Are you a producer or the talent? It matters, particularly when everyone’s a content provider.

It struck me this, as it’s likely struck you. Are you the talent or the producer? And why does it matter? One can’t work without the other, yet the talent pool appears to be growing disproportionately to the producers around. We need more producers!

Of course as talent you can produce yourself, but caution it’s a sure recipe to burn out, if you can’t find a good producer.

In essence they’re two different people, but can often be shoe-horned as both sides of the same coin.

One is forever exposed, the other works quietly behind the scenes. One is supposed to have an ego, but simultaneously be quite fragile. They’re more owl than fox if you read Tetlock’s Super Forecaster. They rely on the steadfastness and sure hand of the producer.

How do you become a producer? It’s a temperament thing.

In “Watch the Playbook” on Netflix Tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou, a former tennis player, talks about his relationship with the uber talent that is Serena Williams. Some revealing moments in how he coaches her back into a winner’ state of mind, and how he took her on when she dissed him. You have to be prepared to be sacked, he says.

Producers are synonymous with coaches.

Often, in my experience in the media, the start point is to produce. Some people, then make the jump to talent. For instance political correspondent Carl Dinnen started off as a producer at Channel 4 News. I was a producer then too. As a producer you learn every nook of the production process, from setting up, scripting to as someone put it, making it rain in the desert.

I was once late for an interview in SA. I needed to get to Sun City. I managed to talk my way into a helicopter picking me up. I learnt from the best and varied talent, like this man who needs no introduction

I continue to produce. It’s the ability to make a change, make things happen, and I coach/ train people into this impossible role, but a word of caution too who looks after the producer. Other producers, otherwise you self moult and start again.

To be a good producer you need the patience of Job, the intuition of Road Runner, the rope a dope of Ali, the steeliness of Dietrich, and the ability to laugh at yourself whilst others take the credit.

This is Amol Rajan, a UK media personality’s ode to his producer. Good read