Well, we can either write and talk about the strike all day or we can assume it’s going to end (pretty soon? at least by Labor Day?) and we can try to look past it. I am in the latter camp.
Let’s say you are a writer or director in film or theater. You might be excited to have a producer come on board your project. You might jump on that.
But first ask — how can they add value? What makes a producer good? And I’ll take a brief look at agents and managers who you may be considering.
You might look at five things: Money, Clout, Drive, Sensibility, Detailed Knowledge. (MCDSD).
Easy Access to Huge Sums of Money!
Your main issue is — where is my money coming from? If you have an independent film and no money, or a play, the ability to package and raise money (or sell to studios) becomes critical.
A few producers in film are funded. They can greenlight pictures. Think: Jason Blum. Well that’s a problem solver and that producer is getting their call returned for sure.
Other producers are adept at raising money or selling projects and it’s like having another high level agent on the team, or better. That’s helpful.
And then there are other cases where you reasonably anticipate the project will be funded one way or the other and that’s not what you need a producer for. In which case this dimension doesn’t matter. But usually it does.
At the very least, they should have some …
Awe-Inspiring Clout and Relationships!
Some producers have more credibility than others because they’ve had a lot of success. People believe in their instincts and want to work with them. People will move schedules for them. Some balls will bounce their way. Execs, agents and managers take them seriously. Studios trust them to manage a project — even a big one. And they can text a lot of people and get a quick answer. If you need answers from five people and it takes you weeks to get in touch with each it’s a killer. If someone else can just text them all right now and organize a group chat by five PM, that’s much better.
This has effects throughout the process. You think your movie is great for Timothee Chalamet. You call his agent at UTA. You email the script. How long does this whole process take? How do the auspices of the project affect the perception of the project? Team matters.
You need some balls to bounce your way — because everyone is grabbing for the ball.
Fanatical Drive!
Nothing else matters if a producer doesn’t have the energy and enthusiasm to support the project. If they have too many projects on their plate or they really are only producing as a hobby at this point, or they have one huge project coming up (a mega tentpole streaming series or a Star Wars film) and everything else has to be a side dish, it can be a killer. Nothing beats focus and drive. When do we want to shoot? We want to shoot very soon! I’m going to call 100 people today to make sure we get the cast that allows us to shoot in six months!
If you don’t care that much, and you’re always willing to let things slip into the next quarter or the next quarter as you wait for this cast element or that perfect stage…. Then NOTHING EVER HAPPENS. You really have to be a fanatic about this imaginary project!
Here is one secret to Hollywood. No one is ever “available.” Can Julia Garner do your movie in October? Nope. I guarantee she cannot. Can Eric Roth do a turn on this script to fix it before we throw $80 million into it? Nope. Can’t do that. Everyone is always busy. But people can become available if they’re really interested. Schedules evolve. But those schedules are not going to evolve themselves.
It’s not always wrong to wait for quality, but if you don’t have a passion for getting your movie or TV show or play to the front of the line in showbiz, hey the world is happy to move on without you. No matter how good your movie is, the world will keep spinning without it. Yes, the world should be welcoming your fun and beautiful piece with open arms. But, in reality, it is just one potential calamity — one financier dropping out, one actor having some Twitter PR crisis — after another.
There are producers who aren’t that into it. Or are too busy. And you only talk to some development person. Red flag.
How would you choose between a totally focused high energy producer with less clout versus a famous high clout producer who has a million projects or who seems less than fanatical? Judgement call. But remember, one call that gets returned is worth an infinite number that aren’t!
Bullseye Sensibility!
In terms of story, tone, casting, wardrobe, supporting your vision, the poster — a million details — it’s essential to be aligned. Misalignments can lead to disaster. Even if you have the final say on things, having someone in the room with a bad opinion makes a difference. (And you might not have the final say on a lot of things.)
How do you test whether someone shares your sensibility? All you can do is speak with them and talk about what you’ve liked and thought was well done — and watch their earlier movies. It can be hard, which is why successful partnerships tend to be durable.
Never mistake being nice and easy to get along with having a sharp sensibility. The number of people who are easy to get along with is much larger than the number who are outstanding at the actual work. Remember, we are in a business where “good” has very low value. Good steel has high value. But in entertainment, only great has real value. Good, or “solid,” really makes very little difference and will not buy your house in Montecito or get you 3,000 screens or open Cannes get whatever it is you want because no one cares about your “solid” movie.
So you want to have a high bar for taste. Don’t get lulled into making a “good” movie.
Detailed Knowledge
Besides the widespread respect, the effort, and the sensibility, there is also the detailed, practical knowledge — casting, gathering a team, production, etc.
Most projects have some development and packaging to do when a producer comes on. You may need to hire a writer, a director, or keys, like a DP or costume designer. And you’ll have to bring on a casting person and cast. You want someone who knows who is working in this business now and who is talented (and maybe available). And, ideally, they can get to these people. This is like a chef knowing where to get ingredients and what they cost. It’s the difference between knowing how to do things in theory and knowing how to get things done in a first class way in detail right now. Wrt casting, things evolve and you have to keep up. A lot of people get very out of touch. It’s 2023. Casting directors can do a lot here but you also need to know. It’s fundamental.
Different producers bring different things to the party. Some producers focus more on development and packaging and rely more on line producers for the actual production. Other producers bring a ton here and get very involved. In a technically complex project, this may be essential.
Again, horses for courses. There will be cases where having a deep understanding of the theatrical distribution market (or of Broadway stages) is very helpful and some (like when you’re doing a movie at Netflix) where it is irrelevant.
The best overall guide is — what have they produced before? Did it go well and did you like it?
Having a great sensibility plus deep knowledge plus fire is rare. If you find that, stick with it.
What doesn’t matter? Seeming cool. Vibes. This goes for writers too. It goes for everyone. I have found a very low correlation between “seeming cool” and being great at the work. Take comedy writers. I have known many comedy writers and more than a few comedians. Are they funnier than average in person? Not consistently or not usually by a lot. But when you put a blank page in front of them — they’re the best! Don’t judge a book by its cover. I’m not sure I’ve ever met a producer who I thought had a conspicuously cool vibe. Maybe one.
When you take a step back and put it all together, you know that some people are on the A team and some are not — but some can be on the very cusp so don’t count them out! Having one tier A person who cares about the project is better than 12 tier B people, maybe 100. This applies to agents as well. Sometimes you will be looking at an agency and you are comparing two teams of agents. If one team has a single true varsity player and the other team does not, forget all the other people, go with the team with the star.
Stars make things happen.
Roy Price was an executive at Amazon.com for 13 years, where he founded Amazon Video and Studios. He developed 16 patented technologies. His shows have won 14 Best Series Emmys and Globes. He was formerly at McKinsey & Co. and The Walt Disney Co. He graduated from Harvard College in 1989.