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What is a production crew and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
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If you ever wondered how films are made or concert halls are set up, then this is the job you have been looking for. Not only will you gain insight into the various backstage processes that go into making films or concerts, but you will also work as part of a team that helps these ideas come to life.

Some of the duties and responsibilities that you will be performing as part of the production crew are implementing stage or set designs under the direction of the manager, selecting and positioning sound and lighting. Moreover, you will also carry, maintain, and repair production equipment, arrange for transportation of equipment and dress actors or performers for their shooting or performance.

Essential skills required for this position include communication, problem-solving, physical stamina, interpersonal, teamwork, and organization skills. No formal educational requirements are needed; however, having a high school diploma or a GED may prove beneficial. What is more advantageous is having prior experience and knowledge of the area of production design you are applying to. The average hourly pay for this position is $12.82, which amounts to an average of $26,660 annually.

ScoreProduction CrewUS Average
Salary
2.5

Avg. Salary $31,793

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.0

Growth rate 14%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.85%

Asian 6.49%

Black or African American 9.64%

Hispanic or Latino 18.63%

Unknown 6.92%

White 57.47%

Gender

female 31.57%

male 68.43%

Age - 21
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 21
Stress level
7.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
5.7

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
9.7

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Production crew career paths

Key steps to become a production crew

  1. Explore production crew education requirements

    Most common production crew degrees

    Bachelor's

    57.8 %

    High School Diploma

    18.1 %

    Associate

    16.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific production crew skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Harvest43.30%
    Cleanliness12.34%
    Power Steering8.29%
    Catalytic Converters4.99%
    Video Production4.31%
  3. Complete relevant production crew training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New production crews learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a production crew based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real production crew resumes.
  4. Research production crew duties and responsibilities

    • Manage and refine the metadata system for a photography database -communicate with customers over e-mail with regards to advertisement proofs
    • Work in the service department of the front counter and Drive-Thru.
    • Operate the Drive-Thru and maintain a clean restaurant.
    • Conduct a variety of tests to troubleshoot and isolate malfunctions.
  5. Prepare your production crew resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your production crew resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a production crew resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable production crew resume templates

    Build a professional production crew resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your production crew resume.
    Production Crew Resume
    Production Crew Resume
    Production Crew Resume
    Production Crew Resume
    Production Crew Resume
    Production Crew Resume
    Production Crew Resume
    Production Crew Resume
    Production Crew Resume
  6. Apply for production crew jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a production crew job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first production crew job

Zippi

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Average production crew salary

The average production crew salary in the United States is $31,793 per year or $15 per hour. Production crew salaries range between $25,000 and $39,000 per year.

Average production crew salary
$31,793 Yearly
$15.29 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do production crews rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Production crew reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2019
Pros

Working as a Production Assistant is great because I get to work on set or right there with the camera operators and it is a constantly changing job.

Cons

What I don't like about the Production Assistant job is that it's quite uncertain when your next job will be.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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