Spotlight on:

Line Producer

Alternative title

Co-producer or Unit Production Manager

Average salary

Starter

Experienced

Usual hours

39–41 hours a week, and you could work evenings, weekends and bank holidays

Meet Katherine, a line producer on TV productions. Here she tells us all about life working on a TV set, how to get your foot in the door and the importance of asking questions.

The headlines

Alternative title

Co-producer or Unit Production Manager

Starter

Experienced

Working hours

Usual hours

39–41 hours a week, and you could work evenings, weekends and bank holidays

Topics

Tech

Inclusivity

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What does a line producer do?

A line producer is at the heart of a tv production, hiring the crew, allocating the money and making sure the filming is done safely, creatively, on budget and on time.

As a senior member of the production, it’s the line producer’s job to look after the whole Production team and make sure everything is running smoothly! No day is the same in TV. You’re often fighting fires and problem solving on the ground.

How did you get into this career?

I got into TV 12 years ago. I started out as a runner and then worked my way into Production Management, working with various different production companies and genres to get as much experience as possible both on location and in the office.

(Runners, or production assistants, ‘run around’ TV sets and do all the admin jobs and small tasks to make a set run smoothly.)

What sort of qualifications does someone need to be a prevention worker?

You don't specifically need a university degree to get into TV. You can work your way up from the bottom by applying for runner work.

Other than qualifications, what do you need to do this job?

To work in TV you need hands-on experience — it’s key to understanding all of the jobs in Production Management.

A runner is like a sponge and can learn so much from shadowing the production team. Being a confident team player and making a good cup of tea will get you noticed!

What’s the most rewarding thing about your job?

Working on high-profile events that have been watched by millions worldwide is pretty rewarding. But the most rewarding thing about being a line producer is supporting others to learn and progress in their careers.

What’s the most challenging thing about your job?

The hours can be quite long, especially when you’re filming on location. (That means filming outside of a production studio — you could be anywhere.)

It's quite a juggle with childcare as I have a 2 year old, but it's still possible and I work for a supportive and inclusive production company.

What do you wish you’d known when you were starting out?

There's no such thing as a stupid question! Don't be afraid to ask as you're not always expected to know everything, and the support is there if you ask for it.

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Line Producer

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Line Producer

Got any questions?Head to our Discord and join the conversation.

Follow us

Don't know what you want to do? We'll help you find a career you can care about.

Got any questions?
Head to our Discord and join the conversation.