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Producer to Producer 2nd edition: A Step-by-Step Guide to Low-Budget Independent Film Producing
This is a comprehensive bible to low-budget film producing for emerging and professional producers. Structured to guide the reader through production meetings, every aspect of the film-production pro-cess is outlined in detail. Invaluable checklists -- which begin 12 weeks before shooting and continue through principal (and secondary) photography and postproduction -- keep the filmmaker on track and on target. Ryan is co-producer of James Marsh's Man on Wire, winner of the 2009 Academy Award for Best Documentary
- GenresFilmNonfictionArt
350 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 24, 2022
Pretty invaluable! Dense talk about insurance and contracts but all very helpful, especially the discussion about safety and running a safe set.
January 12, 2021
Thorough book for independent/low budget producing. A bit dated (though I can imagine how hard it is to publish a book in an industry that changes so rapidly). Ultimately this is a good book to use for micro-budget producing. There are excellent examples, diagrams, and dialogue on how to produce YOUR project and it really goes into the logistics and minutiae of film-making
However, if you are looking for a book to better understand the workflow of major motion picture companies this would not be a good resource. If you are using this book to produce your own material with the goal to be producing larger budget project you should read it with the understanding that these are not industry standards, but simply a great way to start the process.
There are lots of ways to create a great film and this guide is an excellent resource for those doing so with a low/self-funded budget.
However, if you are looking for a book to better understand the workflow of major motion picture companies this would not be a good resource. If you are using this book to produce your own material with the goal to be producing larger budget project you should read it with the understanding that these are not industry standards, but simply a great way to start the process.
There are lots of ways to create a great film and this guide is an excellent resource for those doing so with a low/self-funded budget.
April 12, 2021
I truly loved this book. It covered all the nuances of producing that I wish had been covered in my *actual classes* on the subject. It also provided a ton of great example paperwork. Truly a trove of useful and important information. However!! I will be returning the audio book and trading it in for a hard copy. Budget sheets are pretty dry listening, and I'd much prefer a physical book to refer to sections quickly and visually now that I've listened through once.
August 6, 2020
Revisiting this book that I read back in 2013 before my first short. My favorite book on producing because of a very clear approach to all of the moving parts required to make a film. Equally anecdotally and technical. This is a great pairing to Focal Press' Production Handbook.
This book will not fail to jumpstart your next film project.
This book will not fail to jumpstart your next film project.
June 20, 2014
Very informative.
October 18, 2024
This book is filled with insight to the industry, the process, and how to take charge of your producer career as it breaks down the industry lingo. It was a slow read for good reason. The information is worth taking in slow so you can embrace the depth at which Maureen Ryan goes into letting us have a glimpse into that world.
October 19, 2021
A very handy book for anyone in the industry, or for people looking to find out more about how to enter.
January 15, 2023
The budget sheet provided in this book is immensely useful. Maureen Ryan provides accurate and timely filmmaking advice that is helpful for independent filmmakers and industry filmmakers alike.
November 9, 2023
Amazing book!!!
November 14, 2024
Excellent.
August 17, 2025
Jam-packed with great info on every step of fostering a project from conception to release and beyond, this how-to guide is essential for anyone wanting to become an indie producer.
April 5, 2020
Super thorough guide to producing independently. I didn't get through the whole thing because I was just assigned certain sections for a class I'm taking, but keeping it around anyway because I can see it potentially being useful in the future. Great resource.
September 15, 2021
Sometimes it pays to read a book about something you think that you already know. While I have worked with producers often as a writer, director, assistant, and assistant director, and though I have done some low-budget producing of my own, I still found "Producer to Producer" by Maureen A. Ryan (not to be confused with the television journalist of the same name) to be an indispensable and enlightening text.
Many people do not know what a producer does. If the director "makes" the movie in the artistic sense, the producer "makes" the movie in the practical sense. Many responsibilities that civilians ascribe to the director or 1st AD actually fall to the producer. And without a good producer, your film will likely fail.
In "Producer to Producer," Ryan walks the reader through the process of producing, from idea to sale, and dispenses knowledge gleaned from years in the field along the way. While I generally know what a producer does, having worked with a number of them, this book reaffirmed for me the correct priorities, approach, and attitudes required for successful producing.
For example, in her chapter on lawyers, Ryan reminds the reader that a lawyer is an extension of you. You have to decide if that lawyer will complement and amplify your skills and attitude or provide a contrast in an area you lack. This consideration could apply to any representative you hire to do business on your behalf. In her chapter on safety, she focuses on how important it is to hire the right crew with the right experience, which in her view is the best protection against on-set accidents. This sort of nuts and bolts knowledge combined with concise philosophy is spread throughout the book. The insights are invaluable even for someone who might be experienced in the field.
I will pick one nit with the book. Ryan generally feels that it is okay to have people work on low-budget film for free in exchange for experience or barter. To me, the only acceptable free labor is direct barter for a comparable product. For example, you mix my sound, I write your short film. I don't fault Ryan for this, as this is a largely generational difference, but it is my belief that if you allow someone to work for free on your film set, you are devaluing that position and undercutting the wage market for that skill.
But, that small issue aside, I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone from a novice looking to learn more to a seasoned indie veteran. I've been in the trenches in a variety of ways throughout my career and I still learned a lot.
Many people do not know what a producer does. If the director "makes" the movie in the artistic sense, the producer "makes" the movie in the practical sense. Many responsibilities that civilians ascribe to the director or 1st AD actually fall to the producer. And without a good producer, your film will likely fail.
In "Producer to Producer," Ryan walks the reader through the process of producing, from idea to sale, and dispenses knowledge gleaned from years in the field along the way. While I generally know what a producer does, having worked with a number of them, this book reaffirmed for me the correct priorities, approach, and attitudes required for successful producing.
For example, in her chapter on lawyers, Ryan reminds the reader that a lawyer is an extension of you. You have to decide if that lawyer will complement and amplify your skills and attitude or provide a contrast in an area you lack. This consideration could apply to any representative you hire to do business on your behalf. In her chapter on safety, she focuses on how important it is to hire the right crew with the right experience, which in her view is the best protection against on-set accidents. This sort of nuts and bolts knowledge combined with concise philosophy is spread throughout the book. The insights are invaluable even for someone who might be experienced in the field.
I will pick one nit with the book. Ryan generally feels that it is okay to have people work on low-budget film for free in exchange for experience or barter. To me, the only acceptable free labor is direct barter for a comparable product. For example, you mix my sound, I write your short film. I don't fault Ryan for this, as this is a largely generational difference, but it is my belief that if you allow someone to work for free on your film set, you are devaluing that position and undercutting the wage market for that skill.
But, that small issue aside, I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone from a novice looking to learn more to a seasoned indie veteran. I've been in the trenches in a variety of ways throughout my career and I still learned a lot.
February 21, 2017
Good overall explainer to producing, helpful and insightful though at times a bit basic.
July 25, 2020
An outstanding book for filmmaking projects between £50,000-£2 million, but more than enough administrative insight for low-key productions; a comprehensive 'pic-n-mix' of resources. This is definitely a text to use during a project, so at this stage, assimilation is mostly theoretical. It will be a book that must be read multiple times.
Working with SAG-AFTRA (The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) is pretty crucial to this book; more research required. As the No.1 Best-Selling Book on Film Production, it is clear that the breadth and depth of bureaucracy required even for low/mid-budget film productions is astonishing, but whilst meticulous, the step-by-step approach makes the process seem far more palatable.
The fairest comparative for the role of a Producer would be a Conductor of an orchestra. While it may look effortless, the task at hand is unprecedented. Complete with extensive documentation and an affiliated website, this book is sensational.
Casting Hiring Criteria (p194) was intriguing:
1 - Talent
2 - Previous experience
3 - Excellent references
4 - Availability for prep and shooting period
5 - Interest and vision for the project
6 - Work ethic
7 - Good connections for potential vendor discounts and favours
8 - Good contacts for other crew members in the department
9 - Compatibility with the director
10 - Plays well with others
11 - Not a yeller and treats everyone with mutual respect
12 - Does not lie
13 - Communicates effectively
Page 198 discusses NDAs - if this is to do with revealing plot spoilers, fine. However, if an NDA is based on disclosures to do with crew misconduct, this is not okay. The NDA culture of Film/Media institutions needs to be broken. In a post-#metoo era, due process with any allegation must take place in order to protect all employees from abuse, and to encourage workplace transparency.
Chapter 15 on Post-Production is technically very useful.
Chapter 18 on Archive Materials gives excellent lists of locations to collate archive material.
There's so much to love about this book. One that will be used more than once over the next few years.
Working with SAG-AFTRA (The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) is pretty crucial to this book; more research required. As the No.1 Best-Selling Book on Film Production, it is clear that the breadth and depth of bureaucracy required even for low/mid-budget film productions is astonishing, but whilst meticulous, the step-by-step approach makes the process seem far more palatable.
The fairest comparative for the role of a Producer would be a Conductor of an orchestra. While it may look effortless, the task at hand is unprecedented. Complete with extensive documentation and an affiliated website, this book is sensational.
Casting Hiring Criteria (p194) was intriguing:
1 - Talent
2 - Previous experience
3 - Excellent references
4 - Availability for prep and shooting period
5 - Interest and vision for the project
6 - Work ethic
7 - Good connections for potential vendor discounts and favours
8 - Good contacts for other crew members in the department
9 - Compatibility with the director
10 - Plays well with others
11 - Not a yeller and treats everyone with mutual respect
12 - Does not lie
13 - Communicates effectively
Page 198 discusses NDAs - if this is to do with revealing plot spoilers, fine. However, if an NDA is based on disclosures to do with crew misconduct, this is not okay. The NDA culture of Film/Media institutions needs to be broken. In a post-#metoo era, due process with any allegation must take place in order to protect all employees from abuse, and to encourage workplace transparency.
Chapter 15 on Post-Production is technically very useful.
Chapter 18 on Archive Materials gives excellent lists of locations to collate archive material.
There's so much to love about this book. One that will be used more than once over the next few years.
April 11, 2019
Excellent step by step guide to planning and producing a motion picture. Companion website is very helpful in locating resources in each state in the US. Read for a class, but I'm definitely keeping it as a valuable resource!
March 1, 2024
Something that I had to read for school, but I found it important and instructive for the type of work that I want to go into. It also is a great way to prepare me for thesis season which is right around the corner by making me familiar with the flow and timeline of a production.
July 27, 2015
Super informative, great step list too!
January 26, 2018
A must read for any aspiring producers! It contains a lot of insightful guides, tips and lessons from the author's past filmmaking experiences.
January 23, 2022
INCREÍBLE. De verdad es una excelente guía para entender el proceso de producción de una película independiente.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2022
Listened to the audio version. Helpful but not earth shattering
October 16, 2023
learned so so so much but a bit repetitive at times
March 7, 2025
That was actually incredibly insightful. #1 book on film producing.
May 24, 2017
I took a college course on producing films and this book was an invaluable tool. I got an A.
November 4, 2017
Insightful. Tons of useful information and advice.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews