Video photographers and editors are essential to the video projects companies create, of course. But there’s another major player behind the scenes: the video producer.

Video producers call the shots during video production, and guide video projects from conception to completion. Video producer jobs can include responsibilities ranging from casting talent and coordinating logistics to collaborating with other departments to ensure the video meets business objectives.

Now that video is everywhere — from traditional delivery platforms such as television to the smartphone in your pocket — job opportunities for video producers are increasing and becoming more specialized. If you have the right skills, companies will be eager to hire you to work on commercials, news promotions, corporate communications, films and more.

Video producers need creative vision, but they should also be able to deliver the project on time and within budget. That makes the role best suited for people with a mix of creativity, technical chops and organizational prowess. Here’s a closer look at what it takes to be a video producer:

Video producer job duties and expectations

A video producer is generally expected to:

  • Create and develop multimedia (audio/video) content for customer stories, internal company announcements, external promotions on social media, product marketing, recruiting, corporate training and other enterprise-wide projects
  • Script, storyboard, budget, allocate resources, set deadlines and select optimal forms of media for projects
  • Work independently or as part of a team to establish project deliverables
  • Collaborate closely with internal clients and stakeholders to help facilitate the creation of multimedia content
  • Plan video shoots; scout, select and reserve shoot locations
  • Develop production schedules
  • Select and hire additional crew and talent; direct and coach talent; make transportation arrangements for the crew, talent and equipment; and ensure all location power needs are met
  • Reserve and rent equipment
  • Record and edit video and sound projects, including selecting program format for final output, capturing/importing media, organizing raw media, editing footage and sound files, creating and inserting static and motion graphics, titling, adding music/voice-over/sound effects, media management and archiving project media
  • Manage video libraries
  • Evaluate analytics

In-demand experience and skills for video producers

Most video producers have formal education in video production, film, broadcasting and other media programs. They often have bachelor’s degrees and at least three to five years of relevant professional experience.

Needed technical skills in video, audio and post-production, including:

  • Video: familiarity with professional cameras (Sony Venice, Canon C500 Mark II or similar) or prosumer camcorders (Sony PXW-FS5M2 or similar), various HD and SD formats, preproduction/planning, studio and field production, lighting/grip and photography
     
  • Audio: small format mixers, compression, EQ, effects processors, audio recording techniques for studio and field, multi-track and waveform editing
     
  • Post-production: digital video editing, still and motion graphics design, and video compression for multiple delivery platforms

The two most critical technical skills are operating a camera and using editing software such as Final Cut Pro X, Adobe After Effects or Adobe Premiere. You need to understand various types of cameras, different lenses and how to create a particular shot.

While many video producers possess the technical skills needed for the job, strong soft skills are just as important to hiring managers. These include stellar communication and time management skills, exceptional attention to detail, the ability to thrive in a team environment, and an aptitude for making quick, quality decisions. Other positive assets for the video producer role include the ability to remain calm under pressure and having a great sense of humor.

Learn about current salaries for video producer jobs

The latest Salary Guide From Robert Half gives you the national midpoint starting salary for video producers. Also, you can use our Salary Calculator to find out what type of salary a video producer can make in your city or region.