Demystifying Producing: What is a Producer? (hint: Fairy Godmother or Genie?)

This is the second blog piece I’ve written where I attempt to debunk and breakdown what a producer is and does. There is alot of misunderstanding, misconception, lack of awareness and many changing ideas about what a producer does and is. And, because I work in the arts and I am a creative, I am at liberty to make up my own definition according to what it is I know I’m good and what I like to do. As we all are.

So, on my travels in the sector and in conversations, here are some things people I’ve heard people describe producing as:

‘A practice’

‘A state of mind’

‘A preparedness for anything’

‘A guide’

‘A jack of all trades’

‘A facilitator, enabler, maker of things that happen’

‘A person who affects change’

‘A manager’

‘A philosophy’

‘A hidden or unnoticed person, in the background, often pulling all the strings…’

‘A Fairy Godmother’

Image: Disney’s original Cinderella, from the 1950 film.

What? Well, that last one is specifically a piece of feedback one of my clients said to me in response to some work we’re doing together. Whilst I do claim to be helpful, to enable and to elevate - I’m not sure my magic wand is an all-fixing-of-all-problems kind of wand! That would be a huge statement to make, (not least massive pressure) and let’s be honest, I’m only human, except without the grey old lady hair or a purple cape. But kind words and high praise indeed. Thank you.

My hubby, who knows me really well, disagrees with the LYNNEBEC team in their kind alignment with what I do to the Fairy Godmother. He said that I am more like Genie from Aladdin! I’ll take that too. Love the analogy of ‘Friend Like Me’!

Unpicking the role then.

I guess, a Producer to me is someone who picks something up (that might be a process, a product) and takes it to new heights through a variety of different means. A producer can work at lots of different levels, and have a very, very vast range of skills, attributes and creative interests.

If I were to recruit a producer (which I just did, with the same clients that kindly called me their Fairy Godmother), I would be interested in that person’s unique qualities and competencies as opposed to some pre-defined idea or assumption about what the sector or art form thinks a producer should be. A producer should flex and change according to the job in hand, and the person in that role should be a good fit for the other people, project or goal.

Are you a producer? What is a Producer to you? If you are a Producer in any of its many guises - which Disney character are you?!?

Discuss.