CGWORLD Research The production manager is interesting! Active PM & producer roundtable in the CG industry

Production manager (PM), which is an important position as the project size increases.The professional profession, also known as the production progress, is said to be "basically doing everything except to make it," and has been increasingly attracting attention as a leading role in supporting the project.

On the other hand, compared to designers and engineers, there is no clear career plan, and the work content is also difficult to see from the outside.In the questionnaire released the other day, the answer to the previous job and career plan was particularly interesting.

This time, we had you gather at the active PMs that handle movies, television, games, and animations, and talked about how they are actually working.In addition, from the perspective of producers who supervise the entire project, he talked about the need for PM and the assumed career plan.

Text_ Toshiaki Yasuda PHOTO_Mitsuru Hirota EDIT_ Noriaki Fujii (CGWORLD) Interview_ Daiki Ikeda (CGWORLD)

Ask the production manager, the site.

The importance of PM, which has gradually become clearer and gradually clarified

▲ The production manager who participated in the roundtable.From left, Keigo Yoshida (Digital Media Lab), Tatsuya Ono (White Gumi), Noriko Sato (now active mainly in NHK art), Daishin Tsutsumi (Graffinica).

CGW: Please tell us how you became PM.

Tatsuya Ono (hereinafter, Ono): Originally, I was working on a commercial company.He joined the company because he wanted to make a video, but in fact, he felt that the cooperation with the outside and the arrangements of people were a little different from the work with actual work.He was also in charge of progressing work while supervising and shooting his voluntary work during his college days, but he was not good at the progress itself, so it may have been appropriate.I joined the current white group because I was lucky to say, "If you have that experience, you can proceed with the production of CG."I have been in PM in the CG industry for about 4 years, but I have been working for about 10 years.

Noriko Sato (hereinafter Sato): For the first time in a CG designer vocational school, I came to know the existence of PM and aimed.At that time, I was a double school while attending a general university, and at first I was a designer.It was fun to make it, but it was fun to connect classmates and communicate with various people during team production.Then I told my teacher that PM is not suitable.I thought, "It might be interesting," so I focused on PM to find a job.Currently free and PM history is 9 years.

Mr. Dai Mitsuma (hereinafter referred to as Tsutsumi): I met the anime "SHIROBAKO" ( *).Originally, I wanted to make games and anime, but I didn't want to draw a story intensely, whatever I wanted to write a story.For the first time, I knew the occupation of production progress in "SHIROBAKO" for the first time, but it seems amazing that I can see how it is so close to the site and can do something at the forefront.It was also good for me to do things while watching the situation around me, and while attending an animation production school, I got a job at Graffinica from the beginning.Joined in 2020 and is now the second year.

* A work depicting the anime industry broadcast from 2014.The main character, Aoi Miyamori, is set to be the progress of the first year of working adults.P.A.WORKS production.Directed by Tsutomu Mizushima.

Keigo Yoshida (hereafter, Yoshida): I was making images at the Faculty of Video at Ritsumeikan University, but since that time, it has been working on it.Originally, I was good at communication, and when I talked, the other person listened and often came here.For me who wanted to make something, "I don't want to move my hands, but I want to make something."When I looked around, I was just not good at creative (laughs).I see that there are the right places in the right place, I think this is my vocation, so I came to aim for PM clearly.This is the third year of this year after joining the Digital Media Lab as a new graduate.

CGW: It's a well -balanced round -table discussion with two middle -sized and two young people.In particular, the two young people have clearly joined a new graduate with the aim of PM, but is the image of PM changing depending on the generation?

Ono: I think the role has been decided exactly for the past 20 years.You know that it is easier to proceed if there is a different management unit from the actual production.

Sato: When it comes to a higher generation than us, there are many people who were initially a creator.

Ono: In the dawn of the CG industry, everyone was a creator and the project was not as large as it is now, so I wonder if there was no need to manage it.As the scale of the project is gradually increasing, people who are good at managing are managed, and those who are good at actual production are more specialized.If you think so, there is a feeling that the CG industry has matured.In the past, it was a narrow image that only some highly specialized people were involved in CG, but there are many people from general universities in PM today.I think that has been widely recognized.

"Management is a mother."Keep in mind the progress of people

CGW: What kind of work do you usually do?

Tsutsumi: In my case, as a progress of the animation, the work of the person in charge, the management of progress, the material, etc. are the jobs.I often talk about settings, especially so that I don't have a return.When the material arrives at hand, I try to reduce my mistakes, such as checking myself and checking if there is no missing.

Yoshida: The basics of CG do not change.In my case, I try to actively participate if there is a motion capture recording.Only when you go to the site, you can see which part the CG you are making is used, and the accuracy of the work can be improved by connecting it in your head.As a result, you can do a good job.

Sato: I mainly manage CG and VFX production of dramas and documentary programs in TV programs.We also manage schedules on a project -by -one, client and outsourcing.In addition, we do data exchange and location and recording.Recently, I have managed human resources for the entire CG team and see who is doing what.It seems like this designer seems to be able to work in the company, such as "Is there any job at this time, but do you have any jobs?"

CGW: That kind of thing is being done.

Sato: I think that managing is right for personality.Also, when there is a period when the designer is open, I think it's a waste and get sick (laughs).

Ono: I would like to ask, but how many people are managing Sato?

Sato: It depends on the season, but about 20 people.

Ono: Is that so?I personally think that about 20 people can be seen alone.More than that, it becomes difficult to care for each person, so it will be managed in a larger frame.

CGW: Isn't it difficult to exchange contact if there are so many people?

Yoshida: The staff is in the morning, night, and have a good activity time, so I always get in touch.Depending on the person, the media that makes it easy to hear the story of good calls, emails, and face -to -face will change, so we will match it.

CGW: How to remind is also important.

Tsutsumi: That's right.If you make a reminder, I try to add the reason.It's like, "If you don't go to this process, the whole will stop, so I'll ask you to complete it."If you tell the other party the reason properly, you can manage it.

Ono: And even if you say "Do this in two weeks", you will still forget it, so if you say, "Wouldn't it be time to start now?"I will do it.

CGW: I see.What are the tools you use?

Yoshida: I'm an Excel main, and I'm doing the power that makes a list and crushed one by one.However, I recently learned about Shotgun and this is good.While remembering Shotgun, I'm thinking about how to penetrate the site.

Sato: I am a self -management in Google Calendar and Excel.Some documentary programs are not very long, and depending on the world situation at that time, they often change more easily.At first, I made Trello and ToDo lists and managed them in detail, but I was in charge of multiple projects, so I can't respond.

Ono: Mr. Sato, I thought I was using a Ganto chart etc. because it was so tight (laughs)

Sato: You can manage it by holding down the timing of the check and the date that is the point, using the chat work, and having the designer understand the schedule.

Ono: After all, it means whether you can take care of the whole.I often say that management is a mother, but it's an important factor that PM should have.

Possibility other than producer?The next carrier that follows PM

CGW: When is the moment when you are doing PM and feel rewarding?

Tsutsumi: I'm glad when good materials arrive.If you look at such materials, you will be motivated.

Ono: It's really nice to be able to see the process as the material gradually accumulates.

Sato: I've been a TV child since I was little, so I'm excited every day to be behind TV production.

CGW: On the contrary, have you ever been tough?

Yoshida: Once, a project with lack of schedule and resources was shaken, which was hard.I managed to finish it and finished it, but I was happy when the main director said, "I thought I was unreasonable, but I was saved."

Ono: In the previous CM, there was a request that "I knew that things did not reach the site, so I want you to make it with CG" (laughs).This response was difficult.I went to Kansai in a hurry and delivered it in about 3 days ...The basics are hard work, but when it's over, everything is fun.The type that you forget, without accumulating negative emotions, may be suitable.

CGW: Everyone, what kind of career will you aim for in the future?

Yoshida: In the future, I would like to learn management including budget and eventually become a producer.

Tsutsumi: I want to increase the number of people who can work together and create a big seat.Also, there is a dream that I want to make it again with my colleagues from a vocational school.I want to create such places as producers and create something that can change people's lives in a good way.

Ono: I'm basically a producer.I'm from a TV commercial production company, so I wonder if I know a lot about the site in CG production.As a CG producer closer to commercials, I would like to create high -quality products while omitting waste.

Sato: I want to expand the range of my current work.I want to gradually expand it from what I can do, such as human resource management of the CG team today, but also human resource management of other teams.

Ono: I think Sato is overwhelmingly good at management.I want to get a job, but it's important for the company to have a bird's -eye view like Mr. Sato, and who manages it.

CGW: Listening to the story now, the next career of PM may not be the only producer.In the future, I think that more career plans like management experts, which are more specialized in PM, will come out.

Ono: That's right.I myself sometimes have a producer and PM, but there is a moment when the job I want to take as a producer is impossible in production progress.In that case, the producer who wants to have a good face will win and make the staff a little overwhelmed.So I felt that producer and PM would be a better job.It may be that the role and possibilities of PM are expanding here.

Up to this point, we have seen the roundtable discussions on the job content and career of active PMs.On the next page, producers who have PM experience talk about the skills and experiences required for PM.I want you to refer to this as well.

Next page: What is an excellent PM that the producer says?

What is an excellent PM that producer talks?

PM that can gather information and solve problems is excellent

▲ Producer team.From left, Jun Arai (Anima), Ryo Hatanaka (White Gumi), Manabu Yoshida (Digital Media Lab)

From here, we will send a PM roundtable by the producer.From the perspective of the producer, he talked about the roles and what they wanted.

CGW: From the producer's point of view, what is the ability required for PM?

Ryo Hatanaka (hereinafter Hatanaka): One is to talk with people.Also, it is important to face things yourself.

Manabu Yoshida (hereinafter referred to as Yoshida): It's important to be able to talk to you.The quality of work changes depending on how much information gathers to the person, including troubles and secret stories.

Atsushi Arai (hereinafter referred to as Arai): PM, which is difficult to talk to, is definitely not good.Basically, I think it's better to be kind.

Yoshida: And if you ask a question, you can return it first.I think that the amount of information that comes together will be completely different depending on whether you think that if you ask that PM, you can do something.So it's important not only to manage, but also to be interested in various things and put in knowledge.

Hatanaka: That's right.With such an excellent PM, if you have some trouble, you can solve it at PM, so you will not be able to talk to the producer.So, when I asked, I sometimes talked about it, and it was quite difficult (laughs).But I think that is the healthy state of the team with PM.

CGW: Mr. Arai is a manager of Game Division, but is there a PM in the team?

Arai: The Anima I belong to has a CG section and a game category, but in the game category I see, I also play the role of PM.The current team is mainly for game asset production, so the scale is not so large.So it's not enough to attach a PM.It is necessary to manage detailed nuances, such as the production process unique to game development and the order of division of roles, so it is not known how to teach.

Yoshida: Even if the number of staff is small, even if you attach a PM, it will end with a simple schedule management, so it will not grow in the sense of management skills.I think that the experience of accumulating a certain amount of work little by little while interacting with the budget and intercourse and clients will grow PM.

Hatanaka: In terms of not knowing how to teach, PM's work is not established. So, in the early days of the project, it's inevitable, and I don't really know if it's the right answer. I had been contacted by a PM who was deeply worried, saying, "I don't know if I'm doing what I'm doing, and there's no one to listen because I don't have a senior." At that time, I heard about the worries directly, but I thought it would be nice if there was a place where various PMs gathered and talked. Therefore, we operate the gathering of "PM Association" while helping many people. I'm calling Yoshida in front of me right now (laughs), and I'm doing something like an information exchange meeting regularly. After all, everyone seems to be worried about the way of other companies, and this is quite exciting.

Arai: That's good!Can I participate too?

Hatanaka: Of course!Recently, it has not been made of corona, but I'm thinking of doing it online.That's why the PMs are connected and each other can be enhanced.

Designers with experience in the field are advantageous for PM!

CGW: Regarding PM career plan, what kind of path can be considered?

Hatanaka: One is a producer.However, I think the style will be different, such as those who have excellent sales sense and those who are good at collecting them.At our company, I would like to be able to prepare a position while watching such aptitude.

Yoshida: The good thing about PM is where you can see the production site upstream.I've been thinking for a long time, but I think it's better for designers on the scene to experience PM.The reason is that if that person is independent in the future, you have to manage it after all (laughs).So why not put PM once? I think.Even if you become independent, I feel that there are many useful experiences, such as estimates, how to read contracts, and team build.

Hatanaka: In fact, it's best to manage it by those who can make it.He always says to his subordinate PM, "Imagine the necessary assets and cuts and workflows from the script, and you can estimate it."If you don't know how to make it, you will have a hard time at first, but you know it because you know it.

Yoshida: Because there is a team build discretion.The more you put on the PM -like power, the more you will be able to choose what you do and how to work.

CGW: So, is there a career called freelance PM?

Hatanaka: At present, I rarely see freelance PMs.This time, Mr. Sato, who participated in the PM roundtable, is freelance, but it is really unusual.However, I want to work with a freelance PM.This is because the number of projects is very large, including large and small.It was difficult to outsource because the production progression was the key to the project, but as the scale expands, it may be possible to leave only a part of the management.I think that if such cases increase in the future, the place where freelance PM will be active will spread.

CGW: I hear that many people become PM from inexperienced, but at that time, are there any elements that can't be removed?

Hatanaka: There are some basic knowledge of images, or whether you can remember with interest in CG, but most of all, I think the feeling of "like" is strong.

CGW: For movies for movies, animation for animation, how many feelings are in myself.

Arai: I understand that story well.I like movies too much, and there are tremendous knowledge staff.When I asked the staff, "Is there a movie that appears like this?"Then I feel like thank you for being there (laughs)

Hatanaka: It's a strong weapon, and it's strong because you can talk with your knowledge based on your knowledge.Because I like it, I feel uncomfortable, and the work is spreading again.

Yoshida: You may also need analytical ability when you feel uncomfortable.If you can explain "something strange" in words, you can surely become an excellent PM or producer.So, even if you have no experience, there is a possibility.