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. It is often the producer who is responsible for the show's overall quality and survivability, though the roles depend on the particular show or organization. Some producers take more of an executive role, in that they conceive new programs and pitch them to the networks, but upon acceptance they focus on business matters, such as budgets and contracts. Other producers are more involved with the day-to-day workings, participating in activities such as screenwriting, set design, casting, and even directing.
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Producer credits
Different types of producers in the industry today include (in order of seniority):
- Executive producer (usually at least one but not necessarily every executive producer is in charge of production, or the show runner)
- Co-executive producer (second in seniority to executive producer)
- Supervising producer (supervises other producers)
- Coordinating producer (coordinates two or more producers)
- Producer (see Writer as "Producer" below)
- Co-producer (works with other producers)
- Consulting producer (assists writers, sometimes specializing in a particular subject)
- Associate producer (runs day-to-day operations)
- Segment producer (handles one segment of a program)
- Line producer (handles a practical aspect, rather than creative content)
- Production assistant
In live or "as-live" television, an executive producer seldom has any operational control of the show. His/her job is to stand back from the operational aspects and judge the show as an ordinary viewer might. In film or videotape productions, the executive producer is almost always given an opportunity to comment on a rough cut but the amount of attention paid to his/her comments is highly dependent on the overall personnel structure of the production.
Writer as "Producer"
Under the guidelines of the Writers Guild of America, script writers in television also tend to be credited as "producers," even though they may not engage in the responsibilities generally associated with that title. On-screen, a "producer" credit for a TV series will generally be given to each member of the writing staff who made a demonstrable contribution to the final script. The actual producer of the show (in the traditional sense) is listed under the credit "Produced by."
Star as "Producer"
Sometimes the star of a successful series can have a degree of influence over the creative process. For example, besides his leading role as Jack Bauer in 24, Kiefer Sutherland was credited as producer during the show's second season, then rising to co-executive producer for seasons 3–5, and finally executive producer from season 6 onwards.
Some notable television producers
- J.J. Abrams — Alias, Lost
- David Angell — Frasier, Wings and Cheers
- Alan Ball — Six Feet Under
- Biddy Baxter — Blue Peter (1962–65; editor 1965–1988)
- Thom Beers — Deadliest Catch, Lobster Wars, numerous other Discovery Channel series
- Donald Bellisario — JAG, NCIS,Quantum Leap
- Steven Bochco — Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, NYPD Blue
- Kevin Bright/Marta Kauffman/David Crane — Friends
- Jerry Bruckheimer — The Amazing Race, Cold Case, CSI, Without A Trace
- Mark Burnett — The Apprentice, Survivor, Rock Star
- Marcy Carsey — 3rd Rock from the Sun, The Cosby Show
- Stephen J. Cannell — The Rockford Files, 21 Jump Street, The A-Team, Hunter
- David Chase — The Sopranos
- Stephen Colbert — Strangers with Candy, The Colbert Report
- Larry David — Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm
- Sandeep Marwah-- Producer Of 1000 Short Films
- Russell T. Davies — Queer as Folk and the 2005 revival of Doctor Who
- John de Mol — Big Brother and Fear Factor
- David Doyle — Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament, Puppy Bowl
- Lowell Ganz — Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, Joanie Loves Chachi
- Larry Gelbart — M*A*S*H
- Michael Gill — Civilisation and Alistair Cooke's America
- Roy Huggins — Baretta, The Fugitive, The Rockford Files
- David E. Kelley — Ally McBeal, Boston Legal, Boston Public, Chicago Hope, Picket Fences, The Practice
- James L. Brooks — The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Rhoda, Taxi, The Simpsons, The Tracey Ullman Show
- Verity Lambert — Doctor Who, Adam Adamant Lives!, Jonathan Creek
- John Langley — COPS
- Norman Lear — All in the Family, Good Times, Maude, One Day at a Time, Sanford and Son
- David Maloney — Blake's 7, The Day of the Triffids
- Lorne Michaels — Saturday Night Live, The Kids in the Hall
- Ronald D. Moore — Battlestar Galactica, Roswell, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation
- John Nathan-Turner — Doctor Who (1980-1989)
- Sydney Newman — General Motors Theatre, Armchair Theatre and others
- Greg Daniels — The Office (US)
- Aaron Sorkin — The West Wing,Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
- Aaron Spelling — Beverly Hills, 90210, Charmed, Charlie's Angels, Dynasty, Fantasy Island, The Love Boat, Melrose Place, The Mod Squad, Starsky and Hutch, S.W.A.T., T.J. Hooker
- Stephen Stohn — Degrassi: The Next Generation, Instant Star
- J. Michael Straczynski — Babylon 5
- Gene Roddenberry — Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation
- Ken Warwick — American Idol, America's Got Talent, Pop Idol, Gladiators
- Michael Wearing — Boys from the Blackstuff, Edge of Darkness
- Joss Whedon — Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly
- Dick Wolf — Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit
- Mark Risley — Rugrats, The Wild Thornberrys, Rocket Power and As Told by Ginger
