Career as a Producer – Complete Guide!

Have you heard of names like Sajid Nadiadwala, Ritesh Sidwani, Aditya Chopra and Karan Johar. Of course, you have! These are the greatest producers in the country. These are the people who wish their movies do really great at the box office. 

But do these people only care about money? No! These are the people who are involved in the movies- right from the script development, to the casting to the shooting and even editing post-production. 

So are you interested in being a producer? Read the blog to know more about the career as a producer- the education, skills, job roles, growth prospects and much more! 

What does a Producer do? 

While it has been shown that a producer can perform a variety of tasks, their primary responsibility is to provide direction and leadership for a project and to exercise authority and control over the production. Producers work on a project from start to finish, but their duties change during the four stages listed below:

Development

• Establish and retain powerful contacts in your industry
• work on the primary source
• Hire a creative team and director
• Make money
• Transform an idea into a film

Pre-production

• Hiring the creative team
• pitch package 
• Production planning
• principal casting

Production 

• assisting the creative team and director
• Decisions in business, finance, and logistics
• approving modifications and resolving issues
• Point of contact for day-to-day operations

Post-production 

• The soundtrack, visual effects, and editing
• Additional resources
• promotion and marketing

Job Roles for a Producer 

Making a film is not the 2-hour journey that we watch in theatres. A lot of the success of the film depends on the people behind the cameras. One such is the role of the various kinds of jobs that a producer can take up. The following are the various roles that you can take while joining the industry: 

• Executive Producer:
  A theatre production, commercial, web series, television show, or film must be created under the direction of an Executive Producer, or EP. They are responsible for developing the idea and drafting the script, determining the budget, and ensuring the quality of production on the set of a movie. 

• Production Manager 
  A production manager is a specialist who supervises the production procedure and plans every action to guarantee there are enough resources available. To guarantee that the workflow meets the necessary deadlines, they can arrange the schedules of the personnel, estimate costs, and set budgets.

• Line Producer 
  The line producer is the movie producer in charge of controlling the budget and supervising all the resources required. 

• Production Coordinator 
  Pre-production is when production coordinators get to work. They organised the people, materials, and equipment as they built up the production office. They organise cast and crew members’ travel, lodging, work permits, and visas. Additionally, they disseminate filming schedules, cast and crew lists, screenplays, and revised scripts.

• Post-production Supervisors 
  Post-production supervisors are in charge of overseeing the post-production phase, during which they ensure that the producer, editor, supervising sound editor, the facilities companies (such as CGI studios, film labs and negative cutters), and the production accountant have clear information and open lines of communication.

• Production Assistant 
  The duties of a production assistant can and frequently do change from day to day. They are typically in charge of printing and distributing scripts, doing errands for Directors and Producers, and communicating with other team members to make sure everything goes off without a hitch.

Career Paths to becoming a Producer 

There is no degree requirement to become a producer. However, some amount of formal training through an acting school is a preferred way to become a producer. 

PATH 1: Through Arts/ Fine arts 

The most common path to becoming a producer is via the route of Humanities. You can take up arts in your 11th and 12th and then pursue an undergraduate degree like a B.A. (Bachelor of Arts) in filmmaking. The courses take 3-4 years to complete. 

PATH 2: Any stream 

Another path to becoming a producer is that you can select any stream in your 11th and 12th grades. Post 12th you can take up Mass media or Mass communication. 

To get a complete view of the career paths, you can visit our blog on how to become a producer. 

Salary at various stages of a career as a Producer 

The average gross pay for film producers in India is 9,40,189 INR. 

Wage estimates based on data from anonymous Indian employees and employers via salary surveys is given  in the following table: 

Experience level	Entry-level	Middle-level	Experienced level
Salary/year	6,72,091	9,40,189	11,83,929

Skills to be a Producer 

1. Creativity
   A movie producer needs both vision and creativity to make movies that viewers enjoy watching from beginning to end. Directors also expect a movie producer to clearly communicate with the entire production team because producers work with a variety of personalities. Although they do not direct or write a film, producers aid in the casting of capable actors.

2. Leadership 
   A movie producer is in charge of overseeing the production schedule and making sure that films are finished on time. A producer with leadership skills can effectively delegate tasks and make decisions that have a positive impact on the production schedule. Additionally, strong leadership skills are needed to inspire the production team to complete a project to the highest standard.

3. Networking
   The process of making a movie necessitates the involvement of a wide range of specialists in various capacities. A movie producer has the responsibility of filling every position needed to make a movie. You can maintain contact with actors, film studio executives, financiers, and directors by using your networking abilities. You can hire the best professionals to make movies if they have this skill set.

4. Organization
   Producers need to be extremely organised if they want to create a film that connects with their audience. Employing specialised production tools and software will help you stay organised. Employing more people to perform tasks while staying within the project’s budget requires organisational skills as well.

5. Planning
   You are in charge of organising and managing a project as a movie producer. When you carefully plan your project, your entire production team can work efficiently. Additionally, with proper planning, you can accomplish your objectives and encourage cooperation among your team members.

6. Technological Skills
   Technical expertise can make you a successful movie producer. Even though you don’t need to be an expert filmmaker, you still need to know what a great shot looks like and how to get it. Understanding staging, lighting, and framing will help you create movies that accurately depict every detail. Understanding every step of the production process is crucial for a movie producer. 

Scope to be a producer

These days, there are a number of paths that offer a good chance for career advancement for someone interested in a career as a producer. There are many chances for someone to develop, from sports and news channels to the film industry (both mainstream and independent). People are becoming more knowledgeable about how the entertainment industry operates and the businesses that are a part of it. Over time, the entertainment industry has grown. Everybody is drawn to this fascinating sector of the economy.

To start a career as a film or television producer, candidates must complete internships. The majority of candidates begin their careers at the lowest level. They are employed by talent agencies or production companies as interns or assistants. Candidates climb through the ranks of senior positions and responsibilities in production companies with long years in the industry. Employers favour working with applicants who have prior experience. In the entertainment industry, networking and connections are essential for obtaining better opportunities. The majority of well-known film producers operate from an office or studio.

Type of Industries hiring for a producer 

Producers have a tonne of job options in Bollywood, the second-largest film industry in the world. Mumbai is the centre of most of these opportunities. Check out the top employment options for producers below:

• Theatre companies, the video industry, and the television industry
• Plays on Stage
• Pictures in motion
• Advertising agencies 

Type of recruiters hiring for a Producer 

There are no particular businesses that hire filmmakers. However, a lot of production companies and agencies employ these experts. Some of them are:

• Yash Raj Films
• Red Chillies Entertainment
• Bhansali Productions
• Balaji Motion Pictures
• Phantom Films
• UTV Motion Pictures Ltd.
• Eros International
• Dharma Productions
• Rajshri Productions

Courses to Up-skill as a Producer 

If you’re unsure about a job as a producer, you may test it out by registering for a range of time- and money-saving online courses or as a way to upskill yourself.

Certificate Courses	Institute offering the course	Duration
Getting your film off the ground	Michigan State University	1-3 months
Producing for film and TV – Master Course	Film Skills	15 hours
Write a feature-length screenplay for films and TV	Michigan State University	3-6 Months
Become a Film Producer	LinkedIn Learning	17 hours 42 mins
Film Production Online Certificate Course	Vancouver Film School	8 Weeks
Make a Short film: Start to finish	LinkedIn Learning	4 hours 52 mins

Qualifications to become a Producer 

Degrees in India: 

1. UG Degrees 

As mentioned earlier there is no degree requirement for a producer. However, there are certain degrees that you can take to become a producer: 

Undergraduate Course	Duration
B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication (Film Making)	3 Year
B.A. in Film Production	3 Years
B.A. in Film Making and Mass Communication	3 Years
B.A. in Multimedia (Film Production and Management)	3 Years
B.A.(Hons.) in Film Making (Cinematography)	3 Years
BMM (Bachelor of Mass Media)	3 Years
The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Filmmaking	3 Years
BSc in Filmmaking	3 Years

2. PG Degrees 

Some of the post-graduation courses that you can take to become a producer in India: 

Master’s Course	Duration
M.A. in Filmmaking	2 Years
Masters in Fine Arts	2 Years

Degrees Abroad:

The structure, curriculum and approach to teaching might be different from that of India. The degrees that you can pursue abroad include BA (Hons) in Film and Television Production, Film (Film and Media Production), BA, BA in Cinema & Media Studies

Film Production BA (Hons), Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film & Television, BFA in Image Arts: Film Studies. They take 36 -48 months to complete. 

Some of the Master’s courses that a producer can take include – an MA in Filmmaking and an MFA in Filmmaking. These take 1-2 years to complete. 

Entry into these courses will require you to give language proficiency test scores of IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, SATs, etc along with an SOP (Statement of Purpose) and LORs (Letter of Recommendation). Want some help with SATs? We have got you covered. Read this blog to know more!
Want to boost your chances of getting admission abroad? Sign up for the Clever Harvey JuniorMBA Advertising Course and add a real industry project to your student portfolio.

There are no such resources that can assist you in developing a profession as a filmmaker. However, reading motivational novels, histories, and plays can improve a theatre director’s or film director’s understanding. Because it gives you the exposure and experience that are most required in this industry, working practically or helping a director or producer might help you learn more about this vocation.

FAQs- Frequently asked questions about the career as a Producer