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The primary definition of Executive Producer is the person who brings the money together for a motion picture or television production. The money could be from a deal with a motion picture studio, television network or production company, or it could come from private investors or other outside sources, or from the Executive Producer's own money.

Motion Pictures

An executive producer of a motion picture is typically a producer who is sometimes involved in creative or technical aspects of production. This person generally handles business issues, and may also be a financier of a film. Some executive producers act as representatives of the studio (which distributes and/or makes a film) or the production company (which makes a film), sometimes being credited as executive in charge of production. For other uses see film (disambiguation) Film refers to the celluliod media on which movies are printed Film — also called movies, the cinema, the silver screen, moving pictures, photoplays, picture shows, flicks, or motion pictures, — is a field that encompasses motion pictures as an art form or as part of... A film producer creates the conditions for making movies. ...

Often a person will receive Executive Producer credit because of his or her prior involvement with a property that has since been optioned into a film, even if there was no direct input into the creative process of the film itself. e.g. authors of optioned literary works, a person who has previously owned or currently owns a property's movie rights or someone who has produced or been involved in the production of a past version of the film. In the film industry, an option is a contractual agreement between a movie studio, a production company, or a producer (henceforth called the producer) and a writer, in which the producer obtains the right to buy a screenplay from the writer, before a certain date. ...

In the production of a television show there may be many executive producers listed (they make the plot of the story). Sometimes it may be a situation not dissimilar to 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."

In television an executive producer might have more power than any other credited crew member — this is the case with the show runner. Generally, a show runner (still credited as an executive producer) is the creator of a series, or an influential staff writer on the show. His or her role is to guide the overall creative progress of the show's story over the course of a season — basically, the de facto creative director of the show — and all creative decisions (from casting to script approval) go through them. Usually, while there may be many credited "producers" and "executive producers" (with varying responsibilities) on a television series, there are just one or two in the position of show runner. Show runner (alternatively showrunner,[1] or show-runner)[2] is a term used in the United States television industry referring to the person who is responsible for the day-to-day operation of a television series, in other words, the person who runs the show. ... A writer is anyone who creates a written work, although the word more usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, or those who have written in many different forms. ... The primary role of a television producer is to coordinate and control all aspects of production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking. ...

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

In the music industry, the executive producer of an album is often in control of the business side of production, distribution, and promotion. This role can entail obtaining financing, allocating the budget, etc. At times, the executive producer may also provide artistic input such as which songs are placed in the final cut and the order in which the songs are placed. In this instance, the executive producer is usually someone who has had input in producing some of the tracks on the album. A particular executive producer's name attached to an album is sometimes used as a selling point to distributors. An example of this is Gene Simmons of KISS fame, who is listed on the cover credits of all artists (most of whom are new and discovered by Simmons) on his SIMMONS RECORDS label, reading "Executive Producer: Gene Simmons" in clear view. The music industry is the business of music. ... An album or record album is a collection of related audio or music tracks distributed to the public. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Chaim Witz (חיים וויץ), (born August 25, 1949 in Haifa, Israel), better known by his stage name Gene Simmons, is an Israeli-American hard rock bass guitarist and vocalist. ... Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. ...

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. A talent agent, or booking agent, is a person who finds jobs for actors, musicians, models, and other people in various entertainment businesses. ... For the fish called lawyer, see Burbot. ...

References

External links

• BBC News Online explanation of television executive producers' roles