You’re a film industry professional. How can you make sure your project management skills are up to par?

1 Define your scope and goals

Before you dive into any film project, you need to have a clear and realistic idea of what you want to achieve, why you want to achieve it, and how you will measure your success. This means defining your scope and goals in a SMART way: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, instead of saying "I want to make a great film", you could say "I want to make a 90-minute comedy film that appeals to a young adult audience and gets at least a 70% rating on Rotten Tomatoes by December 2021". Having a well-defined scope and goals will help you plan, prioritize, and communicate your project effectively.

2 Build your team and roles

One of the most important aspects of project management is having a competent and collaborative team that shares your vision and values. You need to carefully select and recruit the right people for each role, from the cast and crew to the suppliers and stakeholders. You also need to define and assign the roles and responsibilities of each team member, as well as the reporting and communication lines. This will help you avoid confusion, conflict, and duplication of work, and ensure everyone knows what they are expected to do and deliver.

3 Create and follow a schedule

A film project is a complex and dynamic process that involves many tasks, dependencies, and deadlines. You need to create and follow a realistic and flexible schedule that outlines the main phases, milestones, and deliverables of your project, as well as the resources, budget, and risks involved. You can use various tools and methods to create your schedule, such as Gantt charts, calendars, or software applications. The key is to update and adjust your schedule regularly, based on the progress and feedback of your team and stakeholders, and to communicate any changes or issues promptly.

4 Monitor and control your quality

A film project is not only about completing the tasks and meeting the deadlines, but also about ensuring the quality and consistency of your output. You need to monitor and control the quality of your work throughout the project, from the pre-production to the post-production stage. This means setting and applying quality standards and criteria for each deliverable, such as the script, the footage, the sound, the editing, or the distribution. You also need to conduct quality checks and reviews at each stage, and solicit feedback from your team and stakeholders. This will help you identify and correct any errors, gaps, or deviations from your scope and goals.

5 Learn and improve from feedback

A film project is not only a product, but also a learning opportunity. You need to learn and improve from the feedback and results of your project, both during and after its completion. This means collecting and analyzing the data and information related to your project, such as the budget, the time, the quality, the satisfaction, or the impact. You also need to solicit and evaluate the feedback and opinions of your team and stakeholders, as well as the audience and the critics. This will help you identify and celebrate your strengths, as well as acknowledge and address your weaknesses, and apply the lessons learned to your future projects.