Production coordinator
Encyclopedia
A Production Coordinator (officially called Production Office Coordinator and abbreviated POC) is a unionized position in stagecraft
under the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and is governed in Los Angeles by Local 871.
The production coordinator serves under the production manager, producer or UPM to coordinate the various groups and personnel that come together in filmmaking
to a movie and video production
to make a television show. It is a supervisory position to the Production assistant
staff. The position requires adept organizational skills, resourcefulness and the ability to handle a multitude of tasks simultaneously under often high-pressure situations. The POC serves as the gatekeeper of company policy and is usually responsible for ensuring the rest of the production television crew
follows the requirements of the Production Company or Studio.
The duties of a POC are often undefined and extremely varied ranging from office manager, to human resources, to controller, to accountant. The POC is one of the only positions with the IATSE which no longer has a scale or set wage. The IA bylaws simply state the POC’s wage is “subject to negotiation with the Producer”. Fringe benefits include inclusion with the industry’s Motion Picture Industry Pension & Health Plans (http://www.mpiphp.org/faqs/pension_faqs.htm). Currently the production company is required to contribute 60 pensions hours per week, which equates to about 35-percent of the weekly gross wage. Most all POCs are hired an "on-call" weekly status and are basically paid a flat rate per week, no matter how many or few hours they work. Working conditions can vary on the medium (half-hour, hour-long television, reality, live, soap and feature) and daily hours can range from 8 to 16 hour days. The POC is often the first person in the office and the last to leave since they hold the responsibility of tending to the needs of the crew.
More recent attempts have been made by Local 871 to establish a scale rate for the POCs, but to date all have been unsuccessful.
The union has a relaxed jurisdiction over the position since it does not have an official job description for a POC. It also governs another junior position in the category called Assistant Production Coordinator or APOC, but again since it does not have an official job description in its bylaws, many studios are able to avoid hiring the APOC.
Stagecraft
Stagecraft is a generic term referring to the technical aspects of theatrical, film, and video production. It includes, but is not limited to, constructing and rigging scenery, hanging and focusing of lighting, design and procurement of costumes, makeup, procurement of props, stage management, and...
under the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and is governed in Los Angeles by Local 871.
The production coordinator serves under the production manager, producer or UPM to coordinate the various groups and personnel that come together in filmmaking
Filmmaking
Filmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story, idea, or commission, through scriptwriting, casting, shooting, directing, editing, and screening the finished product before an audience that may result in a theatrical release or television program...
to a movie and video production
Video production
Video production is videography, the process of capturing moving images on electronic media even streaming media. The term includes methods of production and post-production...
to make a television show. It is a supervisory position to the Production assistant
Production assistant
A production assistant, also known as a PA, is a job title used in filmmaking and television for a person responsible for various aspects of a production...
staff. The position requires adept organizational skills, resourcefulness and the ability to handle a multitude of tasks simultaneously under often high-pressure situations. The POC serves as the gatekeeper of company policy and is usually responsible for ensuring the rest of the production television crew
Television crew
Television crew positions are derived from those of film crew, but with several differences.-Pre-production:-Casting Director:-Costume designer:-Director:* Associate Director -Location Manager:-Make-up artist:...
follows the requirements of the Production Company or Studio.
The duties of a POC are often undefined and extremely varied ranging from office manager, to human resources, to controller, to accountant. The POC is one of the only positions with the IATSE which no longer has a scale or set wage. The IA bylaws simply state the POC’s wage is “subject to negotiation with the Producer”. Fringe benefits include inclusion with the industry’s Motion Picture Industry Pension & Health Plans (http://www.mpiphp.org/faqs/pension_faqs.htm). Currently the production company is required to contribute 60 pensions hours per week, which equates to about 35-percent of the weekly gross wage. Most all POCs are hired an "on-call" weekly status and are basically paid a flat rate per week, no matter how many or few hours they work. Working conditions can vary on the medium (half-hour, hour-long television, reality, live, soap and feature) and daily hours can range from 8 to 16 hour days. The POC is often the first person in the office and the last to leave since they hold the responsibility of tending to the needs of the crew.
More recent attempts have been made by Local 871 to establish a scale rate for the POCs, but to date all have been unsuccessful.
The union has a relaxed jurisdiction over the position since it does not have an official job description for a POC. It also governs another junior position in the category called Assistant Production Coordinator or APOC, but again since it does not have an official job description in its bylaws, many studios are able to avoid hiring the APOC.