KZB290 Production Management

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This unit introduces the skills and essential industry knowledge to equip students from all disciplines to successfully manage creative projects – whether they are large scale creative projects or your own individual creative practice. This unit will look at the management of all forms of creative practice, from live performance, events and exhibitions, music concerts, film projects, touring production, and more. Students will learn how to schedule, budget, assess risks and manage the logistics of creative productions, all while expanding their understanding of the key industry awards that govern Australian creative industries, from broadcast to live performance to print media. This unit is ideal for students wanting to work as production managers in all creative fields, as well as students wishing to self-manage creative projects.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Develop skills and knowledge to interpret creative documentation and plan for creative productions.
2. Evaluate and implement strategies for effective scheduling across the different phases of creative production.
3. Demonstrate understanding of the industrial, creative and cultural contexts and codes of practice which govern the safe and effective execution of creative productions.
4. Develop skills in managing funding and the role of budgets in creative practice.

Content

Learning Approaches

In this unit,  you will engage in Lectures that introduce production management across disciplines, breaking down discipline-specific terminology and practice and sharing key terms and approaches. These will introduce

• Core skills 
• Awards/Guidelines that govern our disciplines
• Production management in the real world - case studies from across Live Performance, Animation, Film and Screen, Contemporary Art.

In Tutorials you will engage in weekly topics from various disciplines and discuss key aspects of management including: 

• Creating budgets, schedules, risk assessments
• Touring and transport
• Studio and Location shoots
• Copyright, IP and contracts

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Feedback in this unit is provided to you in the following ways:

• a range of formative exercises discussed and applied in class
• generic comments posted to the whole cohort via the unit Canvas website
• feedback from peers as you investigate and discuss issues raised throughout the unit
• comments and individual feedback about summative assessment work included on criteria sheets with your grade.

Assessment

Overview

There are two assessments to complete for this unit. The first is a group presentation that will examine a creative production in any discipline to understand the process and documentation required to deliver the outcome.

The second assessment requires individual students to complete their own project development from the production management perspective. They will deliver a schedule, budget, risk assessment, and associated documentation that will ensure the project is ready for production/exhibition.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Presentation

You will present an analysis of a real-world production (screen-based or live performance/event), assessing the key production management concerns and how professionals resolved real-world problems, demonstrating knowledge of the relevant industry awards and legislation.

Assessment: Production Management Scenario

Produce budgets, schedules, risk assessments and other key production management documentation essential to realising a hypothetical stage, film, event, exhibition or other creative project.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

All students are requested to visit and review the Health and Safety information on the HiQ web pages (CIESJ Tier 1 HSE requirement).

Resources

Resource Materials

Recommended text(s)

Dunlop, R. (2014). Production pipeline fundamentals for film and game. Focal Press.

Gates, R. (2013). Production management for film and video (3rd ed.). Focal Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780080515007

Gillett, C., & Sheehan, J. (2017). The production manager’s toolkit : successful production management in theatre and performing arts. Routledge.

Greenwald, S. R., Landry, P., Kalb, M., & Garson, R. (2023). The business of film : a practical introduction (Third edition.). Routledge.

Kachka, B. (2021). Becoming a film producer (First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition.). Simon & Schuster.

Lee, J. J., & Gillen, A. M. (2018). The producer’s business handbook : the roadmap for the balanced film producer (Fourth edition.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315168579

Other

To enable your full participation in the virtual learning environment, for example, participating in online activities and engaging with online learning materials, you will need access to a reliable computer with an internet connection, webcam, headset and microphone, as well as a learning environment where you are able to fully participate undisturbed when required.

Risk Assessment Statement

For risks associated with using campus buildings or QUT facilities, refer to the HiQ Health and Safety information.

Where substantial computer-based work is required, particularly in the case of fully online students, you are recommended to take regular rest breaks when engaging in prolonged computer-based work, and ensure that your workstation is set up for optimal comfort to prevent strain or injury.

Course Learning Outcomes

KC40 Bachelor of Communication

1. Demonstrate capacity to understand and critique the historical, cultural, technological, and regulatory implications of digital media, entertainment, communication, and news industries.
   Relates to: ULO3, Production Management Scenario
2. Demonstrate capacity to engage with and apply specialised knowledge of one or more areas of digital media, entertainment, communication, and news industries, including the relationship between disciplinary theory, research methodologies, and professional practice.
   Relates to: ULO1, Presentation, Production Management Scenario
3. Critically analyse, evaluate and synthesise complex forms of information and evidence to inform decision-making, problem solving and argumentation.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Production Management Scenario
4. Demonstrate critical digital literacy skills across diverse platforms and technologies, including familiarity with analytic tools to effectively and responsibly interpret data in the media, communication, and news industries.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO4, Presentation, Production Management Scenario

KK43 Bachelor of Creative Industries

1. Demonstrate broad and coherent theoretical and practical knowledge required for creative enterprise, career development and interdisciplinary collaborations, supported by depth in at least one creative disciplinary area.
   Relates to: ULO4, Production Management Scenario
2. Demonstrate well-developed cognitive and ideation skills to identify, analyse and evaluate opportunities to address authentic complex problems.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO4, Presentation, Production Management Scenario
3. Demonstrate technical expertise to support skills and knowledge within the Creative Industries.
   Relates to: ULO2, Presentation, Production Management Scenario
4. Apply and adapt creative disciplinary knowledge and skills with agility in a range of industry, community and intercultural contexts.
   Relates to: ULO3, ULO4, Production Management Scenario
5. Practise self-management of career and learning with enterprise and an entrepreneurial outlook, including the building of personal and professional relationships and partnerships.
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Presentation, Production Management Scenario