Salary of an Assistant Producer in the Entertainment Industry

Assistant producers assist the executive producer with the day-to-day running of the project.

Assistant producers are the individuals behind the scenes of various forms of entertainment, such as movies, who make the business and financial decisions. These individuals perform various functions such as helping select scripts and deciding on the budget for the show. Their main responsibility is to make sure that the form of entertainment stays on budget and meets time constraints. The salaries of these individuals vary based on the scope of the project.

Qualifications

There are no specific qualifications to become an assistant producer. It helps to have a degree in the field. Universities may offer programs in arts management and managing nonprofit organizations. Individuals may become assistant producers after working as actors, writers or editors. In these instances, the individuals already have experience in the field and understand the duties involved in producing a movie, television show or play.

Salary

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for assistant producers in 2008 was $64,430. The middle 50 percent earned between $41,890 and $105,070. The salaries are slightly higher for assistant producers for films than for television shows or live plays. For example, an assistant producer in film earned approximately $85,940 a year, while an assistant producer for television shows earned $55,380.

Other Benefits

Besides a base salary, assistant producers may receive other benefits as compensation. Assistant producers may belong to unions, which negotiate contributions to health and pension plans. These unions also ensure proper working conditions for assistant producers by setting standards for hours and conditions in which the individuals work. Also, instead of receiving a salary, certain assistant stage producers receive a percentage of the tickets sold for performances as their compensation.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for assistant producers is expected to grow at an average rate through 2018. There's an increasing demand for U.S. films in other countries, which will create additional assistant producer jobs. There's also an increase in assistant producer jobs due to the change in media outlets for films and television shows. Attendance at live theater performances keeps increasing each year, which will also create more assistant producer jobs.

References

• U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics: Actors, Producers and Directors