Katie Perry Project 1-Interview

Shawn Prouse
Production Manager
Colorado

Can you briefly define your job for me?

A production Manager is a person who is the head account on the shoot. They monitor the budget and how affects each apartment. You are supposed to be below budget or on budget but not over. They say this is the money we have and make sure everyone stay is budget. I also do a few other things like manage the crew.

How did you get started in this business?

I started out as a Production Assistant then I worked in production with being a grip to an Assistant Director. A Production Manager is type of person who has a deep understanding with this industry. I basically decided that I have spent enough time doing other job and I should start and change my position in life and I just did it. This is not a job you can put an application in for or study for, you really need a lot experience in film.

How do you tell someone over you that you couldn’t accomplish an assigned task?

I will tell you this, in the film business there is no such thing as NO. You have to try everything in your power to reach the goal unless it is unsafe. I do not know if I have never said No, I have always found a way to make it work. Also if you say no, you will not have a job much longer because someone else will say yes. When it comes to work you should always be able to work it out.

Do you have any advice for a media student who is just starting off?

You need to have thick skin and a strong mind for this line of work. The smallest people on the crew can be the most powerful. Treat everyone the same. If you are a good communicated and you can tell good people from bad people and build strong relationships you will make it in this business. It is all about who you know. You will always work in the film business and if no one knows you will not get hired. Find someone who is in the business and work for them…free…I want to be your apprentice. Start now when you are school so you a ready when you get out of school. Meet people give up time and see if you like it. You also will be making contacts.


Payton Dunham
Line Producer
Colorado

Can you briefly define your job for me?

The job of a Line Producer is to figure what the budget is. You are brought on very early to look at what the cost of living is, cost of crew. I look at all pre production and ask do we have enough money. I can also make adjustments if I need to. I will take out some extras, or big scene like blow ups of there is no way it can fit into the budget.
Production: Line producers takes the budget and works at hiring all departments or I try to visualize it all to make sure we can stay of budget. It’s a day by day, week by week process. I have my account break it down every other day so I can see what is going on. If one department is over I figure out what to rearrange to stay on budget. This is why I like this job, I get to see the overall picture of the production.
Post: tax and accounting. Make sure we have record of everything spent. Lets the state know about how many people or hotels rooms used for incentivizes, it helps get money back from the state.

How did you get started in this business?

I worked my way as a location scout to the location manager, which I still do time to time.

How do you tell someone over you that you couldn’t accomplish an assigned task?

I would try to come up with alternates and not just say I can’t do this but say A is going to be hard to accomplish but we can do this and this instead and would these work. Don’t just say NO say here is an alternative.

Do you have any advice for a media student who is just starting off?

Become an intern, just get on set…work for free and start learning now. Work on everything and watch everyone. Don’t just focus on one part because you might of thought you want to be in one department but by watching people find out this is not the right department for you.