Production Administrator
This is the person who handles the administrative, accounting and financial management of a project.
In film and audiovisual, he or she tracks contracts, salaries and expenses, from shoot preparation to the closing of accounts.
On this page:
- Duties
- Required skills
- The program
- Fields of Practice
- Career paths
- Salary
In Brief: The Production Administrator Profession
| Other Job Titles | audiovisual production administrator, film production administrator |
|---|---|
| Recommended Education Level | 5 years of higher education in audiovisual management or production, complemented by experience in production accounting or as deputy administrator |
| Salary | Varies depending on experience, sector, contract and time worked. Minimums are set by the applicable collective agreement and the scales published by the SPI |
| Employers | film or audiovisual production companies and specialized service providers supporting several producers |
| Key Skills | production accounting, payroll, budget and cash flow monitoring, contracts, social declarations, collective agreements, financing, aid and grants |
| Career Progression | managing larger productions, supervising an administrative team, financial expertise, consulting or auditing |
| IESA Program | Master in Audiovisual & Film Production and Distribution - 5 years of higher education over two years, accessible after 3 years of higher education, with work-study possible |
What Are the Duties of a Production Administrator?
The production administrator oversees the administrative and financial follow-up of the project. Their main duties are:
- monitoring employment contracts, partnerships and co-production agreements
- tracking the aid and funding secured
- managing cash flow and controlling expenses
- preparing or overseeing payroll and social security filings
- preparing the financial statement and closing the production’s accounts
What skills do you need to become a production administrator?
This career requires mastery of:
- accounting, payroll and budget tracking tools
- the regulations and collective agreements of the sector
- public and private funding mechanisms
- procedures related to aid and grants
Rigor, discretion and teamwork are essential. Regular monitoring helps keep up with changes in rules and support schemes.
How to become a production administrator?
Training in management, accounting or audiovisual production is a useful foundation. Access to the position is then built with experience, notably in production accounting or as a deputy administrator.
Audiovisual and Film Program
IESA arts&culture offers the Master Audiovisual and Film Production and Distribution, open after a Bac+3. This two-year program, with work-study possible, covers production management, financing, contracts and audiovisual law.
It prepares students for the title of Administrator of Artistic and Cultural Projects, level 7, registered with the RNCP under number 42330.
Where Do They Work?
The production administrator works within a film or audiovisual production company. They can also work for a specialized service provider that supports several producers.
Depending on their contract and activity, they may hold a permanent job or work under the intermittent entertainment worker scheme.
What Career Progression?
With experience, they can manage larger productions and lead an administrative team.
They can also move into financial expertise, consulting or auditing, depending on their qualifications.
What Is the Salary?
Pay depends on experience, sector, contract and time worked. In film and audiovisual, it can be expressed by the week or the month.
Minimums depend on the applicable collective agreement. The salary scales published by the SPI let you check the current amounts for film and audiovisual production.