III. The Many Roles of a Producer
• Many producers started off as writers or directors or actors who had an idea for a
project they wanted to see actualized. They wanted to brand their idea with their own
unique voice, and because they wanted that voice to be heard, they refused to
relinquish control over the development of the idea. They chose to become producers
so they could protect that idea’s vulnerability and actualize their original idea
The producer in television and in new media has the power
to:
• Educate
• Entertain
• Emotionally move an audience
The Five Stages of Production: From Idea to Wrap
Stage One: The idea (project development):
Your idea might be a full-length script or a simple one-paragraph treatment.
The producer often (not always):
• Writes or finds material to option, or obtains all rights to found material
• Evaluates the project’s initial costs, funding sources, and likely markets
• Develops the idea, first into a story synopsis and then into a formal proposal, or pitch,
for getting funds
• Oversees the development of the idea
• Develops a rough estimate of the budget
• Pitches the project
• Raises network or client interest
• Obtains financing that covers the project’s initial development or that spans the entire
project.
• Negotiates and obtains contracts for licensing fees and other legal aspects of the
project’s distribution or broadcast
• Selects, interviews, and hires a director who shares the project’s visions and can
deliver on schedule
• Selects and hires a writer or team of writers
• May consult with and hire additional producers, associate producers, and/or a
production manager
Not every project requires a director; often, the producer may fill this role.
