Newstricky| Did you know that there are only around 23,818 video producers in the United States?
If you’re thinking of a career in the film industry, you may be wondering what is a video producer and what they actually do. While we may know of famous producers like Steven Spielberg and Marvel’s Kevin Feige, we often overlook their contributions to the film.
The truth is that being a producer is an incredibly diverse role. From pre-production planning to contract negotiations and on-set direction, producers play a very important role in bringing stories to life on the big screen.
If you’re looking for a complete video producer guide, you’re in the right place. Here’s everything you need to know about what video producer is and what they do.
Table of Contents
What Is a Video Producer?
The best video producers in the world manage and oversee the entire production process. This refers to the entire process from the initial creative concept all the way to deciding what theatres to showcase the film in.
Video producers can help manage all kinds of video productions, including short films, television series, and even feature films. Producers are the executives that work directly with the production and various other stakeholders to ensure that everything goes to plan.
What Qualifications Should a Producer Have?
Video producers work within the film industry and are often considered executives. This means that film producers will need to have communication and analytical skills to help recruit, negotiate, and manage people throughout the production process.
How Much Do Video Producers Make?
Video producers can make anything from a few thousand dollars per project into the millions. This depends heavily on the size and nature of the project they are working on. The national average for video producers in the United States is around $49,805 per year.
Due to the job being fairly executive in nature, most high-profile producers have deals with production and distribution companies. These deals will see them earn a certain percentage of the total box office income.
What skills do you need?
Tania Sethi, an Executive Producer at Hogarth Worldwide, a production agency in New York, says time management and organizational skills are extremely important to keep projects running smoothly and avoid overspending.
Flexibility and compromise are also important. “Things are always changing, often at the last minute, so even though the producer has planned everything, you can’t be rigid” if something gets in the way of the plan, Spyros says. Interpersonal skills are also needed, as video production is a collaborative effort.
Creative problem-solving skills are also invaluable in this work. When the sun goes down and the lighting is suddenly different, you still have to find a way to get the last shot of the day. But you don’t have all day (pardon the pun) to decide because time is money and every second counts.
How to Find a Video Producer Near Me
If you’re working on a creative project, hiring a video producer can help guide you along the entire process. Finding the right production company and producer can be difficult, but there are quite a few companies dedicated to helping along the way.
You can even hire professional equipment and rent soundstages for your production. Interested in upgrading your production? Go ahead and check it out here.
How will this video help you generate income?
In addition to non-profit organizations, business-to-business organizations use video as a communication or sales tool.
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When we had our first planning call with the potential client mentioned above (about a business overview video for their website), the conversation went something like this:
Producer: “Why do you want this video?”
Client: “What do you want? “We want people to watch it and better understand who we are.”
Producer: “Why is this important?”
Client: “Why? “We think that if people know us better, they will buy our products more often.”
Producer: “How will you know that?
Client: [uncertain]
As producers, we become indispensable to our clients when we can help them connect the dots and lead them to results that impact the bottom line. Understand that video is a valuable sales tool, but it is only valuable if it is produced and positioned to deliver real and measurable results.
The Art of Video Production
The film industry is incredibly diverse and complicated. From creative directions to pre-production planning and contract negotiations, putting a film together can be a massive group effort. This is why film producers are so important to ensure that everything gets done effectively.
If you enjoyed this article on what is a video producer and want to learn more about the film industry, you’re in the right place. Feel free to browse our website for more interesting articles.
How can you break into this field?
Spyros advises that a degree in broadcast production, film, or communications is useful, but an apprenticeship or work in primary or post-production will help you get in.
