What does a Producer do?

Producers work in film, television and music as well as all other branches of the creative arts, assembling the personnel and resources to fulfil the goals of the project. Producers ensure that the project is delivered on time and on budget, working out the logistics and dealing with the business side of the production. Once a project is complete, the Producer typically takes on the task of marketing and distributing the work. Producers in different industries have different roles, but there are many similarities in their areas of responsibility.

Producer skills and qualifications

Producers may work in a wide variety of environments on a range of different projects, from ballet shows to music recordings. A successful Producer will have a variety of prerequisite skills and qualifications that typically include:

• Creativity and artistic flair
• Problem-solving and decision-making
• Technical ability with the equipment appropriate for the project
• Excellent time management skills
• Proven project management skills
• Managing a budget and allocating resources to each element of the project
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to multitask and adapt to changing priorities

Producer experience requirements

Producers typically have experience of one or more junior roles in the industry before they work their way up to the level of Producer. Candidates that have experience as a Production Assistant will have a thorough knowledge of the elements required for successful production and can also start to build up a network of contacts that will help them develop their careers further.

Music Producers tend to be Musicians themselves with experience of writing, recording and producing their own music or that of their peers. Time spent in studios will give them the experience they need to develop an in-depth knowledge of technical and audio software and hardware in use and be able to create ideas on arranging, composing and mixing the music.

Producer education and training requirements

Producers need to have qualifications in the discipline in which they are working. This is usually a degree in a relevant subject such as film and TV production and directing, music science or music technology, theatre production or other media or arts subjects. Candidates with qualifications in communication studies will also have valuable skills which can be combined with more specific industry-related training. Specific training courses focussing on certain aspects of the production process can also be useful, such as those run by the BBC, the Music Producer’s Guild and the British Film Institute.

Producer salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a Producer in the UK is £32,308 per year, but this is dependent on the type of project involved, the scope of the Producer’s role and the profile of the project in production.

Job description samples for similar positions

If you are recruiting for a role in a project, but a Producer isn’t quite what you are looking for, then these job descriptions for similar roles may help you find the right role:

• Photographer
• Marketer