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What Does it Take to Be a Producer?

Job Description: Plan and coordinate various aspects of radio, television, stage, or motion picture production, such as selecting script, coordinating writing, directing and editing, and arranging financing.

Life As a Producer: What Do They Do?

  • Review film, recordings, or rehearsals to ensure conformance to production and broadcast standards.
  • Develop marketing plans for finished products, collaborating with sales associates to supervise product distribution.
  • Determine production size, content, and budget, establishing details such as production schedules and management policies.
  • Maintain knowledge of minimum wages and working conditions established by unions or associations of actors and technicians.
  • Negotiate contracts with artistic personnel, often in accordance with collective bargaining agreements.
  • Negotiate with parties, including independent producers and the distributors and broadcasters who will be handling completed productions.

Qualities of a Producer

When polled, Producers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

  • Executive Producer
  • News Anchor
  • Digital Media Producer
  • Movie Producer
  • Video Producer

Is There Going to be Demand for Producers?

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 134,700 jobs in the United States for Producer. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 12.2% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 16,500 new jobs for Producer by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 14,100 job openings in this field each year.

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The states with the most job growth for Producer are Utah, Georgia, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Alaska, Maine, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Producer Average Salary

Producers make between $34,450 and $163,540 a year.

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Producers who work in California, New York, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.

How much do Producers make in each U.S. state?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $57,040
Alaska $61,280
Arizona $62,760
Arkansas $58,750
California $115,080
Colorado $68,290
Connecticut $84,900
Delaware $59,680
District of Columbia $89,390
Florida $70,630
Georgia $84,570
Hawaii $73,200
Idaho $55,600
Illinois $77,960
Indiana $48,300
Iowa $46,610
Kansas $56,680
Kentucky $60,530
Louisiana $56,290
Maine $51,310
Maryland $78,760
Massachusetts $70,480
Michigan $65,910
Minnesota $73,110
Mississippi $44,310
Missouri $65,560
Montana $51,920
Nebraska $51,620
Nevada $67,190
New Hampshire $59,830
New Jersey $92,180
New Mexico $75,110
New York $115,610
North Carolina $73,980
North Dakota $42,570
Ohio $60,590
Oklahoma $55,670
Oregon $68,280
Pennsylvania $76,050
Rhode Island $65,660
South Carolina $57,200
South Dakota $55,930
Tennessee $65,040
Texas $69,280
Utah $67,800
Vermont $58,760
Virginia $69,750
Washington $71,430
Wisconsin $57,110
Wyoming $45,930

Tools & Technologies Used by Producers

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Producers:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Hypertext markup language HTML
  • JavaScript
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Email software
  • Microsoft Project
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
  • Microsoft Visio
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
  • Facebook
  • Microsoft Publisher
  • Google Docs
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
  • Extensible markup language XML
  • Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign
  • PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Dreamweaver

Becoming a Producer

Education needed to be a Producer:

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What work experience do I need to become a Producer?

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Where do Producers Work?

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The table below shows the approximate number of Producers employed by various industries.

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References:

Image Credit: Donald Judge via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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