Have you ever watched the behind-the-scenes footage of your favorite movie and seen those interview snippets with the video producer?
Ever wondered what that person does?
Have you ever watched your favorite YouTuber talk about their good working relationship with their video producer?
Did you wonder what is their job exactly?
Whether we’re talking about a huge film crew in Hollywood or a video production team from a small agency, they all need a producer to oversee the production process and guide the team members whenever they need it.
In this article, we’ll be looking at what a video producer does, what kind of responsibilities they have, their place in the company hierarchy, and their average yearly salary.
By the end, who knows, you might want to become a video producer yourself!
What does a video producer actually do? 📽️
A video producer manages the entire production of a video, from pre to post.
They oversee the casting, organize the schedule, take care of on-set logistics, and supervise the editing process, among other things.
The video producer needs to be good at communicating and even better at multitasking.
They have to coordinate a lot of people in a short time and ensure the filming process goes smoothly with minimal or no delays. They are the team’s strongest pillar, making sure the roof doesn’t collapse.
Video producer job description template 📄✍️
If you want to get an idea of what a video producer has to do or you’re looking to hire one, here’s a template you can follow:
We are looking for an experienced Video Producer to join our team! As a Video Producer, you will be responsible for leading the production of video content for product launches and other marketing campaigns..
Video Producer responsibilities
- Promote the brand and our products by producing high-quality videos
- Plan concepts and stories for videos
- Assist and guide the video specialist, the video editor, and the director of photography throughout the production process
- Work closely with the video script writer
- Arrange transportation for the crew, equipment, and cast
- Select appropriate equipment for each shoot
- Keep up with trends with the latest video production trends
Video Producer requirements
- 3+ years experience in video production or other similar fields
- Experience in script writing
- Bachelor’s degree in film, media studies, marketing, or other related fields
- Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
- Proficiency in using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, Final Cut Pro X, and other video editing software
- Exceptional communicator
- Excellent storyteller
Note: Depending on the employer, you might find more or fewer responsibilities and/or requirements than the ones we listed above.
Who does the video producer answer to – role hierarchy 🤔
Being the second most important figure in a video production team, the video producer reports to the video marketing manager.
Video producer job requirements 🧐
So what sort of skills do you need in order to become a video producer?
If you want to venture into the world of video production, you need to brush up on some hard skills and soft skills.
As far as hard skills go, the first thing you must have are strong research skills.
As the producer of a project, you will be in charge of searching for video topics, casting, finding filming locations, and gathering filming equipment. You have to know where to look for all of these.
You also need to have a knack for scriptwriting and storyboarding. As the video producer, you don’t just have to come up with a story, have to tell it effectively, too. Good scriptwriting and storyboarding help you achieve that.
Since you are the main storyteller, you also need to get accustomed to handling cameras, lighting, microphones, and other equipment. You also have to understand scene composition.
There will be a crew ready to help you out and give you advice, but you need to learn these techniques in order to craft your vision.
You want to brush up on your video editing skills, too. Gather as many professional editing softwares as you can, such as Adobe Premier Pro, Adobe After Effects, or Final Cut Pro X, and play around with them. Look for short tutorials or in-depth online courses on how to use their features.
Even though you will have a video editor by your side, they will be following your vision—you need to know what you’re talking about.
Finally, get ready to be BFFs with Excel spreadsheets and Word documents. Whether you’re writing a script or making a list of addresses for possible filming locations, you need to use these two to stay highly organized.
When it comes to soft skills, your creativity and patience are at the top of the list. You need creativity to tell unique, engaging stories and you need a lot of patience if you want to work with people.
You will be collaborating with crew members, editors, writers, and managers. You will be calling the owners of the filming locations and negotiating prices with them. You will be contacting the actors. There will be a lot of people and a lot of schedules clashing, and you have to be ready for it.
Speaking of schedules clashing, you also need good time management skills. With so many people around you, your schedule will definitely be challenged, so you want to make sure you use your time effectively.
This also means you need to be a good problem solver. One filming location might cancel on you last minute. An actor might step away from the project days before production begins. Your filming equipment might be delivered late. Make sure to always have a plan B, in case something goes wrong.
Focus on being an empathetic communicator. If something goes wrong on set, 9 times out of 10, it’s not because someone is trying to sabotage your project. It may just be a case of miscommunication, so you want to put yourself in their shoes and correct them the way you would want to be corrected.
People might also need extra guidance or more detailed instructions on how you want the video to turn out, so you want to be clear and concise.
How much does a video producer make – video producer salary range 💰
Now that it’s clear what a video producer is and what they actually do, you might be wondering what their salary looks like.
We’ve collected data from Glassdoor and PayScale and broken them down in the table below.
Here is the average video producer salary in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom per year, as of January 2023.
| Location | Average Yearly Salary for Video Producer (Glassdoor) | Average Yearly Salary for Video Producer (PayScale) |
| United States | 57,976 USD/yr | 60, 188 USD/yr |
| Canada | 59,958 CAD/yr | 56,708 CAD/yr |
| United Kingdom | 61,656 GBP/yr | 29,377 GBP/yr |
| Australia | 77,986 AUD/yr | 61,656 AUD/yr |
When it comes to the United States, Glassdoor estimates that the average salary for a video producer in January 2023 is 57,976 USD per year, not including extra payments such as cash bonuses, profit sharing, or tips. PayScale is a bit more optimistic, however, estimating 60, 188 USD per year.
For Canada, Glassdoor reports that it’s around 59,958 CAD (44, 420 USD) per year, which is lower than in the United States. PayScale is the exact opposite. It estimates that it’s 56,708 CAD (76, 543 USD) per year, quite a bit higher than in the US.
The two platforms show very different yearly average salaries in the United Kingdom. While Glassdoor says that a video producer in the UK earns an average of 61,656 GBP every year, PayScale reports only 29,377 GBP.
As for Australia, Glassdoor goes the optimistic route by reporting a yearly salary of 77K AUD for a video producer, while PayScale is the one that stays more pessimistic, estimating 61K AUD per year for the same job title.
Typical employers of video producers 🏢
Who needs a video producer? Pretty much anyone making content.
Marketing agencies handling video advertising serivces are always on the lookout for producers. Since they work with different types of clients, every project will be unique and have its own set of challenges. This will give you the opportunity to expand your experience and portfolio.
Video production agencies are also in need of great producers who can oversee the entire cycle of production and lead the team to success. Just like marketing agencies, they work with numerous clients offering different products, so there will be a lot of room to challenge yourself while having fun along the way.
Media companies, especially the ones whose content primarily focuses on YouTube, need producers who can work on several videos at a time. Their projects have lots of room for creativity and can also help you brush up on your time management skills.
Where can you find video producer jobs? 📍
You can find many video producer jobs on LinkedIn. Most of them are on-site jobs but with a little luck, you will find remote ones as well.
If you’re looking for listings that are more clear with their salary range, Indeed has tons of video producer jobs you can browse through. The listings on Indeed show either the range provided by the company itself or an estimate based on what similar employers offer.
In case you want to broaden your horizon and see where else you can apply for a video producer job, check out Glassdoor.
But if you would rather sign up for freelance video producer opportunities, Upwork is the perfect place to find a project you’ll like.
Video producers you can learn from ☑️
The best way to learn what a video producer does is by watching others. Here are a few well-known video producers you can follow on social media, see their work, and get inspiration from:
Peter Rossiter
Peter is a multi-award-winning video producer, director, and editor, having worked on a wide variety of projects, including The YouTube Boyband and Game of Thrones the Musical. He has a very helpful course on Udemy called How To Be An Online Video Producer/Director, which can provide you with some insightful tips and tricks.
Jay Stephens
Jay is a video producer for AppSumo and you will often see him in their YouTube videos and shorts. You can check out his work and learn about his strategy.
Jasmine Pak
Jasmine is a former producer at Buzzfeed. She produced many videos for several of their channels, including Giant Food Time on Bring Me! Her food challenges on Tasty have reached over 1 million views.
Conclusion
The video producer is no doubt one of the strongest pillars of your video production team.
Without them, the filming and editing process would be even more chaotic than it already is and it might be impossible to finish your project.
This is why a video producer needs to be open, communicative, and quick-witted.
Video Producer FAQs
Yes, a video producer can certainly edit videos. In fact, video editing is often an essential part of the video production process, and many video producers have a strong background in editing.
However, not all video producers may have the technical skills or desire to edit videos themselves.
If we were to use a metaphor to describe their relationship, a videographer could be thought of as a painter, while a video producer could be likened to an art director.
Just as a painter focuses on creating the artwork itself, a videographer is primarily responsible for capturing the visuals of a video production. They operate the camera, manage lighting and sound, and ensure that the footage is of high quality.
As a skilled video producer, I can tell you that becoming a successful video producer takes a combination of creativity, technical skills, and business savvy.
It’s essential to have a passion for storytelling and a creative vision for how to bring that story to life through video. This involves having a strong sense of visual style, understanding how to craft a compelling narrative, and being able to communicate your ideas effectively to your team.
A producer of a video can be thought of as the conductor of an orchestra. Just as a conductor coordinates the musicians, the producer coordinates all aspects of the video production, from selecting the cast and crew to overseeing the filming and editing process.
