What does a production manager do?
Production managers act on the decisions that have been made by the VFX producer. They create the detailed schedule for the project and look after the budget.
They oversee the work of the production coordinator in scheduling the work and might also be involved in casting or hiring artists and drafting contracts. They liaise with the VFX artists and technical directors (TDs) from all parts of the VFX pipeline to see that work is completed on time.
They are also important in communicating with the producer of company shooting the live-action footage and producing the film or TV programme.
Production managers tend to be employed by VFX companies or studios rather than freelancers.
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
- Organisation: plan, prioritise, 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
- Knowledge of VFX: understand all aspects of the VFX pipeline, know the processes, the creative challenges and the software
- Problem-solving: anticipate any issues that might occur during the project, adapt to changing timescales and technical issues
