Production Arts in the Industry
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Career opportunities
Career opportunities
Students from the Guildhall School’s Production Arts programme have an outstanding record of employment in the creative industries and former students can be found in a wide variety of occupations across theatre, live music/events,opera and TV/film.
- Stage Management positions: West End, national and international tours including School of Rock, Rock of Ages and Grease
- Assistant Stage Manager, Wicked International Tour
- Deputy Stage Manager, Opera Holland Park
- Assistant Company Manager, Opera Holland Park
- Deputy Stage Manager, English National Opera
- Designer, Lowestoft Festival
- Assistant Production Manager, Imagination Events
- Event Manager, Jack Morton Associates
- Runner, Star Wars
- Hire Manager, White Light Group
- Sound Technician, War Horse
- Lighting Department, National Theatre
- Display Technician, London Dungeon
- Scenic Artist, Factory Settings
- Scenic Artist, National Theatre
- Scenic Artist, Secret Cinema
- Scenic Artist, Royal Opera House
- Scenic Carpenter, National Theatre
- Prop Maker, Pinewood Studios
- Prop Maker, London Dungeons
- Props and puppet maintenance, Disney Cruise Lines
- Prosthetics maker, Millenium FX
- Designer, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
- Video Engineer, Bat Out of Hell, the Musical
- Sound No 2, Wonderland, National Tour
- Lighting Control department, National Theatre
- Costume Supervisor, Sweet Charity Nottingham Playhouse
- Costume Supervisor, Flashdance International tour
- Costume Assistant, Rip it Off, West End
- Costume Assistant, Cosprops
- Dyeing & Breaking down Artist, English National Opera
- Electrician, world tour of Swan Lake on Ice
- Assistant Prop Maker, English National Opera
- Assistant Stage Manager, Glyndebourne Opera
- Head of Lighting and Video, Viva Forever
- Production Co-ordinator, The Voice, ITV
- Production Manager, Smyle Event Company
- Junior Production Manager, Imagination Automotive Department
- Stage Manager, Young Vic Theatre
- Technical Manager, La Jolla Playhouse San Diego
Previous Guildhall graduates have progressed to senior positions for some of the UK’s leading cultural venues and companies:
- Company Manager, Les Misérables / Cameron Mackintosh Ltd
- Company Manager, National Theatre
- Deputy Head of Stage, International Tour, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake
- Stage Manager, Royal Shakespeare Company
- Sound Designer, Autograph
- Senior Technical Show Manager, Royal Albert Hall
- Senior Production Manager, Imagination
- Head of Events, White Light
- Freelance Lighting Designer
- Freelance Sound Designer
- Freelance Theatre Designer
Students may go on to work in related roles such as producers or agents in industries such as film, television, events, conferences and exhibitions. For example:
- Assistant Director in the film industry
- TV Researcher
- TV Location Manager
- Theatre Agent
- TV Presenters’ Agent
- Costume daily in films/TV
- Props / Costume Buyer
- Theatre Chief Executive
- Theatre Producer
- Event / Concert Producer
- Theatre Promoter
- Theatre Marketing
- Documentary Film Maker
- Head of Projects, Tussauds Group
- TV Sound Supervisor
- Chief Executive, Shakespeare's Globe
Interested in finding out more about a career in Production Arts?
There are a number of books and websites which will give you further information about working in production arts. We would suggest that you read some of these, so that you are sure that this is the career for you.
Several publishers produce a series of books about stage management and production arts, among them Crowood Press and Phaidon Press.
Many of these books can be obtained from the Royal National Theatre Bookshop.
There are also a number of good websites to explore; try these as a start:
Transferable skills
As well as equipping you with the skills and knowledge to enter the theatre and entertainment industries, the Production Arts programmes provide you with a range of transferable skills which are valuable to any employer. These include:
- Team working
- Verbal and written communication skills
- Problem solving
- Time management
- Managing financial resources
- Practical application of IT
- Research skills
- People management
Alumni & Graduates
On successful completion of your studies you will be equipped with the standards, skills, knowledge, experience and contacts to enter the creative industry sector in the UK and internationally. You will receive lectures and advice on what being freelance means and how to go about getting work. Our graduates have had a near 100% employment rate.
Students from outside the UK can apply for a graduate Visa, which allows you to stay and work in the UK for at least 2 years after successfully completing a BA course in the UK.
