Elena Prokopets
Claire Briggs Webber, CPRW
Every day we get exposed to dozens of physical and digital products. A car is a product. So are your refrigerator, the apps on your phone, and that movie you enjoyed last weekend. In every case, a competent team with a production manager at the helm stood behind bringing the said product to the market.
Production manager positions require meticulous attention to detail, strong organizational and analytical skills. You need to show these both on your resume and in your cover letter. To help you out, we’ve created a sample production manager cover letter, peppered with some helpful tips.
Production Manager Cover Letter Sample (Word)
Production Manager Cover Letter (plain text)
Dear Natalie Jones,
My name is Tristan Elliot, and I am contacting you to express my interest in the position of production manager with Acme Studios. I learned of this position at a professional networking event earlier this week when I spoke with your VP of People, Marcus Schuette. With his encouragement, I have reviewed the job requirements and am confident that I will be a great fit for this job.
Presently, I’m employed at Indie Films LLC as an assistant production manager. In this position, I am responsible for the successful production of films created for workplace training, long-form news productions, documentaries, and student productions. While I do not have experience in the production of scripted movies or television series, the work I do on these films has given me significant relevant experience. This includes working with writers, reviewing scripts, and ensuring that productions have access to on-screen talent.
My responsibilities as an assistant production manager involve pre-production and production processes. Additionally, my regular workload includes responsibility for multiple projects at one time. This has allowed me to develop excellent organizational and time management skills. I understand that maintaining production schedules is quite important to your team.
I have included a link to my portfolio in my resume. This includes several work samples as well as production details, deadlines, budget information, and outcomes. My work stands as evidence of my capabilities, and I’m very happy to discuss the details of any film that is publicly available.
It’s been my goal to move into scripted, long-form film and television production for numerous years now. Will you be at the Fall Film Fest in a few weeks? Perhaps we can meet there to discuss exactly what you’re looking for.
Regards,
Tristan Elliot
How to Write a Production Manager Cover Letter
A cover letter gives you an opportunity to show your chops and (a bit of a personality too!) to a prospective employer. Remember: resumes often look the same, so a well-written cover letter provides an opportunity for differentiation.
Below are the must-know tips for writing a great cover letter for production manager positions.
Customize a Letter For Each Application
Sorry, but you can’t recycle a generic cover letter for every job opening. Well, you can, but it won’t be very effective. Fortunately, you don’t have to start from scratch each time.
Create a master cover letter outline to use as a hot-key reference. Then modify it to align with the details of each opportunity. Remember, your cover letter introduces you to the hiring team and showcases how you are a good fit for their needs.
Connect With Your Opening
The opening paragraph should instantly pique the reader’s interest. Briefly explain where you’re coming from. In this case, the writer creates a connection by mentioning where he learned about the job and his familiarity with the VP of People. He also immediately covers how he meets the qualifications and has researched the company. Experiment with different opening lines for your cover letter before you land on the best formula.
Show Your Understanding of the Business Context
In the cover letter above, the writer certainly discusses their own career goals. However, the majority of the letter focuses on explaining how they can contribute to the organization if hired. Specifically, they go into their ability to manage time and stay organized. Then, they connect that with the film studio’s need for someone who can maintain filming production schedules.
Think about how you can be of immediate value to the organization. Then articulate this connection in your cover letter. The best way to do so is by giving concrete examples. Talk about product lines you’ve worked on. Spotlight the results you’ve achieved.
Write a Strong Closing
Include a persuasive cover letter closing paragraph to wrap things up. Also, include a gentle nudge for taking the next step. In the sample cover letter above, the writer suggested making plans to get together to discuss the position. This clarified that they are serious about the job, not just “kicking tires”. This technique will improve your chances of getting an interview.
Final Tip: Add The Right Contact Information
Sure, you need to include your email and phone number, but there’s more. Today, hiring teams are interested in learning about your professional brand in its entirety. Do you have a portfolio, LinkedIn page, a professional blog, or other business-related social media? Consider including those as well.
