To become a Unit Production Manager (UPM) in the entertainment industry, start with assistant-level jobs and work your way up through excellent job performance and networking. UPMs handle budget, schedule, and contracts, and are hired for each production. A degree or training program can help, but persistence and luck are key. Start with any job in the industry, even if it seems below your skill set, and use networking and referrals to advance. Keep an eye on trade publications and industry websites, and locate in a city with a robust shooting schedule.
You can become a Unit Production Manager (UPM), applying for assistant-level jobs in film and television sets in the entertainment industry and moving up by virtue of excellent job and network performance. The skill set needed for the job can be gained through experience, film school, or joining an industry training program. Jobs in the entertainment industry are few in number and high in demand. Ultimately, getting any position is more a matter of persistence and luck than any specific set of credentials.
A unit production manager handles the overall budget, schedule, and contracts that go into a film or television project. He is hired by the producer, supervises production assistants, and coordinates operations with other project departments. UPM is a union member of the Director’s Guild of America (DGA). Line Producer is the analogous title used by non-union UPMs.
Each television show or movie is organized as a separate commercial entity. You are hired for each production for as long as it lasts. At the end of production, you apply to work on a new project, submitting your credentials and interviewing for a position. This makes the desire to become a Unit Production Manager highly dependent on the network and your ability to make a positive impression that will recommend you for jobs on new productions.
To become a unit production manager, you must be willing to take any job in the entertainment industry that comes your way and work your way towards the position. Many people start out as a production or location assistant. Take any position that will allow you to get your foot in the door, even if it seems below your skill set. As positions in the industry are in high demand, there is an assumption that anyone wanting to enter or advance needs to “pay debts”. Paying dues generally involves performing a level of work that you may consider humiliating, abusive, or below your capabilities.
It may be helpful to have an undergraduate degree to become a unit production manager. Choose a course that reinforces your ability to handle a budget or manage people. There are also proprietary film schools that offer certificate-based curricula for project management. DGA and entertainment commissions in certain cities also offer training programs to help people break into the industry.
Whether you go to school, enroll in a training program, or rely on tenacity to land your first job, you need to develop sources to let you know when productions are being booked. Keep an eye on trade publications and industry websites. You will likely need to locate in a city, such as Los Angeles or New York in the United States, that has a robust shooting schedule to put yourself in the best position. Contact your city film commission to stay informed of upcoming shootings. Use networking and referrals to advance from assistant to unit production manager positions.
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