Art Linson, the producer of such hit films as Fast Times At Ridgemont High and, more recently, Seven, once famously quipped, "A producer is a dog with a script in its mouth." This quote is every bit as elucidating as it is entertaining, for in one simple line it establishes the producer's position in Hollywood -- always a "yes" or a "no" away from glory or failure.
A true producer -- as opposed to the multitude of executive producers, associate producers, and co-producers whose names litter the opening credits of any given film these days -- does everything from get the script sold to (or "set up at") a studio to developing it with the writer -- or, more likely, writers -- involved. A producer will then be instrumental in attracting talent that will get the film made (stars and directors) and using that talent to leverage the studio into "green-lighting" (committing to fund) the movie. The producer will be on the set, serving as a liaison between the director and the studio, especially if the two are at odds on either creative or budgetary issues. It is up to the producer to see to it that the production runs as smoothly as possible, and that the same is true for the post-production (editing, reshoots, sound mixing, etc.). They fight for optimum release dates -- preferably not the same weekend as DreamWorks' latest Shrek installment -- and then cross their fingers and hope for the kind of opening weekend that will ensure a hit, or at least for good enough word of mouth that will ensure, if not the kind of box office numbers that make studio executives drool, at least a decent performance on DVD. This process takes anywhere from two to five years (Forrest Gump famously took twelve). That is, if it happens at all.
Why do you need to know all this? Because there is one thing conspicuously absent from the above list of duties: namely, the power to purchase a script. A producer is, at the end of the day, a more powerful seller than you. A producer may have a deal with a studio in which the studio covers the producer's office expenses and overhead in exchange for a first look at all his projects, or he might have an exclusive deal that stipulates that he is not permitted to produce projects for any other studio. A producer may even have something known as a "discretionary fund," which permits him to option scripts for a lower amount of money (in most cases) than a studio would have paid, so that the producer can further develop the script. But a producer cannot essentially buy a script. This is an important distinction that you need to know; many writers, upon first starting out, are mistakenly under the impression that a good meeting with a producer means they've got a sale under their belt, which couldn't be farther from the truth.
Producers are the first step in getting a script set up; when it is time for your agent to send out your script, the producers are the first stop. Which means that your agent will draw up a list of producers whom she feels will respond to the material, then send the script to them in the hopes that they can set it up at either the studio with whom they have a deal, or at another studio with whom they have a good relationship. Studios tend to look to certain producers to make certain kinds of films for them, and if your script does happen to fall into that category then it helps to have a producer attached who has a track record. A producer can also be a helpful tool in developing a script from the ground up. If you have found a producer with whom you feel a decent connection and who produces the kinds of films you are interested in writing, take a meeting and pitch him some ideas. Chances are, he might be able to bring up some red flags -- either commercially or creatively -- that you might not have considered. And if the two of you should happen to find an idea that you'd like to develop together, then the producer can serve as a sounding board and rudder to help you write the script. Because the creative process can be so lonely and because at times you'll feel like you're writing in a vacuum without any input, working with a producer from the ground up can be extremely helpful. In the best possible scenario, the producer will function as a combination of writing partner and editor; sometimes producers and writers even share story credit on a project, but only if producers either suggested the story or worked on it so much that it is warranted.
While it is customary for a writer to do a free pass for a producer prior to turning the draft into the studio, there are producers who abuse this right and ask for draft after draft with the implicit "you'll never work in this town again" threat underlying their bullying. Unless the producer in question is one of the two or three biggest names in town (and if he is, you should do everything in your power to please him), you should have your agent stand up for you and demand that the draft be turned in to the studio. For starters, you can't get paid for your work until you do so; a producer who is demanding such extensive rewrites is essentially making you work for free and denying you your right to get paid. In addition, the studio executives might very well be getting annoyed by the delay in the draft, and because these people are the buyers who are signing your checks it is in your best interests to remain on their good sides.
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