Technology Departments In Productions.

Hello, Aly. 

I really support the idea, although you probably need to specify a bit more what you have meant in order for IMDb staff to know what exactly such department could include. 

So at the moment anybody in the 'Technology' department of any production when adding credits on IMDB they have to be placed into 'Other Crew' Where you have all the other departments like Art, VFX, Transport etc all with their own specific sections. 
example below:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5013056/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm 

Aly: I understand that you are suggesting to have the Technology department separated from Other Crew.

What are the most common job titles in a Technology department of a film? What job title would the head of the department usually have and what job titles would their assistants and other personnel have?

You may want to look at the IMDb's current lists of "Other Crew" jobs (starting at https://contribute.imdb.com/updates/field/miscellaneous/job ) to see what technology-related jobs are already listed and whether there are large numbers of credits for people in those jobs already listed.

Also, if you can link to any articles or web sites that describe the function of the Technology department on a film crew, that would be helpful.

I should note that it is a long, involved process for the IMDb to create a new department and if it is ever done, it will more likely be a matter of years rather than days before it takes place. But if you provide more information, you can at least start building up support for your idea.

The Technology departments role within a film production involves but is not limited to managing the:
IT Infrastructure
Networks including Wifi
Asset and file storage
Digital security
On set streaming services
Hardware and software system support to production cast and crew
Software licence management

It is the Technology departments role to ensure all systems used in a film production are fully functional and amply supported. 

Where in the past a film production would usually outsource a IT expert from time to time to manage certain systems in the last 5+ years more and more big movie studios have now been hiring in house and establishing their own technology department to support the production this includes Warner Bros, Universal, Disney. Just like any other company would have its own IT team now productions are running more like companies and have followed suit. 

The reason you would not find many jobs posted about technology within the usual Production hiring platforms is that as I'm sure you are aware hiring tech specialists has its own platform and specialist recruitment agencies and head hunters. 

Typical titles for the department would be:

Head of Technology
Technology Supervisor
Technology Cordinator
Technology Engieer
Networking Engineer

Hope this clarifies a lot. 


 

Thanks for this useful clarification. So the Technology Dept. appears as important to a production as catering or the accountants (and I do mean it). But I do not think they actually contribute directly to the creative process.

On that ground, I do not think that creating a distinctive section would advisable. But this is just my opinion.

‘Transportation’ have their own department on IMDB. Its not about ‘creative’

I get that IT personnel would fall under your proposed "Technology Department", but everyone from Computer Analysts to Data Management Technicians to CGI Supervisors to Light Board Operators all utilize "technology" as key aspects of their job. Creating a "Technology Department" would cause more confusion and problems, then benefit.

If you just want to create a limited "Information Technology (IT) Department", there doesn't seem to be an actual need. Legal Departments, Craft Services/Catering, Quality Assurance/Play Testing, and Marketing (just to name a few) are all necessary areas of films, television, and/or video games productions, but are all still part of "Other Crew" and rightly so.

"Other Crew" does not mean "meaningless nobodies who somehow managed to get a screen credit so the IMDb kind of feels like they should be mentioned", it means "members of the crew/production who are not listed above".