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Film producers have to wear many hats because they are often seen as the captain of the ship. Whether the ship sinks or floats is up to the producer. They are responsible for every aspect of the film that has to do with time and money. Having this responsibility is huge and requires many skills. Here we’ve narrowed it down to three must-have skills that every great producer should have in order for their production to thrive. Great producers must be extremely organized, have great communication skills, and be able to make big decisions at the drop of a hat.

Organization

 Being an organized producer means more than just keeping a schedule in your IPhone. A producer should have schedules upon schedules upon schedules. Nothing should happen without their knowledge or permission. When it comes to hiring a killer cast and crew, they oversee the whole process. When it comes to creating a shooting schedule, it is up to them to assist the director in keeping filming on time. The producers overall goal should be to create an environment and team that will help production to reach its potential. Another aspect of being organized is taking complete control of the budget. A film producer should know where every penny is being spent. Here are some specific aspects where a producer may use their organization skills:

  • Creating a shooting schedule
  • Determining locations
  • Hiring a cast and crew
  • Keeping track of script edits
  • Obtaining rights to various material
  • Maintaining the budget
  • Assisting the editor with post production edits

 Communication

Film producers are talking to people all the time. Directors, actors, film crew, vendors and more are often looking to the producer when they have questions dealing with the overall production. With that being said, great communication skills are a must. Talking with different people in the production process requires different types of communication: authoritative, inquisitive, negotiation, and more. There are times when the producer may need to exercise his or her authority in a positive yet productive and stern manner. There may be other times that they have to negotiate a contract. Being an excellent communicator is a must have when it comes to being a producer. Here are a few times that communication is necessary as a producer:

  • Keeping production on schedule
  • Asking the director to change or alter something
  • Asking the writer to change or alter the script
  • Negotiating with location owners and other vendors
  • Dealing with conflict between crew or cast members
  • Offering economic solutions for creative problems 

Decision Maker

 Most of the big decisions that are not on the creative side of things are up to the producer. In many cases, it will be up to them to make a big decision with very little time. This means that they have to have good judgment and the ability to work well under pressure. Great producers are able to manage their stress without stressing out other members of the production. Producers should try their best to always have everything under control. They must be able to think two steps ahead at all times. Here are a few instances when you might find a producer making big decisions.

  • Changing a scene because of budget reasons
  • Last minute location changes
  • Last minute cancelations
  • Budgeting
  • Deciding on a script
  • Post-production edits

Obviously, there are many more characteristics that contribute to making someone a great producer. These are just three big ones that I think everyone can agree on and strive to be better at. For more information about video production visit us at Rycafilms.com