To become a production accountant, one can attend school for a degree in accounting and gain experience in the film and television industry, or work within a production company to gain equivalent experience. Production accountants track costs, disburse funds, and send reports, and need to be familiar with both accounting and industry specifics. College courses in production accounting and working in the industry while in school can provide a head start. Alternatively, one can start working in the administrative side of the film industry and develop a skill set to apply for production accountant jobs. Working in the industry can establish connections and build a reputation.
A person who wants to become a production accountant can attend school to earn a degree in accounting and develop experience in the film and television industry, or they can choose to work within the ranks of a production company to gain equivalent experience and training. Some production companies may prefer applicants with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and most will require film and television experience. Production accountants track costs associated with specific productions, disburse funds, and send regular reports. They need to be familiar not only with accounting topics, but also with the specifics of the industry.
The college path to becoming a production accountant begins with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Some colleges and universities in regions like New York or Southern California may even offer classes specifically in production accounting. These courses can provide students with a foundation for this topic. Students may also want to consider film and television minors following their courses if they want a head start in their understanding of the industry.
If possible, it might help to work in film and television while you’re in school to become a production accountant, whether that job is as a clerk or as an intern. This can give students a head start on the experience they need to work, and can provide useful professional connections in the future. Upon graduation, students can apply for accounting and administrative positions in film productions to build experience. With enough experience, they can directly apply for production accountant positions.
Another option for high school students who don’t want to go to college is to start working in the administrative side of the film industry to become a production accountant. Productions often need accounting clerks and administrative assistants. Candidates can develop a skill set as they move through different managerial positions. Once they have experience equivalent to training in a bachelor’s degree program, they can apply for production accountant jobs.
Working in the ranks may take longer than going to school to become a production accountant, but it does have some benefits like getting paid while training, not incurring student loans and other expenses related to education. In addition, people working in the sector can establish a network of connections and relationships that can be useful for career development. This also provides an opportunity to build a reputation as a reliable, focused and skilled administrative assistant or accountant, which can be useful when film crews are looking for people to fill vacancies.
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