Executive producer

An executive producer (EP) is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production. Typically an executive producer handles business and legal issues.^[1]

Motion pictures and television

Main article: Television producer

An executive producer of a motion picture is usually a person representing a financial investor in a film project, such as a film studio or a distributor, but who is not directly involved in the day to day production. It can also be someone with other special interests in the project, such as the author of the book that the film is based on, or one of the film's key actors who has been instrumental in persuading the studio to do the film. In such cases, the executive producer credit is mainly honorary.

A television show may credit many executive producers. It may be a situation not unlike the one described above for motion pictures: someone with previous involvement with a particular work, a project's financier, or someone in control of the business aspect of production. Sometimes, this title is conferred upon a celebrity or notable creator who has lent their name to a project to boost its prestige or credibility, as a recognition of newly-acquired industry status, or as a perk to the show's main star or creative force.

However, under the unusual rules for establishing writing credits on television series (where writers are often credited as "producers"), the principal writer is almost always credited as an executive producer rather than the more descriptive title of "head writer".

For these reasons, it is not unusual for TV shows to have three sets of "executive producers": traditional EPs (production executives, financiers, etc.), head writer(s), and show runner(s).

Music

See also: Music executive

In the music industry, the executive producer of an album is often in control of the business side of production, distribution, and promotion, but more often than not, is in charge of the entire project as is a director. They decide what the albums themes will be, create the image for the artist, decide which songs will be singles, and have the final say on every single song's completion. It is the executive producer who makes the decision as to when the song is finished and ready to be shown to the public.

In some instances, an executive producer can be a person who "discovered" a particular act, or someone who represents an act, either as an agent or a lawyer.

Video games

Main article: video game producer

The title "executive producer" is not well-defined in the video game industry. It may refer to an external producer, from the publisher, who works with the developer. Sometimes the title is used by the studio head of the developer who created the game.

See also

• Film producer
• Line producer
• Studio executive
• Creative executive
• Development executive
• Unit production manager

References

1. ^ [1] defined in the Internet Movie Database Glossary

• "What is the point of executive producers?" BBC News. 19 October 2007.