Maximizing Your Commercial Production Budget: Tips for Hiring the Right Line Producer
One of the first and most critical steps for your upcoming commercial is to get the right team together. This entails hiring department heads, negotiating contracts and handling paperwork for each member, all the while ensuring the cost of your crew fits within your production budget.
And the person responsible for executing these tasks is your line producer. Line producers play a big part in your production as they manage the budget and make sure everything runs smoothly during production.
But how do you find the right line producer for your production? Continue reading as we define the role line producers play for productions and tips for hiring a line producer that will maximize your budget.
What is a Line Producer?
A line producer is an essential managerial position of your production as they report back to the producer and work directly with the heads of each department. Line Producers are hired early in production as they oversee the production budget and crew operations from pre - production to post production. Line producers are at the heart of a production, hiring the crew, allocating the money and making sure the filming is done safely, creatively, on budget and on time. They are typically the most senior member of the production team, second only to the producers.
Line producers have two overarching job functions during production:
Building the budget: Line producers work during pre-production with the assistant director to break down and analyze the script to create a production budget.
Hiring crew team: Once the production budget has been finalized, they are then responsible for hiring the right crew team for your production.
Hiring the right line producer will ensure you are setting a realistic production budget that allocates funds effectively to meet the needs of your project, all while getting the right crew on board.
Qualities To Look For When Hiring a Line Producer
One-size-fits-all doesn’t apply for line producers. There are several qualities you should look for when considering which line producer is best for your next project such as:
Experience in commercial production
Unlike other film projects, commercial production films work under a fast environment. Line producers working under commercial productions should have the experience needed to keep up with the demands of your film during every stage of production.
Knowledge of production logistics
The right line producer is one with in-depth knowledge on handling and managing your production budget. This includes negotiating skills to further improve your overall expenditures to keep you under your production budget.
Solid relationship with unions
A great line producer will know the ins and out of the unions your production team is engaging with for your project. Ensuring your line producer has a great standing relationship with the locals can benefit your team to get the best rates.
Attention to detail and organizational skills
Establishing your production budget and hiring your crew isn’t all that they do. Line producers are also responsible for crew payment and work directly with all heads of department. Therefore, they must have good organization skills to ensure crew is paid on time and stay on top of each department to resolve any issue as they arise.
Strong communication skills
Line producers are hands-on during every stage of production with many top decision makers and crew. They not only work with your team but also work closely with vendors. Ensuring your line producer has strong network and communication skills will ensure you are connected to the right team with the right costs.
A good line producer will have the experience, knowledge, and skills necessary to manage your budget, crew, and logistics, and ensure that your production runs smoothly and on time.
3 Tips for Hiring the Right Line Producer For Your Production
How do you find the right line producer for your next film? Here we’ve listed some essential tips for producers to consider when searching for their next line producer:
Ask for referrals
Look back at a line producer’s previous work projects and get referrals from producers, 1st assistant directors or even head of department crew members.
Conduct interviews
Interviews are a great way to get to know your line producer one on one. Analyze their can-do attitude, job style and work experience.
Consider their portfolio
Hiring the right line producer goes beyond hiring someone that fits the bill. Consider their creative style by analyzing their portfolio and previous projects to see if their creative work style aligns with your project's vision.
How a Line Producer Can Maximize Your Production Budget
If it’s not clear by now, line producers play a crucial role in your commercial production and can make the difference in maximizing your production budget. Here we list some ways a line producer can help reduce costs and keep your production under budget.
Controlling costs
Line producers hold authority over how funds should be allocated for your production. They can control costs by determining what must be included in your production and what can be eliminated.
Finding creative solutions
A good line producer will be prepared for the unexpected costs that may - and most likely will - arise during production. This includes having a contingency fund to cover these costs.
Identifying potential cost savings
A line producer with a clear understanding of the in’s and out of a production will know different ways they can reduce costs for production. This includes negotiating rates with vendors for equipment, rentals, location fees and other film related expenses.
Reducing waste and inefficiencies
Hiring crew takes a huge chunk of your production budget. Ensuring your line producers are familiar working with union crew will help avoid added penalty fees and any claims.
Conclusion: Need a Line Producer? We’ve Got A Solution
In conclusion, hiring a line producer is an essential key player that can make the difference for your next commercial production. They can help create a realistic production budget, hire the right crew team all the while ensuring your production stays under the production budget from pre to post production.
Streamline hiring the right line producer for your next commercial. Here at CMS Productions we evaluate your project’s needs and match it with the right person with the right combination of skills and expertise.
CMS Productions offers customized solutions for your back-office commercial production support needs including:
Opening vendor accounts and issuance of purchase orders
Invoices and disbursement management in connection with Shoot
Production payroll, including all payroll, worker’s compensation charges, employer payroll taxes and third party processing fees
Crew union signatory services
And more. Is your team in need of our support? Contact us today to set up a call.
FAQ’s
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A producer is the person who puts the entire show together. They take care of duties outside of production. A line producer manages within production including:
Creating the production budget
Hiring crew team
Reporting to first director assistant and heads of department
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Just like any other candidate for a job, you want to ensure their work method and style aligns with yours. In most cases, line producers are unique in their work credit and style.
