"To me, that's the first and foremost job of a producer, which is to do the impossible. And you do it every single day. And then every single day, something comes along to destroy everything you've done. And you have to pick it all up at lunch, and figure out a new way to finish the movie..."

George Lucas acceptance speech, 2022 Milestone Award, Producers Guild Awards - 20 March 2022

When it all goes wrong, who is responsible? We have more people credited as producers now than ever before with some Australian productions recently listing as many as 35 (film) and 19 (television) assorted producers in their respective credits. 

In an interview following the accidental shooting on a film set in America that resulted in the death of the cinematographer and wounding of the director, actor Alec Baldwin, who was both an actor and producer on the film and the person who was holding the gun at the time it discharged stated, "Someone is responsible...but I know it's not me". It was an independent film with six producers without a major Studio financing the film. 

When a production realises they are going to run out of money and there is no broadcaster/distributor to save the day, who is it that is expected to put their hands into their own pockets to ensure it's completion? Is it the same one's that will expect a share of the upside if the project comes in under budget? 

Our panel of experts will discuss how the Australian system and US system are not the same and who on an Australian production is actually responsible when it all goes wrong.

Moderator
Kate Hynes