What It Is Like To Be a Hollywood Film Producer

Film producers may be the most important people in Hollywood that the average filmgoer has no idea what they do. The business of making movies seems glamorous, but the reality of being a Hollywood film producer is much different from the perception.

Projects Are Few and Far Between

A film producer can often go years between projects. Between films, most producers spend their time reading scripts, articles, and books, watching films and listening to ideas. These activities all help producers come up with ideas and spot opportunities for remakes or adaptations. However, most of these ideas never pan out, which means that producers must sort through hundreds of scripts, read tons of material and listen to a lot of bad ideas before they happen upon the thing that sparks their next big project.

There Are a Lot of Cooks

After spending years pouring over scripts to find one that seems like a commercial and critical success, the producer hands off his idea to a director, who will usually draft her version of the script, before handing it off to writers and performers, who all want their input. Then, the producer has to get a studio to sign off on the project, which usually leads to yet more changes and by the time the film makes it to the big screen it often bears little resemblance to the producer's original vision.

Good Movies Sometimes Never Get Made

Unfortunately, a great script, big-name actors and a top-notch director are not always enough to get a project made. Feature films cost millions of dollars to make and to get a studio to put up those millions of dollars, producers must convince them that their movie can turn a profit.

It Costs a Lot of Money To Not Make a Movie

Producers have to lay out a lot of upfront cash before they even get a studio to agree to make their movie. Typical costs include expenses incurred to recruit talent, legal fees for contract negotiations, travel costs and scriptwriting fees. Some producers go thousands of dollars into debt just trying to get a movie made and may never make that money back if the movie doesn't get picked up by a studio.

When It Works Out It Is Worth It

Despite all the hard work and heartbreak, when the right project comes together it can truly be magical. Heather Parry had an impressive resume going into the 2018 release of the Lady Gaga film "A Star is Born," however, that film would launch her from a very successful career making music documentaries to one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. "A Star is Born" grossed more than $434 million and received 8 Oscar nominations, making it the rare film that was both a critical success and a fan favorite.

Life as a Hollywood film producer may not be as glamourous as the average fan may imagine it to be, but it is still a unique opportunity to meld commercial and artistic success. It can be a hard life, but for those with the drive and the passion, it can also be a rewarding one.