Creative producer
The creative producer , also known as fiction producer , is a hybrid film profession in which the three traditionally separate fields of film production management , script development and directing merge. As a rule, creative producers work for television. They are less common in the independent film industry, because there, due to the higher budget, a clear differentiation between the branches makes more sense in order to maintain an overview.
Description of the job
The creative producer's field of activity is not easy to narrow down, as they can work script-, directing or production-centered depending on their personal structure - they all have in common their interest in finding new film material, developing it and passing it on to the appropriate departments. The creative producer is a relatively young professional image that has emerged from the editor or TV producer , whose transitions to the mentioned professional profiles are still fluid and difficult to define.
history
When, with the advent of private broadcasters, editors' loyalty to the broadcaster broke open due to the influence of large corporations with various thematic channels on the German television landscape, editors were forced to emancipate themselves and go their own way. Many founded their own production companies and began independently developing formats that they, like mercenaries , offered broadcasters or other film production companies that work with TV stations. “Creative producing” is very stressful because of the wide range of tasks that one person has to perform. Therefore, this profession is mainly limited to the clear spectrum of the TV medium.
Area of responsibility
In the run-up to the development of the material, the creative producer orders materials or buys ideas in order to develop them further in cooperation with scriptwriters. There are different ways to create a script from potentially useful material. One possibility is to follow a topic completely yourself from the idea to the finished book and to bear the costs yourself. The advantage of this is that you do not have to give up the chain of rights for exploitation, the chain of title . As a rule, the creative producer presents good ideas that he has already prepared to potential producers, proofreading or editing, for example from TV broadcasters, in order to attract donors and at the cost of losing the exploitation rights.
Introducing of substances of potential for obtaining donor is in cinematic technical term as pitch or pitching referred. It should be noted that pitching is not only reserved for creative producers, but also for other filmmakers in order to advertise their project or recruit staff for it. Submitting film ideas for screenwriting and film funding can also fall within the scope of the creative producers' task. Film funding can also be requested from subsequent producers and from the scriptwriters themselves. In his range of tasks, the creative producer must also master the legal requirements with regard to copyrights and the securing of potentially valuable materials, and be able to negotiate contracts with those involved. Not only the audio-visual implementation of scripts should be up to the creative producer, but also the assessment and possibly complete budgeting of film productions.
The creative side of his job, which is given to him by his job title, can be lived out by the creative producer according to the latitude granted by the producer. While there is a technical contact person for practically every handshake in film production, the task of the creative producer is to coordinate all those involved. While the finances and controlling are the responsibility of the film production manager or the film manager , it is nevertheless the task of the creative producer to react to current changes in the budget, to pay attention to the implementation of the planned shooting minutes and to problems that arise in this regard or in the coordination to react creatively accordingly.
Although all positions in film production are clearly divided, the task of the creative producer is to coordinate and intervene in cooperation with those responsible, especially in the event of problems in any task area. The creative producer is responsible to the producer for the end product. Accordingly, his areas of responsibility and, if possible, his knowledge are diversified - as well as his authoritative powers, in consultation with the production, relatively comprehensive.
education
There is currently no regulated training for the activity of creative producer. A completed degree in media, at a film school or theater are good prerequisites. In order to provide experienced media workers with the necessary qualifications, various offers have also been developed at various film schools and advanced training institutions, which prepare for the "Producer" degree offered by the Cologne Chamber of Commerce and the Berlin Chamber of Commerce.
literature
- Diana Iljine, Klaus Keil: The producer: the job description of the film and television producer in Germany. Attempt at definition. 2., revised. and updated edition. TR-Verlag-Union, Munich 2000, ISBN 3-8058-3474-8 .
- Bastian Clevé (Ed.): From the idea to the film: Production management for film and television . (= Practice Film. 6). 4th, completely redesigned. Edition. UVK-Verlags-Gesellschaft, Konstanz 2004, ISBN 3-89669-444-8 .
- Bastian Clevé: Ways to Money: Film, TV and Multimedia Financing . 4th, revised. Edition. Bleicher Verlag, Gerlingen 2000, ISBN 3-88350-907-8 .