What makes a great producer and writer?

I want to raise an idea that is fundamental to producing (and writing) but is not focused on enough. Arguably, producers are the most important people in the film and television business. They create our films and television shows.

Narrative film and television producers bring many skills to their demanding job: story developing, financing, deal making, hiring talent and crew, managing physical production, supervising post and distribution, and on and on. These roles have become so big that today they can be divided into separate titles such as “physical producer” and “creative producer,” or be shared by many (How many producers does a Marvel show have?). But one of the key (some would say the most important) attributes of a great producer is not listed above. Nor is it diligence, hard work, managing ability, or charisma. To help determine what is that key trait of a great producer, ask yourself the following question:

1) What is the essential skill of a producer that most determines the success or failure of his or her venture?

To help answer this question, let’s briefly consider some of the greatest producers in Hollywood history. And by greatest producers I especially mean those who produced high quality, popular films for many years. Consider, for instance, the long careers of these legendary producers from the Golden Age of Hollywood:

*Cecil B. DeMille, whose career spanned 1913 to 1958, during which he produced at least 70 films.

*John Ford, whose career spanned 1921 to 1971, during which he earned 15 on-screen producer credits and dozens more uncredited ones.

*Daryl F. Zanuck, whose career spanned 1926 to 1970, during which he is credited with producing more than 110 films and dozens of others for which he received no on-screen credit.

*Stanley Kramer, whose career spanned 1942 to 1979, during which he produced around 40 films.

Of more contemporary producers, we can note Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ridley Scott, Clint Eastwood, and John Lassiter, to name just a few of the superstars who have had long and productive careers creating popular films.

Perhaps it’s not coincidental that many of these producers cited above were also directors. Perhaps the essential skill that separates the great from the good in directing is the same fundamental skill that we are leading to in regard to producers.

One might claim that the real credit for making hit films goes to the stars or writers attached to them. There is, of course, some truth to this, but many flops have featured great stars or were written by A-list writers. But this last point leads us directly to what I believe is that essential ingredient to making great films and which very much undergirds the long careers of producers creating successful films.

It is a Story Sense. A good Story Sense.

So, what is a Story Sense? It’s not so much knowing how to tell a good story (though that is related and important, too) but more of a talent of recognising a good story when one hears it or its premise. To clarify the point, ponder this old Hollywood story related by writer Ayn Rand:

“At the start of my career, I had a valuable conversation with Cecil DeMille....He said that a good story depends on what he called ‘the situation,’ by which he meant a complicated conflict…and that the best stories are those which can be told in one sentence.…He told me how he happened to buy the story for one of his most successful silent-day pictures, Manslaughter. It was originally a novel, and a friend of his wired him in Hollywood advising him to buy it for the screen. The friend included only one sentence about the story: ‘A righteous young district attorney has to prosecute the woman he loves, a spoiled heiress, for killing a policeman in an automobile accident.’ This is all DeMille knew about the story, and he bought it.” * The film was a huge hit for DeMille.

Today we might call DeMille’s “situation” a high concept premise or a logline.

Rand’s story about DeMille reveals that a great producer (and a good writer) knows a good story concept when he hears it and so picks the best stories to produce. (And, of course, he also uses his story sense to help develop this premise into a good script.)

Look at many of the best films of the producers noted above and you will see that these producers very often knew a good story when they ran across it. And with this nose for a good story, these producers also very often had a story sensibility similar to their audience’s. (But that’s another story.) And consider the films of these masters that are below the usual quality of their films. Most often the key reason for this difference is the quality of the story.

Although producers can legitimately argue about what is a good story, it can be strongly argued that a good story is what a film audience has always desired most. Most very popular films have had a good story. It is rare for a film with a terrible story to be a hit. And we have all seen beautifully produced films that had no story and failed at the box office.

One can also argue that directors, writers, and actors who have long and productive careers in the entertainment business do so because they too know how to pick the best stories.

Creative Takeaway

For producers, be open to more ways to find quality stories and to develop them. For instance, blow up any bubbles you are in to let in a greater range of story ideas, to truly have a diversity of old, new, even radical story ideas, including ones you might passionately disagree with.

For creatives/writers, try to understand your story sense and to develop it. Also try to understand better what does actually make a great story. That involves years of study (and enjoyable story experiencing) but after this you will be able to recognise, develop, write and produce much better stories.

…

*P57 The Art of Fiction, Ayn Rand

“Scott McConnell is an excellent Script Editor.” Snorri Þórisson, CEO Pegasus Pictures 

• Linkedin 

• Twitter 

Stories are ideas in action!

© 2022 COPYRIGHT SCOTT MCCONNELL ALL RIGHTS RESERVED