What is the Difference Between Executive Producer and Producer?

The main difference between an executive producer and a producer lies in their responsibilities and level of authority within a project. Here are the key differences between the two roles:

1. Authority: Executive producers typically have more authority over the entirety of the production, while producers report to executive producers and fulfill their duties under their supervision.
2. Responsibilities: A producer is responsible for managing all aspects of a project, including production, budgeting, staffing, and more. They work closely with the director, cast, and crew on a daily basis and are involved in all phases of production. An executive producer, on the other hand, usually focuses on one or two specific domains, such as casting or scriptwriting, while potentially remaining uninvolved in other areas like location scouting or post-production.
3. Financing: The executive producer is the person who sources and secures the financing for a film production, either through independent financing or by communicating with investors or studios.
4. On-set vs. Off-set: The producer handles on-set logistics, management, and supervision, while the executive producer deals more with off-set issues like negotiating contracts, communicating with investors or studios, and maintaining the business face of production.
5. Creative Influence: Although an executive producer has creative influence over the project in the big-picture, it is the producer who has more direct control over the creative aspects of the project and works closely with various departments.

In summary, the executive producer is often considered the "boss" of the project, handling financing and high-level decision-making, while the producer is responsible for managing the project's day-to-day aspects, working closely with the crew and overseeing the creative elements.

Comparative Table: Executive Producer vs Producer

Here is a table comparing the roles of an executive producer and a producer:

In summary, the main difference between an executive producer and a producer is that the executive producer focuses on financing the production and managing the business side of things, while the producer is responsible for managing the creative process and all aspects of the physical filmmaking.