What a film and TV producer really does
You turn a script and a budget into a finished show, solving a new problem every hour so the cameras keep rolling.
FieldCreative and media
Preparation (O*NET Job Zone)Considerable preparation needed
What the work involves
What fills a typical week for film and TV producers, built from O*NET occupation data.
- Build and rebuild the shooting schedule around cast, location and crew availability
- Track the budget, approve spending and find savings when costs climb
- Approve sets, props, locations, equipment and music
- Run production meetings and confer constantly with the director, crew and writers
- Review the day's footage and progress, then replan tomorrow
- Settle disputes between people on the team before they stop the work
- Write call sheets, reports and emails late into the evening
What the days are like
What people in the job know
- The time pressure is daily, not occasional. Time Pressure: 73% every day (O*NET Work Context)
- You make decisions all day, and they affect everyone. Frequency of Decision Making: 76% every day; Impact of Decisions: 56% very important results (O*NET Work Context)
- Conflict is weekly and some people will be rude to you daily. Conflict Situations: 44% once a week or more; Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People: 25% every day (O*NET Work Context)
- Long weeks are standard. Duration of Typical Work Week: 76% more than 40 hours (O*NET Work Context)
- It is one of the most competitive creative fields. Level of Competition: 37% extremely competitive, 36% highly competitive (O*NET Work Context)
How people get into it
Job Zone 4. In O*NET's survey 57% say a bachelor's degree is required, often in film, media or communications, while 15% report a high school diploma and 13% an associate's degree. Most producers work their way up from production assistant, coordinator or associate producer roles, so on set experience and relationships matter as much as the degree.
The Firstday trial, easy to hard
Three simulated tasks at Tallgrass Pictures, a fictional company, with AI coworkers who message you, react to your work and coach with questions. Nobody scores you.
What the trial can't show: You will not stand on a real set, feel the energy of a crew of 30 waiting on your decision, scout locations in person, or sit in an edit bay. Phone calls and walkie chatter are simulated in text or voice. The trial also cannot show the very long days, travel, and the years of relationship building that get projects funded.
Reading about it is one thing.
Find out how the work feels to you before you spend on a degree, course or job change. Your first trial is free.
Other careers you can try
Job details on this page are built from O*NET OnLine, 27-2012.00. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.