Film Production Project Manager

Scarab Digital Studios Inc.; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Scarab Digital Studios Inc. seeks an experienced playback project manager to translate scripts and production needs into actionable plans, aligned crews, and seamless on-set playback execution.

You’ll serve as the information and execution bridge among production, graphics, rentals, and the on-set screen crew, anticipating needs, managing budgets, and ensuring graphics, gear, and crew align with production realities.

Responsibilities

• Break down scripts and revisions to identify all playback-related needs across scenes, sets, devices, and deliverables.
• Create and maintain annotated breakdowns, budgets, schedules, and tracking documents as production evolves.
• Attend concept, playback, production, art, VFX, and technical meetings to stay ahead of requirements.
• Represent Scarab interests during tech survey’s discussions.
• Communicate changes quickly and clearly to the relevant on-set crew, creative team, and rentals team.
• Plan labour, equipment, and support needs for each episode, unit, or production phase.
• Help determine the right crew size and recommend the right people based on complexity, pace, and technical needs.
• Coordinate equipment prep, pickups, returns, sub-rentals, transport, and location or stage readiness.
• Confirm that approved graphics packages, devices, and playback files match expected on-set needs before shoot days.
• Walk the team through scene-related playback expectations and keep communication current as schedules and priorities shift.
• Support approvals and review flow with directors, producers, showrunners, and other stakeholders.
• Track feedback, flag risks, and keep budgets and plans current as scripts and production realities change.
• Maintain a high quality bar while protecting schedule, budget, communication flow, and crew safety.
• Understand equipment and on-set work flow and jump in to help with troubleshooting or requested adjustments.

Job description

A bridge role that translates scripts and production needs into organized plans, aligned crews, and seamless on‑set playback execution.

The Opportunity

We’re looking to build ongoing relationships with exceptional set‑facing project managers who can represent Scarab’s screen playback commitment on active film and television productions. This role represents Scarab’s interest as it pertains to Scarab bid work such as Playback while being production/client facing. The opportunity is to become one of the people we trust to recommend repeatedly when a show comes in. For the right person, this becomes a repeat working relationship across productions, not a one‑off call. We already work with a small number of people in this capacity, and when someone proves reliable, clear, and strong under pressure, they tend to stay in rotation.

What This Role Really Is

This role is the information and execution bridge between production, the creative graphics team, rentals, and the on‑set screen crew. It is not just dealing with technical issues on the day. It is staying ahead of the work: interpreting scripts and revisions, planning labour and equipment, staffing the right people, maintaining communication, creating and protecting budgets, and making sure graphics, gear, and crew are aligned to what production actually needs. You need enough technical fluency to ask the right questions and anticipate failure points, but your real value is judgment, organization, communication, and follow‑through. When this role is done well, the work runs cleanly because the problems were solved before they showed up.

What You’ll Do

• Break down scripts and revisions to identify all playback‑related needs across scenes, sets, devices, and deliverables.
• Create and maintain annotated breakdowns, budgets, schedules, and tracking documents as production evolves.
• Attend concept, playback, production, art, VFX, and technical meetings to stay ahead of requirements.
• Represent Scarab interests during tech survey’s discussions.
• Communicate changes quickly and clearly to the relevant on‑set crew, creative team, and rentals team.
• Plan labour, equipment, and support needs for each episode, unit, or production phase.
• Help determine the right crew size and recommend the right people based on complexity, pace, and technical needs.
• Coordinate equipment prep, pickups, returns, sub‑rentals, transport, and location or stage readiness.
• Confirm that approved graphics packages, devices, and playback files match expected on‑set needs before shoot days.
• Walk the team through scene‑related playback expectations and keep communication current as schedules and priorities shift.
• Support approvals and review flow with directors, producers, showrunners, and other stakeholders.
• Track feedback, flag risks, and keep budgets and plans current as scripts and production realities change.
• Maintain a high quality bar while protecting schedule, budget, communication flow, and crew safety.
• Understand equipment and on‑set work flow and jump in to help with troubleshooting or requested adjustments.

You’ll Do Your Best Work Here If

• Think several steps ahead and organize moving parts before they become problems.
• Communicate precisely, calmly, even when the day changes fast.
• Can bridge creative language, production language, and technical reality without losing clarity.
• Take ownership of outcomes rather than waiting to be told what needs attention.
• Know how to keep a team aligned without micromanaging.
• Care about professionalism, preparedness, and protecting trust show after show.
• Are comfortable making decisions with incomplete information and adjusting as things evolve.

This Role is Probably NOT A Fit If

• You prefer working within clearly defined plans rather than building them.
• You avoid direct communication when information is unclear or changing.
• You tend to stay reactive instead of planning ahead.
• You prefer focusing on a single task rather than coordinating across multiple moving parts.