Longtime producer Cathy Schulman and experienced producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura discuss the devaluation of producers in Hollywood and advocate for better rights under Producers United. They delve into the financial squeeze on producers, the misunderstood role of producers in the industry, and the impact of producers on the entertainment we all enjoy.
Producers face devaluation in Hollywood due to lack of fair wages and healthcare coverage, prompting the need for advocacy.
New producers struggle to enter the industry without funding or mentorship, highlighting challenges in sustaining the profession.
Deep dives
Producers United: Advocating for Producer Rights in Hollywood
The traditional role of non-writing producers in Hollywood has significantly shifted over the past 15 years. Producers, who were once vital in developing projects and acquiring material for studios, are now undervalued by streamers unless they multitask as writers, actors, or directors. With diminishing deals, many producers struggle to secure funding, limiting opportunities in the field. Producers United, comprising nearly 100 career producers, demands healthcare coverage paid by studios and fair wages during production stages to ensure the continuation of the producer profession in a changing industry landscape.
Challenges for Upcoming Producers in Hollywood
Entering the producer profession has become increasingly challenging, leading to a scarcity of legitimate producers under 35. The evolving economics require producers to raise their own funding or have familial connections in the industry to sustain their role. The absence of studio-provided overhead deals and mentorship opportunities inhibits new producers from gaining experience and knowledge. Producers United aims to address these barriers and advocate for fair treatment of all producers in the industry.
Producer Pay Structures and Development Fees
Producers' pay structures have experienced minimal changes over the years, with development fees remaining stagnant since 1971. The discrepancy in compensating producers during lengthy development processes, often spanning years, contrasts with incremental payments provided to writers during the same period. The proposal to advance a portion of fees during early project stages aims to alleviate financial strains on producers and balance compensation in line with project advancement.
Industry Challenges and Collaborative Solutions
The initiative to establish clearer definitions of career producers and ensure healthcare coverage and commencement wages seeks to enhance producer sustainability and project quality. By fostering dialogue between producers, studios, and streamers, a concerted effort to redefine producer roles and compensation creates a more equitable industry environment. The potential leverage of producers in choosing preferred collaborators encourages studios to recognize and support essential producer contributions.
Matt is joined by longtime producers Cathy Schulman and Lorenzo di Bonaventura to discuss the devaluation of producers in Hollywood, and their push for better rights under their new collective, Producers United. They outline why producers don’t have it as good as most might think, what a producer actually does, how they're getting squeezed financially, whether they will still be around in the future, and how what a producer does impacts the television and movies we all watch and enjoy. Matt finishes the show with an opening-weekend box office prediction for the new film ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.’
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