Marc Saltzman

🎬 What Does a True Executive Producer Do Today? The role of an Executive Producer (EP) can mean very different things depending on the industry, country, or type of project; TV, streaming, film, or digital. But in my experience, a true EP is an all-around producer, someone who understands the creative, operational, and financial aspects of a production. Some EPs focus only on budgets and client relationships. Others, like showrunners, concentrate solely on the creative side. Line producers manage logistics and schedules. But a comprehensive EP bridges all these areas, making strategic decisions that connect creativity, production, and business. Key skills of an all-around EP include: • Creativity: understanding story, narrative, and final product. • Operational management: organizing sets, coordinating teams, supervising production days. • Financial oversight: controlling budgets, optimizing resources, negotiating deals. • Communication: serving as the bridge between talent, crew, and stakeholders. • Adaptability: navigating formats, platforms, audiences, and industry changes. In today’s world of multiple platforms and formats, an EP who can see the full picture ensures efficiency, quality, and flexibility; not by being an expert in everything, but by knowing how to make informed, strategic decisions. 💡 What kind of producer are you? #ExecutiveProducer #TVProduction #FilmProduction #Showrunner #Storytelling #MediaLeadership #ContentCreation

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🎬 Line Producer vs Executive Producer: What Creatives Need to Understand In the chaos of film production, where budgets, scripts, egos, and timelines all collide, titles can get confusing. But if you’re a director, writer, actor, or even a producer stepping into your next project, understanding the difference between a Line Producer and an Executive Producer (EP) isn’t just semantics — it’s crucial to your project's success. Let’s break it down without the fluff. 🧠 The Executive Producer: The Visionary (with the Purse Strings) Think of the EP as the deal-maker or project shepherd. They're involved in the early stages — getting the script greenlit, attaching talent, raising funds, and bringing studios or platforms on board. 🔑 Key Responsibilities: Financing and investment Packaging the project (talent, director, distribution) Studio or OTT liaison Creative overview, especially in development stages Final say in major decisions 🎯 To Creatives: The EP might not be on set every day, but they’ll shape what the film becomes — and where it goes after it’s made. 🎯 The Line Producer: The Battlefield Commander If the EP is the general, the Line Producer is the commander on the ground. Once the project is greenlit, they take over — managing everything from budget breakdowns to shoot schedules, crew hiring, location scouting, vendor negotiations, and crisis management. 🔧 Key Responsibilities: Building the production budget Hiring crew and managing contracts Scheduling shoot days, logistics, travel, and equipment Handling production delays and damage control Ensuring the shoot is on time and on budget 🎥 To Creatives: Your line producer is your reality check. They’re the ones making sure your dream is executable — legally, financially, and practically. ⚖️ Why the Confusion? Because sometimes, especially in indie films or India’s current landscape: The same person wears multiple hats. Credit titles are misused for funding or politics. Creatives often bypass the Line Producer and go straight to the EP for changes. 🛑 Don’t do that. Respect the workflow. Respect the people holding the system together. 🎬 Final Thought If you're a creative, don’t just learn the craft — learn the structure. Know who makes the film happen, not just who makes it beautiful. Because no matter how visionary your idea is… If it doesn’t make sense to your Line Producer, it’s not getting made. #FilmProduction #LineProducer #ExecutiveProducer #FilmmakingTips   #BehindTheScenes #SetLife #ProducerLife #IndieFilm   #CreativeLeadership #FilmCrew #MovieMaking #FilmIndustry   #ProductionManagement #IndianCinema #WomenInFilm   #LinkedInForFilmmakers #CinemaBusiness #FlyingStoneFilmz

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IBC 2025 Retrospective: Tech in Practice, Costs in Focus Looking back at IBC 2025, one theme stood out: this was the year where technology wasn’t just about possibility, but practice. The exhibition halls were buzzing, with most stands busy and purposeful conversations happening everywhere. Tools in Practice The technologies attracting the most attention were those already proving their value: Playout in the cloud – mature, cost-reducing solutions. MCR in the cloud – moving from proof-of-concept to resilient, virtualised control rooms. AI scheduling – predictive tools to optimise audiences and revenues. Editing & newsroom in the cloud – collaborative, story-centric, and remote-ready. TAMS (Time Addressable Media Store) – enabling fast-turnaround production and multi-platform fulfilment. Shure’s new planar array microphone – steerable lobes, fewer cables, and tighter audio control. The thread linking them all? Less theory, more deployment. The Economics Behind the Buzz IBC 2025 wasn’t just about shiny demos — the financial realities were front and centre. Cloud economics under scrutiny. Broadcasters are grappling with run-rate costs: compute, storage, and especially egress fees. Hybrid strategies are gaining traction as a way to balance flexibility with spend. The OCI factor. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure was a hot topic, with rumours that its egress costs could be as low as 10% of AWS pricing — a potential game-changer for long-term economics. Capex to opex. Vendors are pushing subscription and usage models. It provides flexibility, but budgeting becomes less predictable. Efficiency as survival. Automation, workflow simplification, and AI-assisted processes aren’t “nice to haves” — they’re becoming critical levers for profitability. The Next 12 Months The year ahead will be defined by execution, not experimentation. AI with a business case – deeper into scheduling, metadata, compliance, and archive monetisation, judged on ROI not novelty. Cloud bills driving strategy – expect tougher negotiations with hyperscalers, more hybrid deployments, and closer attention to OCI. Monetisation under pressure – FAST, hybrid subscription/ad models, and targeted ads will be critical as OTT growth slows and audiences fragment. Efficiency as a KPI – vendors that can prove measurable cost reductions will win. Sustainability tied to economics – greener infrastructure and energy efficiency will become procurement requirements. Skills gap widening – reskilling teams to bridge broadcast and software disciplines will be as vital as any technology choice. Partnerships & consolidation – tighter margins will push more collaboration and ecosystem plays, with interoperability a must. Final Thought IBC 2025 showed an industry moving from hype to hard numbers. The winners won’t be those chasing every trend, but those who control costs, prove ROI, and deliver value sustainably. #IBC2025 #BroadcastMedia #MediaTechnology #CloudPlayout #CloudMCR #MediaSupplyChain #OracleCloud

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Different producers. Different roles. Different jobs. Let’s dig deeper into what that really means—because it can definitely be confusing. Here are some producer titles to help give you clarity for your future project needs: - Executive Producer – The big-picture leader, overseeing financing, strategy, and vision. Might be juggling multiple projects at once. - Supervising Producer – Oversees the creative and budget, supervises other producers, ensuring consistency across episodes or projects. - Line Producer – Tracks budgets, schedules, and daily logistics on track. - Coordinating Producer – Manages, plans, and executes a production from concept to completion, ensuring projects align with creative vision and deadlines, and often serves as a liaison for different teams and departments involved in a project - Segment Producer – Owns specific pieces of content (perfect for talk shows, episodics, or news). - Associate Producer (AP) – Provides vital support with research, logistics, and coordination. - Field Producer – Runs the show on location, managing crews, interviews, and shoots. - Writer/Story Producer – Shapes the narrative, crafting arcs from raw footage, research, or interviews. Work to ensure handoff from field to post production team goes smoothly These roles can vary from project to project depending on the framework of the job. But if you’re hiring from outside the industry, it’s easy to see “Producer” as one job. The truth? Knowing which producer you actually need will save you time, money, and frustration—and help you build the right team to bring your project to life.

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