Associate Producer Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

An Associate Producer works on the set of a film, television, theater or other production to assist the Producer in completing tasks like writing, editing or basic assisting tasks to keep the production running smoothly. Their duties include pitching story ideas, organizing scripts and collaborating with the Editor to make shot selections.

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Associate Producer duties and responsibilities

An Associate Producer’s responsibilities vary from project to project. However, duties may include the following:

  • Working along with the producer to develop program concepts and ideas
  • Project research, gathering information and knowledge from available resources
  • Hiring, arranging and organizing crew members and supervising production personnel
  • Coordinating set construction, supervise lighting and sound plans
  • Making sure that the video or audio segments are in the correct broadcast order
  • Additional operational duties such as managing the budget, generating financial reports and status updates
  • Active involvement in the creative side of the job by pitching ideas, helping to develop stories and scripts and suggesting improvements

What does an Associate Producer do?

An Associate Producer is responsible for ensuring the production of a video project runs smoothly. Their job responsibilities can vary each day and may vary depending on the industry they work in. They must learn the wants and needs of a Producer, and work to meet these needs and make their work-life simpler. They may supervise lighting and sound plans, operate the teleprompter, coordinate the set constructions or edit scripts. Their responsibilities often vary based on the size of their crew and set.

Associate Producer skills and qualifications

An Associate Producer must have some of the following skills:

  • Ability to multitask and work under pressure: Production jobs have deadlines, an Associate Producer needs to be able to meet the deadline even under pressure.
  • Decision making: An Associate Producer will need to make staffing and other important decisions.
  • Conflict management: During production work, some conflict will arise, the Associate Producer needs to be able to manage the conflict and provide effective solutions to the issues.
  • Leadership skills: An Associate Producer must be a good leader in order to get the production team to produce.
  • Excellent creative skills: Creativity and innovation is a vital skill for an Associate Producer role as the job involves developing concepts and ideas.
  • Good technical knowledge: An Associate Producer needs to understand all aspects involved in the production and should be able to use the production equipment and tools. 
  • Excellent communication skills: Good communication skills are crucial for an Associate Producer since the job requires a lot of interaction with unit members and clients.
  • Flexibility: The working schedule of an Associate Producer is not standard. In fact, the working hours are quite irregular and may often involve weekends or evenings depending on the production. As this job is time-sensitive it may also require extra hours, so flexibility is necessary for this position. 

Associate Producer salary expectations

The salary for an Associate Producer may vary according to the size and type of production unit. It also depends on the Associate Producer’s education, experience and skills. On average in the U.S. the salary for an Associate Producer is about $47,011 per year. This salary estimate information is from 16,717 data points collected from employees, users and Indeed job posts over the past 36 months. 

Associate Producer education and training requirements

An Associate Producer needs a bachelor’s degree in journalism, business management, marketing or liberal arts to qualify for this position. Additional courses in advertising, editing or production are always advantageous. 

An internship with a broadcasting station or working on student films will also give an Associate Producer valuable experience. 

Associate Producer experience requirements

Experience for an Associate Producer varies, some professionals move into this role with experience as writers, actors or editors or from internships with trade organizations. Depending on the specific job requirements, experience could be from one year to five years or more.

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Frequently asked questions about Associate Producers

What qualities does a good Associate Producer need?

An Associate Producer needs several qualities and skills to perform effectively in their role. Common skills of a strong Associate Producer include: 

  • Listening skills to carefully following directions a Producer may briefly provide on- or off-set
  • Time management and multi-tasking abilities to handle and prioritize several tasks in one day to meet tight deadlines under pressure 
  • Problem-solving skills to quickly solve unexpected problems that may arise on set and make important decisions when the Producer is unavailable 
  • Leadership skills to communicate directions and guidelines for members of the crew on the set 

Who does the Associate Producer report to?

The Associate Producer usually reports to the Producer for their daily tasks and responsibilities. The Producer often handles big picture tasks to ensure the production process is running smoothly and the Associate Producer must take on extra tasks the Producer is unable to work on themselves. Associate Producers work to ensure daily tasks and problems are resolved on set and report their progress to the Producer. If they’re unable to handle challenging tasks, they’ll ask the Producer for guidance and assistance to complete it. 

Do Associate Producers have different job responsibilities in different industries?

The Associate Producer’s responsibilities often vary according to the industry they’re working in. If they’re working on a television or film set, they may be responsible for organizing and distributing scripts, pitching story ideas and setting up table reads. Associate Producers working on theater productions oversee the production of the set, distribute jobs to crew members, and provide the lighting and sound directions. Associate Producers for news broadcasts are responsible for running the teleprompter, writing news items or ensuring video and audio segments are correctly placed. 

What's the difference between an Associate Producer and a Producer?

A Producer coordinates, supervises and controls all aspects of a television show’s, movie’s or broadcast’s production process. They run the creative, technological, administrative and financial aspects of the production to make sure it’s implemented smoothly. Producers are often involved in all the phases of a production from the beginning to the end. They often coordinate and delegate production tasks to members of the production team to ensure enough people are working on important projects and performing effectively. Associate Producers often assist the Producers in these tasks and work to make sure everything is running smoothly when the Producer is preoccupied with big picture items.

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