• Fall 2026-27 Modern Mediamaking: Line Producer Training Application

    In this free evening training program, you'll gain hands-on knowledge of the line producer's role from pre-production through wrap, including how to build a budget and manage a filming schedule. By the end, you'll have the practical tools and industry insight to step onto a set with confidence.

  • Description

    Expanding on BAVC Media's earlier weekend Line Producer training, we are thrilled to be offering a FREE 4-month training program for folks interested in delving deeper into the world of Line Producing/being a Unit Production Manager (LP/UPM) - this time during weeknight evenings. With multiple industry-professional instructors at the helm, this program provides a hands-on foundation in the role, moving month by month from the fundamentals of the LP/UPM position through scheduling and logistics, production budgeting, script breakdown, labor relations, contracts, and legal knowledge every set relies on. The program closes with an introduction to CCSF's Pre-Production/Producing Certificate of Achievement, positioning graduates to continue their education and formalize their training with a recognized credential.

  • Deadline to apply is Monday, October 12 at 11:59PM PT. Early applications are strongly encouraged.

    This is a FREE training being offered on Tuesday and Thursday weeknight evenings with an additional Wednesday evening for lab time at BAVC Media's facility in San Francisco.

    Offerings & Structure

    • Up to twelve (12) people will be selected to train as line producers/unit production managers over the course starting in late October through mid-February 2027. All training is in-person at BAVC Media's office in San Francisco. Remote options are not available.
    • Each participant will emerge from the program with a working command of the LP/UPM role, and will leave more knowledgeable about production scheduling, budgeting, and labor/contract law for different types of film/video productions.
    • Multiple instructors with professional line producing experience (narrative, documentary, commercial, etc.) will offer hands-on guidance and BAVC Media’s Advanced Training staff will provide program oversight.
    • The course includes a mixture of lectures, oral presentations, software demonstrations, and analysis of sample works, with hands-on practice building a complete scheduling and budgeting breakdown using Entertainment Partners Movie Magic.
    • The course is meant to be interactive, with students' work reviewed in group settings to replicate a professional production environment, reflecting the industry norm of multiple people reviewing one another's work.
    • Furthermore, the course also includes supplemental professional development workshops and advising, offering both group and personalized guidance as you plan your next career move.
    • By the end of training, each participant should be well-positioned to take on CCSF's (City College of San Francisco's) Pre-Production/Production Certificate of Achievement, should they decide to continue their training in this area.

    Primary Outputs

    • By the end of the training, participants will be able to:
      • Understand the full scope of the LP/UPM role, from pre-production through wrap and distribution.
      • Analyze diverse scripts across any genre and any length, identifying elements that increase or decrease costs and resources substantially.
      • Create a complete professional scheduling breakdown and budgeting breakdown with top sheet using Entertainment Partners Movie Magic for their script.
      • Understand SAG-AFTRA union guidelines, labor relations, and production law, and properly budget and contract when utilizing SAG actors and crew.
      • Discover and evaluate tax credits and production incentives that will help you save money.
      • Analyze insurance documents, crew deal memos, and vendor agreements (Legal disclaimer: This outcome does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship).
    • As part of the California Film Commission's Career Pathways program, BAVC Media will provide job placement support throughout the program, with the goal of participants securing employment upon completion.

    Eligibility & Criteria

    • This program is for San Francisco residents. A limited number of seats for people outside of SF will be available. 
    • This is considered an intermediate-level training. All applicants should be familiar with basic film production departments/terminology and the workflow of pre-production, production, and post-production. Ideally, applicants have some prior production experience.
    • Applicants should be interested in pursuing an adjacent role to line producing upon completion of the program.
    • Participants should have basic script literacy - the ability to read and understand a screenplay.
    • Attention to detail, ability to communicate clearly and proactively, and a highly collaborative approach.
    • Openness to working in groups, and willingness to share work with peers for feedback and review.
    • Availability to commit to in-person training each week on weeknight evenings (Tuesdays, occasional Wednesdays, and Thursdays), from 5:30-8:30 pm, late October 2026 through mid-February 2027.

    Expected Time Commitments

    • Training will start on Tuesday, October 27 at 5:30 pm, and ends the week of February 8, 2027
    • Trainees will meet for 3 hours each Tuesday and Thursday, from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm in SoMa, San Francisco, at BAVC Media's office
      • Wednesdays evenings from 5:30-8:30 serve as open lab hours/supplemental professional workshop days
    • It is expected that participants can attend all training sessions (no remote options available) except for Thanksgiving week and a 2-week holiday break at the end of December (December 21 through January 1, 2027)

    Application Timeline

    • Monday, October 12 @ 11:59 PM PT: Applications due; application will officially close at midnight
    • BAVC Media will begin reviewing applications on a rolling basis; selected applicants will be invited to complete a short interview
    • By October 22: All interviews completed
    • By October 23: Trainees will have been notified of acceptance into the program and must confirm participation
    • Tuesday, October 27: First day of training

    About the Instructor - Stefano Gonzalez

    Stefano Gonzalez is a trans Latinx producer from New York whose work spans narrative films and short form content. After beginning his career teaching video production to high school students, he relocated to the Bay Area to earn an MFA in Motion Pictures & Television. Since then, he has played a key role in shepherding independent films from development all the way through the festival circuit, with projects screening at internationally acclaimed festivals including SXSW, Cannes, and BFI Flare.

    With more than a decade of experience in the film industry, Stefano Gonzalez has built a career spanning independent film, television, and commercial production. His credits include Lady Champagne (2026), Outerlands (2025), Insecure (Season 5), The Matrix Resurrections (2021), and Do the Fit? (2016), which screened at the Cannes Short Film Corner. In addition to his production work, Stefano has served as a juror for the Frameline Completion Fund (2020) and AfroComicCon (2023).

    Stefano is also the founder and CEO of Transgress Studios LLC, a production company dedicated to elevating underrepresented voices and championing stories that challenge conventional narratives. The company's debut feature, TRANSFINITE (2017), screened at more than 20 film festivals internationally and is available to stream on Amazon and other major digital platforms. 

    Beyond narrative filmmaking, Transgress Studios produces commercial and branded content for recording artists such as Be Steadwell and Amina Shareef Ali, and nonprofit organizations, such as Covenant House CA and Sonoma Valley Community Health Center.

    Mr. Gonzalez has a love of traveling, but has planted his roots down in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, stepson, and his dog Buster.

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    Have questions? Please email edu@bavc.org for support.

  • Applicant Information

    Please note that certain questions are required by our program funder and answers will not be disclosed elsewhere. An asterisk indicates your answer is required.
  • Date of Birth*
     - -
    2 digit month, 2 digit day, 4 digit year
  • Format: (000) 000-0000.
  • Housing status (please choose one)*
  • Highest educational attainment (please choose one)*
  • Current employment status (please choose one)*
  • Film production industry experience (please choose one) (i.e. experience working on a professional project - could be commercial, documentary, etc.)*
  • Which of the following apply to you, background-wise? (Check all that apply)*

  • Eligibility Agreement

    To confirm your eligibility for this program please answer yes or no to the following questions. *This field is required.
  • I am 18+ years old.*
  • I plan on pursuing a career in producing for film productions.*
  • I am willing and able to participate in a collaborative learning environment with a close cohort.*
  • I understand that participation in this program will require a strong commitment of time (at least 6 hours of evening time per week), over the course of the 4-month program.*
  • Have you participated in a BAVC Media program before?*
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