Audiovisual Project Manager Course

Lesson 1 • The AV Industry Landscape

Maps the full spectrum of AV sectors—broadcast, film, live events, corporate, and digital media. Establishes context for every project management decision covered later.

Lesson 2 • Core AV Terminology and Formats

Defines essential technical vocabulary: codecs, aspect ratios, frame rates, and signal types. Enables clear communication with technical crews and vendors.

Lesson 3 • The Project Lifecycle Overview

Introduces the five phases—development, pre-production, production, post-production, and distribution. Provides the structural framework for all subsequent chapters.

Lesson 4 • Production Roles and Responsibilities

Identifies every crew role from executive producer to grip and explains reporting lines. Clarifies where the project manager sits within the production hierarchy.

Lesson 1 • Feasibility and Risk Assessment at Initiation

Evaluates technical, financial, and logistical feasibility before committing resources. Surfaces critical risks early so they can be addressed in planning.

Lesson 2 • Defining and Documenting Scope

Establishes what is and is not included in the project using a formal scope statement and work breakdown structure. Prevents scope creep from the outset.

Lesson 3 • Identifying Project Goals and Objectives

Translates a client's creative vision into measurable project objectives using structured goal-setting methods. Anchors all later planning to a defined purpose.

Lesson 4 • Creating the Project Charter

Synthesises goals, scope, stakeholders, and initial risks into a single governing document. The charter becomes the authoritative reference for all project decisions.

Lesson 1 • AV Budget Architecture

Breaks down the standard AV budget into above-the-line, below-the-line, and post-production cost categories. Establishes the structural logic used in all subsequent budget work.

Lesson 2 • Budget Tracking and Cost Control

Monitors actual spend against the baseline using earned value and variance analysis. Enables timely corrective action before overruns become critical.

Lesson 3 • Final Reconciliation and Financial Reporting

Closes the financial record with a reconciled actuals report and lessons-learned cost analysis. Builds the historical data needed for future estimates.

Lesson 4 • Budget Approval and Baseline Setting

Guides the budget through client and internal approval cycles and locks a cost baseline. The baseline becomes the benchmark for all variance tracking.

Lesson 5 • Estimating Costs Accurately

Applies parametric, analogous, and bottom-up estimation methods to AV line items. Reduces the gap between estimated and actual costs.

Lesson 1 • Post-Production and Delivery Scheduling

Maps the editorial, sound, colour, and delivery pipeline onto a backward-planned schedule. Ensures all post milestones align with the final delivery deadline.

Lesson 2 • Scheduling Fundamentals for AV

Introduces network diagrams, critical path method, and AV-specific scheduling conventions. Provides the analytical foundation for all schedule-building activities.

Lesson 3 • Resource Leveling and Crew Scheduling

Balances crew availability, union rules, and equipment constraints against the shooting schedule. Prevents overallocation and costly overtime.

Lesson 4 • Pre-Production Planning Documents

Covers call sheets, one-liners, stripboards, and location schedules as planning instruments. Connects each document to its role in coordinating crew and resources.

Lesson 1 • Communication Planning and Channels

Designs a communication plan that specifies who receives what information, when, and through which channel. Reduces information gaps and miscommunication on set.

Lesson 2 • Running Effective Production Meetings

Applies structured facilitation techniques to production meetings, tech scouts, and tone meetings. Converts meeting time into actionable decisions and clear ownership.

Lesson 3 • Conflict Resolution on Set and in Post

Identifies common conflict triggers in AV environments and applies resolution frameworks. Maintains team cohesion under the pressure of tight deadlines.

Lesson 4 • Motivating and Leading Creative Professionals

Adapts leadership style to the motivational needs of directors, editors, and technical crew. Sustains high performance across the full production lifecycle.

Lesson 1 • Risk Response Planning

Develops avoid, transfer, mitigate, and accept strategies for each prioritized risk. Assigns ownership and trigger conditions for each response.

Lesson 2 • Risk Identification in AV Production

Uses structured techniques to surface technical, logistical, creative, and financial risks. A comprehensive risk list is the prerequisite for all subsequent mitigation work.

Lesson 3 • On-Set Problem Solving and Crisis Management

Applies rapid decision-making frameworks to production emergencies such as equipment failure or location loss. Keeps production moving when plans break down.

Lesson 4 • Insurance, Permits, and Compliance

Identifies the insurance products, location permits, and regulatory requirements that protect AV productions. Ensures legal and financial protection before cameras roll.

Lesson 1 • Managing Vendor Performance

Establishes performance metrics, check-in cadences, and escalation procedures for vendors. Maintains delivery quality and accountability throughout production.

Lesson 2 • Negotiating Production Agreements

Applies negotiation principles to rate cards, deal memos, and facility agreements. Secures favorable terms while preserving long-term vendor relationships.

Lesson 3 • Contract Close-Out and Vendor Evaluation

Formally closes vendor contracts, reconciles invoices, and documents performance for future reference. Builds a vetted vendor database for subsequent projects.

Lesson 4 • Core Contract Types in AV Production

Explains deal memos, crew agreements, location releases, and distribution contracts. Equips the project manager to review and flag problematic clauses.

Lesson 1 • Project Closeout Procedures

Executes formal project closure including final reporting, asset archiving, and team release. Provides a clean administrative end to the project.

Lesson 2 • Distribution and Delivery Management

Manages the preparation and submission of final deliverables to broadcasters, platforms, and clients. Ensures format compliance and on-time delivery.

Lesson 3 • Managing the Post-Production Pipeline

Coordinates editorial, VFX, color grading, and sound departments as interdependent workstreams. Keeps all streams synchronized to avoid bottlenecks at delivery.

Lesson 4 • Quality Control and Deliverable Standards

Applies technical QC checklists and creative review processes to ensure deliverables meet specifications. Prevents costly rework at the delivery stage.