Without an executive producer most movies and shows would never get made. The executive producer is in charge of the production from the beginning stages to the final distribution and showing. Often, it is the role of the executive producer to secure funding for the movie and in some cases, be the writer or creator of the show.
The executive producer is in charge of securing funding, finding talent and crew, creating distribution contracts and overseeing the final editing of a film. To earn the title of executive producer, the person may have to invest his own money in order to see a script become an actual film. On some TV series, the executive producer is also the writer or co-writer of the series concept.
There are two types of executive producers; the entrepreneur executive producer or the employee executive producer. The entrepreneur is a producer who works outside of the studio system and raises the funds for the production of the movie. The employee also has most of the same functions, but is hired for the job by the studio producing the movie.
While the responsibilities of the executive producer are vast, so are the rewards of a successful film or TV series. If the executive producer has invested his own money into the production, he will be the first to be paid back, he will also receive the largest percentage of any profits the film makes.
While it is the executive producers function to secure talent, i.e., actors and directors, for the production, the director himself is responsible for the artistic vision of the film. The executive producer may have some input, but the director calls the shots of the film. Many executive producers are also the director of the film in order to have this control over the images caught on film.
The role of executive producer, especially on a television show that the producer has written or created, can be extremely lucrative. In some cases, the executive producer can earn $30,000 or more per episode. "The Screenwriter's Legal Guide" by Stephen F. Breimer explains that being the executive producer of a television series can lead to even more money depending on the success of the series and how many different or spin-off series the executive producer can create.