Difference between producer & executive producer?

[dvdlover]

Can someone please explain to me what's the difference between a producer & an executive producer? I don't know which forum this goes in, so please forgive me if it's in the wrong one...

[LeChuck]

An executive producer credit is what you give to your secretary instead of a raise.

[BlueSol]

That is an awesome quote from an awesome movie.
I wonder if anyone else will get it

[umainebearman]

Isn't the executive producer one of the people that comes up with most of the money and the producers not so much?

[WraithGTS]

An executive producer credit is what you give to your secretary instead of a raise.

I'll take a stab at it?

Swimming with the Sharks?

Peace

[SamSpade]

No, I think it's State and Main, and that's ASSOCIATE producer.

[limacharliewhiskey]

Producers are directly involved with the movie production, usually running production departments involved with the movie, like costumes, set construction, lighting, sound, movie props, that sort of stuff. Executive producers usually run the production company, but might not be on set everyday to oversee a movie, or they might be the ones who simply give the OK to turn a script into a movie.

Jerry Bruckheimer or Harvey Weinstein would typically be executive producers who give the OK to start a movie project. They might occasionally visit a set to check the progress of a movie, but they won't be there everyday. These are usually the owners or heads of a production company.

A producer would be like Rick McCallum, who runs all of the production crews for George Lucas in his prequel Star Wars movies. When he gets an order from Lucas, he tells all of his people specifically how to implement or build something so that the set will look how Lucas wants it to look when he's ready to shoot a scene.

[aedavela]

Originally Posted by limacharliewhis

Producers are directly involved with the movie production, usually running production departments involved with the movie, like costumes, set construction, lighting, sound, movie props, that sort of stuff. Executive producers usually run the production company, but might not be on set everyday to oversee a movie, or they might be the ones who simply give the OK to turn a script into a movie.

Jerry Bruckheimer or Harvey Weinstein would typically be executive producers who give the OK to start a movie project. They might occasionally visit a set to check the progress of a movie, but they won't be there everyday. These are usually the owners or heads of a production company.

A producer would be like Rick McCallum, who runs all of the production crews for George Lucas in his prequel Star Wars movies. When he gets an order from Lucas, he tells all of his people specifically how to implement or build something so that the set will look how Lucas wants it to look when he's ready to shoot a scene.

Excellent definitions, though I thought Bruckheimer is still listed as a "producer" on many of his movies, not an "exec."

[limacharliewhiskey]

Originally Posted by aedavela

Excellent definitions, though I thought Bruckheimer is still listed as a "producer" on many of his movies, not an "exec."

I think you're right, but it does seem to depend on the movies. I think before Bruckheimer started his Bruckheimer Productions company, he probably did get the "producer" credit more often. For some movies, he's on set quite a bit, and involved with the day-to-day shooting, while on other projects, he just greenlights it, but doesn't stay involved with the course of the project.

Here is another clear example of the difference between Executive Producer and producer. Peter Jackson was heavily involved in the day-to-day production of all of the Lord of the Rings films (in addition to being director), so he got a Producer credit. Studio heads Bob Shaye (of New Line) and the Weinstein brothers (of Miramax) got Executive Producer credits, even though Miramax wasn't involved with the production at all, but at one point got the script, but passed it onto New Line, perhaps for the Executive Producer credit in exchange.

[LeChuck]

Originally Posted by SamSpade

No, I think it's State and Main, and that's ASSOCIATE producer.

I know, but that is the first thing that came to mind.

[dvdlover]

So in other words, what is more impressive/better, to be producer or executive producer? What is a higher rank?

[manicsounds]

Executive Producer spits out the money, a Financer.

Producer is the organizer, gets the production underway.

[Flash Ahhh]

Courtesy of the imdb glossary:

Executive Producer
AKA: Executive in Charge of Production
A producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the filmmaking process, but who is still responsible for the overall production. Typically an executive producer handles business and legal issues. See also associate producer, co-producer, line producer.

Producer
AKA: Prod
The chief of a movie production in all matters save the creative efforts of the director. A producer is responsible for raising funding, hiring key personnel, and arranging for distributors. See also associate producer, co-producer, executive producer, line producer, Producer's Guild of America.

-Flash

[dvdlover]

Originally Posted by Flash Ahhh

Courtesy of the imdb glossary:

Executive Producer
AKA: Executive in Charge of Production
A producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the filmmaking process, but who is still responsible for the overall production. Typically an executive producer handles business and legal issues. See also associate producer, co-producer, line producer.

Producer
AKA: Prod
The chief of a movie production in all matters save the creative efforts of the director. A producer is responsible for raising funding, hiring key personnel, and arranging for distributors. See also associate producer, co-producer, executive producer, line producer, Producer's Guild of America.

-Flash

So from what I understand, being a producer is a lot of more hard work than being an executive producer. It's also probably a more important and valued job in the industry.

[med]

Originally Posted by dvdlover

So from what I understand, being a producer is a lot of more hard work than being an executive producer. It's also probably a more important and valued job in the industry.

Yes, being a producer is a lot more hard work than being an executive producer. Sort of. In refernce to a single movie, yes. But, most people who act as Executive Producers will be involved in much more projects than just one at a time, while producers typically work on only one at a time, as they are engrossed with organizing all aspects of a movie from pre-production right through untill post-production. I suppose there could be some overlap on projects, but not nearly as much as exec producers.

However, even though being a producer might be considered "harder work" than an exec producer, exec producers typically make a lot more money, have more connections in the financing/selling area, and carry a little more weight in the industry.

How do you think Spielberg made so much money? It certainly wasn't from directing.