What does a producer do?
Producers have overall responsibility for an animation production. They manage the director and all the other departments to ensure a project’s delivered on time, within budget and to the best creative brief.
Sometimes producers start with an idea for an animation. Then they get financial backing from distributors or broadcasters to produce it. This means producers need to be able to predict production costs well and propose a budget.
Producers also have a deep understanding of animation and its creative possibilities. They allow the animators the freedom to experiment, at the same time as keeping the production on schedule.
Animation producers can be employed by animation production companies or studios. Depending on the size of the studio, producers’ work can be different. For instance, in larger companies, producers may be more focused on management, whereas, in smaller companies, there is more potential for producers to oversee creative decisions. Some producers freelance and move between companies.
Producers are always looking for opportunities to finance their productions. They think of all the ways they can bring in money, including raising finance through merchandise. They go to film, TV or arts festivals to meet people who might be able to fund projects or work as partners. The role of a producer can vary depending on the job or project and the skills or experience of the other producers and executive producers.
What's a producer good at?
- Leadership: manage all departments on a production, motivate and communicate well with everyone throughout the project, take the lead on decisions, create a good working atmosphere
- Organisation: be on top of the whole project, prepare schedules and a production budget, negotiate salaries, make room for creativity within this structure
- Business: negotiate with financial backers to get funding for projects, cultivate good relationships
- Animation knowledge: have an excellent understanding of all the processes of making an animation, be able to develop a concept
- Problem-solving: work methodically and logically, find creative solutions, especially when things don’t go to plan
