Feature Film Production Management 101
Summary
Learn from Rosi Acosta, a production management expert who has spent nearly four decades keeping films on budget, on schedule, and on screen!
Walk away with six professional production documents — including a sample budget, call sheet, and stripboard — that you can put to work on your very next project!
PLEASE NOTE: This exclusive Stage 32 webinar is now available to watch on-demand and no longer live.
Production management is the backbone of every film that actually gets made. It's what determines whether a project stays on budget, runs on schedule, and actually reaches an audience. Every creative decision has a cost. Every delay has a cause. And the filmmakers who build lasting careers are the ones who understand both sides of the equation.
That's exactly what this webinar is built to teach you.
In one exclusive Stage 32 session, Rosi Acosta walks you through the full scope of what a Unit Production Manager does — from script breakdown and production scheduling to budgeting, hiring, unions, insurance, and completion bonds. You'll learn how the six stages of production connect, how to build and use a Production Bible, and how to apply the Production Value Formula to get the most out of every dollar on screen. By the end, you'll know how to think like a UPM and have the tools to run a production with real confidence!
Your educator Rosi has been working in motion picture physical production since 1987, with credits spanning hundreds of film, TV, and commercial projects — including Driven, Speed Kills, and Imprisoned. She's built deep expertise in production management and on-set troubleshooting across international productions shooting in Puerto Rico, and in 2021 was appointed Puerto Rico Film Commissioner, where she developed relationships with studios, unions, and industry leaders worldwide. Rosi doesn't just know production — she's spent decades teaching, writing, and advocating for it.
PLUS! You will receive the following handouts to help you:
- Sample Production Budget (ATL vs BTL breakdown)
- Script Breakdown Example
- Production Schedule (Stripboard Sample)
- Sample Call Sheet & Production Report
- Cost Report & Cash Flow Template
Praise for Rosi Acosta's Teaching with Stage 32
"You made this so easy to understand. Thanks Rosi!" - Brandon C.
"Putting together my first film as a producer almost made my jump off a cliff. I wish I would have seen this first! What a world of difference it would have made. Thank you, Rosi!" - Marlene D.
What You'll Learn
Filmmaking as a Business
- Why filmmaking is both art and business
- Understanding that films are products meant to generate profit
- The balance between creative vision and financial success
The Production Ecosystem
- Understanding the 6 stages of production:
- Who is on the production team and what they do
- Why the production office is the “heart” of the operation
What Is a Unit Production Manager (UPM)?
- Definition of production management / physical production
- UPM vs Line Producer vs Production Manager
- DGA-recognized role and responsibilities
The UPM’s role
- The Core Responsibilities of a UPM
- The Key Skills needed
- Breaking down the UPM’s Role in each phase of the film
The Production Management Process
- From script to screen: step-by-step
- Building and using the Production Bible
- Interdependence of all departments
- The essential production documents
- Understanding what makes a movie expensive
The Production Value Formula
- Understanding the relationship between: Time, Money,Production Value
- How to maximize value on screen
- “Time is money” in real production scenarios
Unions, Insurance & Completion Bonds
- What they are and why they matter
- What they evaluate in your project
- Risk management fundamentals
Hiring the Right Team
- Best hiring practices for production
- Working with department heads
- Red flags to avoid
- Why personality matters as much as skill
Final Advice
- 5 Common Mistakes to Avoid
- How to Think Like a UPM
Q&A with Rosi
Who Should Attend
- Aspiring or working producer who wants to sharpen your understanding of the physical production process and make smarter decisions on set and in the office
- Director who wants to collaborate more effectively with your production team and stop leaving budget and logistics to chance
- First-time or independent filmmaker preparing to take a project from script to screen and looking for a professional framework to guide the process
- Production coordinator, assistant director, or department head who wants to level up into a production management role
- Anyone pursuing a career as a Unit Production Manager who wants a comprehensive, insider look at the role before stepping into it
Executive
As a seasoned physical production professional, production manager, film budget estimator and analyst, advocate and spokesperson, mentor/professor, content writer and film commissioner, Rosi Acosta's career in the film industry has been driven by passion and her love of film and television. Rosi is the former Film Commissioner for Puerto Rico and is a Unit Production Manager (UPM) and DGA member who has worked on over 75 television and television projects, including the feature films DRIVEN, SPEED KILLS, and IMPRISONED.
As a Senior Level Executive, Rosi brings an innovative and bold strategic planning vision. She has raised awareness about the film industry while building international relations with film communities locally and internationally. Additionally, Rosi has spent her professional career nourishing relationships with creatives, producers, investors, and well cultivated relations with the unions, craft organizations, studios and many industry leaders internationally. Ethics, integrity, honesty, strong values and transparency define her every day.
Rosi has collaborated directly and indirectly in hundreds of film projects assuring diversity, inclusion, safety and delivery within the allocated budget and schedule. Her career as a visionary and a bold and solutions-driven professional has always promoted dialogue, partnerships, and teamwork.
Rosi serves as a Senior Level Executive in Film Programs Strategic Development, specializing in film commissions administration and film programs development with extensive expertise in incentives administration, workforce development and organization, film culture awareness, film friendly environment optimization and infrastructure promotion and analysis.
Through her extensive work with multiple production companies, unions, guilds, and governing bodies for film, Rosi brings strong leadership skills to any project with the ability to provide structure, organization and flow to build bridges and alliances.
Testimonials
Praise for Rosi Acosta's Teaching with Stage 32
"You made this so easy to understand. Thanks Rosi!" - Brandon C.
"Putting together my first film as a producer almost made my jump off a cliff. I wish I would have seen this first! What a world of difference it would have made. Thank you, Rosi!" - Marlene D.
Credits
