What makes a Producer a Producer?

mcbob said:
To answer my own question... after a bit of research, I'm seeing 10% on the low end to 100% on the "grab the money and run" end. Jeesh.
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Location is going to be a major factor. Sometimes more than experience or credentials*.

New Yorkers ask a lot of money for everything. Of course it's a generalization that will not apply to all, but the majority would like a lot of money. So a producer from NYC may ask 2x-3x more than others for the type of remote producer work discussed here.

I know because I've been told I'm too expensive. (Haven't we all?)

I'm sure expensive people exist everywhere (and of course some can ask for anything because of their status).

___

[*unless you're associated with celebrities/stars.]
 
What kind of resources are there to help find out how producers find clients? Is it mostly who you know? How much of it is marketing?
 
If you're not working for a company - like if you're not a FOX or ESPN producer or someone similar - you'd find the work just like production freelancers do. Usually via networking or having a website selling production/post services.

A lot of low-end producers have camera and editing experience and that makes sense because those people may have slowly gotten tired of that work (like myself), and want to produce/create the actual projects but not exactly operate a camera or physically edit a project. So those individuals have that certain production/post experience and know if a particular project may require multiple cameras, which cameras, certain audio (lavs vs other mics), which type of lighting would work best, filling certain positions, etc (of course depending on their own level of experience).

High-end producers may have degrees from Ivy Leagues (or other good schools), and they simply find a job in corporate and [ironically] learn about production through experience at that time (some probably dabbled a bit in college too).

And then you have the self-made 1% in Hollywood who "make it" after creating something that's captivated the world. If you have your name attached to something like that then you can throw everything you've learned out the window.
 
I hate to say it but the way most “producers” at the low end find work, at least to start out, is simply pavement pounding and cold calling anyone and everyone you’d be interested in working for (presumably) in your area. Literally just getting the head marketing guy or whoever hires for video projects at this corporation or that small business and trying to sell services to them. Join the chamber of commerce or whatever. Hopefully just like other freelance work it starts to snowball with referrals/word of mouth but that’s how I understand its done.
 
NorBro said:
Location is going to be a major factor. Sometimes more than experience or credentials*.

New Yorkers ask a lot of money for everything. Of course it's a generalization that will not apply to all, but the majority would like a lot of money. So a producer from NYC may ask 2x-3x more than others for the type of remote producer work discussed here.

I know because I've been told I'm too expensive. (Haven't we all?)

I'm sure expensive people exist everywhere (and of course some can ask for anything because of their status).

___

[*unless you're associated with celebrities/stars.]
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But ironically don't like to offer a lot. Here, we usually hear the "you're too expensive" from those calling from NY and LA.
 
Run&Gun said:
But ironically don't like to offer a lot. Here, we usually hear the "you're too expensive" from those calling from NY and LA.
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100%. haha

"You can pay me $10,000 for the day, but we'll give you 300 bucks plus lunch. Oh, and work in the future. Definitely future work."
 
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