Interest: Problem Solver

Special FX Supervisor

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Special FX Supervisor

Also known as: SFX Coordinator, FX Coordinator

What does a Special FX Supervisor do?

Special effects (sometimes known as practical effects or SFX) are either manual or mechanical effects that are applied on set during production. Explosions, earthquakes, vehicle chases, animatronic dragons, and even atmospheric effects like fog and rain are now standard fare in any live-action feature picture.

The Special Effects Supervisor (also known as an SFX Supervisor or an SFX Coordinator) is in charge of a team of Special Effects Technicians who work together to create special effects. The SFX Supervisor is a senior-level professional in charge of ensuring that the effects are carried out efficiently and securely.

Early in pre-production, the SFX Supervisor reports directly to the Director and Producers to ensure that they grasp the Director’s vision for the effects. They also collaborate with Production Designers and Art Directors to iron out the finer points, such as how to attain specific appearances or what particular equipment they’ll need to construct. On-set special effects (SFX) or (SPFX) differ from those made in post-production, which are referred to as “visual effects” (VFX).

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What's a Special FX Supervisor good at?
  • Being accurate

    Be methodical in your work, pay close attention to detail, have strong problem-solving skills

  • Being efficient

    Work quickly and accurately on set so that the physical production can run smoothly, organize and prioritize your tasks

  • Familiarity with technical equipment

    From fog machines to high-tech prosthetics, SFX Supervisors are expected to understand, use, and even repair many complex pieces of equipment on set

  • Collaboration

    Work in pre-production with the director or producer to decide on which shots will need SFX work, respond to their creative and artistic direction

  • Leadership

    Share the Director or Producers’ vision of the film with the SFX artists of all departments, inspire them to do their best work, manage their output in terms of quality and deadlines

Who does a Special FX Supervisor work with?

The Special FX Supervisor works closely with the director, producer, actors, and all of the special effects department.

Special FX Supervisor

Effects Department

A Special FX Supervisor works in the Effects Department

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Our Partner, ScreenSkills UK is the industry-led skills body for the UK screen industries. For further information, www.screenskills.com.
Profiles and profile icons © 2022 ScreenSkills Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of the copyright owner.
Job Profile Design by Dave Gray. Based on an original concept by Ian Murphy/Allan Burrell.

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Line Producer

Also known as: Co-producer, Unit production manager (UPM)

What does a Line Producer do?

Line Producers (LP) are at the heart of the production, hiring the crew, allocating the money, and making sure the filming is done safely, creatively, on budget, and on time. They are typically the most senior member of the production team, second only to the Producers.
Working closely with heads of departments, they decide how the money gets spent, delivering the best possible product to the Producer or series producer while offering the Director and heads of department enough money to realize the vision.

Line Producers are ultimately responsible for all the crew and all the contracts. They hire crew, heads of department, caterers, and studio facilities, overseeing all the deals and paperwork. Some of these tasks may be delegated to the Production Manager who reports directly to the Line Producer. LPs understand the artistry of film-making, foresee pitfalls and disasters and never let the spending extend beyond the bottom line.

During production, Line Producers keep track of the budget and the filming process. They are on set and in the office, dealing with the unexpected and helping find creative solutions. At the end of the shoot, they oversee the wrap or winding down of the production and hand-over to the Post-production Supervisor.

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What's a Line Producer good at?
  • Communication

    Get on well with a wide range of people, be clear about contracts and expectations, ensure everyone understands what needs to happen and when and why to create a strong team

  • Film production

    Have an in-depth knowledge of how films are made, love of the process, good contacts in the industry

  • Organization

    Plan a production schedule, shooting schedule, budget, keep accounts and do the math

  • Negotiation

    Get the best deals for services, keep everyone happy, especially when there’s a gap between the director’s aspiration and what there is to spend

  • Innovation

    Think clearly when the unexpected happens, come up with good ideas even when under pressure

  • Knowledge of law

    Understand health and safety, insurance and personnel legislation

Who does a Line Producer work with?

Essentially all departments report to the Line Producer. All department heads create budgets for their departments and work closely with the Line Producer to know what they can and can’t have and have their costs approved. The LP reports directly to the lead Producers and directly oversees the Production Manager.

How do I become a Line Producer?

Line Producers generally start as Production Assistants or interns in the production office and work their way up to becoming Production Coordinators, then Production Managers, and then Line Producers. There’s a shortage of line producers, so if you’re good, you should be able to find work.

Here are some more tips:

Educational requirements: If you want to go to university, courses in film studies, media, or art, and design are relevant. As it’s a role that combines understanding film production with project management and accounting, subjects that develop your skills in that way are useful too. Combine film studies with business or business studies and math for a well-rounded skill set.

Get project management experience: While you are trying to break into film or TV drama, get management or project management experience. Any job that involves planning, organizing, and budgeting will help equip you for the role.

More tips

For more tips on finding job opportunities, lists of training programmes, and other great resources, check out our Career Resources page.

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Production Management

A Line Producer works in the Production Management Department

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Job Profile Design by Dave Gray. Based on an original concept by Ian Murphy/Allan Burrell.

Career: Production Designer

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Production Designer

What is a Production Designer?
What does a Production Designer do?

Production Designers create the way a film or TV drama looks. Films can be set in any number of places; a Victorian orphanage, a Caribbean cruise ship, or another planet, for example. They are an artistic jack-of-all-trades and a confident leader who manages the entire art department. They work with all the other visual departments, costume, lighting, visual and special effects, and graphic design. They help create the visual world in which the story is set.

Production Designers start with the script. Researching and collaborating with the Director, Director of Photography and other heads of department, they imagine the screenplay visually. They draw sketches showing mood, atmosphere, lighting, composition, colour and texture, which are given to the Art Director to develop.

The Production Designer is also in charge of hiring and managing the art department, which can be one of the biggest departments on a film crew.
They then work with other art department members to draw up a budget. They prioritize the work schedule and allocate the management of finances to team members performing different tasks.

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What's a Production Designer good at?
  • Creativity

    Visualize the whole look of a film or TV drama, starting with words on a page

  • Art

    Draw by hand to scale, do technical drawings and computer-aided design

  • Design

    Understand colour theory, know the history of architecture and interior design

  • Knowledge of Photography

    Understand cameras, lenses and lighting and their effect on a film’s look and mood

  • Organization

    Manage budgets, draw up schedules, prioritize and meet deadlines

  • Communication

    Share the vision with a wide number of different people and keep a team working together well

Who does a Production Designer work with?

Set Decorator
The Set Decorator is responsible for the decoration of a set, including furnishings and all objects that are on view.

Production Buyer
Before the start of shooting, Production Buyers prepare orders for props.

Art Director
On big productions, Art Directors may start work months before shooting starts. They analyze a script to identify all the props or special items that will be needed and find cost-effective creative solutions to construction and decorating problems.

Assistant Art Director (first assistant, second, third)
Assistant Art Directors’ responsibilities vary depending on the size of the production. They may help the Art Director with research, surveying locations, model making or producing sets. On large productions with multiple sets, an Assistant Art Director will take responsibility for some of the smaller sets and manage the cleanliness and props for that set. Assistant Art Directors also sketch ideas, refine them, and work on 3D models.

Concept Artist
Big studio productions usually hire a number of concept artists to design specific elements, such as fantasy creatures. Concept Artists may analyze source material and work on illustrations that are both striking and accurate to be presented to the Producer, Director, and FX Supervisors. Many Concept Artists start their careers as graphic artists or illustrators before moving into the screen industries.

Set Designer
Set Designers provide hundreds of technical drawings that serve as a template for the construction department. Drawings are often still produced by hand, but computer-aided design software (also known as CAD software) is also used.

Production Assistant
Production Assistants usually start work in the early stages of pre-production and can be specifically assigned to the art department. This is an entry-level position and tasks vary.

How do I become a Production Designer?

As with many creative fields, there is no set way of becoming a Production Designer. Degrees in graphic design, theatre, architecture, or art, however, will give you a solid background in some of the key skills you’ll need to get into the industry—and can provide you with valuable industry connections. Courses in woodwork and set construction at your local college can be valuable to gain experience in building and design.

Most Production Designers have worked in the art department for many years. Aim to start as a Production Assistant and work your way up through the ranks outlined above.

More tips

For more tips on finding job opportunities, lists of training programmes, and other great resources, check out our Career Resources page.

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Career: Production Designer

Art Department

A Production Designer works in the Art Department

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Our Partner, ScreenSkills UK is the industry-led skills body for the UK screen industries. For further information, www.screenskills.com.
Profiles and profile icons © 2022 ScreenSkills Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of the copyright owner.
Job Profile Design by Dave Gray. Based on an original concept by Ian Murphy/Allan Burrell.

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Production Manager

Also known as: PM, Unit Production Manager (UPM)

What is a Production Manager?
What does a Production Manager do?

Production Managers (PM) act on the decisions that have been made by the Producer and Line Producer. They create the detailed schedule for the project, hire the crew, hire 3rd party contractors (such as equipment rentals or catering), prepare permits and contracts, oversee location management and look after the allocation of the budget. On most productions the Production Manager is the “foreman” of the crew and most heads of departments report directly to the PM.

Once shooting begins the PM is responsible for the daily reports which go to the Executive Producers and lead Producer. They account for any deviation in the budget or schedule.

A PM splits their time between the office and the set. On a smaller production, the role of the PM is often paired with the role of the Line Producer.

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What's a Production Manager good at?
  • Communication

    Keep in contact with the various departments on a production in order to inform them of their schedules, relate to your colleagues and explain yourself well

  • Organization

    Plan, prioritize, multitask and use your own initiative to manage schedules

  • Anticipation

    Listen and be one step ahead of what’s going on, enable everyone to be able to get on with their job

  • Leadership

    Be confident in giving direction and leading a team, communicate well with everyone, create a positive atmosphere within the team

  • Relationships

    Maintain relationships with outside vendors such as equipment rental companies and keep an extensive contact list for crew hiring and replacing in emergencies

  • Knowledge of Laws and Regulations

    An in-depth knowledge of labour laws, insurances, health and safety, contract law and basic human resources is a must

Who does a Production Manager work with?

Production Managers work under the Line Producers, and sometimes directly under the Producers. They manage the Production Coordinators and must liaise with the heads of departments.

How do I become a Production Manager?

A good route to become a production manager is to start off as a Production Assistant, then gain enough experience to become a Production Coordinator, then Assistant Production Manager and then a Production Manager.

More tips

For more tips on finding job opportunities, lists of training programmes, and other great resources, check out our Career Resources page.

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Production Management

A Production Manager Works in the Production Management Department

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Our Partner, ScreenSkills UK is the industry-led skills body for the UK screen industries. For further information, www.screenskills.com.
Profiles and profile icons © 2022 ScreenSkills Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of the copyright owner.
Job Profile Design by Dave Gray. Based on an original concept by Ian Murphy/Allan Burrell.

Career: Costume Supervisor

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Costume Supervisor

Also known as: Wardrobe Supervisor

What does a Costume Supervisor do?

The Costume Supervisor is the head of the costume department. They oversee all aspects of the department including management of dressers, designers, assistants and fitters. Other duties include buying wardrobe and costume pieces, designing and repairing costumes.

Costume Supervisors keep everything shipshape in the ‘costume or wardrobe department’ and thrive on being organized. Working to the Costume Designer’s plans, they coordinate the work of the department, work out what clothes and accessories need to be made, hired or bought, what staff are needed and where. They also organize storage and supervise the tasks that need doing to ensure all work is done to schedule and budget.

Costume Supervisors work with the Costume Designer to ensure costumes or outfits are of the standard they require, ready and prepared in time for fittings, rehearsals, and shooting. During filming, they supervise continuity of outfits, the cleaning, maintenance and any repairs or adjustments. When filming is over, they supervise any cleaning, repairing and returns.

What's a Costume Supervisor good at?
  • Organization

    Schedule the costume production or hire, maintenance, repairs and adjustments, oversee the department budget and the petty cash

  • Leadership

    Manage large teams of people with different skills and responsibilities, deliver costumes and outfits when required, meeting department and production deadlines

  • Communication

    Work well with others and have good relationships with designers, PR (public relations) and brands who may supply clothing or costumes, explain clearly to staff what’s expected of them

  • Dressmaking and Tailoring

    Draw, sew, make and source clothes, including fabrics and accessories

  • Knowledge of Design

    Be aware of the history of design and costume, and have an understanding of colour, pattern and texture

Who does a Costume Supervisor work with?

A Costume Supervisor typically spends most of their time in their own department, overseeing the creating, sourcing, adjusting, maintenance, cleaning and repair of outfits. They work closely with the Costume Designer to ensure the team they manage makes the costumes or outfits the designer wants and will often work with the same designer on all their big productions. They may work closely with the hair and make-up team, particularly if wigs are required.

Costume Supervisors have regular updates with the production management team regarding budgets and schedules. They have contact with members of editorial and production to ensure all needs are being met.

How do I become a Costume Supervisor?

Costume Supervisors usually start out working as trainees or assistants in the costume department and work their way up. A background in fashion or costume production is helpful.

More tips

For more tips on finding job opportunities, lists of training programmes, and other great resources, check out our Career Resources page.

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Career: Costume Supervisor

Wardrobe Department

A Costume Supervisor works in the Wardrobe Department

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Our Partner, ScreenSkills UK is the industry-led skills body for the UK screen industries. For further information, www.screenskills.com.
Profiles and profile icons © 2022 ScreenSkills Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of the copyright owner.
Job Profile Design by Dave Gray. Based on an original concept by Ian Murphy/Allan Burrell.

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