An executive producer (EP) is a producer

Film producer

A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...

 who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production. Typically an executive producer handles business and legal issues.

Motion pictures and television

An executive producer of a motion picture is usually a person representing a financial investor in a film project, such as a film studio or a distributor, but who is not directly involved in the day to day production. It can also be someone with other special interests in the project, such as the author of the book that the film is based on, or one of the film's key actors who has been instrumental in persuading the studio to do the film. In such cases, the executive producer credit is mainly honorary.

A television show may credit many executive producers. It may be a situation not unlike the one described above for motion pictures: someone with previous involvement with a particular work, a project's financier, or someone in control of the business aspect of production. Sometimes, this title is conferred upon a celebrity or notable creator who has lent their name to a project to boost its prestige or credibility, as a recognition of newly-acquired industry status, or as a perk to the show's main star or creative force.

However, under the unusual rules for establishing writing credits on television series

Television program

A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...

 (where writers are often credited as "producers"), the principal writer is almost always credited as an executive producer rather than the more descriptive title of "head writer

Head writer

A head writer is a person who oversees the team of writers on a television or radio series. The title is common in the soap opera genre, as well as with sketch comedies and talk shows that feature monologues and comedy skits, but in prime time series this function is generally performed by an...

".

For these reasons, it is not unusual for TV shows to have three sets of "executive producers": traditional EPs (production executives, financiers, etc.), head writer(s), and show runner(s).

Music

In the music industry, the executive producer of an album is often in control of the business side of production, distribution, and promotion, but more often than not, is in charge of the entire project as is a director. They decide what the albums themes will be, create the image for the artist, decide which songs will be singles, and have the final say on every single song's completion. It is the executive producer who makes the decision as to when the song is finished and ready to be shown to the public.

In some instances, an executive producer can be a person who "discovered" a particular act, or someone who represents an act, either as an agent

Talent agent

A talent agent, or booking agent, is a person who finds jobs for actors, authors, film directors, musicians, models, producers, professional athletes, writers and other people in various entertainment businesses. Having an agent is not required, but does help the artist in getting jobs...

 or a lawyer.

Video games

The title "executive producer" is not well-defined in the video game industry. It may refer to an external producer, from the publisher

Video game publisher

A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....

, who works with the developer

Video game developer

A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...

. Sometimes the title is used by the studio head of the developer who created the game.

See also

• Film producer
  Film producer
  A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
  
  
• Line producer
  Line producer
  A line producer is the key manager during the daily operations of a motion picture production.The line producer supports the vision given by the director but does not have direct influence on the creative expression or narrative of the film....
  
  
• Studio executive
• Creative executive
  Creative Executive
  In film production, a creative executive is a studio executive tasked with reading scripts and finding source material which can be turned into motion picture content ....
  
  
• Development executive
  Development executive
  In film production, a development executive is a high-level position generally above a Creative Executive on the Studio Executive totem pole, their duties are tasked with reading scripts and finding source material which can be turned into motion picture content .-References: What A Development...
  
  
• Unit production manager
  Unit production manager
  A Unit Production Manager is an on-set manager responsible for the administration of a film's production.-Overview:A UPM is usually hired by a Producer of a film or television show, and is responsible for managing the production and regulating the costs of delivering the expected film or...