Creative Sector: Film & Media Industry
The Film & Media industry brings stories, ideas, information, and experiences to life through visual, audio, and digital media. It includes the directors, producers, writers, performers, designers, editors, engineers, technicians, content creators, studios, and supporting professionals who create, produce, refine, distribute, and manage film, television, streaming, digital content, animation, audio media, and related productions. Through production activity, project spending, employment, client services, licensing, distribution, and platform-based revenue, the industry contributes to the regional economy while strengthening cultural expression, representation, communication, place identity, tourism, and connection.
The Segments within the Film & Media Industry
The Film & Media industry is organized into distinct segments that group related disciplines, professions, organizations, and business activities within the larger field. Each segment represents a different way visual, audio, and digital media are developed, produced, refined, distributed, and supported, while also showing how creators, production teams, studios, technical specialists, platforms, distributors, clients, and audiences connect across the industry. Breaking the industry into segments creates a clearer framework for understanding its structure, identifying shared needs, and examining the economic and cultural role of each area in greater detail.
NAICS Codes & Disciplines
North American Industry Classification System, or NAICS, codes are standardized categories used by government agencies, researchers, and economic development organizations to classify business activity and measure employment, revenue, and industry growth. Including these codes helps connect the Film & Media industry to established economic data and provides a consistent way to understand how production, post-production, distribution, broadcasting, digital media, and related business activity appear within the broader economy.
The disciplines listed alongside each NAICS code show the range of creative, technical, production, and business practices that make up the industry. This distinction is important because a single economic classification may include several Film & Media disciplines, while some disciplines may span more than one code. Presenting both creates a clearer picture of how the industry is structured, how Film & Media work is counted, and where individual practitioners, production companies, studios, platforms, and supporting organizations fit within the larger Creative Sector.
Film Production:
512110 (Motion Picture & Video Production)
Disciplinesย
- Directing
- Producing
- Screenwriting
- Cinematography
- Production Design
- Art Direction & Set Decoration
- Casting Direction
- Assistant Direction
- Location Management
- Line Producing & Production Management
Television & Streaming:
- 512110 (Production)
- 519130 (Internet Publishing & Streaming)
- 512120 (Distribution)
Disciplines
- Showrunning
- Television Directing
- Writersโ Room & Series Writing
- Executive Producing
- Series Producing
- Broadcast Production Management
- Unscripted & Reality Production
- Studio Operations
- Streaming Content Development
Video & Digital Content:
- 512199 (Other Motion Picture & Video Industries)
- 519130 (Internet Publishing & Streaming)
Disciplinesย
- Content Creation
- Corporate &
- Commercial Video Production
- Digital Directing
- Videography
- Editing & Post-Production
- Social Media Video Strategy
- Live Streaming Production
- Branded Content Development
- Digital Distribution & Channel Management
Animation & Motion Media:
- 512199 (Other Motion Picture & Video Industries)
- 512191 (Postproduction Services)
Disciplines
2D Animation
3D Animation
Motion Graphics Design
Visual Effects (VFX)
Character Design
Storyboarding & Previsualization
Game Cinematics & Interactive Animation
Virtual Production & Real-Time Media
Animation Production Management
Audio Media:
- 512240 (Sound Recording Industries)
- 519130 (Internet Publishing & Streaming)
Disciplinesย
- Podcast Production
- Radio Broadcasting
- Audio Engineering
- Sound Design
- Voiceover Performance
- Music Recording Production
- Live Audio Production
- Audio Post-Production
- Audio Distribution & Platform Management
Post-Production & Technical Services:
- 512191 (Postproduction Services)
- 512199 (Other Motion Picture & Video Industries)
Disciplinesย
- Video Editing
- Color Correction & Color Grading
- Sound Editing & Mixing
- Visual Effects (Post Context)
- Motion Graphics Finishing
- Audio Post Production
- Media Encoding & Delivery
- Studio & Equipment Rental Services
- Data Management & Digital Asset Management (DAM)