What is the PMF?

What is the PMF?

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Who we are

The Production Managers’ Forum (PMF) is a resource for anyone involved in the production or technical management of theatre or live events.

It enables members to share ideas, information and knowledge, and to connect with each other through the PMF website, social media channels, support hub, newsletters, regular forums and social events.

How we Run

The PMF is a not for profit Community Interest Company (CIC) run for the members, by the members. The organising committee is made up of experienced Theatre and Events professionals, who give their time for free. You can see our details here. We communicate all the time using an online hub and have monthly virtual meetings. We are always happy to talk to members who would like to join the committee. Current committee vacancies can be found here but if you you have a particular skill or area of interest you think might interest us, we would be very happy to hear from you.

what we offer

Our members are sent regular Newsletters and mailings, featuring news and articles from and about the Production and Technical Management world.

We hold regular Forums, at venues throughout the UK, on subjects relevant to and suggested by our membership. Since the pandemic these have been hybrid Forums, allowing members to attend in person or online via Zoom or Facebook.

They are always followed by Socials which all Theatre and Event professionals are welcome to join.

All Forums are recorded and you can see the videos here, where they are also available as an industry resource.

During the pandemic we started holding regular online Town Halls. These continue on a regular basis and are an opportunity for an exchange of views and a catch up about current issues. Again these are recorded and can be found here.

Production Managers Forum PMF l ABTT conference

Our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn pages feature our activities and news as well as postings from other users and organisations.

We run a mentoring scheme to support aspiring and early career Production Managers.

Via the website our members can view and post Job Opportunities. They can also access information on everything from legislation to training.

Finally we have a closed Facebook page, where members can ask questions and share experiences and knowledge.

our history

The PMF was originally created by the Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) and the Stage Management Association (SMA) in 2000 and is still actively promoted and supported by both organisations, and by theatre and live events companies and suppliers.

It was relaunched in its current format at the ABTT Theatre Show in 2017. You can see a video of that relaunch here. We are grateful for the seed funding provided at the time by Central School of Speech and Drama, Steeldeck, National Theatre Wales and from individuals via a crowd funding initiative. White Light  helped fund our original website, and other suppliers sponsor individual forums.

The PMF is constantly expanding and evolving. Here are some of the key events in our story.

2018

Peter Dean and Suzy Somerville join the committee.

  • Our first Forum, Women in Production Management, sets the tone for our commitment to diversity.

2019

Ian Taylor and Ollie Brown join the committee.

  • Led by Ollie we start our Mentoring Scheme.
  • We introduce a formal constitution.
  • Forums on Welfare in Production and Technical Roles, and on the Edinburgh Fringe (our first out of London Forum).

2020

Mandy Ivory-Castile, Dan Shelley and David Ripley join the committee.

  • January. We hold our first Annual General Meeting at the National Theatre. At the AGM it was agreed that the PMF would become a Community Interest Company (CIC), which it now is.
  • We start recruiting Associate Committee members to help with specific areas of the PMF’s work.
  • February. We launch our Members Survey. This aims to ensure that we are spending our time and resources in the areas that are most important to our members. The initial finding s are published in June.
  • March. Our Forum on Sustainability in Theatre and Live Events was held days before the Covid lockdown brought our industries to their knees.
  • With many people not working, the committee was able to meet virtually more often than ever before and moved the PMF on rapidly.
  • Ian Taylor, Production Manager and Managing Director of eStage (now OKEDIA), uses his expertise to develop our brilliant new website. OKEDIA generously sponsor the PMF by providing hosting and maintenance of the site, which has greatly improved our ability to fulfill our aim of being an important resource and support network for our members.
  • July. We hold our first Town Hall. This proved so successful that they become a monthly event during lockdown, and still continue today.
  • The PMF joins AAPTLE – the Alliance of Associations and Professionals in Theatre & Live Events.
  • June. We hold a “Non ABTT Socially Distanced Social” online.
  • October. We pass a membership milestone as we welcome our 500th registered member.

2021

Kat Ellis, Lewis Champney, James Holdsworth and Lucy Mewis
join the committee as Student and Young Members Associates (SYMs).

Louise Gregory and Mekel Edwards join the committee.

Patrick Heydenburg becomes our US Associate.

  • January. Our second AGM.
  • February. Along with SIPA (Sustainability in Production Alliance) we published 10 sustainable wins for theatre Production Managers.
  • Our Education Sector is founded, run by David Ripley.
  • We help launch the Reset Better Charter, aimed at improving working conditions post pandemic.
  • March. Our Rates of Pay project is launched.
  • April. We add Instagram to our Social Media platforms.
  • We launch ‘One to One’ conversations.
  • August. The first not-on zoom-social for 18 months at the PLASA/ABTT show.
  • October. Our first online forum ‘No Such Thing as a Stupid Question’.
  • PMF Founder member and Chair, David Evans, is announced as co-chair of the ABTT.

2022

Jennifer Taillefer joins the committee as an associate

Misha Mah joins the committee as SYM and Forums Assistant
as does Jonah Stein as SYM and Mentoring Assistant 

  • We start introducing Assistant roles to spread the workload in many areas of our work.  
  • January. Our first US/UK Forum, Thoughts From Both Sides of the Pond.
  • At the AGM in March, David Evans stepped aside as Chair and Mandy Ivory-Castile was elected in his place. David’s work in re-founding the PMF was invaluable. He is now our first Ambassador.
  • May. Our first in person Forum since the pandemic, on the subject of skills shortages. Hybrid, so that members could attend in person or on line.
  • June. A Forum on Sustainability, at the ABTT Theatre Show and online.
  • September. We pass another milestone as we post the 500th Production and Technical Management vacancy on our dedicated jobs page.
  • October. We are present at TheatreCraft, the free careers event for young people interested in working in theatre.
  • We present a hybrid forum, sponsored by J&C Joel at Cast, Doncaster.
    The title is The Dream Team – examining the relationship between Designers and Production Managers
  • November. Our second trans-Atlantic Town Hall,  comparing and contrasting the UK and US PMFs.

2023

Brod Mason joins the committee as Mentoring Lead.
Nathan Friend joins as a SYM and Meetings Assistant.
James Thompson joins as Forums Associate.

We link up with Chichester College’s Production Management Apprentice scheme
and Abigail Jones and Joe Jenner join us as Membership Assistants.
Fergal Lonergan joins as Job Vacancies Assistant.

Lawrence Bennett, Director of Production, Alliance Theater, Atlanta, Georgia,
takes over from Patrick Heydenburg as our US Associate.

  • January. We hold a New Year Social in London.
  • March. Another Town Hall, asking what members want from the PMF.
  • AGM 2023 reviewing the work of the PMF over the last year and presenting plans for the future.
  • May. A Town Hall to discuss the re-launch of the Mentoring Scheme.
  • June. We have a stand at the ABTT Theatre Show for the first time.
  • At the Theatre Show we present a Diversity Seminar, sponsored by TAIT. This is the first of several events on the subject of Diversity planned for 2023 and beyond.
  • July. The Mentoring Scheme is relaunched.
  • August. We hit 3 milestones. Our 1,200th member registers on the PMF website, we post our 700th Job Opportunity and we reach 1,000 followers on LinkedIn.
  • September – Simon Francklin of RB Health and Safety Solutions Ltd presents our CDM Regs Skill Share.
  • October. A Town Hall, again focusing on Diversity, and we are at TheatreCraft for the second year, thanks to sponsorship from Presentation Design Services.

2024

We launch three types of Sponsorship – Production, Mentoring, Forums
and gratefully welcome support from The Production Family, J & C Joel and Autograph Sound

  • January. We present ‘Diversity Day’, hosted by the Royal Opera House.
    It is our biggest event to date and features a morning and afternoon Forum, a tour of the Opera House, a networking session and our New Year Social. Over 50 people attend in person.
    Thanks to the all the panellists, the BSL interpreters, everyone at the  Royal Opera House, J & C Joel and Autograph Sound for their support.
  • February. Our third UK/US Town Hall, hosted by US Associate Lawrence Bennett.
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