Producers Panel at SBIFF

Reviewed by Jose De Anda. Attended at the SBIFF 2012.

I learned so much in so little time. This was an enlightening experience. The producers described their roles and certain aspects and responsibilities of their position in the film making process. Our guests were Mr. King who collaborates with Martin Scorsese on several of his excellent films, Mr. De Luca who collaborates with guys like Bennet Miller and Brad Pitt, Bill Poland from Tree of Life,Jim Burke from the Descendants and Letty Aronson who collaborates continuously with Woody Allen.

For starters these big figures were very honest about there job, way less political than the women’s panelists who where very political with certain answers. When asked about there roles in the film making process they responded honestly that they have very little to do artistically. The job of the producer as explained was to be the grown up on set, marketing and distribution, getting the investors to put up the budget and establishing boundaries between them and the director. I feel like this was very honest and that’s a rarity in business these days. Something you wouldn’t expect from a big fish like these producers.

Mrs. Aronson explained to us that now Woody Allen doesn’t even begin scripting the film until the money is in place. That’s good production right there. I bet she is an excellent negotiator, but then again Woody Allen is a good product to sell. Basically a producer is a salesman and executive. At least that’s what I got out of it.

I think there is a monstrous difference between independent and studio production. This panel helped me distinguish the difference between the two. In studio system film making the producers takes the financial risk on an idea that the artist is likely not 100% confident in, he sees the potential and gets the investors then capitalizes financially on the lack of confidence and risk taking from the artist (director).