Best Director=Best Picture?

[cowboykurtis]

yeah, but he or she don't have the same creative input as the director. I beleive the director used to get the best picture oscar until a few years ago.

you're wrong.  the producer has always gotten it. look it up.
you have to realize that when it comes to best picture; a producer is the one who finds the material, options the screenplay, has the studio relationship, pitches the concept, raises the money, hires the director, helps cast the film, has final say of the films content and editing, decides marketing stratagies, and really oversees the whole production. yes the director is the creative mastermind, but it is the producer who is able to have the insight to put the right director with the right screenplay. obviously this does not apply to every project.: many directors develope there own projects and co-produce. but when talking about studio pictures this is traditionally how it goes. when it comes down to it, the producer is the first one on set and the last to go home. he's the grandfather of the film.

The producer's guild must love you cowboy! Yeah, I think things like the auteur theory takes a lot of credit away from the producer. A good producer is key to  a movie, the director doesn't do everything.

Just out of curiosity, what do you do cowboy? You looking to produce anything?

depends on the material.