Line producer
A line producer is a type of
Responsibilities
According to Producers Guild of America (PGA) guidelines, the line producer is the individual who reports directly to the individual(s) receiving "Produced by" credit on the theatrical motion picture and is the single individual who has the primary responsibility for the logistics of the production, from pre-production through completion of production; all department heads report to the line producer.[2] A line producer generally works on one episode of a TV series or part of a film.[3]
The line producer functions like a
In the studio system, the line producer reports to the studio and typically liaises with key executives of production divisions inside the studio such as physical production, legal, labor relations, insurance, and finance. The line producer supports the
While in production, the line producer oversees the execution of many decisions that must be made to deliver each day's shoot. The administrative aspects, especially those that have any financial impact, are all crucial areas of the line producer's work. These areas include but are not limited to negotiating compensation (usually during pre-production) of crew members (both for union and non-union productions) and resolving daily production issues (in conjunction with the first assistant director and possibly the unit production manager).[6] Moreover, they provide demanded equipment. If required, they handle unanticipated scheduling changes and serve "as a liaison between the crew and the producer."[2]
Japanese media
The work of a line producer in the Japanese anime industry differs from that of its western counterpart. The terms "animation producer" (アニメーションプロデューサー) and "production producer" (制作プロデューサー) are more commonly used (or variations of them), though "line producers" (ラインプロデューサー) are sometimes credited instead or credited alongside an animation producer in an assistant-like position. Animation producers and line producers in the anime industry are more often than not responsible for an entire series, rather than working on a single episode or unit of a work, usually belonging to the main animation studio or studios attached to a project. Vinland Saga director Shuuhei Yabuta described the role of an animation producer as being mainly responsible for gathering the main staff of a work, and also managing the creative site (the main animation studio(s), which the animation and line producers usually belong to) and negotiating with the production committee producing the work.[7] In that regard, the staff gathered for a particular series is more so representative of the skills of the animation producer and their connections rather than the studio itself.[8]
In some instances, the different animation producers employed by or associated with a studio reflect different departments or entirely different sub-studios belonging to a particular studio or company. The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún, for example, is a work attributed to Wit Studio; however, the OVA and film are the products of Wit's branch located in Ibaraki Prefecture led by animation producer Kenta Yamada, as opposed to works which can be attributed to Wit's headquarters studio located in Musashino, Tokyo that have other animation producers.[9] Wit Studio itself, even, was founded after a split from Production I.G's sub-studio named Section 6, led by section head George Wada and animation producer Tetsuya Nakatake.[10]
References
- ^ "A producer who is responsible for managing every person and issue during the making of a film. Line producers only work on one film at a time". IMDb. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Producer's Code of Credits". Producers Guild of America. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
- ^ "The Importance of a Line Producer". Archived from the original on March 29, 2013. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
- ^ "A line producer is basically there to make the director's vision achievable". Archived from the original on March 23, 2013. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
- ^ "Runs the more practical aspects of the production such as logistics and personnel, as opposed to the creative content". Retrieved March 10, 2013.
- ^ "A line producer is the person who is in charge of hiring all of the below-the-line production crew such as camera crews, lighting crews and catering staffs". Archived from the original on April 3, 2013. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
- ^ Yabuta, Shuuhei [@yabshu55] (October 1, 2021). "It's not often talked about, but the work of an Animation Producer is extremely important as well as animator's. It's a tough job that needs to balance managing the creative site and negotiating with the production committee. They have a big influence on the quality" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Yabuta, Shuuhei [@yabshu55] (October 1, 2021). "It is certain that studios play a role in coordinating the environment for creative teams, but each and every staff member is much more important for the success. Gathering staff is largely due to the skills of Animation Producer and the studio does not necessarily affect" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Cirugeda, Kevin "yuyucow" (October 14, 2019). "Studio Wit's New Dream Factory: Ibaraki Studio and the Girl From the Other Side". Sakugablog. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- ^ May, Callum (March 21, 2021). Breaking Down Attack on Titan's (All Seasons) Incredible Animation - Animator Spotlight. YouTube. Retrieved March 21, 2021.