Marie Fargus has built a career as a dependable and experienced production coordinator in the UK film and television industry. Based in Bradford, England, she has been involved in the logistical and administrative side of storytelling, with a particular focus on drama series and feature films. Her contributions to productions like Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell underscore her long-standing commitment to managing the intricate details behind the camera that make large-scale creative projects function effectively.
This article outlines her career trajectory, the nature of her work as a production coordinator, and the professional skills that distinguish her within the freelance production community.
Professional Overview
Marie Fargus operates in a freelance capacity, which means she is brought into projects on a contractual basis to manage the coordination between departments, schedules, and external partners. Her specialty lies in narrative-driven content, particularly television drama and feature-length projects. In the role of production coordinator, she functions as the backbone of the production office, ensuring that day-to-day operations run smoothly from pre-production through to the final wrap.
Her role involves managing production paperwork, coordinating logistics, setting up shoots, liaising with cast and crew, maintaining schedules, organizing travel and accommodation, and ensuring that all relevant documentation is in place for each stage of production. In large productions, these responsibilities become complex and high-stakes, requiring someone with both organizational discipline and adaptability. Fargus has fulfilled this role since at least 2013, according to public records.
Key Project: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
One of Marie Fargus’ more prominent credits is her work on Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, a BBC One drama series based on the novel by Susanna Clarke. The show was a major production for the BBC and required coordination across multiple departments, locations, and time zones. Fargus served as production coordinator on the series through Jonathan Strange Production Ltd, contributing to the organizational and logistical framework that supported the creative vision.
Set in a magical version of 19th-century England, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell involved elaborate set designs, visual effects, period costumes, and international filming logistics. The production was filmed in locations across Yorkshire and abroad, and managing these elements would have required a high level of attention to detail and steady communication across departments.
Her role during this project would have included ensuring call sheets were accurate, permissions were in place for each location, and that crew had access to what they needed—whether equipment, housing, or transport—to stay on schedule. Productions of this scale often involve hundreds of crew members and tight deadlines, reinforcing the importance of an experienced coordinator behind the scenes.
Experience Summary
Marie Fargus has been active as a production coordinator for over a decade. Her career began, at least in its current form, in 2013. Since then, she has consistently taken on projects in the UK entertainment industry that require structured planning and time-sensitive execution.
Her freelance status indicates she is not tied to a single production company, which reflects both her adaptability and the strong network she likely maintains within the industry. Freelance professionals in film and television often rely on referrals and a track record of reliability to stay active across successive projects.
Although her resume is not publicly exhaustive, her specialization in drama and feature film productions suggests that she operates primarily in long-form storytelling formats rather than short-term or live content like news or event broadcasts.
Skillset and Endorsements
Marie Fargus has received endorsements for a wide range of production-related skills on professional platforms. These include:
- Film Production
- Feature Films
- Drama
- Television
- Production Management
- Video Production
- Post Production
- Commercials
- Producing
- Screenwriting
These endorsements, while limited in volume, reflect the diversity of her experience across different production environments. The presence of endorsements for both creative (screenwriting, producing) and operational (production management, post production) functions suggests that she is comfortable working across the spectrum of responsibilities within the production office and may have experience assisting with creative development or finalizing post-production processes.
While her primary role is administrative, understanding creative workflows such as screenwriting or post-production editing allows a production coordinator to better anticipate and resolve delays, support departments effectively, and ensure that creative priorities are respected within logistical frameworks.
Production Coordinator Responsibilities in Practice
To better understand Marie Fargus’ role, it’s important to define what a production coordinator does in real-world production settings. Unlike producers, who handle high-level decision-making, or assistant directors, who work on-set managing scenes and cast movements, a production coordinator operates as the administrative engine of the entire production.
Tasks commonly include:
- Preparing and distributing call sheets and production reports
- Arranging accommodations, travel, and per diem for cast and crew
- Coordinating hiring paperwork, contracts, and insurance documentation
- Serving as the primary link between various departments
- Maintaining the production schedule and updating revisions
- Tracking expenses and ensuring that departments stay within budget
- Managing supplies, equipment rentals, and crew logistics
In larger productions, production coordinators report to production managers or line producers. They often supervise assistants and runners, ensuring that the production office operates efficiently. In smaller shoots, they may take on multiple roles.
Marie Fargus’ long-standing presence in this function across different types of content—TV series, features, and commercials—demonstrates her reliability in handling this high-pressure, multitasking-heavy position.
Working Location and Regional Ties
Fargus is based in Bradford, England, which places her in a key regional area for UK film and television production. The broader Yorkshire region has become an increasingly important production hub due to the presence of studios in Leeds, growing support from Screen Yorkshire, and financial incentives for shooting outside London.
Bradford itself has been the location for several film and TV productions over the past two decades and is also home to the National Science and Media Museum. Being located in Bradford allows Fargus to work both locally and across the North of England, supporting productions that take place in Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, and surrounding areas.
This regional flexibility is crucial for freelance professionals. It allows them to take on a wider range of projects while keeping costs down for production companies who are avoiding the high rates associated with London-based shooting.
The Freelance Model in Production Work
Marie Fargus’ freelance status is representative of how many professionals operate in the film and television world. Rather than being employed full-time by one studio or broadcaster, they are contracted on a project-by-project basis. This model rewards adaptability, punctuality, and a broad network.
Freelance production staff must be able to quickly understand new teams, workflows, and expectations. Production schedules are often irregular and require long hours, including weekends or overnight shifts during critical phases of a shoot. Freelancers must also manage their own administrative obligations—such as invoicing, taxes, and insurance—which adds an additional layer of complexity to their work.
In Marie Fargus’ case, her decade-long continuity in the industry suggests that she has successfully navigated the challenges of freelance production life and earned the trust of key production companies and crew members across various projects.
Conclusion
Marie Fargus is a production coordinator whose career reflects stability, adaptability, and logistical competence in a demanding and fast-paced industry. With over 10 years of experience coordinating television dramas and feature films, she has established herself as a dependable figure in the production offices of major UK projects.
Her work on Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is a testament to her ability to handle complex logistics under pressure. Her skills span both operational and creative domains, giving her a broad understanding of the full production cycle. Based in Bradford and operating as a freelancer, she continues to support the infrastructure of storytelling from behind the scenes—keeping production schedules intact and ensuring that directors, producers, and crews can focus on the creative work at hand.
As long-form content continues to evolve across streaming platforms, broadcast TV, and cinema, professionals like Marie Fargus remain essential to the functioning of the industry. Their behind-the-scenes coordination enables ambitious projects to come to life—often without the public ever hearing their names. In that way, her career is emblematic of the quiet, consistent professionalism that supports the visible success of UK media.
FAQs
1. What does Marie Fargus do as a production coordinator?
Marie Fargus manages logistics, schedules, travel, and communication between departments during TV and film productions, ensuring everything runs smoothly.
2. What are some notable projects Marie Fargus has worked on?
She worked as a production coordinator on the BBC drama Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, a large-scale period series with complex logistics.
3. Is Marie Fargus a freelance or full-time employee?
She works as a freelance production coordinator, taking on projects across feature films, TV dramas, and commercials.
4. Where is Marie Fargus based, and does she work internationally?
Marie Fargus is based in Bradford, England, and primarily works on UK-based productions, especially in Yorkshire and surrounding regions.
5. What skills does Marie Fargus bring to film and television productions?
Her skills include production management, scheduling, logistics, post-production coordination, and supporting creative teams in narrative-driven content.
