I’m a creative producer, I’m also a line producer, and sometimes, I'm an executive producer. I can also be a show caller or a backstage manager. It all depends on the project.
Sometimes, I work alone, and I wear many hats, which could be confusing.
Maybe it would be helpful to define these roles so you – yes YOU, the planners, marketers, communication professionals in the interwebs - understand what “we-who-wear-headsets” are actually doing.
Executive Producer
Creates and manages budgets for all elements of the production
Audio Visual
Scenic
Content creation
Production staff
Logistical elements (crew catering, stage furniture, miscellaneous things you don’t know you need, etc)
Builds and manages the production team
Line producer
Production Coordinator
Technical Director
Show Caller
Backstage Manager
Production Assistant
Reconciles budgets, sends out invoices, and pays all the bills
Technical Director
Helps design the technical solution
Creates and manages technical drawings
Develops technical spec’s
Manages Audio Visual team
Supervises load in and load out
Generates onsite production schedule,
Bearing in mind
Local labor rules,
Loading dock availability
Client rehearsal and show schedule
Line Producer
Responsible for all the production in a specific room or rooms
Creates and manages the budget for their assigned room, submits to EP
Manages show caller, production assistant, production coordinator, backstage manager
Acts as liaison between the client and the crew, ensuring the client vision is met
Prepares crew for client rehearsal and show
Writes Run of Show and hands off to show caller
Creative Producer
Defines and produces creative show elements (video, live performance, interactive experience etc)
Partners with Technical director and scenic designer to design the room set
Manages creative director, writer, video editor, motion graphics artist, graphics artist
Ensures all client changes are captured and input into the show computers
Show Caller
Takes Run of Show and adds in technical cues
Rehearses crew before client rehearsals
Calls all technical cues
Keeps the show on time and the crew relaxed
Back Stage Manager
Create marks on the stage for talent
Directs stagehands for live stage moves (when necessary)
Keeps stage clean and clear
Manages onstage talent (pulling from green room, getting them mic’ed up, showing them their marks during rehearsals, makes them feel at ease)
Event production is a niche industry that few people really understand. They think that since they ordered some AV from the in-house provider that they are now producers, but it’s more nuanced than that. We grow into these roles over time, each project giving us experience that we use to help our clients avoid mistakes that we have already made. We’re here to make the show look easy, and you look like a supah-star.