Ask most people what they’d do in the film industry and they’ll say “director.” It’s the most visible role, the one that gets the credit and the interviews. But directing represents a tiny fraction of the jobs that make films happen. The Australian screen industry employs thousands of people in roles that most audiences never think about, and many of these careers are more stable, more accessible, and frankly more in demand than directing.

Production Management

Production managers and line producers are the people who make films physically happen. They manage budgets, schedules, logistics, crew hiring, and the thousand daily decisions that keep a production running. It’s a role that requires organisational skills, financial literacy, and the ability to solve problems under pressure.

In Australia, experienced production managers are in constant demand. International productions shooting in Australia need local production management, and the domestic industry generates steady work across film, television, and advertising.

The career path usually runs from production assistant to production coordinator to production manager to line producer. Each step brings more responsibility and better pay. It’s not glamorous, but it’s essential and well-compensated.

Editing

Film editors are, in my opinion, the most underappreciated creative force in filmmaking. The editor shapes the rhythm, pace, and emotional arc of a film. A great editor can transform mediocre footage into a compelling film. A poor edit can ruin brilliant footage.

Australian editors work across film, television, documentary, and advertising. The skills are transferable across formats, which creates career flexibility. Editors with strong reputations can command good rates, and the work is year-round because post-production runs continuously even when production is seasonal.

The tools are accessible. DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Premiere are industry-standard and available to anyone with a computer. Building a reel by editing short films, student projects, and independent productions is a viable entry pathway.

Cinematography

Directors of photography make films look the way they do. They’re responsible for camera choices, lighting, framing, and the overall visual strategy. It’s intensely creative work that also requires deep technical knowledge.

The Australian cinematography community is world-class. Australian DPs regularly work on international productions, and the local industry provides steady work across multiple formats. The career path usually involves extensive time as a camera assistant and camera operator before stepping up to DP.

Equipment knowledge matters, but visual storytelling instinct matters more. The best DPs I’ve worked with think in images and understand how light and composition serve the story.

Production Design

Production designers create the physical world of a film. They design sets, choose locations, select props, and work with the director and DP to establish the visual environment. In Australian cinema, where budgets are tight, production designers often work miracles with limited resources.

It’s a career that draws on art, architecture, research, and practical problem-solving. The path usually runs through art department roles: art director, set decorator, props buyer. Each role builds skills and relationships that lead to production design credits.

Sound

As I’ve written before, sound is critically important to filmmaking, and the career opportunities in sound are diverse. Location sound recordists, sound designers, foley artists, dialogue editors, and re-recording mixers all have distinct roles and career paths.

The Australian sound community is tight-knit and supportive. Breaking in usually involves assisting experienced sound practitioners and building skills through independent projects. The equipment investment is manageable compared to camera gear, and the demand for skilled sound professionals exceeds supply in the Australian market.

Producing

Producing is perhaps the most varied role in the industry. Producers find material, develop projects, raise financing, manage productions, and oversee distribution. It’s a career that combines creative judgment with business acumen.

In Australia, producing is not easy. The financing landscape is complex, and the development process is long. But for people who can navigate both the creative and business sides of filmmaking, producing offers a career with genuine impact and variety.

How to Get Started

For all of these careers, the entry point is usually the same: get on set. Work as a runner, a production assistant, or an intern. Observe how the departments function. Find the area that interests you most and ask to assist in that department.

The Australian screen industry is small enough that talent is noticed quickly. If you’re reliable, skilled, and easy to work with, you’ll get more opportunities. Build relationships with people at your career level, because they’ll be the heads of department who hire you in ten years.

Industry organisations like Screen Producers Australia, the Australian Cinematographers Society, the Australian Screen Editors, and the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance all provide resources, networking, and professional development for people at every career stage.

The Australian screen industry needs good people in every department, not just behind the viewfinder. Find the role that fits your skills and temperament, and commit to getting good at it.