Producers, Directors and the Idea of the Movie Maker

A film producer is the initiator, coordinator and the supervisor in making a movie. His responsibilities include hiring people for the task, planning, aspects such as marketing and distribution and securing financial backing. A producer gets his hands on a good script and proceeds from there.

He or she is the person who is involved in the film from start to finish, so it’s a considerable undertaking and takes the idea of a movie maker to another level. Before the 1950’s, a producer had the final say in creative direction of a film. Even now, although marketing strategies shed more light on the director, it’s usually the producer who silently controls each film. Blockbusters definitely give more power to the producer.

A producer is the head of the crew involved in making a movie. He can hire or fire a director. After each day of shooting, the producer gets a report of the day’s progress, so that he knows that the schedule is being followed.

There are different types of producers. The Executive producer is usually considered the big boss of the studio but it can also be an honorary title. A co-producer typically works under the Executive Producer and has more hands-on involvement with the film. He/she finances the project. An Associate Producer represents the Producer whenever necessary and will share some of the responsibilities. This position is awarded to a person based on a significant monetary or creative contribution made by him/her. Assistant Producers are directed by the Associate Producer. A Line Producer supervises daily activities and the budget.

A film director is the actual filmmaker. He directs the motion picture based on the script and, in the US and some other countries, has authority on its creative and technical aspects. Film directors have a larger role and earn more than their TV counterparts.

Each camera short or ‘take’ has to be approved by the director. So he/she works closely with the actors and the support crew, coordinating the moves and supervising camera angles. Some directors want the cast to follow their directions explicitly while other directors let the actors in a scene improvise.

The director may also be involved in editing the film, along with the film editor. His contribution is also reflected in the color grading of the final output, which is important in conveying the mood of the characters or the scene. Sound mixing and composition can involve the director too.

The Production Manager is responsible for delegation of work for all tasks and seeing that the allocated work is completed.

There can be one or more Assistant Directors, based on the financial scope of the movie. They help the Director to follow schedules and oversee set preparation.

Article summary- The producer and the director are the main roles in filmmaking. A good movie is a result of their successful collaboration plus the contribution of many others who handle different aspects of movie making. This article concentrates on the production and direction of a movie.