Breaking into VFX and Animation production may seem like a daunting challenge, especially if you're coming from a completely different industry. However, the reality is that many skills from other sectors are highly transferable, and production teams value professionals with diverse backgrounds who bring unique perspectives and problem-solving abilities.
If you’ve worked in project management, administration, event planning, customer service, or any role that requires organization and communication, these skills will go a long way in helping you succeed as a Production Coordinator or Production Assistant in VFX and Animation. In this blog we explore how you can transition into the industry and leverage your existing skills to land a job in production management.
1. Understand the Role of a Production Coordinator or Production Assistant
Before diving into how your skills transfer, it's essential to understand what Production Coordinators and Production Assistants do in animation and VFX.
Production Coordinators oversee the progress of projects, ensuring schedules are met and teams stay organized. They liaise between artists, supervisors, and clients, tracking tasks and keeping production workflows efficient.
Production Assistants provide administrative support to the production team, update tracking tools, and help facilitate smooth communication across departments.
Essentially, these roles require strong organizational skills, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication - qualities that professionals from various industries already possess.
2. Transferable Skills & How They Apply to VFX/Animation Production
If you’re coming from another industry, here’s how your existing skills directly translate into a career in production coordination.
✅ Project Management & Organizational Skills (From Admin, Event Planning, or Office Management)
If you’ve coordinated projects, scheduled meetings, managed deadlines, or kept teams organized, you already have a strong foundation in production workflows.
In a VFX or animation studio, these skills translate to tracking tasks, ensuring deadlines are met, and keeping the team on schedule using ShotGrid, spreadsheets, and other tracking tools.
✅ Strong Communication & Team Coordination (From Customer Service, Sales, or Hospitality)
Have you ever worked in a fast-paced, client-facing environment where clear communication was key? Studios thrive on collaborative teamwork, and production roles require liaising between multiple departments.
Being able to convey complex information simply to different teams (artists, supervisors, clients) is crucial in production.
✅ Problem-Solving & Adaptability (From Management, Corporate Admin, or IT)
Every production has unexpected challenges. If you’re used to troubleshooting, making quick decisions under pressure, or adjusting to changes, these problem-solving skills are highly valuable in animation and VFX.
Studios need production staff who anticipate bottlenecks and find solutions before they escalate.
✅ Time Management & Multitasking (From Healthcare, Education, or Logistics)
Managing multiple projects, deadlines, or clients at once mirrors the workload in a studio environment.
Production Coordinators and Assistants juggle multiple tasks, updates, and artist schedules, making prioritization and efficiency key skills.
✅ Tech-Savviness & Learning New Tools (From IT, Marketing, or Finance)
Even if you’ve never used ShotGrid or other production tracking software, being comfortable with technology and learning new systems quickly is a major advantage.
If you have experience using Excel, databases, or CRM tools, transitioning to production tools will be easier.
3. How to Leverage Your Past Experience in Your Job Search
Now that you see how your existing skills apply, here’s how to make your transition stand out to hiring managers.
📌 Update Your Resume to Highlight Transferable Skills
Instead of just listing previous job titles, focus on responsibilities that align with production coordination.
Example:
Managed multiple projects with shifting deadlines, ensuring all deliverables were met on time.
Coordinated communication between teams, streamlining workflows and resolving conflicts proactively.
Used Excel/Google Sheets to track tasks, manage budgets, and report project progress.
📌 Take a Short Course or Workshop on Production Tools
Many studios use Flow Production Tracking (ShotGrid) for asset and project management. Taking a beginner-friendly course on this software can give you a head start. (Like our 2-hour beginner friendly workshop: https://www.themayhemco.com/flow-production-tracking-workshop)
Online education providers, like Mayhem Production Management offer a comprehensive short course designed to help beginners and production assistants build the skills needed to succeed in a PA or PC role. Mayhem’s training provides a structured, in-depth approach to understanding production workflows, even without prior experience.
📌 Network & Learn from Industry Professionals
Follow industry groups on LinkedIn and join animation/VFX communities.
Attend events, webinars, or studio open days to meet professionals and learn about industry expectations.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to people already working in production for advice or mentorship.
📌 Apply for Production Assistant Roles to Get Your Foot in the Door
If you’re making a career switch, entry-level roles like Production Assistant or Runner are a great way in.
Studios value adaptability, organization, and communication skills just as much as prior experience.
Even a freelance or contract position can help build experience and lead to full-time opportunities.
4. Final Thoughts: Your Industry Experience is an Asset
The VFX and Animation industry is constantly evolving, and studios need people with strong coordination, communication, and problem-solving skills. If you’ve worked in project management, admin, customer service, education, healthcare, or IT, you already have a strong foundation to step into production.
The key is to bridge the gap between your current experience and industry expectations by:
✅ Learning production tracking tools
✅ Highlighting transferable skills in your resume
✅ Building industry connections through networking
✅ Starting with an entry level role to gain experience
With the right training and mindset, you can successfully transition into a VFX or Animation production career and bring fresh, valuable perspectives to the industry.
📌 Interested in learning the fundamentals and gain hands on experience in production coordination? You can register for our production coordinator course here.
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