Industry Jobs | Studio Production Company
/As one of the premiere studio production companies in New York, Broadway Stages works to meet the growing needs of the film and TV industry while also focusing on the needs of our community. Not only does the industry need a need a skilled and experienced workforce, but also, they need a facility or location where they can shoot their scenes. Today, we look at the role that the studio production company plays in making a production come to life.
What is a studio production company? A studio production company generally offers the soundstages, locations, and ancillary spaces for a variety of film and television productions. The soundstage is used to build out a set (think about the Sunday dinners hosted on CBS’ “Blue Bloods,” or the over-the-top period homes on HBO’s “The Gilded Age,” or the NYPD precinct on NBC’s “Law & Order: Organized Crime”). The sets are painstakingly and realistically created with the help of artisans that we have spotlighted in this blog series. From set design and construction to scenic artists, lighting, grip, and more – it takes a village to make a production come to life on a soundstage. A full-service studio production company brings them all together in one place where they create and tell the stories we love to watch.
What’s a soundstage? Studio Binder defines a soundstage as “a building that’s used primarily for shooting films. These stages are typically large, warehouse-like buildings.” The idea of a soundstage was “conceived in response to the advent of sound in film in the late 1920s-early 30s to allow for live audio recording.” The soundstages of today offer space to accommodate all types and sizes of productions.
What is a location? Many studio production companies also offer locations where scenes can be shot for a film, TV show, music video or commercial. What may appear to be a dilapidated building, abandoned structure such as a bank, gas terminal, parking garage, former prison, etc. may well be a maintained location ready to bring reality to the production being filmed. One example of a location is the former Arthur Kill Correctional Facility on Staten Island. Due to its authentic penitentiary look and feel this location has been the backdrop for popular shows and films like “Orange is the New Black,” “Daredevil,” “Oceans 8,” “When They See Us,” and more. Check out this AP YouTube segment and see for yourself what it looks like inside the prison.
What is ancillary space? When a production comes to town they come with a cast and crew that need space for their particular craft or discipline. From construction and scenic artists to hair and makeup, wardrobe, props, storage, accounting, editing, and more. A full-service studio production company provides this type of space to accommodate the needs of their client.
WARDROBE Room
set construction shop
What does it take to be in the studio production business?
To be successful, a studio production company needs to be knowledgeable about filmmaking and the industry. Customer service, communication and flexibility are key along with business skills and a professional network. As with many industry roles, on-the-job experience, including entry level jobs such as production assistant, soundstage assistant, or facility manager, is a way to learn the ropes. Of course, you also need soundstages, locations and ancillary space to offer to your clients.
As always, you can learn about film and TV industry jobs, training, and more in the Broadway Stages’ Industry Resource Guide. Our guide provides information about industry-focused job posting sites; links to general recruiting sites; education and training programs; and state, city, and borough industry information.
Watch for our next segment in this series that will focus on the companies that provide products and services to the studio production companies and their clients.
