The Unit Manager is responsible for visiting locations in advance to access various departments’ requirements and managing the clean-up and clearance of a location once filming is completed.
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Working Life
The Unit Manager must work closely with the location manager and their team to ensure the smooth running of the unit base while on location.
Role and Responsibilities
- Liaise with the locations department to enable, organise, and manage the unit base when filming at each particular location.
- Respond quickly and calmly to any issues which may arise while filming on location and enabling access for technical vehicles and facilities to and from each location.
- Responsible for visiting locations in advance to access various departments’ requirements.
- Managing the clean-up and clearance of a location once filming is completed.
Works with
- Supervising Location Manager
- Location Manager
- Transport Manager
Qualities - Unit Manager
Is this role right for me?
For this role, you need:
Excellent organisational, communications, and IT skills.
Strong technical knowledge of various elements on a film base, for example heavy goods vehicles capacity to access specific locations.
Awareness of potential access issues e.g. narrow gates or low trees, and the ability to communicate hazards effectively to all departments.
Understanding of the needs of the film crew, as well as members of the public.
Awareness of potential problems which might arise during filming and the ability to respond quickly to them.
Interests - Unit Manager
This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:
Enterprising
Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.
Realist
Realists are usually interested in 'things' - such as buildings, mechanics, equipment, tools, electronics etc. Their primary focus is dealing with these - as in building, fixing, operating or designing them. Involvement in these areas leads to high manual skills, or a fine aptitude for practical design - as found in the various forms of engineering.
Realists like to find practical solutions to problems using tools, technology and skilled work. Realists usually prefer to be active in their work environment, often do most of their work alone, and enjoy taking decisive action with a minimum amount of discussion and paperwork.
Creative
Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.
Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.
Entry / Progression - Unit Manager
Education Route: Relevant health and safety training is essential if you wish to excel in this role.
Career Path to Unit Manager: There are no usual career paths for the unit manager. A unit manager will often have worked their way through the location/production/AD Departments. Experience working on set in the location department is vital to this role.
Career Path from Unit Manager: Unit Production Manager, Line Producer, Producer.
