer or film company with a business idea? I have a serivce for the film industry but I don't know how to connect with a producer. How can I get an email or contact information?

Answer: You have to cold call people until someone will meet with you. Get an attorney though and have anyone you talk to sign a waiver - if it's a good idea, it will be stolen if you don't protect yourself. There are directories for the industry - purchase one or go online. LA411 and NY411 are popular.

Question: How much should a video producer charge per hour? I work at a creative company, but normally in print. I've been called on to take a look at some bids for a film/ video project; how much is standard day rate for a producer/ director? Thanks!

Answer: The daily rate is 600 - 1,000 a day producer/director for commercial production. Film is more.

Question: I know a good foreign coffee producer and I want to distribute it in the US. Where do I start? I know a high quality coffee producer in Indonesia. I am trying to find constant buyers in the US. How do I promote the product and who should I talk to?

Answer: Start at www.toolkit.com/small_business_guide/. It is an excellent site to begin planning a business. (Business Owner's Toolkit)

Question: How do you become a telenovela Producer? What school do you have to go to if you wanna get involved in telenovelas in Mexico as a Producer?

Answer: I would assume its the same process as with an American one.. You might want to contact certain studios or soap operas and find out about the interships and job positions that they have available. If its in Mexico, you might want to learn Spanish or touchup your old skills. Just do alot of research, write letters, and make calls. Its hardwork but if your determined, your results will be much better!! If you can try to gain experience here in the US so that you stand out much more over in Mexico. Its best to have some type of experience when applying for bigtime entertainment positions unless its an internship.

Question: How do you become a television producer? I was wondering how does someone become a television producer? What kind of education do you need? Experience? Specifically, if you want to work for major networks like CBS, ABC or NBC and handle their primetime or daytime division or start your own production company. What advice would you give to help someone accumulate the proper experience and skills? And prime themselves for a career in television production? Thank you in advance.

Answer: Two words - WORK EXPERIENCE! There are no formal qualifications for being a TV Producer, and it's not an easy ride to get there... you can't take a degree in it and expect to get a job straight away, it takes many mane years of hard work. It is useful to learn about the media - read magazines and broadcasting and keep up to date with what is being commisioned and broadcast, what is popular etc. When you apply for your first jobs they will be entry level, intern type jobs - office assistant, runner - that type of thing. and then you just have to learn - shadow people, ask for work experience with people you admire and gradually work your way up. you'll be a researcher for a long time, then an associate producer and finally, if you're hard working (and a bit lucky) you'll get to be a producer. after that you can move up to be a series producer or executive producer... and then you could start your own company if you had a lot of industry knowledge and support. but be warned - its a tough industry, wages are low and competition is very fierce, so you have to be strong willed!

Question: What is the best way to become a film producer? I want to go to school to become a film producer. I am currently in college going for my A.A. Degree and I HATE it. Do I need this to become a film producer. If so is it a good idea to drop out of it?

Answer: i am actually in the process of doing the SAME THING. i was going to a technical college, but that will not help honesty you need to get into a good liberal arts college or a university that offers a good media studies and film program. that school and program may be pricey, however, producers get payed a nice chump of change per firm. i say after your done with this semester of your schooling look into a school with a good program. ALSO, bigger cities also allow better internships, so maybe a school in NYC or LA could be a help. This is all what I have come to figuring out. If you want to ever talk about it, email me. id love to just discuss it, since we seem to be going through the same thing!

Question: What is work and responsibility of producer? If i have enough money to have a project of movie or some kind documentary movie what I must know about producer....How I find good one?

Answer: First of all you have to work on feasibility, episodes,expenses per episode,sources of income,availability of artists dates,persons behind the screen and then you have to make a rough sketch of your work,discuss with the persons in the line,shooting schedule,finalising the project,picturising,viewing the rushes and make changes whereever necessary. Advertise and find the most viewed TV channel and watch the outcome of the work by the public response and then move for next one. Best of luck

Question: How can i be an proffesional paid producer like timbaland , DRE? Im only 16 and im going six form so is their any college or place in uk where i can improve my skills and be an proffesional paid producer. Im really taking this as my future job. Also what equipment do i need. I cant afford expensive equipment.

Answer: Well, do you know what a producer actually does? Let's take this apart bit by bit. A producer is the one who guides the band in a recording session. There are different styles and different degrees of involvement, depending on the group. In some cases, the producer winds up actually writing some of the music and playing some of the instruments on the recording (ref. Tony Visconti). In other cases, the producer tries to guide the band through an entire creative process--perhaps trying to get them to work in a new way in order to generate new ideas (Mark Batson on Dave Mattthews Band's "Stand Up"). In other cases, the producer is a technical wizard who can get the studio engineers and electronics to provide clarity to music that others might muddy up (Eddie Offord, Alan Parsons, Dangermouse). In some cases, the producer comes in quite late in the process, after the band has already done almost all the work, and provides a few mild suggestions (Bruce Fairbain with Aerosmith). So to be a top producer, you're going to have to know it all. You should have professional chops on some musical instruments, particularly keyboards. You must know electronics enough to get through technical manuals and exploit all of the potential of your microphones, soundboards, mixers, and postproduction software. You'll also need to understand the music market and be able to guide a band toward the market niche they are aiming to address, and you'll need to be a good communicator who can be more or less aggressive with suggestions depending on what the musicians need and will accept. So start learning all that stuff now, perform and record with bands as much as possible, get to know the music business, and take some professional sound recording courses. BTW, keep abreast of changes. The days of the big record company and the hired-gun studio producer are numbered; bands are going to want producers but they're likely to hire you on a contract rather than accepting you from the record company. 15 years from now, the industry will feature a whole new landscape.

Question: How do you become a producer or director? More and more often I see female producers and directors....and they keep getting younger and younger. How is it that someone gets a job like this? Where do they start? What experience do they have? I know internships, college, who you know....etc... all help. But I am more interested in who you actually give your resume to. Who exactly do you need to know? What do you need to do before applying to be a producer or director....or even casting director?

Answer: I'm a producer on a top US TV show. I went to college for Film, Photography and Visual Arts. I picked a school with a strong internship program because the way to get work and make contacts is by getting work and making contacts. After 4 years of college and 3 summers of interning, I moved to LA and contacted the people I had met over the last 4 years. Because I had proven myself previously, they hired me. From there, I worked my butt off, moved from show to show making contacts along the way and continuing to prove myself until I eventually found work on the show I currently produce. I started as an Associate Producer and am now a Producer. So in other words, my education, my work ethic, my actual work, a lot of sweat, lots of long hours and weeks, and many sacrifices have brought me to where I am today. That was my path, it's not everyone's path. Some people will work as a producers assistant for years and get moved up. Some producers are former actors, some directors are former director's of photography. Before you apply to be a producer, director or casting director, you need to have worked at an entry level position like a production assistant, producer's assistant, casting associate, or similar. And then do that for years on multiple projects as you slowly work your way up the ladder.

Question: What is the average income of a tv producer? I know this guy who was just promoted to excutive producer of the morning show to a local chanel 4news station. I dont want to straight up ask him is salary butr i am really curious. Any ideas?

Answer: An average producer is on about £800- £1000 a week so an exec...could be anything up to £2000 a week

Question: How is the tv producer industry like? I'm considering becoming a television producer, and then working my way up to becoming a film producer. I love writing, especially writing stories, I have a great personality. I have very creative ideas on topics, I heard becoming a tv producer is easier then a film producer. I don't have a lot of money either, or connections at the moment. I'm in secondary school on the contrary. I reside in Canada, but I heard that tv,and film producers don't make much here. What path should I take to become a tv producer, what is there job like? I heard the pay is pretty low as well.

Answer: You have it backwards. Becoming a TV producer is much more difficult than becoming a film producer. Most TV producers worked their way up from the writing staffs on which they've spent years at various shows during their careers. It is very much a closed kind of network. It is nearly impossible for an indie producer to just come in and sell a show to network or cable. Whereas with film producing you can indeed produce a film and sell it to distribution companies worldwide. Producers produce. You solve problems and provide the crew with the tools they need to do their jobs. This is all oversimplification of course but you would do well to start picking up some books on the business of film and tv entertainment from a production and financing standpoint.

Question: What to study to become a composer and music producer? Hey...Ok, real simple. More than a straight musician I would like to be a good composer and music producer, just like Quincy Jones or David Foster. So, Is Jazz Composition enough in order to compose many different kinds of music? Do I have to study anything like Music Engineering?? Thanks and God bless.

Answer: Take music lessons in order to get advanced!