In short: A producer is responsible for getting a production made and delivered, from the money and the idea through to the finished programme. They set the budget, approve costs and hire the crew, and carry legal responsibility for crew health and safety. On a small shoot the job falls to whoever holds the budget, so name that person in the brief.
A producer is the person answerable for getting a production made and delivered, from the idea and the money through to the finished programme. On a film or TV drama, the producer sets the budget, approves costs, hires the crew and hands the day-to-day running to a line producer. ScreenSkills also notes that producers carry legal responsibility for crew health and safety, and for delivering the finished production.
What a producer does on a shoot day
On the day, the producer's work is mostly decisions rather than physical tasks. They check progress against the plan, approve any cost that comes up outside the budget, and talk to the director and the heads of department when something changes. When a problem affects money, the schedule or safety, the producer is the person who decides, or who asks the line producer to decide.
On a big job the producer is often not on set at all, because the line producer and production manager run the floor. On a small job the producer may be on set with the director, and may also be the person who signs off the day's invoices.
Who they work with
Producers work with the whole production team, and on larger jobs with distribution and marketing teams. On a drama they answer to the executive producers, who oversee the job for a studio or financier or lead a TV series. They delegate the day-to-day running to the line producer, who reports on spending and the schedule. The director, the writer and the heads of department are their main day-to-day contacts on a shoot.
Kit and skills
A producer does not carry kit. The skills that matter, as ScreenSkills lists them, are:
- A working knowledge of every stage of production, from writing and directing through to editing.
- Storytelling, and the ability to make creative decisions under a budget.
- Commercial awareness, including how a film or programme will be sold to distributors and audiences.
- Leadership and clear communication with a large team.
- Organisation, including scheduling, budgeting, raising finance and negotiating deals.
A working awareness of contracts and health and safety matters too, because the producer carries legal responsibility for the crew.
How to become a producer
Producers are hired on reputation, so experience counts for more than any single qualification. ScreenSkills recommends starting as a runner or trainee, and points to its Trainee Finder scheme as a route in. The page lists relevant study, including A-levels or Highers in a related subject, Level 3 vocational media courses, and degrees in media, film production or film history. Business or arts management courses are also useful.
Other routes that people use are:
- A showreel and a portfolio of work, even on small jobs.
- Short producing courses, and networking at industry events.
- Free crew databases, which many productions use to find people for short-term jobs.
- Bectu, the union for the sector, which publishes ratecards for production roles such as scripted production and accounts. Pact is the trade body for independent producers.
There is no step-by-step ladder for producers. The experience built as a runner or trainee is what gets people noticed.
Do you need one on a small shoot?
It depends on what the shoot is. For a two-person interview or a corporate film with a single camera, the budget, the schedule and the approvals can usually sit with the person who commissioned the film, so name them in the brief. For a drama, a documentary with a larger crew, or any job with a long day, several locations or public access, a producer or production manager is worth considering, because someone has to hold the budget and the safety.
Granary's crew rates cover the spark, editor, camera operator, gaffer, sound recordist, director of photography and director. The film crew hire page has the detail.
Related roles
- What does a line 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 camera operator do?
Sources
- ScreenSkills, Producer in the film and TV drama industries, read 5 November 2026
Related guides
Questions we get asked
What does a film producer do?
A producer develops or takes on the project, raises or secures the finance, sets the budget, hires the crew and delegates the day-to-day running to a line producer. They are also responsible in law for crew health and safety and for delivering the finished production.
How do you become a producer in the UK?
There is no fixed ladder. ScreenSkills suggests starting as a runner or trainee, and most producers are hired on their reputation. A showreel, a portfolio and a track record on small jobs matter as much as any qualification.
Do I need a producer on a small shoot?
Not always. Someone still has to hold the budget, approve costs, manage the schedule and check safety. If nobody on the job is doing that, a producer or production manager is worth considering.
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