ROLES

Assistant Director

An assistant director (AD) is a person who helps the filmmaker in the making of a movie or television show. The duties of an AD include setting the shooting schedule, tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking the arrival of cast and crew, maintaining order on the set, rehearsing cast, and directing extras. In Australia, the first assistant director may carry a legal responsibility for health and safety as the "responsible person" and representative to the producer on set.[citation needed]
Historically the role of an assistant to the director was a stepping stone to directing work; Alfred Hitchcock was an AD, as was James McTeigue. This transition into film directing is no longer common in feature films, but remains an avenue for television work, particularly in Australia and Britain. It is more common now for ADs to transition to production management and producer roles than to directing. The role of AD has also expanded to become a separate technical profession

Sub-roles

Often, the role of assistant director is broken down into the following sub-roles:
• The First Assistant Director (First or 1st AD) has overall AD responsibilities and supervises the Second AD. The "first" is directly responsible to the producer and "runs" the floor or set. The 1st AD and the production manager are two of the highest "below the line" technical roles in filmmaking (as opposed to creative or "above the line" roles) and so, in this strict sense, the role of 1AD is non-creative.
• The Second Assistant Director (Second or 2AD) creates the daily call sheets from the production schedule,[citation needed] in cooperation with the production coordinator. The "second" also serves as the "backstage manager", liaising with actors, putting cast through make-up and wardrobe, which relieves the "first" of these duties. Supervision of the second second assistant director, third assistant director, assistant director trainees, and the setting of background (extras) are parts of the "second's" duties.
• The Second Second Assistant Director (Second Second or 22AD) deals with the increased workload of a large or complicated production. For example, a production with a large number of cast may require the division of the aspects of backstage manager and the call sheet production work to two separate people.
• The Third Assistant Director (Third or 3rd AD) works on set with the "First" and may liaise with the "Second" to move actors from base camp (the area containing the production, cast, and hair and makeup trailers), organize crowd scenes, and supervise one or more production assistants (PA). There is sometimes no clear distinction between a 2AD and a 3AD. Although some industry bodies (American DGA) have defined the roles in an objective way, others believe it to be a subjective distinction.
• The Additional Assistant Director (AAD or Additional) or Fourth Assistant Director (4AD or "Fourth") or "Key Production Assistant" (Key PA) may have a number of duties. Most commonly, the AAD has two broad job functions. One is the contraction of the duties of an AD where the AD acts as both 2nd AD and 3rd AD simultaneously. For example, a production with a large number of cast may pass the 2AD call sheet production work to that of the AAD, especially when the 2AD is already performing the additional work of a 3rd AD. The other main use of an AAD is as an adjunct to the 3AD and 1AD for logistically large scenes where more ADs are needed to control large numbers of extras. The "Additional" may also serve where the complexity of the scene or specialized elements within it (stunts, period work) require or are best served by a dedicated AD in most respects equal to a 1st AD - directing and controlling a number of other ADs to direct action to the satisfaction of the 1AD and the director.
• A production assistant is the lowest on the crew's hierarchy in terms of salary and authority.[citation needed] They perform various duties required of them by ADs.
The sub-roles of assistant directors differ among nations. For example, the distinction between second second AD and third AD is more common in North America. British and Australian productions, rather than having a second second AD, will hire a "second" 2AD to fulfill the same duties. 3ADs in Britain and Australia have different duties from a second second AD, and the terms are not synonymous.

Many times, in Hollywood film making, especially studio productions, the First A.D. is the first person hired on a film, often as soon as the project has been green lit for production. Experienced First A.D.s will often make key suggestions to optimize resources available. This person will often be very good at estimating how long a scene will take to shoot, based on the content in the screenplay. (Sometimes a scene running a few pages long on the screenplay can be shot relatively quickly, while a half page emotional key moment may take all day.)

When producers visit their production sets or floors, the First A.D. is the one they will want to listen to and get answers from.[citation needed] Often, this person will provide the objective view on progress being made, problems that may be foreseen, and solutions that may be found. The director is often insulated from these discussions, except when inevitable.[citation needed]

Calling the Roll

One of the 1st AD's responsibilities is to "call the roll". Over the years, special procedures have been developed for this task to achieve maximum efficiency during shooting, which is usually some variant of the following:

1) "Waiting on..." Though not technically part of calling the roll, 1st ADs may keep the set focused by frequently calling out which department is responsible for a delay in rolling a take. If the lights need to be adjusted, the 1st AD calls out, "Waiting on gaffers". If the actors are still in their trailer, the 1st AD calls out "Waiting on talent", etc. However, such calls can be regarded as applying excessive pressure to the department in question, and especially in the case of actors, are often avoided.
2) "Final checks, please" (or "Last looks"). Once everyone is in place, and rehearsals and blocking have finished, the 1st AD calls out, "Final checks" or "Checks". This is the signal for any last minute adjustments, especially to hair, makeup, wardrobe and props.
3) "Quiet on the set" (or "Lock it down" or "Picture is up"). The 1st AD calls "Quiet on the set" to alert everyone that the take is ready and imminent. "Lock it down" is also a signal (particularly on location) to ensure nothing interrupts the take, crucial for Third Assistant Directors, as this is their primary responsibility during a take.
4) "Turnover." While some ADs say both "Roll sound" and "Roll camera", "Turnover" signals both the camera and sound departments to start rolling. The sound department will roll first (sound stock is cheaper than film, so this minimises the film footage used for the take). After a second or two, the sound recordist will confirm that the recording equipment is running at the correct speed by calling "Speed". Hearing this, the Clapper-Loader immediately calls out the scene and take numbers so that these details are on the recording. Simultaneously (or within a very few seconds) the Camera Operator or Focus Puller will roll the camera, and immediately the camera is confirmed as running at the correct speed, will call for the Clapper-Loader to "Mark it" (or "Smack it", "Bang it", "Tag it", etc.). This is done by showing the slate ("clapper-board") on camera, and bringing the clapper down to make a synchronisation point for audio (the sound of the clapper) and picture (the two parts of the clapper being seen to come together). With the slate quickly taken out of shot, and the camera refocussed or repointed as necessary for the opening framing, the Camera Operator calls "Set" or "Frame" to indicate that all is ready to capture the action.
5) The 1st AD then calls "Action" (possibly preceded by "Background Action" if extras must be in motion before the main action commences), although the Director might perform this function if he/she prefers it.
6) Only the Director says "Cut".
7) After the Director has called "Cut", the 1st AD will check whether the Director is happy with the take, and conclude the roll with a direction such as "Going again" or "That's a take two" if another take is required. If the Director does not want another take, the AD will call "Check the gate" (a signal for the Focus Puller or Camera Assistant to confirm that the camera has not malfunctioned during a take, and that there is no hair or fluff in the aperture ("gate") where the film is exposed). When the camera has been checked, the call from the Focus Puller or Camera Assistant will be "Clear gate!". Then, if the scene is complete, the AD may call "Moving on" or "Next scene". These announcements cue all departments and the ADs on set as to the next steps they must take. For example, "Going again" may require a reset of elements in the frame (extras, cars - anything that moved) back to where they started, which the 3rd AD will oversee.
The above roll sequence can be varied by, for example, eliminating the sound calls and the clapping of the slate if the shot is mute or "MOS" ("MOS" is a universal abbreviation for "Minus Optical Strip". At other times, for expediency (e.g. if the shot begins with a closeup of a closed door which then opens), the slate may be shown at the end of the take rather than the beginning. In this case, once the sound is rolling, there is an audible announcement of "End board" or "End slate" so that the editing department knows to look for the sync marks at the end of the action. At the conclusion of the action, the Director will still call "Cut", but the 1st AD (and possibly others) will immediately call "End board!" so that the camera and sound recorder are not turned off before the clapper is clapped. Also, as a visual cue to the editors, the clapper-board will be shown upside down on camera.

2nd ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

• The Second Assistant Director (Second or 2AD) creates the daily call sheets from the production schedule,[citation needed] in cooperation with the production coordinator. The "second" also serves as the "backstage manager", liaising with actors, putting cast through make-up and wardrobe, which relieves the "first" of these duties. Supervision of the second second assistant director, third assistant director, assistant director trainees, and the setting of background (extras) are parts of the "second's" duties.
• The Second Second Assistant Director (Second Second or 22AD) deals with the increased workload of a large or complicated production. For example, a production with a large number of cast may require the division of the aspects of backstage manager and the call sheet production work to two separate people


BOOM OPERATOR

A boom operator is an assistant of the production sound mixer. The principal responsibility of the boom operator is microphone placement, sometimes using a "fishpole" with a microphone attached to the end and sometimes, when the situation permits, using a "boom" (often a "fisher boom") which is a special piece of equipment that the operator stands on and that allows precise control of the microphone at a much greater distance away from the actors. He or she will also place wireless microphones on actors when it is necessary.
The boom operator must decide where to place the boom microphone based on a combination of factors, including the location and projection of any dialogue, the frame position of the camera, and any unwanted noise sources.


CAMERA ASSISTANT

In cinematography, a focus puller or first assistant camera (1st AC) is the member of a film crew responsible for keeping the camera's focus at the proper position during a shoot. This typically requires pulling the focus with a follow focus device during the take, to compensate for camera and/or subject movement[1]. This requires intimate knowledge and experience with the optical principle of depth of field, which the 1st AC must learn to exploit to his or her advantage. In extreme circumstances the depth of field may sometimes be very small, as little as 1/4 or 1/8th of an inch (3–6 mm). Since 1st ACs do not look through the camera (that is the job of the camera operator) and thus cannot see the results of their focusing in real-time, this job is considered to be extremely technically difficult.
To accurately focus on the subject, it is common to measure the distance (usually with a tape measure[1][2] or, more recently, with electronic tape measures using lasers) between the camera and the subject before the take, done usually as the rest of the film crew prepares for the shot (some discourage the use of lasers due to a potential liability resulting from damage that the light might inflict on an actor[1]). Specifically the measurement is taken from the subject to the film plane or image sensor. Most movie cameras have a small stud level with the film plane where focus pullers attach their tape measure. It is important for the 1st AC to interfere with the workings of the set as little as possible; while it is often common to wait for lighting setups to be completed or for actors and directors to hone the scene, the camera crew should pride itself on never being the cause of a slowdown in shooting.

Professional 1st ACs have many tricks for pulling focus in difficult situations or when accurate measurement is impossible. Often, before a scene is even rehearsed or established, the 1st AC will take surveying measurements of the general environment in order to have a good idea of the distance between reference points, such as patterns on the floor or walls, furniture, and whatever else might be around. These reference measurements can be used to quickly establish rough distances between the camera and the subject in chaotic shooting circumstances when it is impossible to accurately measure the distance.

It is also the focus puller's responsibility to maintain the camera through the duration of the filming period, to apply or remove any accessories (such as lenses, filters, matte boxes and external viewing monitors), to reload the camera, to keep the camera, lenses and film gate clean, and to be aware of lens flares. Focus pullers also oversee the 2nd assistant camera (also known as the "clapper loader") and any other members of the camera assist team.


CAMERA OPERATOR

A camera operator is a person that operates a film or video camera for the purpose of recording motion to film, video, or a computer storage medium. Camera operators serving in an official capacity in the process of filmmaking may be known variously as a camera operator, cameraman, television camera operator, video camera operator, or videographer, depending on the context and technology involved.
The operator is responsible for physically operating the camera and maintaining composition throughout a given scene or shot. In narrative filmmaking, the camera operator will collaborate with the director, director of photography, actors and crew to make technical and creative decisions. In this setting, a camera operator is part of a camera crew consisting of the director of photography and one or more camera assistants. In documentary filmmaking and news, the camera operator is often called on to film unfolding, unscripted events. The operator may or may not be working in collaboration with a director or producer.
Important camera operator skills include choreographing and framing shots, knowledge of and the ability to select appropriate photographic lenses, and other equipment (dollies, camera cranes, etc.) to portray dramatic scenes. The principles of dramatic story telling and film editing fundamentals are important skills as well. The camera operator is required to communicate clearly and concisely on film sets where time and budget constraints are ever present.
Camera operators are often wrongly mistaken for the movie director.


CASTING DIRECTOR

In the performing arts, casting (or casting call) is a vital pre-production process for selecting a cast (a meaning of the word recorded since 1631) of actors, dancers, singers, models and other talent for a live or recorded performance.

Casting process

It sometimes involves a series of auditions before a casting panel, composed of individuals such as the producer, director and/or choreographer. In the early stages of the process, candidate performers often may present prepared audition pieces such as monologues or songs. Later stages may involve groups of candidates attempting material from the work under consideration in various combinations; the casting panel considers both the talent of the individual actors and the chemistry of their combination.
There are exceptions to this. When a Casting director is working on a Print Advertising or TV Commercial casting project, then the talent comes in and is photographed or put on video with no one else in the casting session. The day's work of all the talent is then viewed on an audition website by the clients. A choice can occur that day or the next day with the production being only days away. There is more of this type of casting (commercial/print) going on than any other type.
Depending on the prestige of the role, casting calls may go out to the public at large (typical for community theatre), to professional and semi-professional local actors (for supporting roles in theatre and film) or to specifically selected actors (for leading roles, especially in films).
• In the production of film and television, a similar process is followed. However, especially for major productions, the process of selecting candidates for sometimes hundreds of parts and possibly thousands of extras may often require specialized staff; while the last word remains with the people in artistic and production charge, a Casting director (and/or Casting Assistant, Casting Associate) may be in charge of most of the daily work involved in this recruiting process during pre-production; in addition the "CD" may also remain as liaison between director, actors and their agents once the parts have been cast. Some of them build an impressive career, e.g. working on numerous ambitious Hollywood productions, such as Mary Jo Slater, Tammara Billik, Vinnie Potestivo, Rick Pagano, Rick Millikan and La Tanya Potts. The significant organization of professional screen - and theater casting in the US is the Casting Society of America (CSA), but membership is optional.

At least in the early stages and for extras, casting may be decentralized geographically, often in conjunction with actual shooting planned in different states, e.g. in Hollywood or New York (studio) and one or more exotic locations (e.g. Hawaii, the Far East) and/or budget locations, e.g. Canada, Ireland. Another reason may be tapping in to each home market in the case of an international co-production. However for the top parts, the choice of one or more celebrities, whose presence is of enormous commercial importance, may rather follow strictly personal channels, e.g. direct contact with the director.
• The resulting list of actors filling the parts is called a cast list.


CONTINUITY


Continuity (also called time-scheme) is consistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events seen by the reader or viewer. It is of relevance to several media.
Continuity is particularly a concern in the production of film and television due to the difficulty of rectifying an error in continuity after shooting has completed. It also applies to other art forms, including novels, comics, anime, videogames and animation, though usually on a smaller scale.
Most productions have a script supervisor on hand whose job is to pay attention to and attempt to maintain continuity across the chaotic and typically non-linear production shoot. This takes the form of a large amount of paperwork, photographs, and attention to and memory of large quantities of detail, some of which is sometimes assembled into the story bible for the production. It usually regards factors both within the scene and often even technical details including meticulous records of camera positioning and equipment settings. The use of a Polaroid camera was standard but has since been replaced by the advent of digital cameras. All of this is done so that ideally all related shots can match, despite perhaps parts being shot thousands of miles and several months apart. It is a less conspicuous job, though, because if done perfectly, no one will ever notice.
In comic books, continuity has also come to mean a set of contiguous events, sometimes said to be "set in the same universe" (see fictional crossover and fictional universe) or "separate universes" (see intercompany crossover).
Today, maintaining strong plot and character continuity is also a high priority for many writers of long-running television series.

Continuity errors

While most continuity errors are subtle, such as changes in the level of drink in a character's glass or the length of a cigarette, others can be more noticeable, such as sudden drastic changes in appearance of a character, or the unexplained appearance of a character believed to be dead. Such errors in continuity can ruin the illusion of realism, and affect suspension of disbelief. In cinema special attention must be paid to continuity because films are rarely shot in the order in which they are presented: that is, a crew may film a scene from the end of a movie first, followed by one from the middle, and so on. The shooting schedule is often dictated by location permit issues. A character may return to Times Square in New York City several times throughout a movie, but as it is extraordinarily expensive to close off Times Square, those scenes will likely be filmed all at once in order to reduce permit costs. Weather, the ambience of natural light, cast and crew availability, or any number of other circumstances can also influence a shooting schedule. There are three main types of continuity errors.

Editing errors

Editing errors can occur when a character in a scene references a scene or incident that has not occurred yet, or that they should not yet be aware of.
An example of an editing error can be seen in the film It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963), where a scene of people climbing a slope at the start is seen from below and then replayed from above.

Visual errors

Visual errors are instant discontinuities occurring in visual media such as film and television. Items of clothing change colors, shadows get longer or shorter, items within a scene change place or disappear.
One example of a visual error occurs in the 1998 film Waking Ned Devine, when two of the film's characters, Jackie and Michael, are walking through a storm towards Ned's house. The umbrella they are under is black during their conversation as they walk towards the house (filmed from slightly above and to the front); yet after cutting to a lower shot (filmed from behind Jackie), Michael walks onscreen from the right holding an umbrella that is not black but beige, with a brown band at the rim.
Though visual continuity errors are logically confined to visual media, parallel mistakes can occur in text. In "The Miller's Tale" in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales a door is ripped off its hinges only to be slowly closed again in the next scene.

Plot errors

Plot errors reflect a failure in the consistency of the created fictional world. For example, a character might state he was an only child, yet later mention having a sister (or vice versa, in the case of sitcom Dan and Becs). In the TV show Cheers, the character Frasier Crane's wife Lilith mentions Frasier's parents are both dead, but when the character was spun off and given his own show (Frasier), his father became a central character (albeit with the explanation that Frasier was embarrassed about his father's lowbrow attitudes, and claimed his death as a result — see Retroactive continuity).

Aging discrepancies

On television, the failure of a character (most often a child or teenager) to age corresponding to the timeline of the show has led to a type of continuity error popularly known as Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome or "SORAS" and its opposite effect "De-SORAS". In these cases, a character's age development is in direct conflict with the natural progression of time on the show.

Dealing with errors

When continuity mistakes have been made, explanations are often proposed by either writers or fans to smooth over discrepancies. Fans sometimes make up explanations for such errors that may or may not be integrated into canon; this has come to be colloquially known as fanwanking. Often when a fan does not agree with one of the events in a story (such as the death of a favorite character) they will choose to ignore the event in question so that their enjoyment of the franchise is not diminished. When the holder of the intellectual property discards all existing continuity and starts from scratch it is known as rebooting. Fans call a less extreme literary technique that erases one episode the reset button.
Discrepancies in past continuity are sometimes made deliberately; this is known as retconning. Retcons are also sometimes used to either correct or cover up a perceived error. These changes may be made either by the same writer who made it, or more commonly by an author that has taken over the creative lead of a corporate owned show or publication.[citation needed].

Real time programs vs traditional films

Television programs like 24, in which actors have to appear as if it is the same day for 24 consecutive episodes, have raised public recognition of continuity. However, traditional films have frequently had much of the same sort of the issues to deal with; film shoots may last several months and as scenes are frequently shot out of story sequence, footage shot weeks apart may be edited together as part of the same day's action in the completed film. In some ways, 24 presents a simpler situation, as costumes and hairstyles generally should not change very frequently; in many feature films a range of different hairstyles and costumes must be created, changed, and then recreated exactly, as various scenes are shot.


DIRECTOR

A film director, or filmmaker, is a person who directs the making of a film.

[1] A film director visualizes the script, controlling a film's artistic and dramatic aspects, while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfillment of his or her vision.
In some cases, film directors do not have absolute artistic control. The director can also be selected by the producer. The producer can in this case have veto power over everything from the script itself to the final cut of the film, often in anywhere from slight to extreme opposition to the director's vision.
When directing episodes for a television show, a director's responsibilities are somewhat diminished, as the visual look and feel of the series is already established, usually by the person billed as the show's creator or executive producer. Those directors who choose or are chosen to work in TV traditionally have had to accept that they will not be as lauded, or as well-paid, as their big-screen counterparts.

[2
Responsibilities

A film director is responsible for overseeing creative aspects of a film. They often develop the vision for a film and carry the vision out, deciding how the film should look. They also direct what tone it should have and what an audience should gain from the cinematic experience. Directing a film is a kind of storytelling. Film directors are responsible for approving camera angles, lens effects, lighting, and set design, and will often take part in hiring key crew members. They coordinate the actors' moves and also may be involved in the writing, financing, and editing of a film.
The director works closely with the cast and crew to shape the film and may often take suggestions on pertinent issues. Some like to conduct rigorous rehearsals in preproduction while others do so before each scene. In either case this process is essential as it tells the director as well as other key members of the crew (Director of Photography, Stunt Choreographer, Hair Stylist etc) how the actors are going to play the scene, which enables them to make any necessary adjustments. Directors often use storyboards to illustrate and a directors viewfinder to set up camera angles.
The director also plays a key role in post-production. He/she works with the editor to ensure that the emotions of the scene and the close ups, mid shots and wide shots appropriately reflect which character is driving the narrative. The director also advises on the (colour) grading of the final images, adding warmth or frigidity to the composition of the shots to reflect the emotional subtext of the character or environment. They also participate in the sound mix and musical composition of the film.


DOP/CINEMATOGRAPHER

A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera (the art and science of which is known as cinematography). The title is generally equivalent to director of photography (DP or DoP), used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image. The term cinematographer has been a point of contention for some time now; some professionals insist that it only applies when the director of photography and camera operator are the same person, although this is far from being uniformly the case. To most, cinematographer and director of photography are interchangeable terms.

Responsibilities

The English system of camera department hierarchy sometimes firmly separates the duties of the director of photography from that of the camera operator to the point that the DP often has no say whatsoever over more purely operating-based visual elements such as framing. In this case, the DP is often credited as a lighting cameraman. This system means that the director consults the lighting cameraman for lighting and filtration and the operator for framing and lens choices.
In the American system, which is more widely adopted, the rest of the camera department is subordinate to the DP, who, along with the director, has the final word on all decisions related to both lighting and framing.
The cinematographer typically selects the film stock, lens, filters, etc. to realize the scene in accordance with the intentions of the director. Relations between the cinematographer and director vary; in some instances the director will allow the cinematographer complete independence; in others, the director allows little to none, even going so far as to specify aperture and shutter angle. Such a level of involvement is not common once the director and cinematographer have become comfortable with each other. The director will typically convey to the cinematographer what he wants from a scene visually, and allow the cinematographer latitude in achieving that effect.

The documentary film Visions of Light is an excellent look at the progression of the art of cinematography across film history, and includes interviews with many famous cinematographers. It is a good introduction for those interested in the field, and includes much in the way of archival footage, anecdotes, and famous cinematographers commenting on whom they looked up to.

DOP ASSISTANT/GAFFER

A gaffer in the motion picture industry is the head of the electrical department, responsible for the execution (and sometimes the design) of the lighting plan for a production. In British English the term gaffer is long established as meaning an old man, or the foreman of a squad of workmen. The term was also used to describe men who adjusted lighting in English theatre and men who tended street lamps, after the "gaff" they used, a pole with a hook on its end.[citation needed]
Sometimes the gaffer is credited as Chief Lighting Technician (CLT).
Experienced gaffers can coordinate the entire job of lighting, given knowledge of the time of day and conditions to be portrayed, managing resources as broad as electrical generators, lights, cable, and manpower. Gaffers are responsible for knowing the appropriate color of gel (plastic sheeting) to put on the lights or windows to achieve a variety of effects, such as transforming midday into a beautiful sunset. They can re-create the flicker of lights in a subway car, the motion of light inside a turning airplane, or the passage of night into day.
Usually, the gaffer works for and reports to the director of photography (the DP or DOP) or, in television, the Lighting Director (LD). The DP/LD is responsible for the overall lighting design, but he or she may give a little or a lot of latitude to the gaffer on these matters, depending on their working relationship. The gaffer works with the key grip, who is in charge of some of the equipment related to the lighting. The gaffer will usually have an assistant called a best boy and, depending on the size of the job, crew members who are called "electricians", although not all of them are trained as electricians in the usual sense of the term. Colloquially they are known as 'sparks'.
Many gaffers are expected to own a truck complete with most basic lighting equipment and then rent extra lighting equipment as needed.
While not many gaffers have made transition from behind the scenes work to on-camera stardom, one notable exception is the legendary Bonnie Hunt, who began work as head gaffer on the pilot episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark?.

Derivation

The exact origin of gaffer remains obscure. There are, however, a few hypotheses:
Early studios were "available light" only, so there were articulated mirrored panels in the roof of the studio buildings that could be pushed from the floor by long "gaff" poles to bounce the sunlight to where it was needed on the set. Because the Earth moves continuously these hinged panels would need to be gaffed after each take. Once electric lighting instruments became the standard equipment, the light operators were known as electricians while the older, more experienced lighting technicians were still known as gaffers. Eventually it came to mean someone in charge of lighting.
Also posited: early films used mostly natural light, which stagehands controlled with large tent cloths using long poles called gaffs (a gaff is a type of boom on a sailing ship), or a pole with a hook on the end to assist in bringing nets or large fish aboard.
It should also be noted that gaffer tape, an adhesive tape used on the theatrical stage and the film set may have its name derived from the job of gaffer. It is known for having many uses, and its wide-spread utilitarian use could be easily likened to duct tape.


PRODUCER

A film producer is someone who creates the conditions for making movies. The producer initiates, co-ordinates, supervises and controls matters such as fund-raising, hiring key personnel and arranging for distributors. The producer is involved throughout all phases of the film-making process from development to completion of a project.
In the first half of the 20th century, the producer also tended to wield ultimate creative control on a film project. In the U.S., with the demise of Hollywood's studio system in the 1950s, creative control began to shift into the hands of the director.
Changes in movie and film distribution and marketing in the 1970s and '80s gave rise to the modern-day phenomenon of the Hollywood blockbuster, which tended to bring power back into the hands of the producer. While marketing and advertising for films accentuates the role of the director, apart from a few well-known film-makers, it is usually the producer who has the greatest degree of control in the American film industry.[citation needed]
Traditionally, the producer is considered the chief of staff while the director is in charge of the line. This "staff and line" organization mirrors that of most large corporations and the military. Under this arrangement, the producer has overall control of the project and can terminate the director, but the director actually makes the film[1]. The "line producer" is thus a producer who assists with day-to-day financial and production concerns "on the line" as the film is being made.

Definitions

• Producer: the individual who has the greatest involvement and oversight among a film's various producers. In smaller companies or independent projects, may be the equivalent of the executive producer.
• Executive producer: In major productions, usually a representative or CEO of the film studio - although the title may be given as an honorarium to a major investor - often oversees the financial, administrative and creative aspects of production, though not technical aspects. In smaller companies or independent projects, may be synonymous with creator/writer.
• Co-producer: A producer who reports to the Executive Producer and provides money to finance a project. In large productions, the co-producer is more involved in the day-to-day production. In independent projects, the title can connote an involvement in the inception of the production.
• Associate producer: Usually acts as a representative of the Producer, who may share financial, creative, or administrative responsibilities, delegated from that producer. Often, a title granted as a courtesy or to one who made a major financial or creative contribution to the production. Associate producer is occasionally used as a token credit. David Mamet, in his Hollywood satire, "State and Main" famously wrote, "It's what you give your secretary instead of a raise" in reference to this job title.
• Assistant producer: Usually works under the direction of the Associate Producer.
• Production director: A representative of the film company assigned to the set and given the authority to act on behalf of the senior production-team members.
• Line Producer: Oversees a film's budget and day-to-day activities
• Production supervisor : Usually performs managerial duties on one aspect of the production.
• Production manager: Manages the studio.
• Post production supervisor: Usually performs the post team in movies.
• Production designer: Usually oversees the on screen visual aspects of a location or set - including stage dressing, props, color palette, and set design.
• Administrative Producer: Reports to the Board of Directors. Freelancers are employed by the Administrative Producer for specific tasks such as press and publicity activities, design, production management, etc.


PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Production designer is a term used in the movie and television industries to refer to the person responsible for the overall look of a filmed event such as films, TV programs, music videos or adverts. Production Designers have one of the key creative roles in the creation of motion pictures and television. Working directly with the director and producer, they must select the settings and style to visually tell the story.
From early in pre-production, the production designer collaborates with the director and director of photography to establish the visual feel and specific aesthetic needs of the project. The production designer guides key personnel in other departments such as the costume designer, the key hair and make-up stylists, the special effects director and the locations manager (among others) to establish a unified visual appearance to the film.
The “art department” is a group of people who work with the production designer to implement the scenic elements of that vision. The art director supervises set construction and painting, as well as modifications to existing locations, such as changing signs or installing new carpet. An art director has a myriad of specialists reporting to them including Construction department which includes carpenters, painters, plasterers, riggers and other trades, Propmakers, greensmen (landscapers), sign painters, and scenic artists. A production illustrator, such as Mentor Huebner, provides pre-production concept art and storyboards. The set decorator, often someone with experience in interior decoration, finds decorative items for the sets such as furniture, wallpaper, knick-knacks and lighting fixtures. Working under the decorator are buyers, as well as a crew of set dressers who bring the items to the set, arrange furniture, hang curtains and “dress” the set. A property master coordinates with the production designer, but also works closely with the director and actors to provide the items handled directly by the actors such as newspapers, weapons, musical instruments and food. For the most part, the prop crew, along with an on-set dresser, maintain the integrity of the production designer's vision during the shoot and manipulate the items for the camera.
The term was created in 1939 out of respect for the amount and level of design work single-handedly accomplished by William Cameron Menzies on the film Gone with the Wind. Previously, and often subsequently, the person(s) with the same responsibility had been called "art directors."[1]
Since 1929 the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences grants an Art Direction Award to an outstanding Production Designer. An Art Director may only be considered eligible for an Oscar when there is no Production Designer credited.
Some of the crew who work in the art department under the production designer include:
• art director
o assistant art director
• set designer (draughtsman)
• set decorator
• costume designer
• property master
• concept illustrator
• graphic designer
• model maker


PRODUCTION DESIGNER ASSISTANT

A set decorator is in charge of the set dressing on a film set, which includes the furnishings, wallpaper, lighting fixtures, and many of the other objects that will be seen in the film. Props and set dressing often overlap, but are provided by different departments. Props are defined as items which are handled directly by actors, and discussions take place between set decorator and prop masters in order to check that everything is being covered. The set decorator gives direction to buyers and to the leadman, who is in charge of the set dressers. The set decorator maintains a set dressing budget separate from the set budget or the prop budget and answers directly to the production designer.[


SOUND RECORDIST

A production sound mixer, location sound recordist, location sound engineer or simply sound mixer is the member of a film crew responsible for recording all sound and sound effects on set during the photography of a motion picture, for later inclusion in the finished product, or for reference to be used by the sound designer, sound effects editors, or foley artists. This requires choice and deployment of microphones, choice of recording media, and mixing of audio signals in real time.
Usually, the recordist will arrive on location with his/her own equipment, which normally includes microphones, radio systems, booms, mixing desk, audio storage, headphones, cables, tools, and a small amount of stationery for making notes and logs. The recordist may be asked to capture a wide variety of sound on location, and must also consider the format of the finished product (mono, stereo or surround sound). The recorded production sound track is later combined with other elements or re-recorded by automatic dialogue replacement.
Often when filming on video, the sound recordist may record audio directly onto the camera rather than use a separate medium, although a separate copy is often made, as it both provides an extra copy which may have more tracks and also may include other sound captured without the camera.
The sound mixer is considered a department head, and is thus completely responsible for all aspects of production sound including the hiring of a boom operator and utility sound technician, planning the technical setup involving sound including both sound equipment and ancillary devices involved in syncing and time offsets, anticipating and discussing sound-related problems with the rest of the crew, and ordering and preparing the sound equipment to be used on the set.


STILLS

A film still, sometimes called a publicity still, is a photograph taken on the set of a movie or television program during production, primarily used for promotional purposes.
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Types of stills

Shots can be taken as part of the filming, separately posed, or taken from the reel or recording.

Part of filming

Generally, a still photographer is present on the set, shooting alongside principal photography, using "Sound Blimp" to silence the noise of the SLR's shutter so that they do not interfere with the shooting.

Posed

Some shots are posed and taken separately from the shooting of the movie proper, and this was done particularly in the early stages of film – one of the most famous images in film,[1] Marlene Dietrich in The Blue Angel, singing on a barrel, was a posed still.

This can be done to recreate shots from the movie, or create compositions that do not appear in the movie itself, but are part of the movie's world, featuring the dressed actors and set.

Captures

Alternatively, a print can also be made from a frame of a production reel. This is less desirable, as the quality is inferior: the smaller negatives of cine film produce grainier images than do larger stills negatives, and the slow shutter speed used in motion-picture photography (typically 1/48th of a second) produces still images that are more prone to blur.
For stills from an animated cartoon, the original animation cel may be photographed or, in the case of a computer animation, the frame may be re-rendered.
Where the source material is no longer available, an image may be captured from a recording.


A movie still photographer is a person who photographs the movie's action (often alongside the camera) to be used in publicizing it, producing film stills. They provide the illustrations for posters, Web sites, pictures in newspapers and magazines, and other media.
Some shots are posed and taken separately from the shooting of the movie proper, while others are taken during the shooting. For these later, a stills photographer uses a "Sound Blimp" to silence the noise of the SLR's shutter so that they can shoot while the moving cameras are rolling.


STORYBOARD ARTIST

Storyboard artist (sometimes referred as story artist) is a profession specialized in creating storyboards for advertising agencies and film productions.
A storyboard artist is able to visualize any stories using quick sketches on paper at any moment. Quick pencil drawings and marker renderings are two of the most common traditional techniques, although nowadays Flash, Photoshop, and other storyboard applications are gradually taking over. The digital camera is one of the latest techniques in creating storyboards.

A storyboard artist is also known as an illustrator or visualizer. They are mostly freelance artists, typically hired by art directors and film directors. Deadlines are always tight, and overnight working is very common.
Some frequently used drawing applications are Corel Painter and Adobe Photoshop. Many storyboard artists nowadays begin and finish their work on computers using software and digital pencils like Wacom (Graphics tablet), thus saving time, which is a major priority for a storyboard artist.

For motion pictures, some filmmakers, directors, and producers choose to use computer programs designed to create storyboards such as StoryBoard Quick, StoryBoard Artist or FrameForge 3D Studio. 3D Programs such as Poser and DAZ Studio can also be used to create elements of the storyboards.

Storyboard artists have different goals in different industries:

1. In advertising, the storyboard artist can be called upon to create a representation of what the finished TV commercial, or spot, will look like in order to persuade and engage the client to buy the concept being pitched. This can either be at the time the agency is trying to win the client's business or once the client has signed on with the agency. In either case, the important element is for the storyboards to visualize for the client what the agency's creative director or "creatives" are thinking will sell the client's product. A storyboard artist may also be asked to visually represent several versions of a campaign for print ads. This gives a client a chance to choose between variations and allows them to be included in the creative process.
2. In film, a storyboard artist is hired at the beginning of a project. When a storyboard artist is hired by a motion picture company, the artist must break down the scenes of the script into shots which can be filmed. This is done under the supervision of the film's director in order to insure the director's vision from the start of the project. Therefore, it can be helpful for the storyboard artist to know the mechanics of filmmaking when assisting the director. As the production proceeds, the storyboards are presented to the cinematographer who is then responsible for bringing that vision to the screen. Film production companies may also hire a storyboard artist to create polished presentation-style storyboards (which might also include sound) which can be used by an executive producer to raise the money to create the film.
3. In an animation, storyboard artists continue to work throughout the production. After a sequence is edited the director and/or storyboard artist and team may need to rework the sequence as it becomes evident that changes need to be made for timing and story.