Also called: SFX Supervisor, Practical Effects Coordinator
Leads the team that builds real, on-set effects for movies and TV: explosions, rain, wind, crashes and collapsing buildings.
The script says a car flips through a storefront. You plan where the cannon goes under the car, rig breakaway glass, check every safety zone with the stunt coordinator, and on 'action' trigger the effect while 200 crew members hold their breath.
Freelance union pay is per project; top supervisors on big films earn far more, while work can be irregular.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Apprenticeship, about 8 years after high school. No degree required; years climbing up from effects technician, plus state pyrotechnic licenses. Engineering degrees help.
Ways in: On-the-job training, Apprenticeship, Certification. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Mechanical Engineering, Theater Technology.
Growing about average. Small, competitive niche; not tracked separately by BLS.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI and CGI replace some practical effects; real fire, rain and stunts on set and the license to run them stay human.
Classes: Chemistry, Physics, Theater tech crew, Shop or welding class.
Official data: O*NET occupation 27-1014.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.