So You Want to Be a Producer

September 1, 2005
To the general filmgoing public, the producers role is not only poorly understood but perhaps of some interest given the prevalence of movies in our culture. Indeed, the growing profusion of people who receive producer credits on films and television programs today makes the profession seem like little more than a name game. Just what a producer actually does is neatly summarized by Turman (production, Univ. of Southern California) as someone responsible for overseeing all phases of motion picture or television production from the conception of the story to the delivery of the final product. Turman has done just that for more than 40 motion pictures and television series since 1961, including The Graduate, which he turns into a useful case study. Covered are essential responsibilities like acquiring material, negotiating, financing, and what happens during the actual shooting. Lazaruss producing career appears to have peaked in the 1970s and early 1980s; his bestknown films are Westworld and Futureworld. Like Turman, Lazarus addresses basic duties but puts additional emphasis on advertising, research, marketing, distribution, and the allimportant relationship that producers must forge with directors. Turman, meanwhile, largely focuses on his own experiences, a format that makes his book more suitable for general collections. Lazaruss book, with its numerous practical examples, is well suited for film study courses.Roy Liebman, Los Angeles P.L.

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.