Screenwriting : Is a Producer a Storyteller? by Emily J

Producers can be storytellers, Emily, because some of them write scripts.

Maurice Vaughan that was my first thought! Cuz in TV writers very often have producer titles. However, I think Geoff was referring to producers and production companies who buy and develop scripts (I would consider development storytelling)

I can see how development is storytelling. Producers and production companies put together stories/projects that will be told on screen.

I think you're considering it backwards. I believe a storyteller can be a producer, or a mechanic, or whatever profession they want. I believe a storyteller will tell stories. Some storytellers make that their main focus, while others do not!

So...Anyone who writes a script is automatically a storyteller? (I think not.)

Hey, Doug. Yes, anyone who writes a script is a storyteller because they're telling a story.

Emily: My experience with producers, actors, directors, and talent managers is they all want to be raconteurs. And will freely offer their opinions on your work and ask for changes and rewrites. Whether or not they're good storytellers? Some have decent to good ideas, and many others are not so good.

Doug Nelson okay, if it takes more than writing a script, who determines where the line is for you that makes someone a storyteller?

I think these days writers need to think as producers. It certainly is a powerful hyphenate, writer-producer as you can somewhat control your content. One example is my friend Deborah Pratt, 4 time Emmy nominated writer for Quantum Leap. She is now EP on the reboot. The ultimate hyphenate in my opinion is writer-director where you absolutely can control and direct your own script. Gary Ross is one of those. Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone, 1923) another.

"I think these days writers need to think as producers." I agree, Paul. When I outline a script, I think like a producer, figuring out the budget range, trying to keep the character count and the location count down, figuring out who the audience will be, etc.

Phillip E. Hardy, "The Real Deal" I agree!

If Scorsese is a producer, we cannot say that they are not.

There are also levels of producer. Executives are just a method of payment for example. Line Producers are project managers.

But I think everyone is film is a story teller in some way.

YES. If producers are not actively story tellers, then at the very least they should possess at least a snippet of visual imagination in getting their products competed and to makret. Otherwise, how will they know their audience?

I like the way you think Lawrence Davidson!

It used to be there were a lot less producer credits. Now there's ton of them during the credit role if you are an investor, a majority of whom do not know story.

I think it boils down to intention. If they are producing without any desire or interest in the story that is being made then no. But if they are passionate about the project, I feel like everyone involved plays a role in telling the story.

Hello everyone! I guess to some degree it may depend on whether we're talking about a producer or an executive producer. An Executive Producer can contribute finances but also, depending on his/her experience can be involve in all aspects of the film. On the other hand a producer need to have experience on all aspects of the film and may or may not contribute to the budget. But in my opinion the producers, executive or otherwise, must absolutely be a storyteller. He/she is 'overseeing' the assembly of the film parts, sets decoration, writing, casting, director, DOP, crew, lighting, locations, budget... and so on. "Film is all about story". To have a producer who cannot tell the film story in detail with passion should not be a Producer. It does happen more often than we think. However others who are very passionate about the film story will soon identify the weakness and work together to have him or her removed (or resign). For what it's worth.

Agree with you Brian, From what I now know, you can buy yourself a producer credit or "ego badge" as an "investor". The credit has been diluted in my opinion as there are EPs and producers who DO know story. Count producer credits on some shows and films there are so many it is getting out of hand.

I don't want to be in trouble here but I stand with you on this one Emily - not all producers are storytellers but some of them are. You need to have a real passion for the stories you produce and promote and for storytelling. Now, my opinion may be biased because, as a screenwriter, I learn to think as a producer too?

Phillip "Uncle Phil" Hardy one of my biggest question is: how do you say no to a suggestion when you know it won't improve your screenplay to a producer who asks you to rewrite (when you're a newbie in the industry)?

Emily J ah, now you see, you’ve modified the question with the statement ‘not all producers are’. However, let me wade straight in with my size nine wellies by saying I hate debates, but love discussions.

So here goes. Taking your first question (without the cunning modification) my answer is no they are not storytellers. The inception of the story comes from the screenwriter as does the world-building, character dynamics and plot. A Producer manages a product to bring to the marketplace. Let’s face it, how many times have we seen executives screw up a really great film by countless revisions? In the end, the original premise vaporises and the whole thrust, the dynamic energy of the story, is lost.

Let’s face it, the screenwriter is at the bottom of the food chain. You need only listen to John August talk about negotiations with the WGA to know that. Execs think they can do the writer’s job and therefore meddle, rather than show confidence in the whole process from conception to production. I’d rather they focused on managing the Production and getting it to market, rather than cause the Director and Screenwriter’s vision of the film to be undermined and dilute their confidence in what they are making. When you are second-guessing the process of making the film and the creative decisions the Director and Screenwriter are making, it makes the whole process really awkward and stressful.

I agree Emily J that not all producers are storytellers but some surely are. It depends on their function in the overall process. Some producers in both movies and TV are very hands on in the creative process from the start. "Showrunner" is a very modern term for someone that was mostly referred to as the senior producer (and sometimes still is) and its the implementation of their vision for the show that we see.

I am a producer. And I am a storyteller. I have written scripts and directed a feature film and several TV projects. I understand the differences in disciplines, pressures and responsibilities. I am often charged with sourcing and finding writers and directors for projects that have started when I recognize potential in a story and option a book or article for development. Is that not part of architecting the story for the screen? I am in complete awe of writers and directors and, as a producer, my job is to do everything in my power to support their process and art. But it is a collaboration. Across the board in my opinion. Casting is part of telling the story. Actors tell the story. Art direction is part of telling the story. Cinematography. Editors. Sound design. Everyone is telling the story and thus are all storytellers in my opinion. Writers have arguably the most difficult job and I know from discussions with writers over the years that it can feel thankless. That’s an issue. I am thankful for the writers I’ve been blessed to work with. I am thankful for writers in general. But filmmaking is a team sport and as a producer I’ve always felt like part of the team telling the story.

Sam "I am in complete awe of writers and directors and, as a producer, my job is to do everything in my power to support their process and art. But it is a collaboration."

Firstly, thank you for your admiration! (Ha!) And yes it's a collaboration, but if I picked up the camera or started to apply make-up to one of the actors, that to me would be disrespectful to the DP and Make-up Artist. My point is that there needs to be careful boundaries and respect is paramount to the success of a film's production and for the environment and atmosphere on set. If we all feel we need to protect our own space, then no one thrives. No one collaborates.

Sam, thanks so much for your input. Without collaboration we are nowhere. And that is pretty much true in every successful endeavor!

Geoff Hall I don't think I modified it! lol I personally think "not all are". You said, "Producers are not storytellers!" I was curious if others felt as black and white about it hahah

Now, in response to your response to my NOT-modified statement - What about re-writers who are brought in and didn't come up with the premise or world-building? Or people who get hired to write for Open Writing Assignments (where often the basic premise of the story can come from a producer)? Those are writers but by your definition above, some could argue they're not storytellers

Having been on the executive-side working with writers, there are entire sequences that have come out of my brain and exist on screen. I didn't get credited for them. I was working in development, and I think you have to be a good storyteller to be really good at development.

In regards to what people are saying about Exec Prod. in film, can be very true - but in television EP's are many times the showrunners. All those producer titles get confusing, some are writers, some are development producers, some are financiers, some are just in production. It all depends and there's so much that goes into crafting a story that the people watching the credits don't see.

I think this is one of those subjects where we are going to have to agree to disagree, but for the sake of the topic I'd say that yes quite possibly they can, but they chose to produce, why you may ask, well because they either felt that is their true calling or They felt producing is what they are good at and left the screen writing to others..

Haha, Emily J well, my response was to something I came across on an IG story feed and it didn’t have the ‘modification’.

So this is fun. I am wary of meddling Producers and I’m saying this as a writer-director and not as someone who has sold a script to a company. I would see that in the main whatever happens to the film after that, is beyond my control, save for being asked to rewrite scenes etc.

My point is that I would hope ‘my’ Producer would focus on producing the film and on the best paths to distribution. We have all heard stories of Producer panic about they way a film turned out and then making changes which in the end is the panic speaking and not any writing talent.