Executive Producer

Description: The Executive Producer oversees the film or television production by  hiring the above-the-line personnel and crew, overseeing the budget, and making key decisions throughout the production process.

Knowledge Required: Film production, business and financial management

Skills: Leadership, communication, project management

Career Path: Executive producers often focus on a particular filmmaking skill - acting, writing, directing, editing or cinematography - before becoming an executive producer. They start small, usually first with a college degree and then working on low-level jobs in the industry. Networking can help you move up the ladder from assistant producer to associate producer, producer and finally executive producer.

Best Cities for this job: Large metropolitan areas with a concentration of entertainment such as Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, San Francisco, and San Diego

Median Annual Income: National: $109,860 CA: $126,360

Future Growth: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in these occupations is expected to grow 11 percent during the 2008–18 decade, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

From the field: “There is a kind of a magic to it all. When you show up and the trucks are loaded and everything, it's like being the head of the circus.” - Sarah Caplan, Executive Producer