When a production successfully comes together, it’s because no one neglects the details. For larger projects, that means different departments handling their own sets of logistics en route to the final product. But departments don’t always communicate with each other. So how do you ensure everything goes smoothly on set?
Production coordination operates independently of all the other departments. They handle the entire collection of logistics for a production. This team knows every tiny detail of a shoot and ensures that things go off without a hitch.
How production coordination works
Typically, it’s a two-person show. The production manager and production coordinator track all logistics affecting a project. If the shoot is big enough, that could mean managing details from up to 18 different departments! On small shoots, focus is usually on just the location and crew, who sometimes fill multiple roles. The goal of the production coordination team is to be prepared at each stage of the project. They’re not responsible for pulling all the elements into place–that’s the producer’s job–but they maintain order and keep everything running smoothly.
Typical tasks for production coordination
The production manager and production coordinator oversee all details of a video production. Literally. Cataloging everything they do would take forever. But without them, the production wouldn’t happen. A few essential tasks, often occurring on shoots regardless of size, include managing:
- Talent schedules
- Crew schedules
- Equipment and prop delivery
- Food
- Overtime tracking
- Crew negotiations
- Location support
Many of these tasks include ensuring something specific arrives on time to support the completion of filming. Production coordination is really all about logistics. That means guaranteeing cast, crew, equipment, and food all arrive at the right place at the right time. No production is without it’s challenges, but it’s the production coordinator’s job to tackle them head-on. Where the 1st Assistant Director (AD) keeps the actual production moving, the production coordinator keeps all the background work chugging along.
Additionally, production coordinators track other important details like overtime and troubleshooting logistical issues. Things like tracking down a lost extra or sending a PA on a coffee run often fall to the PC. For these reasons, production coordination works closely with, and is a valuable resource for, the 1st AD. The information they provide can be essential for synthesizing a shooting schedule that’s both efficient and realistic!
Communication makes or breaks a production
Needing a production coordination team demonstrates the importance of communication during a video project. It’s undeniable that everyone is there to make an awesome final video. However, it won’t happen without communication.
The production coordination team bridges the gap between all departments. They collect all the vital information that brings a shoot together, ensuring that perfect shot has the right cast, crew, and gear. Almost all elements of a video production project require clear and detailed communication to be successful, whether it’s talking about budget, location, wardrobe, sound, lighting, or any other details. The production coordination team takes all these disparate conversations, distills them, and then enacts them.
The ideal profile for a production coordination manager
A production coordinator should be a highly-organized individual with extensive, in-depth knowledge of every production department. Regardless of production size, they need to know how the crew works and what logistics are relevant to a successful shoot.
At ECG Productions, our qualified team attacks this role with meticulous attention to detail. We not only manage all the logistics of your production, but seamlessly troubleshoot any issues. We do whatever it takes to ensure your project is successful on set. To learn more about this service as well as the extensive list of other support roles we can provide on set, contact us today.