How does this work?

I always wondered who has the say on a movie from start to finish? A director or a Producer. the reason why I ask is because on some movies they promote the director like M Night, or the producer JJ Abrams.
Who is calling the shots on a movie? :

Whoever has the biggest name attached to it.

That depends on the film.

On a for-hire project, as with most (but not all) Hollywood big-budget films, the director has to answer to his producers and financiers. He still controls what goes on on the set, but he will have limited control over the script and probably limited (or no) control over the editing. In Hollywood, it is considered a mark of power and prestige for a director to get "final cut" over a film - i.e. to have final say over what the finished product looks like.

In independent and more personal filmmaking, the director's going to be the one in charge of just about everything - in many cases, he or she is the writer/director and sometimes producer. They usually have final cut because, well, they're making their own movies. However, this can change once a film is picked up for distribution, as many indy filmmakers who have sold to Harvey "Scissorhands" Weinstein have found out. The distributor ponies up the money for this wonderful film he just had to have and then decides he now needs to make changes to "improve" it, because after all he knows better than the writer/director ever could.

On just about every blockbuster movie the Producer has final say. They usually pick a director they trust to run the show on set though.

For example if you noticed lately Spielberg is producing a lot of stuff. He is the boss but doesn't want to put the time into directing. He said he only directs if he feels a deep desire to.

[Post edited by wolvinator on Apr 25, 2008]

chris,

to be fair to our friend harvey, directors frequently don't know what they heck they're doing.

take, for instance, oliver stone and "alexander". warner gave him three turns at bat, and all three versions are unwatchable. (john had to watch all three for dvdtown.)

the same goes for many, many directors who have "final cut"--michael mann, martin brest, richard donner, michael bay, steven spielberg, george lucas, etc.

eddie

Eddie,

Isn't Lucas in a unique position of being the "money guy" and producer on most of his films? Therefore he controls everything from script to costumes to cast to advertising to DVD's?

Jason, the Force ain't with me today

jason,

any question about lucas can be answered with the following:

"star trek" > "star wars"

eddie

Eddie,

Well DDDUUUHHHH! Doesn't take a theoretical transwarp scientist to know that!

Jason, will never travel at transwarp

Thanks guys that clears things up!

I've noticed for many years now that Clint Eastwood usually is the producer and director of his films, so would assume he had final cut. Then again, he' a by-the-book type director (within budget, etc), and don't remember any disputes of the 'final edit' of his films.

> Clint Eastwood joins Silver Gallery in the backstage talent retreat at the 2005 Screen Actors Guild Awards®


-JIMI LOVE (the Voodoo Child)