(Sorry if this is in the wrong forum.)

So I was thinking that it would be to my advantage to be a Producer, although my interest is in the more artistic side of film. Since Producers get the upper hand in salary, I was thinking that it would be beneficial for me when I'm later making my own films. Plus, maybe I could get even more connections through that. And of course I'd be able to produce my own movies. And I won't exactly be a "starving artist", at least.

Should I go this route? Anyone want to put their 2 cents in?

I know money isn't everything but it certainly helps you get where you need to be. Just thinking practically I guess. Although a part of me feels like I'm selling out on my inner artist.

Well as a general rule, people rarely ever succeed in something that they are not passionate about.

I'm not completely familiar with the process it takes to hold an executive producer position, but I assume under normal circumstance that it would include spending 10-15 years of solid performance with smaller, less exciting exciting projects with a vague hope of finding a loophole to promotion. Don't sell yourself short by confining yourself to a life doing something that you are not whole-heartedly passionate about.

Just like everything else in the world, you're going to be spend years working on projects you might not even care about. If you're not passionate about it and you're creativty lies somewhere else, why waste your time? You shouldn't chase money and it is absurd to say producers hold a bigger salary. In the film industry, there is no guarentee salary.

Go after something you love or you'll hate what you do, believe me.

I agree, you should do something you enjoy doing. I chose producing because it was where i belonged. I've had a lot experience with business, start-ups, corporation, etc. but I was never really satisfied with what I was doing. When I did purely film, the artistic side, i felt really incompetent which is how I settled on producing because it mixes the two together.

If you want to do business, and producing is its own breed of business, you have to really like it. I know people who got into it because of pay, etc. and they're really regretting their decision.

Think about it carefully though there are a lot of producers turned directors out there.

You should try it out in college setting to see if you can and if you like it. Most people aren't good at producing it takes a certain type of personality and skill to do it.

As redpokiepenguin said "there are a lot of producers turned directors" that is true because they need to sell film. They have an understanding for the market and can express their visions to a studio. A producer is a good communicator that can be creative as well.

You can still be creative and be a producer. Most of the times in studios the producer has the final say on a cut, marketing, music, etc.

In the college setting a producer won't have as much control as they do in the real world. In college it also makes you think more creatively on how to finance, get donations, market, and sell you film to festivals.