Personnel : Roles

task:
for each role...

1. what is this member of the crew responsible for during pre-production?
2. what are the key ways that this person's work help the project develop and move forward?
3. what are the implications/consequences of this person's pre-production responsibilities/duties not being fulfilled?

producer...

• they are the overall decision makers in the production process. they will come up with the story ideas and most will choose to hire a writer or choose and secure rights to the scripts. they also decide on the scale and budget of the production and begin the source financing from investors, studios and distributors. working alongside the director means that they work with creative ideas form the director themselves and approve the overall production costs. approving locations and hiring a team of staff for the production and setting responsibilities means that the whole production process can move forward. it's also key for them to create and maintain a good working environment with clear communication to keep things running smoothly. without this the production could be slowed down and majorly disrupted. they have the responsibility of locating and solving potential problems throughout the production process. lastly, they have to keep on top of the legal responsibilities for the health and safety of the crew on set and the delivery of the completed film at the end of the production process. during production, it is essential to have a focused person for this role so that you know that someone responsible can handle the tasks needed. if the wrong person is chosen for the position of the producer, it could bring up many problems. some examples could be: running the risk of going over the budget, not completing the whole project, and resulting in a bad reputation for every member of the crew.

director...

• directors are the creative leads throughout the entire production process, they hold the original vision which they have developed into what can turn into the end product. they start with a script, and work with a screenwriter and sometimes a script editing team. their main job is to visually imagine the script as if it was being performed. once the production has collected enough money to start, the director will begin to work closer with members of the crew, such as: the director of photography, assistant director and production designer. after this, they will proceed to work alongside the producers and casting directors to select who they think is best suited to represent the character/s they have in mind. the director of photography will be brought in for them to establish a filming style and overall style of the film. they also focus on making sure they have the right shots for the film. some directors will instinctively stay to watch over rehearsals with the lead actors ahead of the shooting. they tell the cinematographer/s how they want the lighting for each shot. they also assist with how they want the look of each character to be. e.g. wardrobe, hair, and makeup. the director will also lead the editing of the film after it's filmed. a production physically can not work without a director as they are the ones with the vision, so without that then there isn't anything to film. however, if the position isn't filled by the right person then things can go downhill very quickly due to the fact that the director has some of the most stressful and important responsibilities within the entire production process. 

1st assistant director...

• the job of the 1st assistant director, in its simplest form, is to be the director's right hand. they are in control of planning the filming schedule. during this, they will be working alongside members of the crew such as the director and the director of photography. other heads of departments might be brought in as well to assist. this is to ensure that the shoot is done to the correct standard and runs smoothly. during the pre-production process, the assistant director has many essential responsibilities like the following: brewing down the script, analysing it, helping with casting, locations, equipment and crew. they also lead the recess to ensure that the locations are best suited for the shoot and production as a whole. after this, they then input the scripts into a movie magic software, which helps them work out what to film and when to film it. however, this is all dependant on the availability of cast and locations. they write the shooting schedule and work out how long each scene will take to film and obviously take that into account when writing the schedules. during the actual production and filming, the assistant director will be managing the sets, which then leaves the director to the job of focusing on the actors and framing the shots. without an assistant director, all of the pressure and work in that area of expertise would be put on the director. having an assistant director means that those responsibilities are shred and each person can then focus on an area of the production more, which in turn, would lead to a better end result.

production manager...

• they act on the main decisions made by the visual effects producer. they're responsible for creating the schedule for the production and watching over the budget. they also watch over other members of the crew such as the production coordinator while scheduling the work and might also be involved in the casting and hiring process alongside the director. on occasion they might have to assist with drafting contracts for cast and crew members. most importantly, they ensure that all deadlines are met on time and to the best standard. if their job isn't done by either the right person or isn't done to the best standard, it could slow down the entire project.

location manager...

• the location manager plays a very important role in the film industry. not only do they have to find the locations for the film, they also have to ensure they're safe for people and the equipment to be around without risk of damage. they have to make sure all of the location permits are in order and make sure they're a good face for the production. the public are always considered when addressing issues that arise during production. the role of location manager has to be filled by the right person so that the film ends up looking the best that it can. locations play a huge part in that, without the right location, the audience could get the wrong message about the film as a whole. 

assistant location manager...

• during pre-production, the assistant location manager is responsible for the following: writing and distributing letters to local residents informing them about the filming, talking between crew and location owners, and assist the preparation of the locations chosen for the project. their job makes it easier for the location manager to do their job most efficiently which benefits the whole film. when this role is filled properly, all of the responsibility in that area falls onto the location manager which can mean the job isn't done to the best it could be. this could lead to the film looking amateur. 

production designer...

• the job of the production designer is to create the overall look of the production. this includes the mood, atmosphere, lighting, composition, colour and texture of each scene. they'll start with the script and begin to visualise the screenplay. these ideas are spoken about with the director so they can further develop them. they will usually research and collaborate with the director and director of photography and other department heads about the final choices for the film. production designers are usually freelance. another part of the job is writing up the budgets for the things needed to create the final look of the production. they have to prioritise the work schedule and allocate the management of finance to team members who are performing certain tasks. its an essential job that needs to be done right in order to make the production successful. it can cause countless issues if it not done right. 

property master...

• they deal with any props or property. this can include anything from as little as a hat to a kitchen unit. they run the property department which makes, stores and transports the props as well as preparing them for when they are needed in a scene. they start working long before anyone else in the crew does, except for the directors and producers. they work alongside many members of the crew throughout the production to ensure that the directors vision is created as close to the plan as possible. when the shooting if finished, they return everything to where they'd hired it or find a way to safely dispose of everything. each crew member has a set of responsibilities that are essential for the completion and success of the whole production. should a member fail to complete the tasks needed to be done, the responsibilities then fall onto the rest of the crew which means it could hinder the quality of the tasks at hand. 

prop maker...

• they work with the department heads to work out which props are needed for the production in each individual scene. next is figuring out if those props need to be made or hired out. prop makers use a wide variety of materials, techniques, and tools to design the props needed. a lot of the time, they will have to alter props that thy hire out to suit the film. props are used in a lot of major films/film franchises such as Harry Potter. they are necessary for the film to look professional and of a good quality. 

construction manager...

• their job is to look after the making of various studios and sets. their aim is to make it look as realistic or as close to how they want it as possible. checklists are important in construction, this can be things like: is it safe for the environment?, how long will it take to build?, and how many people need to help to build it. then they hire the workforce which can consist of the following and potentially more: carpenters, painters, riggers, and plasterers. finding the materials before making can also take up a large amount of time. what machines will be used? how much money will be spent on materials? all things that the construction manager will have o think about and draw up solutions and budgets for. finally, they are also responsible for taking apart all of the sets after shooting, and ensuring that all materials are recycled as far as possible, or put into storage. 

director of photography...

• they read the screenplay and work closely with the director to discuss the look and feel of the film. after, they research how to create the look through lighting, framing, and camera movement. also thinking about what they will need in terms of kit and crew. each day of filming they show up early to rehearse. they do blocking, which is deciding the exact movement of both the camera and actors. they have to consider any special camera moves and lighting requirements. each shot is marked up for focus and framing. throughout the whole production, they oversee the lighting of the set for the first take. every shot is usable and is flagged when they're not. they view the raw footage and work closely with the colourist in post-production.

camera operator...

• is a professional operator of a film camera or video camera. the DP may operate the camera themselves, or enlist the aid of a camera operator. first assistant cameraman is responsible for maintenance of the camera. the second assistant cameraman might be employed to load a film, slate scenes, or maintain the camera report. a camera operator in a video production may be known by titles like television camera operator. their skills include: choreographing and framing shots, knowledge of and the ability to select appropriate camera lenses, and other equipment. this is a super important job that needs to be taken seriously. each part is so specific that means it has to be done right or it risks the look of the entire production. 

art director...

• art directors are responsible for the visual style of the film, more specifically, how the characters, props and environment are going to look. start by examining the script and working with the director to understand the vision for the film. they create their designs and determine the tone, mood, and colour palettes. their work is very specific and directive. they determine the  'language' of the design. requires an understanding of what the final, on-screen image will look like and how to get there. they usually work in 2D design at this stage of pre-production. these ideas are then presented to the director and producer and possibly to the investors in the project. they're involved inn the process right up until the release of the production so they can supervise the other artists.

assistant art director...

• an assistant director is a junior level creative professional who helps plan and execute the production. in their position, the assistant art director may have more routine duties, such as basic design. also may be tasked by a supervisor or coordinating illustrator. they help reduce the workload of the art director so that the work can be done most efficiently. its essential that they do their job so the production can run smoothly.

customer supervisor...

• a customer service supervisor oversees, leads, and trains a company's service staff. they investigate and solve product and service complaints. also known as customer service manager. the customer service staff are important to making the team feel secure in knowing their complaints and queries are being taken care of. 

costume assistant...

• tasks vary depending on the scale of the production. might carry out research for the costume designer or work with a costume assistant to detail requirements, photograph garments and note changes in the continuity book. they're likely to help with setting up workrooms, ordering supplies, and may help with pattern cutting or the ageing and distressing of costumes. also sometimes help with packaging costumes. during the shoot, they make sure the outfits are ready for the actors and help the standbys by making simple alterations. might be asked to collect garments and supplies, clean and iron them or do returns for the designers. 

makeup and hair designer...

• hair and makeup designers help actors to portray their characters by using hair and makeup to create the looks. they work closely with the director to understand the style of the story. they breakdown the script, noting their ideas for various looks throughout the production and the requirements like who they need to recruit to the team. they make appointments for actors for wig fittings, prosthetics, and dental appointments. they also work alongside the camera department on test shots to see how the hair and makeup looks under different lighting conditions. they are one of the first to the set in the mornings, leading the team, keeping everyone to schedule and managing the budget for their area of work. in larger productions, hair and makeup are two separate roles.

sound designer...

• sound designers create the soundscape for the film. sometimes there are no natural sounds so they have to be made from scratch. they decide which sounds to use to create the right atmosphere. discuss with the director and decide what effect they want and then find creative ways to achieve this. might create sounds from scratch on a computer, known as synthesis. they could record real life sounds to use, this is known as foley. foley often involves recording one sound to use it as something else. animation sound designers are highly imaginative, especially when designing what a fantasy creature or environment might sound like. they edit their chosen sounds and using time codes, they put them into the film and they work to tight deadlines. 

supervising sound editor... 

• manage the team that looks after each part of the sound of a film. this includes those responsible for dialogue, additional dialogue recordings, sound effects, background sounds and foley. their roles vary depending on the budget of the production. lower budget films they start work when the picture editor has achieved picture lock. in larger scale, big budget films, they start work before the shooting begins and appoint specialist sound editors to supervise separate teams for each area of work. supervising sound editors attend a "spotting session". they discuss any concepts for the overall feel of the sound. they check every sound effect and line of dialogue to see what's needed. their role is quite hands-on in creating the overall. soundtrack. they're also responsible for the sound budget and for organising the workflow, sound editorial, foley recording, ADR sessions, pre-mix to final mix- and making. 

script supervisor...

• they're usually shot entirely out of sequence. its the job of the script supervisor to check how each filmed scene can be edited so it will make sense in the end. in pre-production, script supervisors prepare a continuity breakdown. this is a document that analyses the script in terms of cast, actions, wardrobe and props in scenes and story days. they closely monitor what's happening to check no dialogue is overlooked and the actions and eye-lines of the actors match. keep detailed written and photographic records of dialogue, action, costumes and props. they keep a progress report of each day's filming and these records are invaluable. they mean that when different takes are edited together, the film is consistent and makes sense.

storyboard artist...

• storyboard artists help the head of story to create a visual representation of the animation's narrative. they translate the script and director's vision into pictures. they produce a series of panels of images to plan the shot and ensure continuity between them. they may be asked to compete partly-drawn panels and ensure they are in the right style for the animation project. storyboard panels might need to be cleaned up after feedback, so that they are tighter and more accurate. if the panels are being sent overseas to be animated this is particularly important. storyboard artists might also need to fill in background details or they may be asked to revise scenes already drawn by senior artists. they may be required to work using various different software to prepare panels for editing. their job is usually an in-house animation studio.