Getting started in the industry

Filmbase: Rachel, you're Coordinating in the Art Department on your current production, an MMP based at Pinewood, but you've only been in the industry since the pandemic. How have you found the journey so far?

Rachel Dunn: When I was first offered this job, I knew the scale of it was enormous. It was probably one of the biggest jobs around at the time and I was a little nervous about accepting the offer.

However, I was working with a team I knew very well and felt comfortable with, and I trusted them to support me through it.

Over the last two years, I've learned so much. You're always learning on the job, and what I'm doing now is very different from what I was doing two years ago. You learn and adapt as you go. Even if you're nervous about taking that leap, sometimes you just have to go for it and trust yourself.

Filmbase: Your first film and television job was on The Marvels, wasn't it?

Rachel: Yes, that was my first Art Department Assistant job, working with Ben Collins, the Supervisor. I was lucky enough to get his contact details, and I pestered him for a year!

Filmbase: Well done! People often wonder how much they should pester - or rather contact! - someone they've met at a networking event, or whose details they've been given.

Rachel: Lots of emailing! My advice is to ask for a phone conversation or some feedback on your CV and portfolio. That gives you a way to start a conversation.

Hiring opportunities don't come around all that often, so it's useful to build a relationship in advance. They'll be more likely to remember you when they're ready to hire.

Filmbase: At that point, you were living in Devon, weren't you?

Rachel: Yes. I eventually moved up to nearer London and managed to get some short-term painting work with a Construction team. It wasn't my original goal, but while I was working on the stages doing Construction painting, I'd see the Art Directors and Supervisors walking around. I'd let my Head of Department know that I'd like to meet them and introduce myself. Those introductions are invaluable.

Filmbase: Did you have a car at that point? Is that necessary?

Rachel: I'd say having a car is definitely useful when you're looking for an entry-level role. It's something I look for on a CV. You might need to pop out to shops or to vendors to collect things for the department. Productions can also span several studios or involve different locations, so you may need to travel between them regularly. Being able to drive around and help wherever you're needed is extremely useful to the team.

Finding the right path

Filmbase: As well as several Art Dept Asistant jobs, you worked as a Designer’s PA. Was that useful experience?

Rachel: A Designer’s PA role is a really useful stepping stone. There isn't a dedicated Design PA on every film - some of those responsibilities are often incorporated into the Coordinator's work. It helps you develop the skills needed to support and organise someone effectively.

I got to see a lot of what happens on set, and I realised that it wasn't really the life I wanted. I'm not particularly interested in being on set at 3am! That doesn't happen all the time, of course, but it helped me understand what suited me.

I think working as a PA in any capacity is a valuable experience if you want to progress into an organisational role. Being in the room with Producers and Directors can also give you access to places you wouldn't otherwise experience when you're starting out. It's a great way to learn how the industry works and build your network.

Filmbase: Looking at your IMDb, you remained an Assistant for quite a few years. Was that a deliberate choice?

Rachel: After the design PA job, I knew Coordinating was the next step I wanted to take. However, there weren't any opportunities available through my contacts at the time and I accepted an Assistant job on Wicked, returning to the team that had given me my first job. Initially, I was a little reluctant because I was excited about the direction my career was taking, and it felt as though I was stepping backwards.

In reality, it was one of the best things I could have done. Working on a huge film at a different studio taught me how different productions operate. Working with different coordinators was also incredibly useful because I could see how other people approached the job and take the best aspects of their methods into my own work.

Filmbase: Did you have a Coordinator who set a particularly good example?

Rachel: Definitely. All my Coordinators have been great, but my first coordinator, Georgia, was wonderful. She also helped me get the job on Loki.

Watching her Coordinate made me want to do the job myself. I've taken a lot of inspiration from the way she worked.

What it's really like to start out

Filmbase: Starting out as an Assistant can be daunting, particularly on the big productions you've worked on. Can you remember how you felt?

Rachel: It was extremely daunting. I don't think I'd fully prepared myself for what the industry was actually like.

Unless you're inside a studio, which can be difficult to access because of the security, you don't really understand what it's like until you're here on the ground.

It's an amazing place to work, and it's absolutely worth it, but you've got to be willing to put in the work. You have to start at the bottom and make the most of every junior role before moving on to where you want to be.

The hours are long. You're often out of the house from around 7am to 7pm, even if your working day is officially 8am to 6pm, because of traffic and travelling. You give a lot of your life to the film, the job and the team. You've really got to want it, because it's not an easy adjustment.

There are lots of jobs outside film that can prepare you for junior roles. At that level, you're often helping people, making teas and coffees, and being available to run around and get whatever someone needs. Being keen to help is always appreciated.

You'll get a lot of job satisfaction from that, and it will help you secure your next jobs, too.

Stepping up to Coordinator

Filmbase: Let's talk about stepping up to the Coordinator's role...

Rachel: There aren't many intermediate roles between Assistant and Coordinator. You might be able to find a smaller Coordination job in a Graphics department, for example, where you'd help manage graphics and sometimes produce them yourself. Digital Assets can also provide a stepping stone, involving digital filing, presentations, distribution and breakdowns for the Designer.

Those opportunities weren't available to me at the time, so I moved straight into Coordinating on a smaller production. It turned out to be the right decision.

Filmbase: We recently advertised an Art Department Coordinator role that required extensive experience with budgets and spreadsheets. Is that side of the job for everyone?

Rachel: Definitely not. If you enjoy organisation and administration, you'll pick it up and might find that you really enjoy working with numbers and tracking everything.

It's not necessarily suited to everyone who comes into the Art Department because they want to be creative. My role isn't particularly creative in itself. I'm working in a creative environment, surrounded by people doing creative things, and I'm facilitating that creativity.

That said, I've built a really good relationship with my Designer, who now trusts my opinion. I enjoy being involved in meetings and conversations, and it's nice that he wants to hear what I have to say.

Building relationships is important in every role.

Filmbase: Your role also gives you a good understanding of how the whole production works.

Rachel: Absolutely. The Coordinator acts as a bridge between the Art Department and production, alongside the Supervisor and Designer, while also making sure all the smaller things happen. It's fascinating to see how Production works and how its decisions affect what we do.

Filmbase: And you're dealing with other departments all the time as Coordinator?

Rachel: Yes. My assistants and I distribute information across the entire film, including Construction, Props, Set Dec, Drapes, Special Effects, Visual Effects, Camera, Assistant Directors and Production.

It's a great way to build contacts across the industry.

A big part of my job is also keeping the door open and listening. People don't always have time to tell me everything, so I have to pick up information where I can and build an overall picture of what's happening. I did that when I was an Assistant, too, because I wanted to understand the bigger picture.

Supporting the next generation

Filmbase: How much of your role as Coordinator involves looking after and guiding junior members of the team?

Rachel: It's a huge part of my job. On this production, which is a big one, I have four Assistants, as well as the Digital Asset Manager. I see all of us as one unit.

I regularly check in with them and see how they're getting on. I put together detailed information packs when they start, covering their regular tasks and explaining how to do everything.

I'm always happy to lend a hand, too. If everyone is busy and someone needs help, I'll get involved. If anyone has concerns, questions or simply doesn't know what to do, I'm there to offer advice.

Filmbase: Is that a typical approach for Coordinators?

Rachel: I don't know, but it's how I like to work. Because I came up through Assisting relatively recently, I want to show people how I think the department should be run. I have high standards, and if I'm expecting a lot from the team, I think I should still get involved myself from time to time.

We're all a team. I always tell people that an individual task doesn't have to belong to just one person. If someone is asked to do something, that doesn't mean they have to manage it entirely on their own. The work should be shared so that nobody becomes overwhelmed.

Communication within the team is incredibly important, and a big part of my role is encouraging that conversation.

Filmbase: Have you noticed any common pitfalls among junior crew members?

Rachel: You sometimes see people trying to progress too quickly.

During your education, you might work on projects and short films where you're effectively doing the job of a Production Designer. When you join a big film in an entry-level role, you're often less likely to be doing the things you imagined, and more likely to be handling routine tasks, including making cups of tea.

Those tasks are still important, and they're also opportunities to meet people and build relationships.

My advice is to focus on where you are now rather than becoming frustrated because you're not making the big leaps you expected. Trust that what you're doing will benefit you in the long run.

The job will end, and you'll be looking for your next one. You want people to remember you as a fantastic Assistant who was always willing to help, rather than someone who was unhappy because they weren't doing drawings or other creative work.

Making a good impression by being willing to get on with whatever is needed will help you in every role that follows.

How the Coordinator's role is evolving

Filmbase: Do you think the Coordinator's responsibilities are growing?

Rachel: It seems that way, although I've only been doing this for the last couple of years, so I can't compare as many productions as someone who's been in the role for longer.

When I started, I was mainly dealing with the administrative tasks: payroll, accounts, tracking the labour budget and purchasing consumables, alongside managing and supporting the assistants.

More recently, I've become involved in smaller budgets within the Art Department, including screen graphics and the Graphics Department, as well as vehicles. There are often opportunities to take on additional responsibility for these related departments.

On my current production, I've also been involved in writing the set list, breaking it down from the script and working with the Construction Manager and Supervisor to understand the builds and work out how to break down sets for costing purposes.

That probably isn't something every Coordinator does, but because I've been here for a long time and understand the processes, I've been able to take on more.

There's scope to shape the role around your interests and abilities. Some people prefer to stick to the core responsibilities, but I think it's always worth taking opportunities to expand your skills. You never know what might come next.

What makes a strong entry-level applicant?

Filmbase: When you're faced with a pile of CVs, what qualities do you look for in Art Department Assistants?

Rachel: A driving licence and access to a car are important. Being local to London or the studio where you want to work is also extremely helpful, or you need to be willing to move. The hours are long, and you don't want to be commuting for two or three hours every night. Some people rent rooms or house-share during the week and go home at weekends. I also know people who stay in campervans at campsites during the week.

Those arrangements can work well, but living near your workplace makes it easier to maintain a good quality of life.

On a CV, I'd also look for an interest in architecture, set design or art generally. Those interests aren't essential, and you don't need specific architectural skills to become an Assistant. However, because there are so many applicants, it's helpful to understand what someone is interested in and where they might fit within the industry.

Filmbase: Do you look for knowledge of particular software programmes?

Rachel: Not particularly for an entry-level Assistant. Familiarity with Photoshop, InDesign and the wider Adobe Creative Cloud is useful, but a lot can be learned on the job.

Being able to scale drawings and print them at different scales is useful, too, but you don't need to know every programme before you start.

Getting your foot in the door

Filmbase: How involved are you in the hiring process?

Rachel: I'm very involved when it comes to hiring an Assistant, although I go through the process with my Supervising Art Director.

I'm less directly involved in hiring other roles, but there are always conversations with the Supervisor about who we might bring in to draft, model-make or do other specialist work. We discuss people we know are good, and I can put names forward even when I'm not directly responsible for hiring that person.

Filmbase: So Coordinators can be useful contacts for people looking for work, just as Supervisors and Set Decorators are?

Rachel: Definitely. If you're looking for an entry-level role, don't just contact Supervising Art Directors; reach out to Coordinators as well. In Set Decoration, don't only contact the Set Decorator; try Set Dec Coordinators, too.

Supervisors are often extremely busy. They're generally good at getting back to people, but they might not have time unless they're actively looking to hire. Coordinators are usually keeping an eye on their emails, so you might be more likely to get a response from them.

It's also worth reaching out to other senior members of a team, such as Senior Art Directors and senior Set Decorators. They might go on to Supervise a smaller production and be able to recommend you to someone else.

The key is to expand your network rather than focusing on just one person or job title.

Career highlights and the importance of relationships

Filmbase: Finally, what have been the highlights of your career so far?

Rachel: All of it, really! I'm very lucky to be where I am and to have made so many connections and friendships over the years. I think you've got to enjoy every moment.

Filmbase: Have you found the industry quite social, too?

Rachel: Absolutely. I think making friends and more informal contacts is just as important as networking with people who can employ you.

It's good to have a group of people who can share information about upcoming jobs and support one another when there isn't much work around.

Since moving up here, most of my close friendship groups have come through film. If you move away from home to work in the industry, those people can become your main social circle during the week and at weekends.

It's important to build those friendships alongside your professional relationships.

Filmbase: Rachel, thank you so much for sharing your experience and advice. You've been incredibly generous with your time, especially in the middle of a busy working day.

Rachel: No worries!

Filmbase: And thank you to everyone who joined us. Keep an eye on your emails for upcoming Filmbase webinars, and thanks again to our sponsor, Data Reprographics, for supporting this event.

This is an edited version of our webinar chat with Rachel Dunn on 29 October 2026.

Our next webinar is always listed at the top of our homepage. As a Filmbase you can join the webinars for free. We normally charge £10 for non-members to watch.