What does a Producer do? Escape Studios provides a behind the scenes look

Imagine a ship without a captain; impossible, right? In the creative industries, several roles bring films, animation and games to life. One vital, yet often misunderstood role in the industry is that of the Producer. While the Producer plays a central part in ensuring the project is successful, what exactly does a Producer do?  

MULTITASKER AT HEART 

In general, the Producer is not to be confused with the Director of a project. The main job of the Director is to guide the creative vision, while the Producer is responsible for turning the vision into reality, balancing the creative vision of the project with practical concerns like time, money, and resources. The Producer is working in some ways as a Project Manager, overseeing all aspects of production from conception to completion and ensuring the project stays on track and on budget.  

PRE-PRODUCTION RESPONSIBILITIES 

The involvement of a Producer in a project starts long before filming, animating or game development begins. In some instances, such as a project in its development phase, the Producer may help in finding a script, secure the rights to a story or even oversee the writing process. In other instances, for animation or games, Producers may be involved in storyboarding, planning character design, or defining the scope of the gameplay.  

However, no project will come to realisation without proper budgeting and financial planning. Budget management is a crucial responsibility for any Producer. Not only will the Producer look after the right usage of the budget available, but also secure the necessary funding in the form of pitching the project to investors, studios, or game publishers. In some cases, the Producer will be part of the contract negotiations.  

Contrary to what people may think, it is the Producer who in most cases hires the Director and other crew members for the project. For films, this can include the Cinematographer, Editor or Sound Designer. In animation or video games, it means pulling together a team of Animators, Voice Actors, Visual Effects Artists, Modellers and Programmers. Once the right team is found, it’s time to create some magic.

PRODUCTION AND POST-PRODUCTION 

Once the production begins, the Producer is in constant motion. As mentioned, they oversee the scheduling and planning of the project but also are the point of contact if problems arise, whether it’s a location issue, a casting change or troubleshooting software issues, managing asset creation, or reallocating resources.  

Even once the filming or development wraps, the Producer’s job is far from over. Like their involvement in the pre-production stages, the Producer oversees phases of post-production, overseeing the editing process, VFX integration, sound design and final approvals. In game development, this could include managing the testing phase, debugging the game, and ensuring the game is polished and ready for release. For the project to become available to its audience, the Producer will also liaise with distributors or publishers.  

THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP 

Now, imagine a ship without a captain again; still impossible. Similarly, a project without a Producer. Producers combine creativity with business, to guide a project from its idea to the final product.  

At Escape Studios, we teach Producing for VFX, an 8-week live online evening course which provides students with the skills, knowledge and understanding to enter the production teams of studios, working on feature films, high-end TV and video games.  

What project will you oversee to come to life?