Stupid question for anybody

[King Mark 3,631]

What's the difference between a producer and an executive producer and what do both do exactly?And why doe Lucas need a producer anyways,he owns the studio...

k.m.

[Morn 8]

Stupid answer: I don't know

[PetePan 163]

what a stupid question!

but i don't know either...

[Justin 2]

If you don't know the answer to the "stupid question" then that must mean that your even stupider than the "stupid question"

Justin -Who did indeed use the word "stupider" on purpose. :roll:

[Ross 1]

I'll try to help:

The producer IS the movie. Somebody here has a George Lucas signature saying that the movie belongs to the studio and therefore the studio can do what they want with it.

This doesn't mean that the owner (president) of the studio is involved in the movie. However, since the movie is his, he gets the credit (and a percentage of the film's grossing). To clear things up he doesn't do anything to the movie, he just watches it and gets paid.

The producer, like I said, IS the movie. He's the one that approves the script, the budget and CHOOSES the director (the director is, techincally, merely involved artistically, every other directing asset is producing), the actors . . .even the composer.

Yet, the producer knows the directors he works with, and so he can offer them as much freedom as he (the producer) wants. Which is why successful directors like Spielberg can make the movie he wants with the collaborators he wants and others, like, i.e., Brad Silberling wander from "Casper" to "City of Angels" to nearly directing "Harry Potter".

Why does Lucas need a producer? Let's just say that even Darth Sidious needed Darth Vader to form his Empire.

-ROSS who hopes he's helped

[King Mark 3,631]

Hmmm,ross actually no,you got me more confused now.And that was only part of my question.You didn't answer the part about the EXECUTIVE producer. And we all Know Lucas himself paid for the movie and is getting 4 $ per ticket sold and he's not the Producer,Mc Callum is,that's the confusing part.From what I thought a producer gets the profits and the Executive Producer has the power to over-rule the Director(basically what Lucas did in ESB and ROTJ and Spielberg in Poltergeist) .

K.M.Hoping one of you movie wizards could come up with something better.

[Ross 1]

Sorry, I thought you wanted the practical part (which is what I gave you).

I can't give you the theory, maybe someone else will.

-ROSS

[AHerrera83 0]

K.M.:

Ross's description of the producer's job is dead-on, but to put it in different terms:

Think of the production of a movie as a "package". Many people are responsible for the aesthetic content (screenwriter, director, cinematographer, actors, editor, composer, etc.)

The PRODUCER is the person responsible of putting this team together, and ultimately, the general look and feel of the film. This person is involved in all day-to-day decisions regarding the movie and works hand-in-hand with the director.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER is a term invented by the industry for someone that is involved mainly in the financial side of the production. This person is NOT involved in the day-to-day, generally. He/She helps in putting the package together by providing contacts in order to secure a star for the film, helps acquire the rights to a novel, helps calm down the studio, assuring them that everything is going fine with the production, that sort of thing. Think of this person more like a supervisor (a very important one).

All other producer titles (Associate Producer, etc.) have been invented either as token credits for someone who was in some sort involved in the production or to pay some extra money to a team member (let's say an actor; for accounting purposes, sometimes he might get two different salaries instead of one big one).

As you can see, there's no easy answer for this (Hollywood always tends to complicate things, huh?). But I hope this helps!

Best,

Alejandro

[King Mark 3,631]

Ok,so then why is not Lucas the producer of TPM and AOTC?Why does he need Rick Mc Callum at all.Lucas overules everything on a SW movie anyways,and HE paid for the movie to be made,approved the cast and crew....

K.M.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

He needs someone to toss his salad, and tell the worlds media that he's a brilliant director, and a great story teller.

Stefancos- who thinks McCallum is as redundant as Jar Jar Binks.

[AHerrera83 0]

Producing a big movie, especially one as complex as a Star Wars film is a very tough and time-consuming job. Why do it yourself, when you can hire someone else to take care of it for you and you can just concentrate on doing what you really like?

[King Mark 3,631]

Lucas is a control freak,he does everything himself anyways.I think he hired Mc Callum as a token because it gives him an income tax break or some reason like that.

...and to toss his salad.

K.M.

[Morn 8]

Well, he probably has little artistic input, Lucas probably gave him all the management jobs