Welcome to Production.Ink, Issue #9, here to provide you with useful and relevant news and resources on the business of production. If you're enjoying our content, please forward to someone else who also would:
Click to forward to friend(s)Production jobs are changing rapidly. Budgets are shrinking as studios and outlets consolidate and media evolves. Technology is altering day-to-day work and the skill sets needed for various roles. Sets look different. Timelines are shrinking.
We talked to Wendy Millman, line producer extraordinaire, to help you understand these changes, get an inside track, and better work with leadership on sets and in post.
You’ve worked on everything from huge comedy specials like John Mulaney and Chris Rock to live events like the Times Square NYE celebration. What responsibilities do you typically have as an LP?
A lot of it is budgeting, hiring, and managing crew. I make sure that all the teams are in sync with the schedule, that we're staffed properly, that we're staying within budgets, and also am a liaison between the higher executive staff and the staff that’s doing the production. So much is happening and changing on a set, everything is moving so fast, and the executives that aren't on set or in the office every day can’t know what changes had to take place to take their vision to the set. I make sure they’re all nice to each other.
And then during post, in “wrap” as we call it, I’m making sure everyone's time cards are in, and making sure we fulfill what the network needs for their files and final delivery of the project.
Normally, for a line producer, production manager, and sometimes even a coordinator, depending on the scale of the project we will have 1-3 rapid weeks to be able to gather all that information so we can deliver everything together.
How are you seeing production staffs change?
I definitely see staffs shrinking. Budgets have been smaller. That affects how we hire and staff, which is kind of a negative. There are times where you've been doing a show with a certain number of crew, and now the network is not going to give all that money. So you have to figure out how to make it work, and certain positions take on more. It’s a difficult situation. We have to look for a more hybrid position, someone that can do not just their job but another job, too, and can definitely juggle more than one thing at a time—a multitasker.
What are your most important relationships in a project? Who are you talking to most often, and where is your impact felt the most?
I work really closely with my EIC, the executive in charge of production. That person is the one that built the budget, and has passed it to me to stay within and bring to life.
I work closely with my production manager who's kind of my right hand, and then their coordinator. But I interact with the majority of the people on set, because if there's an issue or problem, the majority of them come to me. If they need more money, if something needs to be changed, if we need to go into overtime, I’m the person that they'll have to go to.
I also like to be in the know. I walk around a lot. I try not to hide in an office unless I absolutely have to be in the office to work on numbers. So I work with everybody on set, but the EIC and the production manager—and in some independent projects, some of the producers—will be the ones that I interact with the most.
But ultimately, the executive producer is the one I want to make sure is comfortable.
So you're managing both up and down. How can people best work with you? What advice would you have for them?
I think clear communication is something that's really important. If there are things that staff know are part of the role and responsibilities that they were hired for, I trust them to make the best possible decision and know it's correct. I hired them for their expertise. But if they really need my input, because I am pulled in so many directions, it’s important to come to me with the things that are really important—not every detail. So being selective on what they're going to come to me for.
What is important for your relationships with EPs?
Having a good rapport and respect for each other. I'm in my position for a reason just like they're in their position for a reason.
I also think a lot of people in our industry forget that kindness goes a long way. You can yell at me and be angry for things that happen, but don't just always come to me or the team with negative things to bring up. It can have a big impact on the mood on a team and a set. We're often in such a rush and we want to do good and we want it to look great that we forget that everyone's human and has feelings.
We entertain; we're bringing entertainment to everybody to make them happy. People should feel comfortable and happy.
Good news: IATSE has ratified a new three year deal. Members approved both the Basic Agreement and the Area Standards Agreement, passing them with percentages of 85.9 and 87.2, respectively. Many members who voted against the deals were primarily concerned with the IATSE's approach to protecting its members from the influence of AI, saying they have no real power to refuse to work with AI. Still, with the use of AI as a production tool being so fresh, IATSE is said to have the most thorough and evolved set of rules surrounding its use.
The Teamsters, however, are still in negotiations with major studios and hope to produce a tentative three year contract by the end of the week. The two sides are reported to be far from an agreement, with national union leadership being brought into discussions. The main disagreement stems from the union’s desire to substantially increase wages for some of production’s most undervalued workers like location managers, drivers, and chef assistants. Safer working conditions and more equitable pay are the other core issues.
Let’s hope the new contract(s) will jumpstart production work. Film and TV production in the US is down 40% compared to pre-strike numbers, presumably a result of major studios anticipating another strike that would interrupt productions. There are still doubts that production will completely bounce back to pre-strike levels even if strikes are avoided, with many studios cutting spending to make their streaming services more profitable. Additionally, on-site filming in LA has dropped 12% in what is being called "post-strike paralysis." Reality TV filming has been labeled a driving factor of these drops, with a 56% decrease in shoots compared to the year prior.
Only 41.5% of executive producers, supervising producers, and show creators in reality TV are women. Men continue to dominate high level supervising and executive roles, as well as head creative positions, in the reality TV industry. In the US, UK, Brazil, and France, three fourths of reality TV creators are men, with the US having the widest gap (80.6% men and 16.1% women). On a positive note, the percentage of female executive producers in the studied areas has increased 10 percentage points over two years, and the gender ratio of supervising producers has become almost even. Still, it is crucial that the production industry further examines the structures that have perpetuated gender inequity in its workforce and works to give underrepresented creators the platforms they deserve.
The Civic News Company Writers, represented by WGA East, have ratified a two and a half year contract which sees crucial issues like paid sick leave, disability, and salary minimums addressed. The terms of the contract also address issues surrounding AI, with included protections over the use of a person’s likeness and voice. Inclusivity and support are also at the core of the agreement, with a DEIB committee established to conduct a pay equity analysis along race, gender, and identity lines.
Paramount hired Geoff Stier as EVP of Production…. Drew Shearer was named CFO at Sony Pictures with Philip Rowley stepping down.... Jesse Ehrman is Warner Bros. Pictures' new President of Production and Development; Cate Adams, Peter Dodd, and Sheila Walcott were also promoted to SVP there.... Jameson Parker became CEO of Lighthouse Pictures following the company’s acquisition by Martini Film Studios…. Whitney White became EVP of Development at Wheelhouse Entertainment's Butternut Media and Liz Fine was promoted to EVP of Programming…. Zee Studios appointed Anjali Raina as Head of Production…. Khaliah Neal joined Color Force as Head of Film…. Higher Ground hired Jessie Dicovitsky as Head of Television…. Amid expansion plans, Laugh Factory has hired David Fuhrer and John Weiser to take on senior leadership roles within the company…. Anne Chérel was promoted chief commercial officer of Studiocanal…. After her departure from Amazon MGM Studios, María José Rodríguez became managing director of Mediapro Studios' Spanish production company Globomedia…. Jang Kyung-Ik was appointed as CEO of Studio Dragon.
Thanks for reading. See you soon. - The Production.Ink team