What is the difference between an executive producer and a producer?

The producer answers to the executive producer about the film's budget. The executive producer does not get involved with the day-to-day operation of production as a producer does.

The executive producer is like the CEO of the project. She hires the key leaders and talent, including directors, stars and producers, and supervises them. The executive producer often finances the project, either funding it herself or finding investors to raise the capital needed for production.

A company, for example, can serve in the executive producer capacity and have one of its employees working as the executive producer. An executive producer may manage several projects at once and not go to the set at all, delegating tasks to those below her.

The producer is the on-set supervisor of everything happening in the film or show. Every department head reports to the producer. He also collaborates with the director to ensure everything needed to realize the vision of the project is available and meets the budget.

The producer maintains the budget financed by the executive producer and supervises, coordinates and schedules all main components of the project, from development through the distribution release.