Reel Opportunities
Production Coordinator
What does a Production Coordinator do?
Production Coordinators help ensure a film or television project runs smoothly. Working under the Production Manager or Producer, they help to arrange the day-to-day running of the production office and the team to make sure everyone has the information they need to work effectively.
Production Coordinators can also be the key travel coordinators on small to mid-sized productions. They organize travel plans, book flights and hotel rooms, and they also acquire necessary travel visas for the cast and crew. Production Coordinators are also the main contact at the production office and usually are responsible for communications and document deliveries such as sending out schedules, scripts, script revisions, and call sheets.
Production Coordinators need to communicate well with everyone. They liaise with production and post-production. It’s their job to help to keep everyone informed and on target so the project is finished on time and on budget.
What’s a Production Coordinator good at?
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Communication Work within a team towards a shared goal, be able to communicate clearly with all team members
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Organization Be good at managing projects and working to deadlines, be organized, show attention to detail, be able to multitask and prioritize
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Software knowledge Be able to use database and scheduling software, be good at learning new software, understand common file formats and resolutions
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Resilience Remain calm and confident under pressure, cope well with fast-paced environments and short deadlines, be adaptable, use initiative, have a positive attitude
Who does a Production Coordinator work with?
Production Coordinators work closely with office staff throughout production and post-production. They usually report to the Production Manager.
How do I become a Production Coordinator?
There are a few routes into becoming a Production Coordinator. You need to show you have very strong teamwork and organizational skills as well as a good understanding of the way a film is made. Entry level as a Production Assistant in the office is a great way to work your way up to Production Coordinator.
Here are some more tips:
Educational Requirements: You can take courses in business studies, film studies, media studies, English, math, and economics.
Get an Internship: Internships are jobs with training. They’re a great opportunity to earn while you learn. You might be able to get an internship as an Assistant Production Manager or project manager.
More tips
For more tips on finding job opportunities, lists of training programmes, and other great resources, check out our Career Resources page.
You might also be interested in…
Production Manager
Department: Production Management
- Production Manager
- The “foreman” of the crew, who schedules the production, hires crew, oversees permits and more. Most departments report to the PM.
Line Producer
Department: Production Management
- Line Producer
- Hires the crew, manages the budget, and makes sure the filming is done safely and on budget.
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Job Profile Design by Dave Gray. Based on an original concept by Ian Murphy/Allan Burrell.