What exactly is the role of 'Producer'? They don't

they make sure the meals are full of fresh fruits and vegetables

they launder money

>>84143009

Producers went a good return on their investment. In exchange for funding a project they insist on making changes so it hits more demographics and gets more people watching.

>>84143009
Pretty much, yes. Executive producers would be the ones giving the most money and overall production direction. But people have snagged producer credits for a lot less than actual money, if you give a filmmaker friend George Clooney's phone number you could snag a producer credit.

they can alter the 'final' product if it's not to their liking

they make sure the meals are full of fresh fruits and vegetables

>>84143009
>They don't write the movie.
They pick the script

>Don't direct it.
They hire the director

>Don't act in it.
They hire the actors

>Don't do any special effects or make up or costume etc.
They hire the crew

>>84143009
Generally speaking producers do quite a lot actually and have a good amount of control over how a movie turns out.

It's a misconception that producers are solely people with lots of money who fund movies, The majority of producers don't actually give their money and instead are responsible for micro and macro managing the production.

It all starts with the producer. Producers read a script or pitch an idea to a studio. The studio then finances the film, and the producers are in charge of making that script happen. They hire the crew, and help with the casting. During pre-production they must ensure that they budget the film appropriately, that things are within limits, and moving along smoothly. Since it is their job to allocate the funds across the entire production, both below (production costs, sets, costumes, props, etc) and above the line (costs of cast, crew, etc) they are essentially determining how things will take shape. For instance if a producer deems something too costly, they'll settle for an alternative. In the principal photography stages, producers again make sure things are running according to schedule and that the film is shot. They prevent hiccups and bring solutions to problems of a logistical nature. At the end when shooting has wrapped, and the film is in post-production producers review the film to make sure it meets expectations and is finished in time for its release. Here's when they decide if the cut of the film needs to be edited, or if pickups/re-shoots need to be made. Essentially the producer has the last word.

I think the misconception arises from the prevalence of smaller independently financed films which don't have studio backing, or large budgets. In such cases producers end up paying for the entire film, but their responsibilities are just the same. It's completely foolish to think people just gamble away money saying something like 'make me a film that will make me even more money'.

They play the orchestra

>>84143805
Very thorough explanation.
I always thought producers solely handled financing, but it makes more sense that they have much more involvement.