The Interactive Media Industry
Organisational Structures and Job
Roles
Research: Skillset.org
Introduction
The Interactive Media Industry consists of many
different areas of organisation, and many
different job roles within those. From
administration to the creative process, this
presentation will brush the surface of each area
and give some examples of the kind of job roles
found in them.
Organisational Areas
Managerial
Managing a department in the industry is vitally important. Managers
ensure the smooth running of an interactive media studio. Depending on
their position (Studio Manager, Project Manager, etc.) a manager can have
several responsibilities.
Examples…
Studio Manager: Oversees the work and liaising with other departments within the
company. It may also first involve actually setting up the studio and recruiting staff.
Project Manager: Plans, schedules and co-ordinates interactive media development
projects, ensuring they run smoothly, on time and within budget.
Account Manager: Develops, maintains and improves relationships with existing
clients, ensuring their needs are met, and obtaining repeat business from them.
Organisational Areas
Creative
The creative aspect of any form of interactive media is important. They
define the look and overall ‘feel’ of the piece of media, and are what draw
in and entice the customer. Some roles depend on others to progress in
their work.
Examples…
Concept Artist: These artists initially visuals what a piece of media/art will look like
when finished.
3D Model/Graphic Artist: These artists need the concept art to work off of, to create
something that, for example, the animators could use.
Animator: Animators require the Models or Graphics to animate the most common
styles of animation, which in turn require concept art. The members of the creative
area of the interactive media industry rely on each other.
Organisational Areas
Technical
The technical team are some of the most important people in the
production of an interactive product. They allow the audience to change
the media in some way thanks to programing and coding, and without the
equipment that records, renders or creates, there would be no product.
Examples…
Action Scripter/Programmer: Programmers have various roles and specialisms
including AI (artificial intelligence), game engine development, user interface, tools
development, and physics.
Render Wrangler: Render Wranglers supervise the rendering process which can
involve monitoring anything from a few computers to a major render farm of,
perhaps, a thousand machines.
Organisational Areas
Editorial
Editors make changes to several different stages of production to make
sure they are the best they can be. This can be anything from changing a
script to deciding which scenes make it into a movie or T.V show.
Examples…
Editor: Editors check the technical standards, as well as the emerging sense of story
and the actor‘s performances. Because scenes are shot and edited out of sequence,
Editors may work on scenes from the end of the film before those at the beginning.
Script Editor: Script Editors do not offer solutions, but instead use their analytical
skills to help Screenwriters identify problems, explain the potential consequences of
Screenwriter‘s choices, and help develop screenplays.
Titles Designer: Titles Designers usually start work near the end of the editing
process, when they meet with the Director and Editor to discuss the themes and
ideas in the film that will influence the creation of the opening titles, graphic
captions within the film, the end cards and end roller.
Organisational Areas
Marketing
The Marketing department help advertise the media product that has been
developed.
Examples…
Market Research Interviewer: These people gather information on people's attitudes
and opinions by asking them questions from pre-prepared surveys.
Public Relations Officer: The role of a public relations officer can range from planning
PR campaigns and strategies, monitoring the public and media's perception of their
client and arranging events like press launches, news conferences, exhibitions, open
days and sponsorship.
Advertising Copywriter: Copywriters produce the written words or ‘copy’ for
advertisements. This could be anything from slogans and text for printed ads and
leaflets, to radio jingles and scripts for TV commercials.
Organisational Areas
Legal
Laws are important in the production of an interactive media product, the
most important being copyright and trademarks. A person can be sued for
using someone else’s piece of media in their own without permission.
Examples…
Lawyers: Lawyers make sure everything done during the development of the product
is legal and not infringing copyright or trademark, and will defend the developers if
they are taken to court over their product.
Organisational Areas
Financial
It is important to regulate a budget when producing an interactive media
product. If it is spent inefficiently the development could fail. They make
sure both sides of a transactions involving money meet their side of a deal.
Examples…
Financial Controllers: Financial Controllers are responsible for controlling accounting,
taxation and financial analysis for all the company's areas of operation, which may
encompass development, production and distribution. Financial Controllers may also
be required to supervise the activities of one or more full-time Assistants.
Organisational Areas
Administration
Administrators assist several different areas of pre-production, most
prominently the team in charge of funding. They make sure everything in
the area they are overseeing runs smoothly.
Examples…
Fund Administrator: The Fund Administrator will assist the fund team in all aspects
of the grant giving function.
Development Administrator: The development administrator will provide secretarial
and administrative support to the development team and act as a first point of
contact for partners, stakeholders and the public.