u/dingdangbungiedidit

I’ve spent 10+ years in leadership roles in film and TV production and am trying to move into Creative Project Management, Creative Operations, or brand-side production.

Film/TV work is largely freelance and project-based, so my title and scope can change from production to production and the dates often overlap. On a smaller project I may lead the department; on a larger production I may be in a senior support role. Since it’s all freelance, it can change month to month.

I know it’s a tough market and I’m already facing a lot of headwinds switching industries so I recently rebuilt the resume to make that clearer without changing my actual titles or trying to make the work sound more corporate than it was.

For recruiters:
If you knew nothing about film production, does the scope make sense?
Does this feel credible for Creative PM / Creative Operations Manager roles?
Does the overlapping freelance timeline make sense, or is it still confusing?
What would make you hesitate to screen me?

I’m finishing my MBA next month and already have a PMP, but I want the experience itself to carry the resume. I see the credentials as helping translate a less traditional background into language corporate recruiters recognize.
Resume is anonymized for Reddit.

First and foremost, a big thank you to this community. I have been lurking here since I first started considering the PMP a few months ago and you have all been very helpful in my journey. Reading through the questions people posted and seeing everyone’s thought process and reasoning has been the best sanity check for me, far better than asking an AI.

My background is as a Location Manager in film and television production. I bet you’re wondering what the heck that has to do with project management, because that’s what I thought when the PMP was first suggested to me. It turns out a Location manager on a film set is a whole lot of project management mixed with a little bit of event management. Each film location is its own project with a unique set of requirements, constraints stakeholders, processes and procedures. We own everything and nothing at the same time, working with multiple executives, departments, vendors, municipalities, and the communities we impact. We ensure everybody has all the necessary information to stay on time and budget, to get ahead of any problems before they arrive, all while keeping your team focused on the goal and wrangling a whole mess of cats someone let out in the circus tent. Sound familiar?

Anyway, I had 1 month between projects and grad school classes to get this done and did most of it in the past 2 weeks. I started with the AR mindset video which is by far the most beneficial resource. Then I did a SH mock exam(68%) 2 weeks ago to pinpoint where I needed the most improvement and focused my study routine in those areas. I spent almost all my time on process with the AR eudemy course. 2ish hours every week day. I took mock exam #2(72%) on Thursday studied a little more on process through the weekend.

I took the test this morning in person at a testing center, which I recommend. Prepare yourself though, it is real tough to sit that long. Bring snacks and water to keep in your locker. Use your 2 10 minute breaks. Also, no one prepared me for the experience of being a full grown man with 2 kids and mortgage, having to raise my hand and wait for an escort to go to the bathroom. We should be preparing people a little better for that feeling.

So what’s the point of all this? Why did I feel the need to share? The main thing that brought me here today is that I wanted to say, I see all of you guys working hard and preparing and nitpicking over answers and reasoning. You’re all smarter than you’re giving yourself credit for. Put the mouse down for an evening and give yourself a break, you already got this.