Video Producer

Bottle Rocket Media; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Bottle Rocket Media in Chicago is seeking an experienced Producer to manage video projects from pre-production through final delivery. The Hybrid position in Chicago requires coordinating talent, crews, locations, equipment, travel, and client communication to ensure on-time delivery and high creative quality.

You will work closely with directors and editors on set and in post-production, shaping stories while keeping schedules and budgets in check and maintaining outstanding client service

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional video, television, documentary, commercial, branded content, agency, or related production experience.
• Must have experience as a field producer and director.
• Experience managing projects from pre-production through post-production.

Responsibilities

• Pre-Production: develop schedules, coordinate talent, crew, locations, equipment, and travel; plan interviews and shoot lists.
• Production: run on-set, direct interviews and b-roll, manage crew and logistics, maintain client service.
• Post-Production: coordinate with editors, oversee asset delivery, track revisions and deadlines.
• Project & Client Management: communicate timelines and expectations; maintain client relationships and manage vendor relationships.
• Budget & Resource Management: track costs, audit invoices, allocate resources within budgets.
• Process & Operations: follow and improve production processes across projects.

Job description

Please note: This is a Hybrid position in Chicago, Illinois. Fully remote applicants will not be considered.

Bottle Rocket Media is seeking an experienced, highly organized Producer to manage video projects from pre-production through final delivery.

The Producer is the central owner of project workflow, responsible for coordinating people, schedules, budgets, creative development, production logistics, client communication, and post-production.

This role requires someone who can see both the big picture and the small details, anticipate problems before they happen, and keep projects moving without sacrificing creative quality or client experience.

Must have experience as a creative producer & field director. Our Producers are expected to be more than project managers. They are active creative collaborators who help shape stories, conduct interviews, work closely with directors and crews on set, and partner with editors throughout post-production to ensure the original vision is successfully carried through to the finished piece.

Responsibilities

Pre-Production.

Own and manage all aspects of pre-production, including:

• Develop and maintain project schedules, production calendars, and key milestones.
• Coordinate talent, clients, crew, locations, equipment, travel, and other production logistics.
• Lead creative planning in collaboration with directors, creative staff, clients, and other project stakeholders.
• Conduct pre-interviews with subjects and identify potential stories, themes, and interview opportunities.
• Develop interview questions, story outlines, shot lists, production plans, and other pre-production materials.
• Communicate production schedules, expectations, deliverables, and requirements to clients and internal team members.
• Identify potential production challenges and proactively develop solutions.
• Ensure the production team is fully prepared before arriving on set.

Production.

Run productions on set and serve as a key point of contact for the client, crew, and internal team.

• Manage the production day from both a logistical and creative perspective.
• Work closely with directors, cinematographers, crew members, talent, and clients to ensure the production stays on schedule and accomplishes its creative goals.
• Conduct on-camera interviews and direct broll.
• Help identify strong stories, moments, and additional creative opportunities as they emerge during production.
• Manage schedules, locations, talent, crew, equipment, meals, transportation, and other production logistics.
• Maintain a high level of client service throughout the production.
• Communicate changes, challenges, and decisions clearly and quickly.
• Anticipate problems and resolve issues without unnecessarily disrupting the client or production.

Post-Production.

Oversee the transition from production into post and remain actively involved through final delivery.

• Ensure all media is properly transferred, organized, backed up, and delivered to the post-production team.
• Coordinate transcription and organization of interview material.
• Review interviews and transcripts to identify the strongest material.
• Develop scripts, paper edits, story structures, and other editorial materials.
• Collaborate closely with Editors to shape the story and ensure the creative vision is achieved.
• Manage internal reviews and client review cycles.
• Consolidate and communicate client feedback clearly to the post-production team.
• Track revisions, approvals, deliverables, and deadlines.
• Ensure final assets are completed accurately and delivered according to project specifications.

Project & Client Management

• Serve as a primary point of contact for assigned clients throughout the project.
• Clearly communicate project timelines, deliverables, goals, responsibilities, and expectations.
• Create and maintain production schedules and respond to production-related questions from clients.
• Keep clients informed without overwhelming them with unnecessary production details.
• Maintain strong relationships and ensure clients feel that their projects are organized, understood, and well cared for.
• Manage project workflow across internal departments and external vendors.
• Ensure responsibilities and next steps are clearly assigned and communicated.
• Navigate simultaneous demands across multiple projects and prioritize resources appropriately.
• Identify schedule, budget, creative, or operational risks early and develop solutions before they become larger problems.

Budget & Resource Management

• Manage project resources within approved scopes and budgets.
• Track project costs throughout production.
• Review and audit vendor and freelancer invoices for accuracy.
• Identify potential budget overruns early and communicate them appropriately.
• Work with internal leadership to allocate staff, freelancers, equipment, and other resources efficiently.
• Maintain accurate project documentation and cost tracking.

Process & Operations

• Follow established Bottle Rocket Media production and project-management processes.
• Maintain accurate project information, schedules, documentation, and communications.
• Develop project-specific workflows when needed to improve organization and efficiency.
• Identify opportunities to improve existing company processes.
• Help create consistency across projects while recognizing when individual productions require a customized approach.

What We're Looking For

While there will always be on-the-job-training, we cannot teach someone to be positive, kind, self-motivated, hard-working, enthusiastic, fun, communicative, and organized. If you have these skills, read on.

The ideal candidate is someone who is equally comfortable talking with a client, interviewing and directing a documentary subject, managing a crew, reviewing a budget, and sitting beside an Editor working through a story.

You should be:

• Highly organized without being rigid.
• Comfortable managing clients and setting expectations.
• Calm and resourceful under pressure.
• Able to manage multiple projects and competing priorities simultaneously.
• Proactive rather than reactive.
• Detail-oriented while still understanding the larger creative objective.
• Comfortable making decisions and taking ownership.
• Collaborative and respectful with both internal teams and freelance crews.
• Strong at storytelling and able to recognize compelling interview material.
• Capable of giving clear, constructive creative feedback.
• Financially responsible and comfortable managing project budgets.
• Comfortable addressing problems directly rather than allowing issues to linger.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional video, television, documentary, commercial, branded content, agency, or related production experience. Must have experience as a field producer & director.
• Demonstrated experience managing projects from pre-production through post-production.
• Experience managing professional video crews and production logistics.
• Experience writing interview questions & conducting interviews in the field.
• Strong writing and storytelling skills.
• Experience developing scripts, story outlines, and paper edits from interview-based content.
• Working knowledge of professional video production and post-production workflows.
• Strong client-service and communication skills.
• Experience managing production budgets, vendors, freelancers, and invoices.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a deadline-driven environment.

Success in This Role

A successful Producer at Bottle Rocket Media creates clarity.

• The client knows what is happening and feels taken care of.
• The crew knows what is expected.
• The Editor understands the story.
• The internal team understands the schedule and priorities.
• The budget is being watched.
• Problems are identified early.
• And the project moves from kickoff to delivery without important details falling through the cracks.

Ultimately, the Producer owns the process while helping protect the creative quality of the work.