Leslee Udwin On Producing Films

What advice would you give to a young strapling who wants to produce?
The first thing I'd say is they should attach themselves in some way as an observer to a producer, i.e. beg someone to take them on, not expect to get paid, and just watch at very close quarters.

Producing is the most complicated job imaginable because it ranges across so many disciplines; involves so many skills. You can only learn by watching and ultimately doing, by making mistakes. Also to ask yourself first and foremost the question Why do you want to be a producer? Because if it's to make money, go into the city. Only spend your time on projects that really impassion you, because it's such a mountain to climb: you need enormous staying power. If you haven't got it, you'll never do it. Ask yourself What kinds of projects make your heart beat wildly?

Describe the role of the producer
The role of the producer is all-encompassing. It's the most important and the most invisible. You are the first in and the last out, in terms of involvement.

For instance on East Is East, I identified the project, I saw a play, fell in love with it, I set about getting the rights, persuaded the writer and his agent that I was the right person to produce this film, then worked on it with the writer and developed it, turning it from a play into a feature film. Then I had to raise the money, that in itself was a mega-battle of several months. Having raised the money, I then had to choose the team. So I hired the director, together with him assembled the crew and the heads of department, continued to work on the script, and then was solely responsible for delivering that film on time and on budget and of the highest possible quality.

There is no pie that you haven't got a finger in, or indeed, for the most part have been responsible for baking! Of course if you go wrong, your house and goods are forfeit, so it's enormous pressure. But it is the most rewarding job imaginable. Ultimately the finished product is your vision as expressed in the choices you make.

There is an imbalance in the way these things are perceived. There is, I think, a general misconception that the director is the author of the film, it's a very continental idea. The fact of the matter is that the director comes in for a period of time and does a CRUCIALLY important job, and of course is responsible for the realisation of the actual film, but the director is not necessarily involved in the entire process. The vision is bigger than just that.