Producing

This volume examines the role of one of the most prestigious yet poorly understood of filmmaking job titles: that of the producer. Lewis (film studies, Oregon State Univ., The American Film History Reader) and his contributors admirably cover the shifting role from the birth of the film industry through the present, with pioneering inventors, hands-on general managers, financial backers, masters of networking, and performers-turned-producers all making appearances. In addition to the differing approaches individual producers have taken, the authors address the influence of broader trends in the film industry, such as the breakup of the studio system in the 1940s, the rise of the auteur director in the 1970s, and the current dominance of multilayered global entertainment conglomerates on the role of the producer. Focused, brief, and highly readable, this work should find a place on many film studies syllabi.