Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Training
• Part 2 of 3: Experience
• Part 3 of 3: Entering the field

While there are multiple roads to Rome and multiple ways to become a film producer, a good education and a good dose of experience will do you absolutely no harm - it will help you move up the ranks faster. Just know that the journey can be very tough. But if movie production is your passion, there are certainly ways you can gain an edge over the competition

To step

Part 1 of 3: Training

1. Learn about the trade. Before you do anything else, you should learn about the tasks and responsibilities that film products face. This tutorial is informal, but absolutely crucial - it will prepare you for the road ahead.
   • Film products are involved in almost every aspect of the making of the film. As a film producer you are responsible for:
     • Finding a script, story or idea for the movie. You can leave some of the work to a screenwriter, but the responsibility for finding a story to work with rests on your shoulders.
     • Finding financing for the production budget. If the project is small enough or you are rich enough, you can finance the project yourself. However, many producers also require some degree of external financing.
     • Hiring a creative team to make the movie. The main producer will have to hire other producers and is sometimes even responsible for hiring the director. Generally, the producers under the lead producer hire the people less involved in the production process itself, including the actors.
     • Managing the agenda and expenses. You will have to keep the project going. You also need to find out which production processes should be scrapped if the budget threatens to be exceeded.
     • Taking care of the distribution. If you work for a major film studio, most of this will already be taken care of. If not, you will have to look for independent distribution companies.
     • Marketing the film. You'll get help from the studio and the distributor with this, but many of the final decisions are in your hands.
   • Also know that there are different types of producer functions, each of which handles different aspects of the production process.
     • The lead producer has the final say on most decisions, and maintains all financial, legal and planning matters.
     • An executive producer takes care of many of the financial matters and can help capture the script or story for the movie.
     • The production assistant (associate producer) assists the executive producer with his / her duties.
     • Line producer is a slightly lower position. He / she arranges the practical matters that come with the recordings
     • A co-producer is a line producer who is also partly involved in the creative production of the film.
2. Get a bachelor's degree from film academy. You can go to film academy, drama school, or another type of training institute that offers a particular film direction. Either way, you will need to earn a four-year Bachelor of Arts in production, film science or a field closely related to it.
   • During your formal education you will take subjects such as cinema production, “visual storytelling”, editing, screenwriting, digital production, critical film studies, drawing and film production.
   • If you are studying at a training institute that offers a good film program, you will also have to make short films for some subjects. You can add these films to your portfolio.
3. Consider earning a master's degree as well. Although not strictly necessary, you can choose to graduate as a Master of Fine Arts in Theater or Film Production. This way you can prepare even better for a career as a producer.
   • The master's program focuses on both the creative and the business side of film production.
4. Continue to work on your studies even after graduation. Once you have completed your formal studies, you should continue to learn informally. Keep yourself up to date with the latest news, current affairs and innovations in film production. You can choose to do this yourself or by taking additional courses.
   • See if there are other film studies offered at colleges and universities near you. There is a good chance that many of those institutes will offer extra courses. While you cannot earn an extra degree with this, you will usually receive some sort of certificate or something similar.

Part 2 of 3: Experience

1. Gain experience early on. Start gaining relevant experience as early as possible. Whether you are still in eighth grade, in high school, graduated from high school or have no relevant film education, it doesn't matter. You should always look for ways in which you can engage with film, theater or your community. Even experience not directly related to manufacturing can be useful.
   • Many film producers start out as writers or actors. So if you cannot gain experience as a producer, you can at least gain experience as a writer or actor. Experience in this field can also help you get a foot in the door.
   • If there are no possibilities for you in the field of film, you can search the theater world. Act in a school play or write a script for the local theater group. Although this is not directly related to production or film, this experience can still be a good basis.
   • If you're still in high school, consider taking subjects related to drama, theater, literature, film, and business.
2. Do an internship. In secondary school and afterwards you can choose to do an internship.To gain relevant experience, you should look for a vacancy where you gain specific experience as a member of the production team.
   • Chances are that in high school you will not be able to do an internship at one of the larger studios. However, you can do an internship at smaller studios, regional television channels and local radio stations.
   • Know that most internships are “unpaid”, but you will at least receive credit or a grade for them. The experience itself is priceless and an internship will also look good on your resume. If you try hard enough, your internship can even give you a handy wheelbarrow for networking in the future.
   • If you can't find an internship at a real studio, you can try the drama departments of high school and college in the area. Any kind of experience is better than any experience.
3. Produce short videos yourself. During your college years you can start making your own short films and videos. These projects don't require you to plunder your bank account - a few minutes per project should suffice. The idea behind this is that you take a look behind the scenes of the producer board. You will learn what the production process looks like on a small scale and you can also expand your portfolio.
   • You can distribute the short videos you produce via the internet. Nowadays you can easily upload videos under ten minutes, and nowadays they can even go “viral” if the right people see them. Even if the film is not watched much, you will be able to gain experience, both in the field of the recording process of the production and in the field of distribution.
4. Develop some important additional skills. In addition to the experience in theater and film, there are also other skills that you will need to have. Likewise, you need to sharpen the more basic and versatile social and life skills.
   • Consider, for example, your communication skills, your leadership qualities, your creativity and your capacities as a manager.
   • Consider also taking entrepreneurial courses during your studies. A second major or even a minor in entrepreneurship can be extremely useful. Entrepreneurial subjects such as management, marketing and finance are particularly advantageous.
   • Leadership qualities are extremely important, because you will have to encourage the members of the production team. Communication skills are necessary if you want to give instructions and coordinate the work effectively. Management skills are also necessary because you have to figure out how things will continue to run smoothly.
   • While you may be primarily interested in the business side of producing, you also need to find the ways to find the best stories and interpret scripts and screenplays - creativity is therefore an absolute must.

Part 3 of 3: Entering the field

1. Know what to expect in the job market. The market is constantly changing, but there are a number of aspects that actually always remain the same. When you get out of school and are ready to hit the job market, do your homework. You need to look for job prospects, expected salary and other aspects of your future career.
   • Employment is expected to grow by three percent from 2012 to 2022. This is slower than most other professions.
   • There is a good chance that there is a lot of competition within your field.
   • In the United States, the average annual salaries of producers in various disciplines in May of 2012 were as follows:
     • (Cinema) Film: € 83914, -
     • Cable television and subscriber programming: € 74 204, -
     • Television broadcaster: € 50780, -
     • Performing arts: € 44306, -
     • Radio: € 42896, -
2. Look for starter positions. Everyone has to start somewhere. Most entry-level positions within film production don't pay very well, and there is little power or control involved. However, if you want to climb the job ladder, these features are essential.
   • As a starter, you can expect a job as a story editor or production assistant. While power and responsibilities will be limited, at least you will gain relevant experience and work towards your future.
   • Find a job at a television or movie studio. You may be more likely to find a job at a smaller studio than at a large one.
   • As a director's assistant and with other start-up positions, you usually don't make that much money, especially in the non-profit sector. So be prepared to be short on cash for a year.
   • You can increase the chances of getting a job by living somewhere where there is more employment. Think for example of Hollywood, Los Angeles, or of Amsterdam or Hilversum closer to home. Of course many will have had that idea too, so the competition will be a lot fiercer there too.
3. Try to find a bigger project for yourself. In the meantime, you can start concentrating your energy on the financing and the means to make a longer movie yourself. The project does not have to be a full-length film, but should in any case last longer than the projects you worked on during your studies.
   • If you're working on your own big project, you can write your own script. You can also choose to hire a writer to do that for you. In addition, you can buy literary work from the writer that is already finished.
   • Also consider working as a freelancer or on a contract basis. For example, schools may be willing to contract you to make educational films. While this may not seem so prestigious, it will give you useful experience.
   • Consider sending your projects to student or independent film festivals. These events may be small-scale, but the people deeply involved in the film industry do pay attention to them. By delivering a good film you could just impress the right people.
4. Work your way up. As you gain experience with your own projects and production jobs, your portfolio will expand and more people will recognize your talent. This will give you access to functions that pay better and entail more responsibilities, so that you can exert more influence on the production process. It may take a while, but with enough patience, energy and qualities, you too can make your way to the top.
   • You will usually need several years of experience before you can work your way up.
   • Remember, this is a tough field, and it's hard to earn a place. You may want to become a writer or screenwriter first. If all goes well, you can still take it a step further. Maybe you can become a production assistant. If you have gained experience, you are ready for it!