A journalist is coming to the set for one afternoon. The unit publicist has agreed which scene they can watch, which two actors they may interview and what they must not reveal about the story. A year later, those interviews will be printed when the film comes out. The unit publicist is the person who builds a film's story for the press while it is still being made.

What a unit publicist does

The unit publicist is hired by the producer, often for the period of the shoot. Their job is to collect everything that marketing and publicity will need later, because once the crew disbands it is too late. They write the production notes, which tell the story of how the film was made, and interview the cast, the director and key crew.

They work closely with the unit stills photographer to make sure the right photos are taken. They also handle press visits to the set, approve what is said in public and keep the production away from early leaks on social media. After the shoot they hand all of this to the sales agent and distributors.

Responsibilities

  • Write the production notes and biographies of cast and crew
  • Interview cast and crew during the shoot
  • Plan which scenes and moments the stills photographer should capture
  • Organise and supervise press and influencer visits to the set
  • Agree with the producer what may be said about the production in public
  • Collect behind-the-scenes material for later use
  • Hand over the full press kit to sales and distribution

How the role touches the budget

Lightly. The publicist's fee is a line in the budget, often grouped with stills and behind-the-scenes filming under publicity. On smaller productions this line is sometimes cut, which saves money during the shoot but makes later marketing harder. The bigger marketing costs at release are usually paid by the distributor, not by the production.

How people become unit publicists

Most have a background in journalism, public relations or film marketing, often at a publicity agency. Some move in from assistant roles in a distributor's marketing team. A good writer with a network of journalists and a feel for what makes a story interesting will get hired again.

In TV

On TV series, publicity is often run by the broadcaster or streaming service, and an in-house press team takes over much of the work. A unit publicist may still be hired for the shoot itself, to gather material and handle set visits.