Production management for VFX AND ANIMATION
PPM 1 (21 hours) | September 17 – October 29, 2026
Build the Backbone of the Production Pipeline
Step into the world of production management with this foundational course in creative workflow tracking. Learn how data, structure, and scheduling support animation and VFX teams from pitch to post.
Course Format
Duration: 7 sessions / 21 hours
Days/Times: Thurs 7PM EST
Language of Instruction: English
Delivery: Live virtual instruction
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
This course prepares you to think like a coordinator and function confidently in fast-paced production environments.
Career Paths
Production Intern / Assistant
Jr. Coordinator
Virtual Production Assistant Trainee
Jr. Production Associate
RecomMended Knowledge
Comfort navigating cloud-based software. Basic familiarity with spreadsheets and digital production is helpful but not required
SOFTWARE & HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
Autodesk ShotGrid (Free access provided to enrolled participants)
Any internet-enabled desktop or mobile device (Windows, MacOS/iOS, Android, Linux)
Practical course for…
Tuition costs:
Earlybird pricing (until August 17) – $452 + $52 (HST) CDN
Regular pricing – $500 + $65 (HST) CDN
week 1:
Sept 17, 2026
Foundations of Digital Production Tracking
This session introduces Autodesk Flow Production Tracking and provides an overview of how production tracking is used in animation and VFX. You’ll also gain an understanding of how spreadsheets and relational databases play a critical role in digital production workflows.
week 2:
Sept 24, 2026
Pipeline Ecosystems & Studio Workflows
Explore the structure of production pipelines and how different departments hand off work in animation and VFX studios. The session covers various types of projects and studio workflows, along with a breakdown of key roles and responsibilities in production management.
week 3:
Oct 1, 2026
Bidding, Scheduling & Strategic Planning
Learn the fundamentals of bidding, including how to estimate time, resources, and costs for production work. You’ll be introduced to essential scheduling techniques and workflows, while also understanding how to plan around milestones, deadlines, and task dependencies.
week 4:
Oct 8, 2026
Asset Management in Autodesk Flow
This session covers how asset entities are structured, named, and versioned in Autodesk Flow. You’ll learn to create and manage asset tasks within Flow and explore tools for assigning tasks and facilitating team collaboration.
week 5:
Oct 15, 2026
Shot Tracking & Review Cycles
Gain an understanding of shot entities, including how to break them down, track dependencies, and follow their lifecycle. The session also explores review cycles and demonstrates how to use Flow to manage shot status and approvals effectively.
week 6:
Oct 22, 2026
Dashboards, Reports & Visualizing Production Health
Discover how to use dashboards in Autodesk Flow, including how to customize layouts and apply logic to monitor production. You’ll learn to generate reports and status summaries, and visualize progress across assets and shots in real time.
week 7:
Oct 29, 2026
Analytics, Bottlenecks & Career Readiness
The final session focuses on using analytics for production decision-making and identifying bottlenecks and forecasting risks. The course concludes with a recap, insights from the industry, and practical tips for applying your skills to real-world production roles.
Instructor spotlight
Shi “Ming” Qiu (Ming)
Shi “Ming” Qiu (Ming) is a Digital Production Manager at Tau Films, where she also contributes as a pipeline developer and VFX editor when needed. In addition to her work in visual effects and animation, Ming produces independent films and teaches Production Management at the John Hopkins Institute.
meet Ming
MING’s
filmography:
Certificate & Stackable Micro-Credentials
Production Pipeline Management (PPM) is an immersive training program that prepares you to organize, track, and coordinate creative workflows in animation, VFX, and virtual production. Learn how to bid, schedule, and manage assets and shots using industry-standard tools like Autodesk ShotGrid. Whether you’re starting out in production or upskilling toward coordination roles, these hands-on courses equip you with the technical fluency and production insight to support complex studio pipelines.
Micro-Credentials
Earn a micro-credential for each course you complete — ideal for targeted upskilling in studio production tools and workflows.
Flexible Entry
Start with one course or complete the full sequence. Build toward a production support role or deepen your pipeline knowledge.
PPM 1
Learn production management fundamentals using data, structure, and scheduling to support animation and VFX from pitch to post.