What Production Crews do:

A production crew is a group of people, hired or employed internally by a games publisher to produce a game.

A production crew manages live broadcast of gaming competitions, tournaments, and livestreams for viewers to watch live.

Similar to film production crews, many roles are required and taken up. From the host on the mic, to camera operators, editors and producers to sound engineers, they all come together as a production crew to deliver a great viewing experience for audiences.

What Production crews are good at:

Understanding the game so key elements can be best captured and represented on live broadcast.

Displaying great creative vision and to plan all elements of the broadcast.

Working as a team and showing great people and communication skills.

Setting up, programming, and operating technical broadcasting equipment.

Managing stage areas and communication systems.

Strategically planning with a strong vision of how to shape broadcast and streaming events.

Being highly organised, extremely detail-oriented and adept at operating in high stress environments like live TV.

Create and maintain budgets and schedules for pre-production and production, ensuring proper resources and all contingencies are planned for.

Oversee the execution of day-to-day operations and upkeep for developed broadcast programmes.

How to become a Production crew member:

You can study through A-levels or Highers or Level 3 vocational qualifications in relevant subjects like Media Studies, English, or Communications.

At university level, a degree Film, Broadcasting, TV/Radio, Communications, or similar subjects would help. However, you can start your career through work experience or an apprenticeship in a junior role.

Whatever you choose, it’s essential to network to gain contacts and first-hand experience. Research different production companies or broadcasting esports companies to understand how they operate, and maybe also volunteer or shadow to gain the necessary skills as you go.

“Starting your casting career with a portfolio of work that literally speaks for itself is a huge advantage. It’s also a great way to practice and improve your skills when an opportunity presents itself. You can begin by doing your own shoutcasting over professional VODs on Twitch or YouTube. That way, you have the means to practice, build a portfolio of work, and can develop a reputation for yourself.”

Riley Fonger, Writer/Gamer (for gaming.net)

How much you could earn:

The national average salary for a Production Crew member is £20,000 in the UK.

A starting salary can range from £15,000, while more experienced production crew members can around £30,000 and more. (Source: Glassdoor)