Where have all the PMs gone? Addressing the production management skills gap in UK TV.

Authors: van Raalte, C., Wallis, R., Aust, R. and Pekalski, D.

Publisher: Bournemouth University

Place of Publication: Poole

DOI: 10.18746/9yac-tg29

Abstract:

Production management is a crucial element of television production and can offer a highly rewarding career. Nevertheless the television industry experiences perennial issues with recruitment and retention in this area, leading to significant skills gaps. While the recent downturn in commissioning may temporarily increase the availability of PMs, it is ultimately likely to exacerbate the problem, as more and more experienced PMs take their very transferable skills elsewhere and cuts to junior roles disrupt the talent pipeline. A longer-term perspective suggests that as the industry recovers, meeting its the production management needs will continue to present a challenge.

The problem is often regarded as primarily one of recruitment, however, retention is arguably a larger factor. Experienced individuals are regularly lost to alternative television careers or leave the industry altogether. This ‘brain drain’ explains why successive initiatives aimed at building up the production management workforce have failed to resolve the ongoing skills shortage.

Through exploring the motivations and experiences of PMs and ex-PMs, our research has sought to better understand: • how and why individuals are attracted into production management roles in the first place.

why PMs (and people in more junior ‘feeder’ roles) leave production management or leave the industry altogether.
how the industry might attract more individuals into the production ‘talent pipeline’ and, critically, retain the skilled and talented individuals who already have experience in these roles.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/39530/

Source: Manual