In short: A line producer hires the crew, controls the budget and makes sure filming is safe, on budget and on time. They track spending and the schedule during the shoot, and solve problems on set and in the office. Most reach the job through runner and production coordinator roles, and a small shoot rarely needs one.
A line producer runs the money and the crew day to day, and is the most senior production team member after the producers. ScreenSkills describes the job as making sure filming is done safely, creatively, on budget and on time. The line producer hires the crew, tracks spending and the schedule while the cameras are rolling, and oversees the wrap before the job is handed over to post-production.
What a line producer does on a shoot day
The line producer's day starts with the schedule and the budget. They check what was shot against what was planned, look at what it cost, and decide what to change for the next day. Heads of department send their budgets to the line producer, and any cost outside the approved figure comes back to them for a decision. When a problem comes up on set, such as a location that falls through or a crew member who cannot make the call, the line producer is the person who finds the answer and gets the team moving again.
On a big production the line producer works mainly from the production office and visits set when a decision needs them. On a smaller one they may be on set most of the day.
Who they work with
Heads of department submit budgets to the line producer and need approval for their costs. Production accountants report to either the finance controller or the line producer, depending on the production. Production managers are second in line, and carry out decisions, oversee parts of the budget and deal with problems. Production coordinators run the office while senior staff are on set, and secretaries provide admin support. Runners help wherever they are needed.
The line producer reports to the producer, who delegates the running of the production to them.
Kit and skills
The line producer needs a mix of production knowledge and office discipline. ScreenSkills lists:
- Communication with heads of department, the production office and the producer.
- Film production knowledge, including how each department works and what it costs.
- Organisation and budgeting, including tracking spend against the schedule.
- Negotiation, with suppliers and with crew.
- Creative problem-solving when the plan breaks.
- An understanding of health and safety, insurance and employment law.
There is no equipment to speak of. The working tools are the budget, the schedule and the phone.
How to become a line producer
There is no fixed route. The common path is to start as a runner or trainee in the production office, move to production coordinator, and then take on line producer work. Others arrive from assistant director, location manager or production accountant roles. ScreenSkills notes that there is a shortage of line producers.
Useful preparation includes a film, business or maths background, vocational qualifications, an apprenticeship, a degree, first aid or health and safety training, and project management or accounting experience. Bectu, the union for people working in the creative industries, offers freelancers advice and career support as members.
Do you need one on a small shoot?
Usually not as a separate person. On a small shoot the line producer's jobs of budget control, crew booking and schedule can sit with the producer, the director or a production manager, depending on who is paying. Name the person who holds the budget in your brief, so nobody is guessing on the day.
A line producer earns their fee when the budget is large, the crew is big, several locations are involved, or the schedule has little room for error. Granary does not publish a rate for the role, so treat it as a question for a quote.
Granary's published crew rates cover the spark, editor, camera operator, gaffer, sound recordist, director of photography and director. For crew that already knows the building, see hire crew who already know the building, and say what you need the line producer to cover in the brief.
Related roles
- What does a producer do?
- What does a production manager do?
- What does a production coordinator do?
- What does a location manager do?
- What does a director of photography do?
- What does a 1st assistant director do?
Sources
- ScreenSkills, Line producer in the film and TV drama industries, read 5 November 2026
- Bectu, home page, read 5 November 2026
Related guides
Questions we get asked
What is the difference between a producer and a line producer?
The producer owns the project and its finance, and delegates the running of the production. The line producer runs the production day to day, controlling the budget, the crew and the schedule until the wrap.
How do you become a line producer in the UK?
There is no fixed path. ScreenSkills describes the usual progression as runner or trainee, then production coordinator, then line producer, with some people arriving from assistant director, location manager or production accountant roles.
Do I need a line producer on a small shoot?
Usually not. On a small shoot their work is often done by the producer or the production manager. A line producer becomes useful when the budget is large, the crew is big, or the schedule is complicated.
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