In short: A production coordinator runs the production office while the line producer and production manager are on set. They handle phones, equipment, paperwork and travel, and they prepare crew lists, daily progress reports and script changes. The usual path is runner, then assistant production coordinator, then production coordinator, and the role is usually freelance.
A production coordinator runs the production office, so the phones, paperwork and logistics keep working while the senior team is on set. ScreenSkills describes the job as handling phones, equipment and paperwork, and making sure the office has what it needs during pre-production, filming and the wrap. The role is usually freelance, and it is one of the best places to learn how a production is actually held together.
What a production coordinator does on a shoot day
On the day, the coordinator is the person the office calls. They keep the phones answered, the paperwork moving and the crew informed of changes. They prepare and send out crew lists and daily progress reports, pass on script changes to the department heads, and arrange transport and couriers when kit or paperwork has to move.
The job starts before the shoot. In pre-production the coordinator sets up the office, and arranges travel and visas for cast and crew where they are needed. At the end, they help the production manager wrap the production by closing supplier accounts.
Who they work with
Production coordinators report to the line producer and the production managers. They communicate with all the heads of department and the wider production team. On larger productions they may delegate tasks to assistant production coordinators and runners.
Kit and skills
The main tools are a computer with spreadsheets and word processing, a phone and a clear filing system. The skills ScreenSkills lists are:
- An understanding of filmmaking and of what each department needs from the office.
- Organisation, the ability to juggle several tasks, and staying calm under pressure.
- Problem-solving, and handling the unexpected without losing the plan.
- Teamwork and clear communication, both in writing and on the phone.
- Budgeting, and tracking spending against what has been approved.
How to become a production coordinator
There is no fixed route. A common path is production runner, then assistant production coordinator, then production coordinator. Study in film studies, media, art and design, or business subjects helps, as do maths and accounting. ScreenSkills points to Level 3 options such as BTEC National Diplomas in Film and Television Production or Business, and to AAT or production accounting diplomas for people who want to go into the finance side.
Apprenticeships are harder to find in production companies, but apprenticeships in project management, business or accountancy can lead into production later. A degree is optional, and ScreenSkills Select-recognised courses are a useful option if you want one. Experience in project management, planning or budgeting also builds the right skills. Joining online production groups, using free crew databases, and applying to ScreenSkills' Trainee Finder scheme are the practical next steps. The union Bectu gives members advice on terms and contacts.
Do you need one on a small shoot?
On a short shoot, the coordinator's jobs of crew lists, travel, paperwork and wrap admin usually fall to the producer or to a runner. If the shoot is a single day in one place, a coordinator is probably more than you need. Put the crew list and the call time in the brief, and keep the paperwork in one shared folder.
A coordinator earns their place on a multi-day shoot, on a job with travel or cast to arrange, or when the paperwork would otherwise sit on the producer's desk.
If you are booking crew for a shoot at the barn, see film crew hire. For a shoot brief that tells a coordinator what to expect, read how to brief a studio or a video crew.
Related roles
- What does a producer do?
- What does a line producer do?
- What does a production manager do?
- What does a location manager do?
- What does a 2nd assistant director do?
- What does a camera operator do?
Sources
- ScreenSkills, Production coordinator (film and TV drama), read 5 November 2026
Related guides
Questions we get asked
What does a production coordinator do?
They run the production office. Before filming they set up the office and arrange travel and visas for cast and crew. During filming they prepare crew lists, daily progress reports and script changes, and they arrange transport and couriers.
How do you become a production coordinator in the UK?
There is no fixed route. The common path is production runner, then assistant production coordinator, then production coordinator, with study in film, media, business or accounting and experience in project management or budgeting helping.
Do I need a production coordinator on a small shoot?
Often the producer or a runner covers the office work. A coordinator becomes worth it when there is travel, cast to arrange, or a long run of paperwork that would otherwise land on the producer.
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