Actors act and directors direct, but what do producers do? That’s one way to jokingly describe what a producer does — they’re the ones who traditionally find the project, gather funding, hire the key talent such as directors and main actors and oversee the production. Producers essentially run the show, and that’s why they’re the ones who get to accept the Oscar for best picture.
But even that doesn’t cover what it means to be a producer.
Johnny Lin is a filmmaker and producer and Bryan Sullivan is a partner atEarly Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae.
"One producer might have the rights to a book. The other producer may have the funds," said Lin.
"There’s producers who are heavily involved in setting the tone for the movie. I’ve even gotten executive producer credit on some films, because I made introductions for a friend that’s a filmmaker and a friend that has money and they financed it, and so they gave me an executive producer credit," Sullivan said.
Over the past three decades, the number of producer credits in films has skyrocketed.
In 1992, the Academy Award nominees for best picture credited an average of 5.8 producers per film. Disney’s "Beauty and the Beast" had the most of the year with 10.
This year, the nominees' average number ofproducer creditswas 12.3 — one higher than last year — and the indie film "Triangle of Sadness" had the most with 31.
"One of the reasons is there’s a lot more collaboration that goes on," Sullivan said.
"The trend started in the 90s," Lin said.
The 90s saw the rise of indie films— projects produced outside of the major Hollywood studios.
That meant that more types of producers were needed to fundraise and collaborate on the development of a film, and the industry saw the rise of associate, executive and co-producers.
Those titles aren’t as powerful as the main producers — who still run the entire production and in many recent projects, executive producer credits are sold to help finance films.
So, how do you know which producers are the ones actually running the show? It’s whoever gets the "produced by" or "(p.g.a)" titles.
Those credits are known as the sc, which were introduced in 2013 by theProducers Guild of Americawith a strict "Code of Credits" to distinguish the main producers of a film.
"The Producers Guild is very protective of the "produced by" credit. And that is really reserved for people that are boots on the ground, managing the production," Sullivan said.
The folks with the "Producers Marks" are those that get to be nominated for awards like the Oscar for best picture.
This year’s most nominated film "Everything Everywhere All At Once" credits 15 producers, but if it wins the Oscar for best picture, only three with the "Producers Mark" get to go home with the trophy.
In terms of how much producers make, it again varies by their credits, contracts and the commercial success of the movie itself. Hollywood’s top paid producers are two names you definitely recognize: George Lucas, with a net worth of $7.3 billion and Steven Spielberg with $3.7 billion.
FAQs
One reason for the increase in executive producers per film is the desire to spread risk, whether due to increasing cost of film making for larger budget films, often met by multiple studios banding together, or alternatively the need to attract multiple smaller investors for lower budget independent films.
How many producers should a film have? ›
In reality, there are a number of different types of producing credit, each with differing levels of control and with different areas of focus. The primary producing credit is that of “Producer”, with the average film having 2.7 of such Producers.
Why do films have so many production companies? ›
The Search for Funding
One of the biggest challenges facing filmmakers is finding funding for their projects. Film production is a costly endeavor, and many independent filmmakers struggle to secure the financing they need to bring their projects to life. This is where film production companies come in.
Why are so many actors producers? ›
Actors who transition into producing often do so to create more opportunities for themselves. While acting provides a platform to showcase their talent, the number of roles available may be limited, especially for actors from underrepresented backgrounds.
Who is the biggest movie producer? ›
Worldwide
| Rank | Name | Total worldwide box office |
|---|
| 1 | Kevin Feige | $29.740 billion |
| 2 | David Heyman | $13.322 billion |
| 3 | Kathleen Kennedy | $13.294 billion |
| 4 | Jerry Bruckheimer | $12.319 billion |
6 more rowsIndia is the largest producer of films in the world and second-oldest film industry in the world. The country is home to some of the most important cities in the global film industry: Mumbai (previously Bombay) and Chennai (Madras).
Do movie producers get paid? ›
Generally, Producers make money by receiving producing fees set out in the production budget. In other words, Producers don't normally get paid unless their film or television show is actually produced and financed. It is possible to make profits from a successful show, but profitable shows are few and far between.
Do film producers make a lot of money? ›
How much does a Film Producer make? As of Apr 16, 2024, the average annual pay for a Film Producer in the United States is $70,000 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $33.65 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,346/week or $5,833/month.
Do producers get 50%? ›
The producer's royalty thus also depends on what was agreed between label and artist. This type of agreement commonly attributes anywhere between 15% to 25% of the artist's royalties to the producer, but again in practice the agreed royalty rate fully depends on what was agreed between all parties.
Does Adam Sandler own a movie production company? ›
Happy Madison Productions, Inc. is an American film and television production company founded in 1999 by Adam Sandler, which is best known for its comedy films.
Companies and product names are not copyrighted things. They're trademarks. In fact, movies can use trademarked items legally, they just don't usually want to — they prefer to get paid for product placements, rather than giving valuable publicity away for free.
What company makes the most movies? ›
- 1 Walt Disney Studios. Walt Disney Studios is one of the oldest and most iconic film production companies in the industry, founded by Walt Disney and his brother Roy in 1923. ...
- 2 Warner Bros. Pictures. ...
- 3 Universal Pictures. ...
- 4 Paramount Pictures. ...
- 5 Sony Pictures Entertainment. ...
- 6 Here's what else to consider.
Do Producers Make More than Actors? Producers do get paid more than actors when the film is successful, and from that, we mean Jurassic World kind of successful. But if the movie is kind of a flop, the actors usually make more. This is because the actors are usually brought to the film with a predesigned salary range.
Do producers decide actors? ›
Step 5: Final decisions from the producers and director
“Casting directors do not make booking decisions. The producers and director narrow down their selects from the callback and choose a first and second choice to present to their client. And then, they all make the decision on who finally books the job.”
Why do actors turn into producers? ›
Why do actors become executive producers? Actors become executive producers to gain more involvement in decision-making and creative control by influencing a project's direction. They can also increase production earnings by being more engaged in a project.
How can a film have multiple producers? ›
Films have many producers because of the complexity of film production. Different producers handle various aspects like financing, logistics, post-production, etc.
Can a movie have multiple producers? ›
Some films may have a single producer who oversees all aspects of the production, while others may have multiple producers who specialize in different areas such as financing, casting, or post-production.
Do movie producers make a lot? ›
Producers can make anywhere from $63,000 to $750,000 a year—and producers who work on big-budget studio films can make much, much more, particularly if they work on more than one project each year.
Why do producers make more than directors? ›
Because producers often assist with the financing of the film, sometimes coming up with the money out of pocket, their earnings are dependent on the success of the film and return of their investment. Directors, however, can become members of the Director's Guild of America and earn guaranteed rates for their work.
