How to Become an Executive Producer at a Movie Studio
Executive producers for motion pictures often come from one of two different sources. They're usually either an investor who has contributed a significant amount of the budgeted costs of bringing the project to fruition, or they're already one of the top executives within a studio. Particularly in the second case, the executive producer is in charge of the creative, budgetary and logistical details of putting the movie together. No matter which path you choose, though, becoming an executive producer is within reach for more people than you might think.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Challenging
Instructions
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Work your way from a lower position in the studio into the important meetings where decisions are made. Even if you start out as an executive assistant, if you have valuable insight, responsible studio management will use it. The most established studios are only a few clunkers from financial trouble, so if you show that you have savvy in the areas of evaluating screenplays, improving financial practices, screening talent and other areas that will help management, you will move up quickly, and could find yourself credited an "Executive Producer" if you are on a film's management team.
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Negotiate the title of "Executive Producer" for yourself in a particular movie. You can do this in several ways, but the most common involve investing in the cost of the movie's production and having that title be part of the deal in exchange for the money. Smaller studios that produce projects with lower budgets require less financial commitment than larger ones. You can also negotiate this title as part of selling the movie rights for a book you've published, or optioning a screenplay to a production studio. Even if you didn't write the screenplay yourself, you can buy one from a writer and negotiate its release with movie studios.
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Found a production company of your own, if you have the financial capability to do so. Several different major actors have done this, including Jodie Foster and Will Smith. If you find a screenplay that a studio wants to collaborate with your company on making, you can have yourself designated an executive producer in the paperwork.
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Tips & Warnings
Gain experience on small films and work your way from there.
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References
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