What does an executive producer do?

As the head of a film studio or production company, you will need to hire an executive producer to look over the production. The executive producer is at the top of the film set hierarchy, with everyone, including the producer, reporting to them. The executive producer acts as a professional liaison between you and the producer, who works closely with the director, production manager and department heads. It’s possible to think of the executive producer as the CEO of the project. This person oversees key areas of development for the film and is in charge of hiring other creative key roles for the production. 

What are the duties of an executive producer?

The duties of an executive producer vs. producer are where the roles primarily differ. An executive producer works mainly in development and behind the scenes. This person does not typically appear on set during filming or sit in on the editing process. The executive producer is the first person hired for the film, and their duties include:

• Administrative tasks

• Coming up with a concept or pitch for the plot of a film or TV series

• Hiring a producer, director, production manager, casting director, location manager and other key roles

• Involvement in the casting process, input on which talent to hire 

• Setting a budget for the production

• Establishing a filming schedule (what dates the project will take place)

• Cultivating a positive working environment 

• Securing financing for the film

The executive producer is the individual who oversees the project from inception to completion, ensuring all other key players have a clear vision and are focused on the same end goal. This person is responsible for delivering a cohesive, quality-controlled final film,TV series or web series.

Qualifications of an executive producer

The official educational experience and qualifications of the candidate are typically less important than the industry experience and connections they bring to the project. When hiring an executive producer, you’ll want to secure someone who has prior experience in the film industry and has worked with reputable producers and directors so that they can bring this talent to your project. 

When hiring an executive producer, consider not just who they know, but:

• Their previous producing or executive-producing credits

• Whether they have a degree in film, business, journalism or a related field 

Skills to look for when hiring an executive producer 

Executive producing is a challenging role that requires someone who is both emotionally and mentally intelligent. In terms of the hard skills a person should have to be a good fit for this job, look for candidates who are: 

• Experienced with budgeting software

• Knowledgeable regarding scheduling software

• Knowledgeable regarding how a film set operates 

Soft skills to look for in an executive producer include:

• Organization

• Good verbal and written communication

• Exceptional time management 

• Ability to look at the big picture rather than focus on the details

• Sociability

• Excellent conflict resolution skills 

• Negotiation skills

What is the salary of an executive producer? 

If you’re wondering how much you can expect to pay an executive producer to join your project, the average annual base salary in the United States is $74,488. Depending on the scale of the project and the person’s experience, this amount can vary significantly. 

What does a producer do?

While the executive producer has a much broader role of overseeing the project administratively, the producer is next in the chain of command. This person is typically hired by the executive producer and is responsible for much more of the hands-on decision-making and details of the film or TV/web series. The producer is directly in charge of the location manager, the production manager(s), the casting director and the director. They may also interact with department heads, but typically creative decisions and questions from department heads will go through the director before the producer. 

What are the duties of a producer?

The duties of a producer require a more hands-on approach than that of an executive producer. The producer is responsible for: 

• Signing off on storylines and final scripts 

• Signing off on and contributing to casting decisions 

• Communicating with talent agents and actors  

• Ensuring the production remains within budget 

• Ensuring the production remains on schedule 

• Hiring department heads 

• Consulting with the director about the creative goals for the project 

Qualifications of a producer

As with executive producers, the formal education of a producer is often less important to their suitability for the job than their prior experience. The most qualified person for a producer role often has prior associate producer, line producer, producer or production manager credits to their name. They should also be reputable within the film industry; communicating with people who have worked on this person’s productions in the past is a good way to gauge whether you want to bring this producer on board. 

Additional qualifications that can be useful are:

• A degree in film production, media or journalism 

• Courses in production management and financial management 

Skills to look for when hiring a producer 

When searching for a producer, the critical hard skills to look for in a candidate are:

• Knowledge of budgeting software such as Movie Magic, Celtx or Google Sheets 

• Knowledge of scheduling software tools 

• Understanding of production management documentation and contracts 

Soft skills to vet candidates for include:

• Strong interpersonal skills 

• Exceptional communication (verbal and written)

• Conflict resolution 

• Time management 

• Financial management 

• Organization

• Positive attitude 

• Self-motivation 

• Leadership 

• Collaboration 

What is the salary of a producer?

According to Indeed, the average annual salary of a film producer in the United States is $55,297. However, this salary can vary drastically depending on the budget and scope of the project. 

Knowing when to hire an executive producer vs. producer

Once you understand the difference between producer and executive producer roles, how do you know when to hire an executive producer vs. producer? In most cases, it depends on your role. If you as an employer are part of a studio or production company and are hiring personnel to develop multiple projects under this label, you’re probably looking for an executive producer. This person will be your point of contact for a single project. Once you hire them, you will have no further involvement in the production, having passed off the hiring of creative roles and the development of scripts to them. 

However, if you are creating a project on a smaller scale and financing the project or securing the financing yourself, you as the employer might be acting as an executive producer. In this case, you are hiring a producer who you will oversee. This person will handle the details of the film production while still maintaining some level of involvement.