Line Producer
Production executive responsible for daily operations and budget management.
Definition
A line producer manages the day-to-day business operations of film production, overseeing budget, scheduling, and logistics. They translate the producer's vision into practical plans, hire crew, manage vendors, and solve operational problems that arise during production.
Line producers are the bridge between creative ambitions and production realities, finding ways to achieve creative goals within financial constraints while keeping productions on schedule.
Why It Matters
Productions without strong line producing frequently go over budget and schedule, threatening completion. Effective line producers enable creative achievement by solving problems before they impact the creative team.
For investors and studios, experienced line producers provide confidence that productions will deliver on commitments.
Examples in Practice
The line producer identified that a location change could save three shooting days while actually improving the scene, demonstrating how operational expertise serves creative goals.
When a key actor's schedule conflict emerged mid-production, the line producer restructured the shooting order to accommodate availability without costly delays.
Budget overruns were caught early through the line producer's rigorous tracking, enabling corrections before small variances compounded into significant problems.