CFChooseField
Arts, Design, Media, and Sports

Producers and Directors

Produce or direct stage, television, radio, video, or film productions for entertainment, information, or instruction. Responsible for creative decisions, such as interpretation of script, choice of actors or guests, set design, sound, special effects, and choreography.

Visual summary of pay, outlook, skills, interests, and preparation for Producers and Directors
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Median pay

$83,480
Median annual pay for Producers and Directors.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
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10-year growth

4.9%
Projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Annual openings

12,800
Projected annual openings, including growth and replacement demand.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Employment

167,000
Estimated U.S. employment for Producers and Directors in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
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Jobs added or lost

+8,300
Projected numeric employment change from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Entry preparation

Bachelor's degree
Typical additional preparation: Less than 5 years of related work experience.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024 profile
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O*NET occupation profile

What the work involves

Strongest O*NET signals first.

Essential skills

  1. 1Active Listening
  2. 2Critical Thinking
  3. 3Monitoring
  4. 4Reading Comprehension
  5. 5Speaking
  6. 6Writing

Knowledge areas

  1. 1Communications and Media
  2. 2English Language
  3. 3Telecommunications
  4. 4Computers and Electronics
  5. 5Administration and Management
  6. 6Customer and Personal Service

Abilities

  1. 1Oral Expression
  2. 2Deductive Reasoning
  3. 3Oral Comprehension
  4. 4Problem Sensitivity
  5. 5Speech Clarity
  6. 6Written Comprehension

Career interests

  1. 1Artistic
  2. 2Enterprising
  3. 3Conventional
  4. 4Social
  5. 5Investigative
  6. 6Realistic

Work styles

  1. 1Innovation
  2. 2Leadership Orientation
  3. 3Self-Confidence
  4. 4Adaptability
  5. 5Achievement Orientation
  6. 6Social Orientation

Work activities

  1. 1Getting Information
  2. 2Thinking Creatively
  3. 3Working with Computers
  4. 4Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
  5. 5Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  6. 6Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Work context

  1. 1E-Mail
  2. 2Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
  3. 3Telephone Conversations
  4. 4Contact With Others
  5. 5Frequency of Decision Making
  6. 6Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

Representative tasks

  • Plan details such as framing, composition, camera movement, sound, and actor movement for each shot or scene.
  • Communicate to actors the approach, characterization, and movement needed for each scene in such a way that rehearsals and takes are minimized.
  • Direct live broadcasts, films and recordings, or non-broadcast programming for public entertainment or education.
  • Research production topics using the internet, video archives, and other informational sources.
  • Review film, recordings, or rehearsals to ensure conformance to production and broadcast standards.
  • Study and research scripts to determine how they should be directed.
  • Supervise and coordinate the work of camera, lighting, design, and sound crew members.
  • Confer with technical directors, managers, crew members, and writers to discuss details of production, such as photography, script, music, sets, and costumes.

Software and tools

Adobe After Effects · in demandAdobe Creative Cloud software · in demandAdobe Photoshop · in demandMicrosoft Excel · in demandMicrosoft Office software · in demandMicrosoft PowerPoint · in demandAdobe Premiere Pro · in demandAdobe Acrobat · hot technologyGoogle Analytics · hot technologyGoogle Docs · hot technologyGoogle Workspace software · hot technologyHypertext markup language HTML · hot technology

Sources

BLS provides national pay, employment, and projections. O*NET provides skills, interests, preparation, tasks, work context, and tools.

ChooseField compares fields using public labor-market and professional sources.