In short: A floor manager runs the studio floor during a television recording or live show. They cue presenters and guests, supervise the set and the rehearsal, relay the director's instructions from the control room, and keep the timing on track. On most film shoots the nearest role is the first assistant director, and on a small shoot a producer usually covers the floor.
A floor manager runs the studio floor during a television recording or live show, so that presenters, guests and crew know what to do and when. They are the link between the control room and the people in front of the cameras.
What a floor manager does on a shoot day
The floor manager arrives before the crew. They check the set against the floor plan, mark the positions for the presenters and guests, and confirm the props and furniture are where the director wants them. They make sure the lighting and sound checks happen with the crew, so any fault shows up before the rehearsal rather than during it.
During the rehearsal and the recording, the floor manager gives the cues. They count presenters in, signal when to start and stop, and show hand signals for time, volume and wrap. When the director changes the running order, the floor manager relays the change to talent and crew, and keeps the timing on track against the rundown. If something goes wrong on the floor, they tell the control room at once, and they can halt the floor for safety reasons.
General guidance on safety: a studio floor has cables, lights, moving cameras and people walking across it. The floor manager runs the checks on the floor, but a competent person must assess the actual set and the risks before the crew goes in.
Who they work with
The floor manager takes instructions from the director, usually through a headset, and reports to the director and the producer. They work most closely with the presenters and guests, the camera operators, the vision mixer, the lighting director and the sound team. An assistant floor manager, where there is one, works under them and handles the props, the talent and the paperwork.
Kit and skills
The kit is a headset on talkback, a stopwatch or timer, a running order on a clipboard or tablet, and a set of hand signals that the presenters and crew know. The floor manager needs a clear voice that carries across a studio, and enough steadiness to give a cue without rushing the talent.
The skills are fast decisions, calm under pressure, and the ability to read a rundown and see where the show is falling behind. Good floor managers also know when to say nothing and let the presenter find their own rhythm.
How to become a floor manager
Planit Plus, a site of job profiles, says there are no set entry requirements. Most entrants hold a degree or an HND, and media, theatre or performing arts subjects help. Technical experience in broadcasting or theatre is essential and is often gained through unpaid placements. Most people start as assistant floor managers or as runners, and employers rarely advertise posts, so industry contacts matter.
ScreenSkills publishes career maps, job profiles and free training for the screen industries, and its Trainee Finder lists entry-level roles, so it is a sensible first stop. Bectu, the union for people working in broadcast and screen, offers membership once you are working, and publishes rate cards that are worth checking before you accept a day. Keep a list of the shows you have worked, the people you have worked with, and what each show needed from the floor.
Do you need one on a small shoot?
Usually not as a separate person. On a small shoot a producer or the 1st AD covers the floor, runs the cues and keeps the timing. A dedicated floor manager is worth having for a live show, a studio recording with several guests, or a long rehearsal that has to run to a tight rundown.
Related roles
- What does a 1st assistant director do?
- What does a director do?
- What does a vision mixer do?
- What does a runner do?
- What does a production coordinator do?
- What does an autocue operator do?
Sources
- Planit Plus, Television floor manager job profile, read 5 November 2026
Related guides
Questions we get asked
What is the difference between a floor manager and a 1st AD?
A floor manager works on a live or recorded TV floor and cues talent in real time. A 1st AD runs the film set and the schedule. The jobs overlap on a small production, and one person sometimes covers both.
How do you become a TV floor manager?
Most entrants hold a degree or HND, and media, theatre or performing arts subjects help. Most people start as assistant floor managers or runners. Employers rarely advertise posts, so contacts matter.
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