Who is a producer and how do you become one?

A producer is a profession that is considered not only prestigious, but also quite profitable. A high-level specialist can really make good money by creating and developing his own projects. A person who wants to master this profession must have the necessary knowledge, skills, and personal qualities.

Producer is an English word derived from the verb produce, which translates to "to produce." Most often this is a person employed in the entertainment industry. He manages not only the creative process, but also deals with finances and controls the technical side of the issue.

But this is only a general description of the profession. Specialists of this level can be divided into several categories in terms of their focus.

• Music producer. He creates and promotes various musical projects in show business.
• Theater producer develops theater projects.
• Film producer works in the field of cinema. His responsibilities include not only the creation of the project, but also the organization of financing, as well as distribution at the stage of the preparation of a particular film.
• TV producer is developing a TV channel.

As already mentioned, the essence of the activity of any producer lies in the creation and further development of a project. When considering responsibilities in detail, you need to proceed from the field of activity.So, at the initial stage, a music producer monitors the music market, studies competition and the needs of listeners. Based on the data received, he creates a musical project. It can be a team or an individual performer.

Further, the duties of the producer include finding the authors of the lyrics and music. When everything is ready, you need to either invest your own funds in the project, or find investors and convince them of the profitability of the idea. The duties of a music producer also include:

• search for a recording studio (popular producers often work in their own studios);
• selection of a sound engineer;
• control of the material recording process.

In addition, the producer is responsible for the work of managers, image makers and other employees involved in the project. The most famous Russian music producers are Igor Matvienko, Maxim Fadeev, Igor Krutoy, Konstantin Meladze.

The duties of a theatrical producer include the development of the plot of the play or the selection of a finished work, the creation of a general concept for the project, and casting among the actors. In addition, he deals with administrative and business matters. When the production of the play is completed, the producer sets not only the number of performances, but also determines the venue for them, negotiates with the lease of the premises, and is engaged in advertising. Since it was the producer who initially dealt with financial issues, he sets the ticket price on his own. The most popular theater producers of our time are Dmitry Mozgovoy, Milena Avimskaya, Evgeny Khudyakov, Sasha Paz and some others.

A related position is a film producer. The responsibilities are the same, only the work is not staging a theatrical performance, but shooting a picture. Its tasks include financing, production and subsequent distribution of films. The producer is engaged in the selection of technical personnel, organizes casting for the cast, deals with the financial side of the issue. The most famous film producers are Sergey Selyanov, Timur Bekmambetov, Georgy Malkov, Rostislav Khait.

A TV producer is a person who creates and promotes projects on television. But in most cases the functioning of the channel as a whole falls on the shoulders of the producer. Like other types of this profession, a TV producer is not only looking for investors, but also makes projects, and then promotes them. His professional duties include the selection of staff for the TV channel. Famous people who are TV producers: Konstantin Ernst, Tigran Keosayan, Dmitry Dibrov, Ivan Urgant.

Like other professions, this one has advantages and disadvantages. The positive aspects include, first of all, a high income and constant communication with people (more often with creative personalities). There are also disadvantages. And they consist in the fact that it is very difficult to get into the profession, you can fail already on the first project.

There is a significant difference between these two professions. A producer is a specialist who controls a project from the beginning of its creation to its presentation to the public. A director is more of a creative person who creates a project. Of course, in some ways these professions coincide. For example, a producer and director together may attend a recruiting casting for a project. But the director never manages the financial part. He is an employee, and for the work performed he receives not a profit, but a fee specified in the terms of the signed contract.This is where the difference lies.

If someone thinks that it is quite easy to become a producer, he is mistaken. To start working in this profession, you will need not only a decent start-up capital, but also a lot of useful acquaintances in the circles of influential and wealthy people. And a person should have a great desire to create projects focused on the needs of the audience. Otherwise, the producer will face collapse and significant financial losses.

The producer must have a number of professional skills.

• Knowledge of copyright and advertising laws. When creating a project, the producer must remember about responsibility. For example, if you plan to use a piece of music in a film, you first need to agree with its authors and performers. Simply taking and using it without official permission is a violation that can lead to an impressive fine or other unpleasant consequences.
• Ability to understand the needs of the audience to which the project is being created. Otherwise, it will not be successful, which means it will not bring the expected profit.
• Knowledge of the specifics of the chosen field of activity. For example, there is no point in becoming a music producer for a rock band if a person was never initially interested in this direction.
• Have a database of useful contacts.

The person who holds this position must necessarily be sociable. Indeed, at all stages of creating a project, you will have to communicate with a variety of people. In addition, it is important to have an inner charm, the ability to convince and negotiate. Filming sometimes needs to be carried out not only in specially equipped rooms, but also in public places: airports, hospitals, shopping centers. To do this, you will have to negotiate with the heads of the institutions, as well as with the city authorities.

Important qualities of a producer are also:

• intuition;
• hard work;
• punctuality;
• the ability to work with a large amount of information;
• the ability to sensibly perceive criticism;
• treat business success and failure alike.

Stress resistance, intelligence, talent, creative thinking will be useful.

Of course, anyone who has sufficient material resources to implement the conceived project can become a producer. But you can learn this profession by graduating from one of the presented educational institutions.

• Moscow State University Lomonosov. Prestigious institution of higher education, which has a faculty of the Graduate School of Cultural Policy and Management in the Humanities. After graduating from it, you can get an excellent education.
• VGIK, where there is also a faculty of production and economics.
• GITIS (production department).
• Film and Television Institute (upon admission, you need to choose a direction - production).
• Moscow Art Theater School them. A.P. Chekhov (production department).

To get the desired specialty, you will definitely have to take subjects such as Russian, mathematics, social studies (the results of the exam are suitable). You will have to study for at least 5 years. It is also important to note that all of the above educational institutions are located in Moscow, so non-Muscovites will have to leave their hometown.

Having received a production education, you can make a pretty good career. Of course, you can work for hire. For example, the artistic director of a theater invites a producer to create a specific production. In the course of the readiness of the work, the producer is paid a fee.

The peak of a career comes at the moment when the producer decides to start his own business. He creates his own production center, recruits artists and other employees there. Together they represent the label. A striking example is the production center of Maxim Alexandrovich Fadeev. He created the MALFA brand, which at various times included the singer Glucose (Natalya Ionova), the singer Olga Seryabkina, the Serebro group and some other popular performers.

A film producer can create his own film studio, shoot films, sell them for rent and make a profit... A typical example is the STV film company under the leadership of producer Sergei Selyanov. In collaboration with renowned directors such as Alexei Balabanov, this film company has produced many successful films. Among them it should be noted “Cargo 200”, “I also want”, “Morphine” and many others.

The TV producer works for some kind of television channel. You can also create your own TV channel. For example, Konstantin Ernst is the head of the federal channel "First". Konstantin Lvovich is the producer of almost all projects on the air.

Producer's pay is quite high. If we talk about numbers, then a novice producer with low-budget projects has about 30-50 thousand rubles per project. This is not much, but also a lot compared to other salaries in Russia. On average, the income is 150 thousand rubles per project. In the future, wages may be unlimited. It all depends on the success of the created and promoted project.

The professional activity of a producer is very effective. After receiving the appropriate education, you can get a job in any production center in any of the media spheres. You can work as an assistant producer. This is very beneficial, because, while holding such a position, a novice producer gradually gains invaluable experience, delves into all the nuances and subtleties. If you set a goal, then after a few years you can create your own projects. Considering that media projects are very popular, you can make good money.

But you need to be prepared for the fact that the projects you create will not be so successful. In this case, you will have to incur financial losses. But you should not get upset, because with such an education it is possible to work as a TV presenter, director, screenwriter.