ABSTRACT
Next to the producer or executive producer, the production manager (PM) is one of the few people on a production team who stay with the project from beginning to end. The four distinctive phases in any production are development, pre-production, production (principal photography), and post-production. This chapter looks at the role of the PM at each phase. Once all the pre-production tasks are complete, the film enters the production phase, during which the film is actually shot. The PM is responsible for a glitch-free shoot and must handle both logistics and overall organization. The main action has shifted from the production office to the set or location. The assistant director is responsible for the flow and continuity of activities on the set. The four distinctive phases of set operations are blocking, lighting, final rehearsals, and shooting. The chapter takes a closer look at what happens during each phase.
