Film Production Management Certificate of Achievement

Movies are make-believe. The work done to make them is not. Long before cameras roll, and continuing when and long after they do, line producers, production managers, locations managers, first assistant directors and others are working hard to prepare for, manage and carry out a process that will utilize the talents of a small army of creative and technical filmmakers and allocate valuable, irreplaceable resources not the least of which are time and money. There is no just "going out and shooting" this. The seeming madness of the creative process that is filmmaking is in reality managed in a process of its own that evolved with the medium.  

This Certificate in Film Production Management will teach students the process, practices, protocols and personnel involved in budgeting, scheduling, set management and location scouting and management and finally.  In doing so, they will learn all of the various departments, resources and personnel that are required to make a film production possible. And they will learn to allocate two most valuable resources required to make a film - time and money.  

With the completion of this certificate, students will:

1.  create film script breakdowns and production schedules and budgets. 

2. have the skills necessary to get jobs in areas related to film and video production particularly the key entry level job of Production Assistant.

3. have the skills necessary to manage production of a short film or small film and video production company.  

This certificate is valuable for anyone interested in producing, line producing, production managing, assistant directing, set managing, location scouting and managing and even directing a movie.  Most important it will give a student all of the tools needed to get the valuable foot in the door job of production assistant almost anywhere in the film production process and perform that job knowledgeably, professionally and effectively.  

Enrollment and Completer Projections:

Program Learning Outcomes

1.     Students will create film script breakdowns and production schedules and budgets. 

2.     Students will have the skills necessary to get jobs in areas related to film and video production particularly the key entry level job of Production Assistant.

3.     Students will have the skills necessary to manage production of a short film or small film and video production company.  

The US Bureau of Labor projects the number of jobs in film and video writing, producing, directing, editing, sound and special effects has grown since 2014, will rise by 5% by 2023 and  the trend will continue through 2028.   In the Coachella Valley the number of jobs in each of these areas created or vacated annually justifies expansion of the film production program at College of the Desert.  

In the Coachella Valley the number of jobs created or vacated annually justifies the expansion of a film production program at College of the Desert into the area of Production Management.  

The Coachella Valley is a center for location shooting. Identifying pathways to entry level jobs in these productions, ie, PA's or production assistants, has been given primary consideration in discussions with our program's local film advisory group which concluded a certificate be developed in production management, incorporating scheduling, budgeting set management and location scouting and management, to give students the tools needed to get these jobs. With the popularity of the film program and enrollment growing by word of mouth and through articulation agreements with high school film programs, it's time to expand the film curriculum in a practical, employment related way.  This certificate will also benefit students interested in producing and directing film and creative content as understanding the value of time and money and managing these resources properly is directly related to a project's success.

The Certificate in Film Production Management address employment needs by teaching students how to manage film production at every phase and level of the process.  

Certificate of Achievement:  Film Production Management                         

Certificate of Achievement:  Film Production Management                          

Required Core (9 units) (suggested sequencing):

FILM 02A Production I (3); (Yr. 1 Fall); FILM 02B Production II (3); (Yr. 1 Spring); FILM 10A Scheduling (1.5); (Yr. 1 Spring); FILM 10B Budgeting (1.5); (Yr. 1 Spring); FILM 10C Set Management (1.5); (Yr. 1 Spring); FILM 10D Location Management (1.5); (Yr. 1 Spring)