IV. Producers’ Titles and Job Descriptions
• In both nonscripted and scripted television, and in new media, producers can also be
writers and/or directors
• From show to show and genre to genre, producers’ titles and job descriptions can vary
considerably
Producers’ Titles and Job Descriptions:
• Executive Producer:
o Makes the deals
o Finds the finances
o Usually, they set up and control the budget
o May hire various crew and cast
o Can be in charge of other producers for one or more projects
There may be several executive producers and co-executive producers on a single project. For
example, one may be the liaison between the network and the press, another deal directly with
talent and creativity, and a third with budgets and business planning.
• Showrunner:
o Responsible for the overall creative direction of a series
o Often he may have the title of executive producer
o Might be the original creator of the show and/or the writer of the show’s
storyline overview
o Usually the primary writer
o Sometimes manages and guides other writers in creating the scripts
o Often may rewrite scripts and make sure they’re delivered on schedule
o Might be involved in pitching a new show idea to a network and casting the
actors
o Maintains the essential vision of the show
The showrunner on a reality show, talk show, news, specials, and so on may not always be as
involved in the writing and may be more involved with generating, selling, and/or managing
ideas. A showrunner can be a writer, a producer, or both, and has the power to hire or fire,
shouldering the burden of the show’s success or failure.
• Producer (Senior Producer, Supervising Producer):
o They can be an entrepreneurial producer or a producer commissioned to come
in at any stage to work on the project
o Initiates ideas and hires and coordinates the crew
o Might be the writer and/or the director, or might hire them
o Supervises and controls the budget
o Supervises and controls the technical and administrative aspects throughout the
project
o Oversees contracts and negotiations
o May receive a percentage of the final profits, if any, as well as a regular salary
• Integrated Producer:
