In this article about the benefits of self-producing as an actor, we considered Orson Wells, who wrote, produced, directed, and starred in Citizen Kane, the 1941 film often hailed as the greatest ever made. While not every actor excels at so many aspects of filmmaking, many actors turn to producing in order to have more control over their careers, as well as the projects in which they’re involved.
The joys of wearing many hats
Taking a look at George Clooney’s Smoke House Pictures, you see that he and the other well-known actors jump from acting to directing to both. Clooney starred in the Jodie Foster directed “Money Monster,” while he will direct the upcoming “Suburbicon” starring Matt Damon. Smoke House also produced The Academy Award winning “Argo,” directed and starring Ben Affleck. Wear many hats and you will have many more opportunities to work.
Keep the Jobs Coming
https://youtu.be/xjRnbOgoAUQ
Drew Barrymore started her production company Flower Films with Nancy Juvonen in 1995, which produced many films in which she has starred including “Never Been Kissed,” “Charlie’s Angels,” and the cult hit “Donnie Darko,” which she stepped in and saved when it was struggling to find backers. Longevity is not easy for any actor, and can be particularly tough for women in the biz. Having your own production company certainly helps mitigate the age factor. Barrymore stars in the new Netflix series “The Santa Clarita Diet,” for which she also serves as one of its executive producers, as does her co-star and on-screen husband Timothy Olyphant.
Producing Diversity
Diversity behind the scenes helps ensure traditionally neglected stories get told, which in turn creates more nuanced roles for diverse actors. Salma Hayek formed her production company Ventanarosa in 1999, which produced the Oscar-winning Frida, as well as the Emmy-winning Ugly Betty. Viola Davis (JuVee), Kerry Washington (Simpson Street), and Will Smith (Overbrook) are just a few of the actors of color who work behind as well as in front of the camera to create diverse and dynamic images.
Busting Out of Type
Actors can be constrained by their looks, their gender, their body type and the roles that made them famous. Clint Eastwood might have spent the rest of his life doing westerns if he hadn’t started his production company Malpaso Productions. According to Wikipedia, “Play Misty for Me” was the first film “to give Eastwood the artistic control he desired.” Named the most successful actor/producer by TheRichest, Eastwood has produced such diverse films as “Hang ’em High,” “Mystic River,” and “Million Dollar Baby.”
Making a Difference
Although many actors begin producing in order to take control of their career destinies in front of and behind the camera, others are simply interested in expanding the quality and scope of the industry. A good example of this is Brad Pitt and his production company Plan B, which he founded with Jennifer Anniston, and now runs with Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner. IndieWire’s Eric Kohn writes that Plan B “has gained traction in recent years as one of the most significant entities supporting auteur-driven work in the United States.” From the academy-award winning “12 Years a Slave,” to this year’s underdog Oscar winner “Moonlight,” Pitt proves himself a star who is more than willing to step out of the picture to produce great films.
Our 4-Week-Producing Workshop works to provide our students with the education and training that they will need to tackle the everyday responsibilities and tasks that accompany a career in production.
FAQs
While not every actor excels at so many aspects of filmmaking, many actors turn to producing in order to have more control over their careers, as well as the projects in which they're involved.
Why do so many actors become producers? ›
Why do Actors become Executive Producers? Actors may become Executive Producers on a project if they are contributing to the finances for it. They themselves may front funding for the film or bring in investors for the production on account of their connections, which allows them to earn an Executive Producer credit.
Why are so many actors directing? ›
Many actors like the idea of becoming directors for the feeling of having more creative control in a production. Directors ultimately have the most creative control in film making because they're responsible for directing actors in the production of the movie.
Why are stars often executive producers? ›
Actors have bosses, and those bosses are Executive Producers. When an actor is also an EP, they get to be the boss. So as some others have said, it's about having more control over their work.
What percentage of actors become successful? ›
The general consensus is that a very small percentage of actors make it big. This number remains close to Samuel Arbesman's calculations in which only 0.04% of the overall acting population become famous. In reality, it could be even less. Currently, A-Listers make up about 0.0002% of SAG-AFTRA members.
Does a producer make more money than an actor? ›
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.
Who is the most successful film producer? ›
Worldwide
| Rank | Name | Total worldwide box office |
|---|
| 1 | Kevin Feige | $29.449 billion |
| 2 | Kathleen Kennedy | $12.900 billion |
| 3 | Jerry Bruckheimer | $12.319 billion |
| 4 | David Heyman | $11.894 billion |
6 more rowsIn some cases, it's some small bit role that you overlooked because it was early in their career, and in other cases, it's somebody at the top of their game taking on a minor role for fun, or because they were asked to take part in one of their favorite shows, and they couldn't turn down the role.
Why do actors stand so close to each other? ›
Traditional Close-Up Shot
This draws the audience's eye to exactly where the director wants it to be, and it can create a sense of intimacy. For scenes featuring two actors talking to each other, directors often use alternating close-ups after the two-shot establishes the characters and the background scenery.
Why do actors stop acting? ›
Actors quit acting for a whole bunch of reasons. Childhood stars decide the life isn't for them, lifelong celebrities want to try their hand at something new, or people simply discover a new calling in life. Whatever their reasons, these are some actors who left the biz and are working in entirely new fields.
Celebrities get paid so much because they are part of social media platforms, films, TV shows, and productions that generate a lot of money. Here are some of the top reasons celebrities earn a lot of money: The creative endeavors they are involved with make a lot of money (films, music, TV, etc.).
Do producers decide actors? ›
Casting is the process by which casting directors, producers, directors, and executives decide which actors will perform in a production—from lead roles to supporting parts and, occasionally, background talent.
Why do some actors get producer credits? ›
They don't actually perform producing duties, on or off the set, but a credit validates the value of their presence on the show — and can enable them to make extra money as a producer and not as an actor (so that other actors don't feel they should get more, too).
What is the average salary of a successful actor? ›
How much does an Actor/Performer make in the United States? The average Actor/Performer salary in the United States is $60,747 as of June 26, 2023, but the range typically falls between $50,059 and $74,170.
What age do most actors become successful? ›
For while both male and female actors peak between 30 and 39, and while the 40s remain fertile territory for all actors, there's a definite gender skewing towards older male actors and younger female actors. Almost 25% of female actors book most of their roles in their 20s, against 11.6% of male actors.
What is the unemployment rate for actors? ›
According to research, 85% of actors are unemployed at any given time while only 12.08% earned more than $1000 in a year. The average annual income for actors in the US is $50,529 with an expected growth rate of 3%.
Why do movies have so many producers now? ›
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.
Why do some movies have a lot of producers? ›
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.
Are producers ever on set? ›
Note that the key difference between a Producer and an Executive Producer is that a producer is more hands on, and makes decisions at the ground level. They are considered the supervisor on-set, and are involved in all phases of production.
Why do Broadway shows have so many producers? ›
Because Broadway producing has become more complicated over the years, and since the responsibilities of a Broadway Producer have increased (in the same they have for Directors, Actors, etc.), there has been a need for different types of Broadway Producers to make sure a show is properly served.
