executive Producers in the Cinema

by Seyyed Ali Esmaeili

by Seyyed Ali Esmaeili

The film industry has changed significantly like other art and media sections in recent years and the scope of cinematic activities has widened with the emergence of a new young generation of activists and mainly educated young people in this arena. This has led to the promotion of positions such as set crew, special effects crew, stunt team, production crew (a line producer) and such, as well as other art sections with a wider job description than before and the provision of better facilities for filmmaking using modern technologies.
The complexities of film production with audio-visual special effects has increased and consequently the duties of production crew have doubled in terms of art management, management planning and financial management so they need to divide tasks and hire capable, creative and experienced members for big projects. One of the biggest concerns of investors and upstream groups in filmmaking is that the projected budget should be in harmony with costs and filmmaking should happen according to plan. Arranging financing as well as choosing the art and technical crew for a project consist of very difficult stages, each of which is necessary to perform different technical and legal tasks. According to what has been said and considering the scope and complexity of producing a cinematic work, in order to plan efficiently and carry out operational budgeting, it is important to oversee the whole process and prevent deviation from the schedule and hire young members who have a good command of various aspects of internal and external factors of film production. They are called “line producers” and are the subject of this article.
Who Is a Line Producer?
A line producer is a key manager in the directing department who can also be an investor or a producer. He is responsible for managing a project in accordance with a predetermined schedule in the right place with maximum technical capacity and benefit from the optimal use of the crew according to the projected budget and financial planning specified in advance.
A line producer is responsible for overseeing the quality of the work to ensure that the crew remains on schedule and avoid capital loss. In case any problems disrupt film production, a line producer must prepare a plan for the new conditions accordingly and immediately. In fact, he/she should observe all aspects of film production and provide a creative solution to any problem and should not be obsessed with anything that may stop production. A line producer should also help to provide a safe and secure workplace for the crew in every respect and progress according to plan.
A line producer should always be at director’s disposal so they should be able to lift the burden from the directing department and especially the director’s shoulders. This is how the director can do the art task of a film with peace of mind. A line producer must come from and be a member of the cinema and have worked in different positions, be experienced and knows the challenges of pre-production, production and post-production, and come up with a solution for each.
A line producer is responsible for managing the crew and keep an eye on film contracts and should oversee the use of facilities such as hiring equipment and choosing locations, and all the deals in general and make sure the amount and duration of contracts are in line with the schedule and budget table. These duties won’t be fulfilled unless he/she communicates with a wide range of crew from the top to the bottom, therefore, he/she must be a skilled negotiator with great bargaining power.
A line producer’s experience and wisdom as well as his/her mastery of a set of techniques and rules is a strong support for film investors because he/she is the person who shouldn’t allow production costs to exceed the proposed budget and even if part of the investment is not provided, a line producer should think of a way to prevent any damage to film production. The more credible a line producer is, the more confident the film crew will be.
Qualities of a Line Producer
In the first place, a line producer must be organized, trustworthy, well-mannered, and creative and he/she should be a bridge between the crew. A line producer must have a good command of a set of rules such as labor law, workplace health and safety rules, insurance law and work permits. One of his/her duties is to estimate how much his/her job is worth and his knowledge of the stages of production can always help him/her in decision-making. With the emergence of young generation, it is necessary today to master software programs for recording and organizing tasks.
Responsibilities of a Line Producer
1- Establishing a budget in cooperation with everyone, especially production crew’s approval for the realization of the art crew and the director’s visions
2- Move forward according to schedule in different situations
3- Adjusting all contracts and payments to budget tables, schedule and rules
4- Offering a practical solution in case problems arise during filmmaking
5- Pursuing completion of contracts and performing final tasks such as receiving certificate of clearance and terminating contracts
6- Returning all facilities and equipment to their owners and employers
7- Settling with the crew
8- Realistic estimation of investment risk in different sections of production according to legal requirements
9- Preventing any deviation from the schedule and the projected budget tables in film production

Seyyed Ali Esmaeili