Producers(Career Paper) Essay, Research Paper

Introduction

I believe by researching this career, I will learn more about what it’s like to be a producer. I also believe that my research will help me choose what occupation I’d like to have when I finish school. I chose this profession as the topic of my career paper because I want to learn more about it because I may be interested in going into this career.

Job Description

Producers have financial and administrative control over the making of movies, plays, and TV shows. Producers hire directors, principal members of the cast, and negotiate contracts with artistic personnel, often in accordance with collective bargaining agreement (“Actors, Directors, and Producers” 180). Together with the director, the producer also hires other members of the staff. A large staff includes several production assistants, associate producers, or assistant producers who are in charge of various parts of the production. These assistants help producers perform their task. During production, the producer is in charge of all the people involved in the movie, television, or theater project, including actors, directors, and production workers (CIC 154).

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Anyone with enough money can produce a play or movie. A person successful in business who has contacts in the theater may raise the money to produce a play. Someone experienced in films, such as a director, may raise enough money to produce a film. Producers are entrepreneurs. They select plays or scripts, arrange financing, and decide on the size of the production and its budget. (CIC 154).

Movie producers may be employed by film studios or may work independently. Producers who work for large film companies usually have experience both in films and business. The job of producer can be approached from either field.

A lot of money goes into these productions, and the producer’s job is to raise the money needed and see that it’s spent wisely. It’s the producer’s responsibility for ultimately turning a profit for the investors. A good producer would recognize a successful show or movie while it’s still in planning stages. A smart producer spots a bad idea, more often than not, before too much money is wasted on it (CIC 154).

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Education Required

There are no standard educational or training requirements for the position of producer (CIC 154). Most producers have studied film, video production, or drama at the college level. Many have also trained as actors in dramatic arts schools. People who may be accepted need at least a bachelor’s degree or two years of on-set experience and also must pass written tests. Courses in acting and communications can be helpful. College drama courses in liberal arts, stage speech and movement, directing, playwriting, history of drama, and design and play production can be helpful also. (GIS 1).

Talent and experience are very important to getting a job in this field. Producers need good business sense to handle finances. Movie and play producers need to have enough personal contacts to be able to raise money, hire staff, and find distributors (GIS 1).

Expected Earnings

In general, the pay for producers is good. Producer salaries range from $25,000-$70,000. Executive producers make even higher salaries, sometimes up to $200,000. A producer can earn a few thousand dollars, or a

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few hundred thousand dollars for a production. Those with larger budgets earn much more than other producers (GIS 1).

Job Outlook

The number of producers is small. Few new producers are hired each year by the large TV and film companies (CIC 155). Employment of producers is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2008. In addition, an even greater number of job openings are expected to arise from the need to replace workers who leave the field. Nevertheless, competition for these jobs will be stiff, as the glamour of actor, director, and producer jobs, coupled with the lack of formal entry requirements will attract many people to these occupations. As in the past, only the most talented will find regular employment (OOH).

Contribution

Entertainment is very important to society today, which is why I think this occupation is important. Most people like to watch television, movies, or plays, and without this option, many people would be very disappointed. Without producers, television programs, movies, and plays would not be possible. They are responsible for a lot of the things that go on behind the

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scenes, and are in charge of most of the things that go on. They play a major role in entertainment in society today. This is why I think producers are important.

Conclusion

I still consider this job a possibility as my future occupation, however I have many other careers in mind as possibilities also. One of the major reasons I have not considered this field further is that this job requires a lot of traveling and long hours. I plan to get married and raise a family in the future, so I wouldn’t want to travel all that much, and I would like to spend some time at home, so I don’t particularly want to work long hours. However, I do still have this job in mind and may consider looking into it more, as well as other careers that I’ll probably look into.

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“Actors, Directors, and Producers.” Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Bereau of Labor Statistics, April 19, 2000. http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos093.htm.

November 4, 2000

Alexandra Brouwer and Thomas Lee Wright. Working in Hollywood. New

York: Crown Publishers Inc. 1990.

Communication and the Arts. Career Information Center. New York:

Macmillan, 1999.

“Producer.” Guidance Information Center. Computer Software.

Riverside, 2000.