Video and motion picture director to production designer
A video and motion picture director already meets 31% of what the production designer role asks for. The move turns on 11 required skills not yet in the profile.
69/ 100
1 How much of what a production designer is expected to do is already part of a video and motion picture director’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the production designer role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A production designer role treats 5 of its required skills as things a video and motion picture director already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- adapt designers’ work to the performance venue
- analyse a script
- create production schedules
- film production process
- manage budgets
What stands in the way is 11 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 12 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A production designer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a video and motion picture director background worth leading with.
- already held assess production needs to plan a production schedule management skills
- already held design lighting communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held create production schedules management skills
- already held adapt designers’ work to the performance venue communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held work with the director of photography communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held ensure visual quality of the set communication, collaboration and creativity
All 12 carried skills, including the 5 the production designer role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 26 missing skills fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn consult with production director required
- still to learn develop design concept required
- still to learn develop the look of a production required
- still to learn provide input to collaborators to guide their work required
- optional, not held design props optional
- optional, not held develop a specific interior design optional
- optional, not held make photographic storyboards optional
- optional, not held make set construction drawings optional
- optional, not held select costumes optional
- optional, not held use storyboards optional
- optional, not held work with the camera crew optional
- optional, not held collaborate on costume and make-up for performances optional
- optional, not held draw design sketches optional
- optional, not held work with the lighting crew optional
- still to learn analyse logistic needs required
- still to learn conduct research on trends in design required
- still to learn estimate duration of work required
- optional, not held arrange permits optional
- optional, not held search for a suitable filming location optional
- still to learn supervise costume workers required
- still to learn manage staff required
- optional, not held make film shooting schedule optional
- optional, not held recruit employees optional
- still to learn CAD software required
- still to learn use CAD software required
- optional, not held create set models optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a production designer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 analyse logistic needs practise this
- 02 consult with production director practise this
- 03 develop design concept practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 12 skills that carry over
- already held adapt designers’ work to the performance venue skill
- already held analyse a script skill
- already held create production schedules skill
- already held film production process knowledge
- already held manage budgets skill
- already held assess production needs to plan a production schedule skill
- already held attend rehearsals skill
- already held design lighting skill
- already held ensure visual quality of the set skill
- already held lighting techniques knowledge
- already held photography knowledge
- already held work with the director of photography skill
15 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held arrange permits optional
- optional, not held create set models optional
- optional, not held design props optional
- optional, not held develop a specific interior design optional
- optional, not held make film shooting schedule optional
- optional, not held make photographic storyboards optional
- optional, not held make set construction drawings optional
- optional, not held search for a suitable filming location optional
- optional, not held select costumes optional
- optional, not held use storyboards optional
- optional, not held work with the camera crew optional
- optional, not held collaborate on costume and make-up for performances optional
- optional, not held draw design sketches optional
- optional, not held recruit employees optional
- optional, not held work with the lighting crew optional
32 held skills the production designer role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role adapt a script skill
- not needed by the target role adapt to type of media skill
- not needed by the target role attend read-through skill
- not needed by the target role audiovisual equipment knowledge
- not needed by the target role carry out auditions skill
- not needed by the target role cinematography knowledge
- not needed by the target role coordinate rehearsals skill
- not needed by the target role create rough cut skill
- not needed by the target role develop creative ideas skill
- not needed by the target role develop drama production process skill
- not needed by the target role edit digital moving images skill
- not needed by the target role edit recorded sound skill
- not needed by the target role finish project within budget skill
- not needed by the target role follow work schedule skill
- not needed by the target role help set rehearsal schedule skill
- not needed by the target role hire human resources skill
- not needed by the target role lead cast and crew skill
- not needed by the target role liaise with event sponsors skill
- not needed by the target role operate a camera skill
- not needed by the target role organise rehearsals skill
- not needed by the target role perform video editing skill
- not needed by the target role set up cameras skill
- not needed by the target role study media sources skill
- not needed by the target role study relationships between characters skill
- not needed by the target role supervise camera crew skill
- not needed by the target role supervise script preparation skill
- not needed by the target role supervise sound production skill
- not needed by the target role tell a story skill
- not needed by the target role watch scenes skill
- not needed by the target role work with motion picture editing team skill
- not needed by the target role work with playwrights skill
- not needed by the target role work with pre-production team skill
1 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn CAD software required
Other moves recorded from video and motion picture director
- script supervisor 62% covered · moderate
- camera operator 44% covered · substantial
- stop-motion animator 43% covered · moderate
- stage director 40% covered · substantial
- stand-in 38% covered · substantial
- storyboard artist 33% covered · substantial
- set buyer 32% covered · substantial
- boom operator 30% covered · substantial
Common questions about this move
Can a video and motion picture director become a production designer?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A video and motion picture director already covers 31% of what a production designer is expected to do: 12 skills carry over, 5 of which the production designer role treats as required.
What skills does a video and motion picture director need to become a production designer?
11 required skills are missing, plus 15 optional ones. They fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is analyse logistic needs.
How hard is the move from video and motion picture director to production designer?
Its learning distance is 69 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.