Rachel (Weiner) Berkowitz

Available

I have eight years of television industry experience, working in programming and production operations. My job titles have included production manager, unit manager, production accountant, and production coordinator. I have extensive experience in project management, budget creation and tracking, and payment coordination.

CBS College Sports, New York, N.Y.
Freelance Production Manager, Studio Operations
• Supervised the studio crew and production staff for all CBS College Sports studio shows throughout March Madness
• Coordinated crew requests, crew calls, and other studio needs
• Composed daily production schedules, phone lists, and weekly crew memos
• Handled and coded all freelance crew timecards & worked with 3rd party vendor to ensure report accuracy
• Managed staff of studio coordinator and runners
• Booked all craft services and managed talent requests
• Tracked petty cash and other studio expenses

Food Network, Scripps Networks, New York, N.Y.
Freelance Production Manager, “Guy’s Big Bite” and “Guy Off the Hook”
• Coordinated all production logistics with producers, studio supervisors, audience coordinator, culinary department, catering,
set designers, set builders, and other outside vendors
• Managed and revised show budgets and tracked/approved all related show expenses in register
• Booked all production crew and processed crew timecards and payments
• Participated in all pre-production meetings and walk-throughs
• Created all production schedules, crew lists, and load in/load out schedules
• Booked travel arrangements for talent

CBS Sports, New York, N.Y.
Unit Manager, Remote Operations, College Sports Television
• Prepares and organizes game operations memos for live and taped games and events
• Creates monthly budget estimates for all live and taped remote events
• Acts as production manager at remote events
• Drafts contracts for sport packages
• Works with packagers, producers, directors and tech managers to coordinate crew needs and event/venue logistics
• Manages and reports monthly estimates and project closes to VP, Operations

Remote Operations Coordinator, College Sports Television
• Worked closely with production manager and talent manager to track event travel costs
• Assisted production manager with weekly project accruals & estimates to completion
• Processed freelance timecards and paperwork for all CSTV freelance production staff
• Coordinated travel arrangements for personnel traveling to games and events
• Coded freelance, crew, talent, transmission, and other operational invoices
• Updated venue database & freelance crew lists
• Participated in on-site game operations coordination

Production Accountant, College Sports Television
• Managed all talent and production budgets and payments, including Studio, Remote, Features, and Originals Production
• Processed all production invoices, check requests, and talent fees to make timely payments in accordance with contractual agreements
• Created & maintained production budgets in Great Plains Accounting System
• Composed monthly actuals reports for all production departments
• Managed all talent and programming agreements and packager contract files

SCI FI Channel, NBC Universal – Cable Entertainment, New York, N.Y.
Production/Programming Coordinator, USA/SCI FI Channel Programming
• Served as liaison between Production/Programming, Finance, and Business Affairs to verify deliverables, confirm contract/payment terms, and ensure timely delivery of payments for all USA and SCI FI Original/Non-Scripted development and license deals
• Tracked and managed budgets for USA/SCI FI programming, production, research, and interactive departments
• Processed expense reports, invoices, and timecards for freelance staff
• Compiled data from internal departments and outside vendors to create monthly/quarterly/annual accrual reports and monthly forecast reports
• Built and maintained positive working relationships with outside vendors to coordinate timely payments
• Coordinated travel plans for production staff and talent
• Utilized automated Project Cost Tracking System to maintain the status of production budgets
• Continued to learn and understand principles of production management and administration

Executive Assistant to President, SCI FI Channel
• Coordinated meetings between all SCI FI departments and prepared agendas
• Enhanced communication skills through heavy phone work
• Managed filing system for scripts, notes, production schedules, and other related materials
• Arranged travel plans and organized the schedule of a busy executive
• Gained significant exposure to television programming, scheduling, and marketing
• Assisted in various phases of production of SCI FI’s Village Halloween Parade

WABC-TV, New York, N.Y.
Intern, Eyewitness News
• Gained valuable experience working in the newsroom, control room, and on the set of Eyewitness News
• Researched ideas for morning health reports
• Performed phone interviews
• Logged and screened footage
• Provided support at the assignment desk
• Assisted producers on field shoots

Syracuse University - S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications , Syracuse, N.Y.
Degree: B.S. Television, Radio, Film
Dual Minors: Psychology & Geography

New York
New Jersey