Producer

The producer selects projects, raises the funds to finance them, and assumes the financial risk of the film. The producer hires the director and crew, oversees the budget, and arranges for the film’s release through distributors, networks, streaming platforms, and festivals. In most cases, the producer runs their own production company.

What does a producer do?

It all starts with development. The producer identifies a screenplay, an idea, or a book to adapt, acquires the rights, and works with the screenwriter and director on the writing process. According to France Travail, the producer selects screenplays, seeks out and secures funding, assembles the production teams, and oversees production through to broadcast.

Film financing comes from several sources: television networks, streaming platforms, public funding such as that provided by the CNC and regional governments, distributors, and foreign co-producers. The producer puts together the financing plan, negotiates the contracts, and commits the production company to the budget.

During production, he entrusts the organizational aspects to the production manager and oversees filming and post-production. Once the film is completed, he works with the distributor to prepare for its release and distribution.

Producer, executive producer, or production manager: What's the difference?

The producer is responsible for the project and bears the financial risk. The executive producer oversees the production of the film on behalf of a producer, often for a foreign production being filmed in France. The production manager is an employee of the film: he or she prepares the budget, organizes the shoot, and manages the crew within the established budget.

The producer also works with the distributor, who purchases the rights to release the film in theaters and handles its promotion.

Who does the producer work with?

He works with the writers, the screenwriter, and the director, championing their project. He negotiates with funding sources: TV networks, streaming platforms, the CNC, regional governments, banks, and co-producers.

Within his company, he relies on staff members in development, production, and administration. For the film, he delegates production to the production manager and then works with the distributor and international sales representatives.

What skills do you need to become a producer?

You need to know how to read a screenplay and identify a project that will find an audience. You also need to understand the financing mechanisms for film and television, copyright law, contracts, and business management.

Above all, this profession requires tenacity: it often takes several years to secure funding for a film. Strong negotiation skills and a solid network—among both writers and financiers—are essential.

How much does a producer earn?

Producers usually run their own production companies: their compensation depends on the films they produce and their success. The salary scale in the collective bargaining agreement for film production sets the minimum wages for technicians, but does not include a position for producers.

To provide some context for the sector, here are the key public indicators for production and the labor market:

The production figures come fromthe CNC’s Film Production Observatory, published on March 18, 2026. The market figures come from France Travail’s L1302 report: 3% of new hires are on permanent contracts, and 90% of fixed-term contracts last less than one month.

What kind of education do you need to become a producer?

France Travail states that entry into this profession requires a two- to five-year post-secondary degree ( degree ) in audiovisual and film production or in cultural administration and management, or professional experience in film or television. Many producers start out as assistants or production coordinators.

At ESRA, the ESRA Cinema program is a three-year course leading to a state-accredited “ degree ” degree at the Bac+3 level, with more than 700 hours of instruction per year and at least two productions per year, which are screened before a jury. In the third year, the production specialization focuses on organizing a film shoot, from management through to final delivery. The DHEC in Production and Distribution extends this program to a state-accredited “ degree ” degree at the Bac+5 level.

What career opportunities and prospects are there?

Producers work in feature films, television dramas and documentaries, animation, advertising, and music videos. They often reach this position after several years as a production coordinator, production manager, or associate producer, before starting or taking over a company.

Among ESRA alumni, Yves Darondeau (ESRA 1986) produced Luc Jacquet’s *March of the Penguins*, which won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature in 2006.

Sources: CNC, Film Production Observatory, 2025; France Travail, ROME code L1302; Légifrance, collective bargaining agreement IDCC 3097, pay scale as of May 1, 2026; Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Verified on October 2, 2026.

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