Finding Paid Work

Your first paid job in film might be within an entry level job role or as a freelance producer. You might find paid entry level job roles with such titles Junior Assistant Producer or Production Assistant. Freelance producer job roles advertise on job sites but likely these are for productions such as corporate work or educational videos. Any paid job in film or video production could get you set up for a producer career.

You might like my updated list of film job sites - Read Here

There is no straight forward route into film producing, often producers work other job roles into the industry such as screenwriting, editing, directing. Arguable any job role in film could teach you about the industry and help you network within it. As a upcoming producer you would need to keep an eye out for stories or potential screenplays to be adapted. You might find a film director your keen to work with or a story you wish to adapt for the screen. As a producer it is your job to secure funding for the film and hire the key crew.

Film Producer Salary

A producer is the highest paid member of a film crew. They are the first person to be hired and the last to leave work on a project. For this they typically receive 5% of the production budget. They may also take a percent of the profit too.

At the start of a producers career however their income is uncertain. You might work an entry level job in film, freelance within another job role or have a job outside of the film industry entirely. Its only when a project is green-lit and the budget has been acquired that producers are first paid. As such it takes many years of work before a producer makes an income from producing alone.

You might like my Film Freelancer Day Rate Guide - Read Here

What a does a film producer do

Finds a Story - The first job for a film producer is to find a story. They may have agents who finds them a screenplay, they may choose to work with filmmakers they have known previously or adapt a story for the screen.

Funds the Film – A producer needs to find the budget for a film. They need to make the project look profitable to financiers. This may be that a story already has a built in audience (comic book adaption), or that you have a well known actor on board. There are many ways a producer can find a budget from government funding, private investors to crowdfunding.

Pre-Production Tasks

Find a screenplay and story to work with

Hire the screenwriters to finish a final draft

Secure funding

Hire the director and helps them cast the film

Hire the main crew members

All major decisions go through the producer

During production the producer is in constant communication with the director. Any major changes to the story or film budget will go through them. They will approve locations, help plan filming schedules, and importantly make sure that production stays on time on budget.

Production Tasks

Approve locations, script changes and major decisions

Make sure the filming stays on schedule and on budge

Visit the set – often the producer is in the production office looking after the business side of the film – making sure that the film gets made despite the many problems that may put the project on hold.

During the editing, the producer will watch over the edit to check that things are going to plan. They will work with marketing companies and distributors to get the production shown. The producer may organise test screenings.

Post-Production Tasks

Help finalise the cut

Work with marketers and distributors

Watch over the films box office performance

They will also have a big say on how a film is marketed to its audience. After the films release the producer will watch nervously over the box office stats, whether a film makes money or not may determine when their next project will begin.

Resources - ScreenSkills | Cineman | Wiki - Film Producer

I hope you have learnt more about how to become a film producer. I hope to carry out a series of interviews with professional producers that I will link below when complete.