Assistant Floor Manager

Back to previous menu

What you do: The range of the job.

A floor manager has a liaising and co-ordinating role between the many people involved in a production, such as guests, the audience, presenters and the director. The floor manager ensures that events go according to a set plan and that people taking part know their particular roles and how it fits in with whatever else is happening. They also have responsibility for ensuring that the studio is a safe working environment for all those taking part.

Assistant Floor Manager is a junior member of the production team involved with the practicalities of the production. In drama, will collect actors, look after them, prepare props, reset them after takes, wash up etc as necessary. On studio shows will look after contributors and assist the floor manager with similar duties to those above.

An Assistant Floor Manager (frequently abbreviated to AFM) is responsible for setting a stage and prompting contributors on the studio floor and ensuring that everyone knows their place in the script, freeing the Floor Manager for other duties. They often oversee a team of Runners. Increasingly, Assistant Floor Managers are being asked to assist with the design and preparation of props, as well as setting and resetting the action on the studio floor.

Qualities: What you need to be able to do the job

Stamina, interpersonal skills, ability to remain calm under pressure, understanding of drama and entertainment industries.

Career path: How you start and where you can go with it.

A good starting point, an AFM may progress to more major productions, and then to Floor Manager (studios) and Production Manager, who is in charge of studio and location filming.

Sian Thomas, AFM

Back to previous menu