Film Roles Quiz

Art Finisher

When wardrobe needs to be worn, torn, or altered.

Media Manager

a newer position that has developed with the advent of non-tape-based formats in which footage must be downloaded from cards or hard drives, backed up, and organized. This near full-time position is critical to ensuring that footage is properly copied before media cards are erased and re-recorded onto.

stand-in

a person who bears a resemblance to the actor in height, skin, and hair color and who replaces the actor while you and director of photography light and set up the shot, so as not to fatigue the actual actor. Once the technical setup has been completed, the real actor is brought on set for final lighting tweaks.

Foley Artist

a sound effects artist who is responsible for recreating and recording the normal, everyday sounds in a scene, such as footsteps, clothing movement, doors opening and closing, items being picked up or handled, and any sounds an actor would make when interacting with the environment.

The production manager

also known as the unit production manager (UPM), is in charge of the daily details of planning and managing the business side of the production. The production manager prepares the budget, may work out the preliminary shooting schedule with the 1st assistant director, negotiates with and hires the below-the-line crew, and works with locations by organizing the scouting of, traveling to, and securing permissions from the location before giving these responsibilities over to the loca-tion manager. The production manager is responsible for ensuring that the production runs as smoothly and efficiently as possible, staying on schedule and on budget. The production manager also helps manage the daily budget by managing salaries, equipment rental, and other production costs.

Associate Producer

an associate to the producer who is able to bring some resource, be it financial or technical asset, to the film.

production assistants

are the runners and general assistants, both in the production office and on set. They are responsible for assisting in whatever matters are asked of them, including making copies, running errands, getting coffee, keeping the public away from the film set, standing in for an actor, and transporting actors to and from set.

The 2nd assistant director

assists the 1st AD with preproduction and production tasks, signing actors in and out as they arrive and depart each day, completing on-set paperwork, and managing production assistants.

assistant art directors

based on the complexity and amount of work involved. Assistant art directors are responsible for daily duties, including measuring set spaces, assisting in set design, and serving any of the art director's needs.

Stunt coordinators

create, rig, and execute the stunts for a scene, ensuring maximum safety while creating spectacular stunts.

hairstylist

creates and maintains the actors' hairstyles on set. From working with the actors' natural hair to employing wigs, the hairstylist will style the actors' hair at the beginning of the day and be on set to touch it up between takes.

Key Grip

department head and is in charge of all grips. The key grip supervises the setup, moving, adjustment, and teardown of green screens, lighting, and camera support equipment (C-stands, flags, nets, silks, reflectors, and so on), creature comforts (dressing rooms, craft services tables, tents, and so on), operating dollies and cranes, and pulling cables on set. The key grip answers to the director of photography and issues orders to the best boy grip.

Props Builder

designs and builds original props for the movie.

costume designer

designs and oversees the creation of the costumes, working closely with the director to create a look that matches her vision of the story.

Animator/Compositor

digital effects artist who can either create or supplement existing footage with 2D or 3D animation or composites to accentuate the look of the movie. Often working on shots immediately after they are shot, animators are involved in the creative process from the beginning, helping to ensure that footage to be altered is properly shot.

Head Carpenter

foreman in charge of the carpenters.

Production Coordinator

in charge of booking all personnel and equipment. From cast to crew, equipment, and transportation, the production coordinator ensures that equipment and materials are at the right place at the right time, that crew members are in place and have all the necessary materials to perform their jobs, and that the actors have their contracts and are on set.

Property Master

in charge of identifying, acquiring, and maintaining all props used in the film. Props are handled by the actors and fall under the control of the property master. Elements not handled by the actors are considered set dressing and fall under the responsibility of the set decorator.

script supervisor

in charge of the continuity of each scene and logs dialog spoken, number and duration of takes, lenses and filters used, actor's movements, camera coverage, and positions of props and set pieces, so that scenes and shots can be perfectly reproduced.

The 2nd AC

is responsible for loading the unexposed film stock in the magazines, threading film through the camera, assisting with lens changes, marking each shot with the clapboard and maintaining camera logs.

Generator Operator

is responsible for the transportation, maintenance, and operation of the generator on set.

set designer

is the lead architect, who drafts tangible blueprints and designs of the sets based on the direction and guidance of the production designer.

camera operator

operates the camera during blocking, rehearsals, and takes. As the highest position in the camera department, the camera operator is present when you block the scene, while the rest of the camera crew moves and preps the camera. The camera operator also instructs the boom operator of the top of the frame and helps tweak small elements in the frame to improve the overall composition.

construction coordinator

oversees the construction of set pieces, orders materials, schedules tradesmen, and manages the construction crew.

Executive Producer

oversees the entire production, sometimes multiple productions, but is not involved in the daily operations of the film, defer-ring those duties instead to the producer. The executive producer is typically the financier of the production, providing most, if not all, of the funding.

Boom Operator

places the microphone in the optimal position over the actors without breaching the camera frame or casting a shadow on the actors or set.

Best Boy Electric

primary assistant to the gaffer and works on the grip truck, preparing, maintaining, and repairing equipment.

assistant director (or 1st AD)

primary duties include creating the shooting schedule, coordinating the crew departments on set, ensuring the production remains on schedule, scheduling locations and actors, scheduling the day's shooting, serving as a buffer for the director, and solving on-set logistical problems so you can work with the actors.

Craft Services

provides non-catered food and beverage services on set.

stunt people

replace actors for any shots that require potentially dangerous physical actions. Stunts include everything from freefalls, fights, running, and trips to car stunts, including any activity that could potentially cause injury.

Talent agents

represent actors, voice artists, and models in an effort to generate work for them on film, television, radio, or print projects.

Special effects

responsible for all mechanical and/or physical effects that occur on set, such as glass breaking, furniture breaking, weather effects, and gags.

key scenic

responsible for all set surfaces, from wood and marble to stone. The key scenic works closely with the production designer and over-sees a team of painters to create the exact look of each set.

pyrotechnicians

responsible for building, rigging, detonating, and securing explosions, gunshots, sparks, and any chemical-based reaction that causes an explosive effect. Pyrotechnicians need state and federal licenses.

Location Manager

responsible for coordinating the use of a location with its owners; coordinating logistics between all departments to ensure the location meets all production needs; working with local officials to secure permits and approvals; securing parking, changing rooms, restroom facilities, and other support services; and making sure the location is in clean, working condition before the film crew leaves.

Production Designer

responsible for designing the overall look of the world in which the story takes place, including the look of the sets, props, and costumes. The production designer works closely with the director and is involved early on in the preproduction process, developing drawings, plans, and models around the director's storyboards.

Sound Designer

responsible for editing the soundtrack for a movie. In the independent world, the sound designer can also record ADR and Foley and mix the final soundtrack of the movie.

Producer

responsible for finding a script, attaching a director and actors, securing financing, coordinating the hiring of cast and crew, supervising the production and postproduction processes, and assisting with the sales and distribution of the film. The producer is in charge of all business components of the production.

Location Scout

responsible for finding locations that meet your vision and production requirements. You and the creative team assemble lists of possible locations, and the scout will travel to these locations and photograph and videotape each one, bringing the photos back to you for consideration.

Casting Director

responsible for finding, auditioning, and ultimately, with the producer's approval, casting the actors and extras for a film.

buyer

responsible for finding, buying, and renting set-dressing elements.

transportation captain

responsible for getting the cast and crew to the location, as well as vehicle movement and parking. All drivers report to the transportation captain.

Costume Standby

responsible for helping dress the actors, if necessary, and maintaining the continuous look of the actors' costumes from take to take by tweaking and adjusting as necessary.

makeup artist

responsible for maintaining the cosmetic look of the actors. With duties ranging from applying the initial makeup at the beginning of the day to touching up the makeup between takes, makeup artists can create everything from realistic, natural looks to special effects makeup such as blood or wounds or prosthetics using foam latex, rubber, or bald caps.

Wardrobe Supervisor

responsible for maintaining the costumes and accessories for the actors and extras. Working closely with the costume designer, the wardrobe supervisor ensures that wardrobe is ready, prepped, and cleaned for the actors each day and that continuity is maintained from scene to scene by taking Polaroid photos of the actors.

Grips

responsible for moving, setting up, and tearing down camera sup-port and light equipment. They are the movers on the set and do much of the carrying, lifting, and rigging.

electrician

responsible for rigging, wiring, and plugging in electrical cables and answers to the best boy and the gaffer.

Greensman

responsible for setting and dressing any plants, trees, and foliage, both real and fake. The greensman usually works for the set decorator except in productions in which greens are an integral aspect of the set, in which case he reports directly to the production designer.

Dolly Grip

responsible for setting up the camera dolly and dolly track as well as operating the dolly during a take. In larger productions, the dolly grip answers to the camera crew, although he may play double duty between the camera and the grip departments.

assistant camera (or 1st AC)

responsible for setting up, maintaining, cleaning, and repackaging the camera and camera accessories, including lenses, magazines, eyepieces, filters, and other camera parts. This is one of the most demanding and thankless jobs on set - if the shot's in focus, no one notices; if it's not, the 1st AC takes the heat.

Production sound mixer

responsible for setting, monitoring, and recording the audio on set. She is responsible for choosing and placing the proper microphones, monitoring the sound levels during a take, and coordinating with the camera and lighting crews to ensure that the microphone is out of the frame and not casting shadows. She will notify the director of any problems with the audio during a take, such as background noise or poor audio levels.

editor

responsible for taking the rough footage shot on set and assembling it into a linear, sensible story. Editors, because they're not on set, can provide an objective viewpoint for the director, ensuring that the film is well paced and makes sense.

Line producer

responsible for the daily operations of the film pro-duction and approves any and all expenditures for locations, cast, and crew. Whereas the producer handles the overall production, the line producer is in charge of daily tasks, working closely with the unit production manager, first assistant director, director, art director, editor, and composer to prepare the production budget and shooting schedule. The line producer is aware of local resources and knows the below-the-line personnel in a region and can manage these resources to ensure a cost-effective, timely production. The line producer is the ultimate liaison between the production team and the producers.

Director of Photography (DP)

responsible for the photographic look of the movie.

Director

responsible for translating the script to the screen by working with actors to achieve the ideal performance and collaborating with creative departments to build a convincing world in which the action takes place. You are also involved in every aspect of the filmmaking process, from casting actors and choosing locations to working with editors, com-posers, and digital effects houses.

Video assist

sets up and operates a video feed from the camera that is recorded and can be played back per your request

still photographer

takes behind-the-scenes photos of the production, cast, and crew for use in press kits, marketing materials, and DVD features.

Gaffer

the chief lighting technician on the set and is responsible for designing and rigging the lighting per the director of photography's vision. The gaffer supervises the electrical crew and answers directly to the director of photography. The gaffer is an expert at light-ing and sometimes plays a more creative role if permitted by the DP.

lead man

the foreman of the set decorating crew.

Best Boy Grip

the main assistant to the key grip and usually remains on the grip truck to prepare and issue equipment to the other grips.

Drivers

transport talent and key crew members to and from the set.

Storyboard Artist

works closely with you and production designer to map your ideas into rough drawings called storyboards that help the creative team previsualize the film, either on paper or using storyboarding software.

armorer

works exclusively with firearms and weaponry and has the necessary licenses to do so.

Set Dresser

works on set and physically dresses, alters, updates, maintains, and removes the set dressing. Set dressers are responsible for any creative elements on a set, from doorknobs and windowpanes to furniture and drapery. Although most of the set dressing work is done prior to shooting, an on-set dresser remains on set in case any changes are required.

art director

works under the production designer and supervises the art department crew, coordinating the implementation of the production design.

Set Decorator

works under the production designer or art director and is responsible for coordinating the furnishings on set that are not touched by the actors. The set decorator researches, acquires, places, and then strikes any artistic element that helps improve the look and design of the sets.

composer

write the score for the film, using a live orchestra or a MIDI computer setup. Working closely with the director, the composer is usually the last person to work on the film and has a strong understanding of music styles, instrumentation, and composition.