By Rachel Barrett
Production Consultant @ Production People & Extras Ireland
Here at The Production People we keep our finger on the pulse of the industry. A company culture focused on constant learning and improvement is the backbone of everything we do. In light of this, my colleagues and I always keep a close eye on all of the online upskilling opportunities available.
I recently took part in a series of webinars covering the Best Practices in Film & Television for Line Producers and Production Managers. The webinar series was hosted by Screen Skills Ireland. Screen Skills provide numerous informative online training courses, so keep an eye on their website and socials for upcoming events. The webinar series provided me with a wealth of knowledge, and they were particularly of interest due to my passion for and background in the creation of film and television.
However, the series was truly necessary for me in my work as a Production Consultant, in a busy staffing and crewing agency. The people that this series was aimed at are the very industry professionals that I most often work alongside and in close collaboration with.
I always consider how I can provide solutions to the client’s problems. Understanding the roles and responsibilities of the client is extremely important to the work which I do. Here at The Production People we are entrusted with the confidence that we will find the right people for the clients’ needs.
We must bear in mind the client company’s culture, their skills requirements, the required level of experience in relation to the team and of course, building lasting relationships which can benefit all parties both now and in the future.
Today, I wanted to share with you some insights that I have gained from working with Line Producers and Production Managers to date. I will also discuss some of the topics which were involved in the webinar series and how I utilise this type of information as a Production Consultant to improve my clients staffing and crewing experiences.
1. Working with a Budget
Line Producers and Production Managers will always be working on a budget and it is often their responsibility to ensure that their requirements fit within this budget. Of course, some productions provide more wiggle-room than others, no two jobs are ever the same after all.
My job as a Production Consultant is to give the Line Producer or Production Manager an idea of the type of talent available to them within their budget. Our people are highly skilled and therefore we strive to maintain a professional standard of rates
2. Dealing with Contracts
Line Producers and Production Managers are all too familiar with the ever-growing piles of paperwork which accompany film & television production.
Copyright, clearance, releases, location agreements etc. The list of contracts which they must ensure are completed is extensive. Contracts which we are also familiar with are the Contract for Services and Contract of Services.
One of things which The Production People offer, in a hope to relieve some of that paperwork, is payroll and administration. We ensure our clients are compliant while also unloading those tedious back office tasks.
3. Providing ‘Competent’ People
Legally, most projects require staff who are deemed as ‘competent’. Line Producers and Production Managers are very aware of health and safety protocols such as carrying out risk assessments. A risk which they must account for is the competency of the hired staff.
Having staff who have the correct training, experience, and knowledge appropriate to the work is of the utmost importance. Here at The Production People we screen our people to ensure that we can provide confidence in the staff which we will be providing for our clients productions.
If you need someone with a safe pass, we will do the work to find the best person with the qualifications. If you need someone who can operate cranes and jibs, we have the right person to fit the bill. Whatever the request, we understand the importance in providing the right and most competent person.
4. Understanding the Companies Culture
Understanding a company’s culture is an important part in ensuring our clients find the right people for their team.
It is extremely important that the staff we place have a good working relationship with their specific team, as well as the wider crew. Placing the right person can help to ensure that the Film or Television production runs effectively.
We will often ask the Line Producer or Production Manager that we are assisting – ‘what is the type of person you’re searching for‘. What is their personality, their motivation, their values and skill level.
5. Anticipating Problems, Providing Solutions
Thanks to the wide range of topics covered during the webinar series with Screen Skills, I feel that I have gotten an even greater understanding of the Line Producer and Production Managers responsibilities. From health & safety and contracting to insurance and tax.
Overseeing human resources and staffing is also part of their role, and this is where we tend to come in, providing excellent and professional staffing solutions.
The Production People are known for providing professional and experienced staff on request; however we also enjoy assisting our clients through consulting. The consultation usually happens quite naturally in the early stages when the client first reaches out.
We often find that speaking through the job spec with the client can gives us a better insight into who they want, and it usually ends up shining a light on requirements which they had not originally thought of. During the consultation process we try to anticipate any problems the client might face and consider how we can provide the best solution for them.
6. New Staffing Requirements
Covid-19 has altered the way that many things operate, and this includes the film and television industry. Covid-19 officers, testing nurses, operators and temperature checkers are some of the new positions which have been created, and we have even placed a few people in these types of roles already. In addition to new positions, production offices have been and will continue to experience an increase in paperwork. This increase in work load was something discussed during the Best Practices in Film & Television for Line Producers and Production Managers webinar series.
The speakers, and I am sure most of the participants agreed that the number of office staff will likely increase to keep up with the work load, therefore creating a need for staffing from companies such as ourselves to find suitable talent.
‘The Production People’ provide Complete Talent Management Solutions
Screened and Verified Production Staff and Technical Crew for Broadcast, Digital Media, Audio-Visual and Events,
For more information Call us today on
Tel: 00353-1-6343100
Email: info@productionpeople.ie
Visit www.productionpeople.ie
