Table 1Transition record

art directortostage director

A art director already meets 68% of what the stage director role asks for. The move turns on 4 required skills not yet in the profile.

From art director

68%

Overlap1

To stage director

16 Skills carried over

4 Required, not held

33.9 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 33.9

This move: 33.9 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the stage director role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the art director profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 16 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A stage director role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a art director background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held maintain blocking notes communication, collaboration and creativity
already held cue a performance management skills
already held manage prompt book communication, collaboration and creativity
already held assemble an artistic team management skills
already held work with playwrights communication, collaboration and creativity
already held carry out auditions management skills

All 16 carried skills, including the 10 the stage director role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 9 missing skills fall into 3 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 communication, collaboration and creativity 2 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held adapt a script required
required, not held develop drama production process required

optional, not held communicate expectations of fight actions optional
optional, not held identify technical resources for performances optional
optional, not held prompt performers optional
optional, not held write technical riders optional

02 management skills 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held find a replacement for stage manager required

optional, not held determine context to present the work optional

03 arts and humanities 1 required

required, not held acting techniques required

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a stage director role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 16 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held adapt designers’ work to the performance venue skill
already held analyse a script skill
already held assemble an artistic team skill
already held carry out auditions skill
already held cue a performance skill
already held direct an artistic team skill
already held evaluate art quality skill
already held maintain blocking notes skill
already held read scripts skill
already held work with playwrights skill
already held ensure visual quality of the set skill
already held follow time cues skill
already held manage budgets skill
already held manage prompt book skill
already held organise rehearsals skill
already held select music for performance skill

5 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held communicate expectations of fight actions optional
optional, not held determine context to present the work optional
optional, not held identify technical resources for performances optional
optional, not held prompt performers optional
optional, not held write technical riders optional

66 held skills the stage director role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role advertising techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role analyse the need for technical resources skill
not needed by the target role approve advertising campaign skill
not needed by the target role assess each stage of the creative process skill
not needed by the target role audiovisual equipment knowledge
not needed by the target role business strategy concepts knowledge
not needed by the target role carry out interviews to select artistic team members skill
not needed by the target role check material resources skill
not needed by the target role cinematography knowledge
not needed by the target role computer equipment knowledge
not needed by the target role consult with motion picture producer skill
not needed by the target role contact talent agents skill
not needed by the target role coordinate advertising campaigns skill
not needed by the target role coordinate artistic production skill
not needed by the target role coordinate technical teams in artistic productions skill
not needed by the target role coordinate with creative departments skill
not needed by the target role create new concepts skill
not needed by the target role create production schedules skill
not needed by the target role create solutions to problems skill
not needed by the target role cultural projects knowledge
not needed by the target role define artistic vision skill
not needed by the target role design principles knowledge
not needed by the target role determine visual concepts skill
not needed by the target role develop creative ideas skill
not needed by the target role develop design concept skill
not needed by the target role develop professional network skill
not needed by the target role digital marketing techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role discover acting talent skill
not needed by the target role estimate duration of work skill
not needed by the target role evaluate advertising campaign skill
not needed by the target role familiarise with personal directing styles skill
not needed by the target role film production process knowledge
not needed by the target role finish project within budget skill
not needed by the target role graphic design knowledge
not needed by the target role health and safety regulations knowledge
not needed by the target role history of fashion knowledge
not needed by the target role keep up with trends skill
not needed by the target role lead cast and crew skill
not needed by the target role liaise with cultural partners skill
not needed by the target role lighting techniques knowledge

26 further entries not listed here

1 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held acting techniques required

Index

Other moves recorded from art director

Full index of moves from art director

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.