Manager – Post Production

Reporting to the SFTV Head of Production, the Manager, Post Production oversees all staff, operations, and planning in Post Production, including Video and Sound Editing, Sound Recording, Animation, and the school’s theaters and screening rooms.

Overview:

The Production Administration Team (PAT) at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) – School of Film and Television (SFTV), a top-ranked film school, serves students in Film Production, Screenwriting, Recording Arts, Animation, and Film Studies. The students in Film Production produce approximately 800 films per year. Each project is overseen by a staff member in PAT. Projects are monitored for adherence to rules, policies, and procedures codified in the SFTV Handbook, and most importantly, for the highest level of workplace safety. 

PAT provides services and maintains available facilities and equipment in 5 buildings across two campuses, including sound stages, scene and prop shop, professional cinema-quality camera packages, grip/electric equipment, and production sound equipment for both project and classroom use.

The Post Production department oversees the facilities for video and sound editing as well as sound recording, animation, and the theaters. These facilities include editing suites, sound mixing stages, foley rooms, color correction rooms, a recording studio, computer labs, and three theaters, as well as drawing, motion capture, and stop animation rooms. For a more complete list of equipment and facilities, please see the SFTV website. SFTV is a certified Avid® Learning Partner (ALP), both teaching and using The Adobe® Creative Suite and DaVinci Resolve.

Position Specific Responsibilities/Accountabilities

• Leads the strategic integration of the Animation and Theater teams into the Post Production  department under the direction of the Head of Production.

• Oversees all SFTV Post-Production facilities, workflows, scheduling, and maintenance for both production and class use, including:

  • Maintenance and upgrade of all Post Production facilities and labs.

  • Facilities’ scheduling for individual student use.

  • Classroom support.

  • Internal SFTV help desk/repair ticket system.

• Oversees and is accountable for managing the overall Post Production budget and associated sub-budgets. Ensures costs are forecasted, overages avoided, and staff adherence to purchasing and reconciliations processes.

• Leads and models adherence to standards, policies, and procedures as outlined in the Post Production Handbook. Ensures standards are clearly and accurately defined and oversees publication of the Post Production Handbook. 

• Advises the Head of Production and faculty on annual and off-cycle equipment requisition requests.

•  Oversees and supervises SFTV post-production staff, including:

  • Editing Support Specialist

  • Sound Support Specialist

  • Animation Support Specialist

  • Theater Support Specialist / Manager

  • Post-Production Help Desk and other student workers (approx. 60 total)

• Supervision includes but is not limited to recruitment, hiring, and onboarding,  training, evaluation, performance management, and close oversight of staff’s activities.

• Serves as the point person and 

  • Solves technical problems for students, faculty, and staff.

  • Ensures proper, complete and updated software installs in labs and on specialized computers.

  • Manages small-scale and large-scale technical projects with assigned staff members. 

  • Works with staff to test new hardware and software with a focus on post-production needs. 

• Collaborates with Production Administration, Camera, Production Sound, and Grip/Electric staff on designing and providing seamless workflows from script to screen.

• Develops long-term plans for the department, including 

  • Post-Production workflows including picture, sound, visual effects and virtual production.

  • Software and equipment strategies, and budgets. 

  • Researches and recommends new replacement software and hardware to support the curriculum. 

  • New equipment and methods.

• Oversees comprehensive training and resources to support students, staff, and faculty, including:

  • Development of tutorials, documentation, and video tutorials to facilitate understanding of software, hardware, and post-production workflows, including 2K, 4K, and future UHD workflows.

  • Training for post-production graduate students, teaching, and lab assistants.

  • Training and managing Post-Production Help Desk student workers. Provides one-on-one training in various aspects of post-production hardware and software for faculty and staff development.

  • Designs focused tutorial sessions.

• Stays current with industry standards and technical developments, which may include attending trade shows, webinars, and industry events. Disseminates information about new trends to the SFTV community and fosters discussion about the technical future of the school.

• Participates in planning and execution of both internal and outward-facing events, including screenings, showcases, festivals, and panel discussions. Supports the technical needs of the event itself as well as their audio and multi-cam capture and streaming.

• Liaises with faculty on current needs and long-term planning.

• Assists in cross-functional work with the Dean’s Office, Administration and Operations, Faculty Services, Student Services and/or other SFTV departments, including public events or any other use of SFTV facilities or resources.

• Collaborates with the IT department on hardware and software upgrades and maintenance. Consult SFTV Operations department on RMP computer/laptop requests and parameters for software purchases.

• Interfaces with Facilities Management on installations and renovations, as directed by the Head of Production and the SFTV Director of Operations as needed.  

• Other duties as assigned or requested.

Loyola Marymount University Expectations

Exhibit behavior that supports the mission, vision, and values of the university. Communicate and employ interpersonal actions that model high standards of professional, responsible, accountable, and ethical conduct. Demonstrate a commitment to outstanding customer service.

Requisite Qualifications

• Typically, a Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience. M.F.A. is preferred. Incumbent will be expected to continue upgrading knowledge and skills.

• A minimum of seven years of varied and progressively more responsible duties in the post-production area  of the entertainment industry, such as:

  • Strong track record as Post Production Supervisor in Film and Television

  • Experience as an editor, assistant editor or sound editor

  • Experience in project delivery (active/passive)

  • Experience in virtual production

  • Experience in Animation.

• Proven track record in staff management required.

• Experience in a corporate environment is highly desirable including experience with

  • HR processes

  • Record keeping

  • Inter-collegial and inter-departmental interactions

  • Professional communications

• Experience in a university setting is desirable. 

  • Experience in project management is strongly desired.

• Experience in the WorkDay platform highly desired.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

  • Highly developed crisis/conflict management skills are required, specifically de-escalation.

  • High degree of empathy, respect for and ability to connect with people from diverse backgrounds, ages and cultures required.

• Proven ability to work calmly and efficiently in a high-paced, high-volume environment.

• Understanding of, and ability to follow, organizational structure and defined processes.

• Ability to work both independently and follow direction.

  • Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously. Must be organized, detail-oriented, and demonstrate initiative, quick problem-solving, thinking ahead, and follow-through.

  • High level of discretion and judgement is required to handle confidential information within the academic environment. 

  • Keen understanding of the role of academic support staff in interaction with students is required.

  • Ability to work flexible schedule to allow for evenings and some weekend work during production periods (~10 weeks/semester).

  • Ability to travel at short notice, including for set visits out-of-town or trade shows.

  • Demonstrated ability to supervise multiple reports expected.

  • Direct working knowledge of all aspects of film and television production including production workflow, scheduling, budgeting, risk management and insurance, minor’s work requirements, guild and union contracts, equipment, facilities and accounts.

• Ability to assist students in the development of professional attitudes and disciplines while performing work on class projects or working as TAs or Graduate Assistants.

• Comprehensive knowledge of the entertainment industry and practical experience in all aspects of the post-production process. 

• In-depth understanding of post-production workflows from set capture to finishing for multiple storytelling forms (narrative, documentary, trans-media, virtual production). 

• Strong technical proficiency in post-production hardware and software setups. Certification (or willingness to get certification) as an Avid ASCR and with other post-production software (such as Adobe products/ProTools/DaVinci Resolve, etc.) taught in SFTV classes.

• Ability to research, learn, and test updates and new software and hardware to support SFTV classes, work closely with LMU IT to resolve software and hardware issues, and adapt to changes in curricula and assist with implementation.

  • Ability to write and edit narratives, prepare memos, reports, handbooks, and other documents independently and efficiently. 

  • Excellent computer skills and knowledge of industry standard software expected, including required MS365 suite, Word, Excel, Outlook, Slack, MM Budgeting, MM Scheduling, HotSheets, Premiere, After Effects, ProTools, Avid Media Composer.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of this position.

#HERC# #HEJ#

Staff Term (Fixed Term)

Salary range

$87,000.00 - $117,500.00 Salary commensurate with education and experience.

Please note that this position may not be eligible for visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Loyola Marymount University, a Carnegie classified R2 institution in the mainstream of American Catholic higher education, seeks outstanding applicants who value its mission and share its commitment to inclusive excellence, the education of the whole person, and the building of a just society. LMU is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing an environment free from discrimination and harassment as defined by federal, state and local law. We invite all persons in the full diversity of their being, life experience, and beliefs to apply. (Visit www.lmu.edu for more information.)