ABSTRACT
A producer is often the only key member of the production team who guides a project through all phases of production, from preproduction planning through postproduction editing and distribution. A producer initiates a project by drafting a proposal, obtaining financial support, assembling the necessary personnel, and then managing and overseeing the entire production process. He or she also ensures that the completed project reaches its target audience and satisfies people who have financially supported it. A producer provides the necessary continuity between one stage of production and the next, and tries to ensure consistency in the final product. While the producer plays an important part in all three production stages, this chapter focuses on the producer’s role during preproduction and production. The producer’s role during postproduction is covered in the final chapter, Chapter 13, “Distribution and Exhibition.”
