Coordinates daily set operations by creating call sheets, daily production reports, and equipment checklists with up to 500 line items.
The Production Secretary creates daily Call Sheets with precise timings (usually in 15-minute increments) and continuously maintains Daily Production Reports, recording shooting times, material consumption, and crew attendance. Their standardized documents include Location Releases, Cast Availability Forms, and Equipment Checklists with up to 500 individual items. For international productions, they also coordinate visa applications, work permits, and customs clearance for equipment transport. The role is structured into Production Secretary, Assistant Production Secretary, and for large productions, additionally a Location Secretary.
The function was established in the 1930s in Hollywood as studio productions required increasingly complex logistics. MGM was the first studio to introduce standardized Production Reports in 1934, which are still used in a similar form today. In Germany, the position only became established in the 1960s with the rise of the New German Cinema movement and increasingly decentralized production structures. Digitization since the 2000s has expanded the scope of tasks to include software-assisted planning with programs like Movie Magic Scheduling and StudioBinder.
On "Das Boot" (1981), the Production Secretary coordinated the 47-person crew daily within the cramped submarine sets through meticulously timed movement plans. During the 254-day shoot for "Cloud Atlas" (2012), three Production Secretaries synchronized parallel shoots in Germany and Spain through hourly status updates. The workflow includes morning department briefings at 6:00 AM, continuous updates on shooting progress, and evening wrap reports until 10:00 PM. Challenges arise with weather-related schedule changes or spontaneous recasting.
While the Production Manager makes strategic decisions, the Production Secretary handles daily operational coordination. The Assistant Director focuses on set operations, whereas the Production Secretary handles cross-departmental organization. For low-budget productions under 500,000 Euros, the 2nd Assistant Director often takes on this role. Modern alternatives like Production Coordinator software reduce personnel costs but require 2-3 weeks of training and cost an average of 800 Euros per month per production.
Ich bin auf präzise Call Sheets angewiesen, die mir Equipment-Verfügbarkeit und Crew-Ankunftszeiten garantieren - besonders bei komplexen Setups mit Steadicam oder Drohnen. Der Produktionssekretär muss mir rechtzeitig mitteilen, wenn sich Drehzeiten verschieben, damit ich meine Lichtplanung entsprechend anpassen kann.
Ich verlasse mich darauf, dass der Produktionssekretär meine spontanen Änderungen am Drehplan sofort an alle Departments weiterleitet, ohne dass ich den kreativen Flow unterbrechen muss. Bei emotionalen Szenen ist es entscheidend, dass die Koordination im Hintergrund reibungslos funktioniert und ich mich vollständig auf die Schauspielführung konzentrieren kann.
Ein erfahrener Produktionssekretär spart mir täglich 2-3 Stunden Koordinationsaufwand und verhindert kostspielige Verzögerungen durch Kommunikationsfehler. Seine präzisen Daily Reports sind essentiell für meine Kostenkontrolle und helfen mir, Budgetabweichungen frühzeitig zu erkennen - bei einer 30-Tage-Produktion kann das 50.000-100.000 Euro Einsparungen bedeuten.
1. Zu welchem Department gehört „Produktionssekretär"?
2. Wie viele verschiedene Fachperspektiven bietet dieser Eintrag?
The Lexikon is part of the Filmfarm ecosystem — alongside budgeting (FilmBalance), an industry magazine (FilmCircus) and crew networking (FilmCall, CrewMesh). One shared vocabulary for the whole production.