I recently attended a film producing module with Elisa Argenzio who has had a range of producing roles on films including that of a Line Producer. She provided us with a folder that contained examples of documents essential to producing a film. She covered the material and process for managing it comprehensively. I found the sessions very informative and they also provided me with an insight into producing larger scale productions.
Over the course of my Masters studies it’s been interesting for me to learn about the hierarchy of different producing roles in film production and how the responsibilities of these roles can change from production to production. Depending on the scale of the production there are a range of producing roles including:
- Executive Producer
- Producer or Creative Producer
- Line Producer
- Assistant producer
- Associate Producer
- Production Manager.
I’m producing and directing both my projects and I have found this to be a significant challenge. My short film and documentary combined with the numerous projects I have been doing for work have spread me thin. I enjoy working on multiple projects but because I’m the person who is driving each one it’s been difficult to maintain the momentum on each. I’ve found that as one or two pick up momentum the others are left on the back burner. I’ve had to constantly shift my focus, which is stimulating but I know my projects would benefit from a more sustained approach rather than bursts of intensity before a deadline. Managing this many projects has also posed difficulty in scheduling and working out timeframes. It’s been stressful when deadlines have coincided or when I’ve received material from a client late, knocking out my schedule like a domino effect.
The other challenge in taking on both the role of producer and director in my film projects is a creative one. I think there are a lot of advantages that stem from a strong working relationship between the producer and the director. In this relationship there is a tension between creative vision and the bottom line, which is always cost and time. I think this tension creates a dynamic that can be very beneficial. You always have someone to be accountable to.
One projects that I wrote and directed earlier this year was an education kit ‘what’s the deal?” for Victoria Legal Aid and Youthlaw. The project manager had to meet a very tight time frame, or risk losing the funding for the project. On the other hand I needed to meet my vision for the project or risk compromising my professional standards. We were both committed to our individual priorities so it required that we make compromises and reassessments throughout the duration of the project. This dynamic was integral to achieving the goals of the publication. One could argue that as a producer and a director on the same project there is a conflict of interest, it’s incredibly difficult to wear both hats at the same time. There has been debate about this within industry, but more in relation to writer/producers and creative producers.
