Who’s Who? A Guide for Working on a Film or TV Set

If we had to pick the thing we love most about working in film and TV, it’s that each production, and often every working day, is distinctly different!
The production environment will definitely keep you on your toes, but also, the more you work on set, the more you will start to see and understand the team effort behind every successful film or TV show. As a supporting artiste, you too become an essential cog powering a juggernaut!
The production team, whilst fluid, will generally involve people working in set roles with specific responsibilities.
Here we’ve provided some information about the people you might see or meet, so you can be best equipped for your day on set!

2nd Assistant Director (or 2nd AD)
You might think it’s odd for us to start this blog post with the 2nd Assistant Director first, but they are generally responsible for welcoming and coordinating talent.
For small and medium sized productions, this includes extras and background artistes!
Not only that, but the 2nd AD is normally in charge, or heavily involved in the process of selecting the supporting artistes for the production. They will work closely with the Director and us (the casting agency) and therefore have an excellent understanding of the different types of extras that might be attending a shoot day and what their roles and responsibilities are.
As an extra, it is not unusual to spend time waiting in a green room for your call to be a part of the action! That is because on each shoot day, there will probably be multiple scenes to film.
The 2nd AD works directly with the 1st Assistant Director and the Director, often via walkie-talkie, and will bring you from your waiting area to the set when needed. They may also help to move talent through makeup, costume and other steps at the beginning of a day.
So put simply, if you are booked as a supporting artiste, the 2nd AD is a good person to speak to if you have any questions or are unsure about where you need to be.

3rd Assistant Director / Crowd Director
Okay, so we will get to the 1st AD eventually, but before that it’s worth pointing out that for larger production teams or days where there is a lot of crowd, a 3rd Assistant Director OR Crowd Director will likely take over the responsibility of coordinating the background artistes on set.
The Crowd Director will give you direction; this might involve telling you where to stand during a scene; where your start and stop points might be if you are walking in a street; maybe they want you to look in a certain direction; maybe your job is to perform a specific task like picking up a dinner tray as you move through a canteen line or pretending you are talking to a group of people while sitting at a table…
It’s not going to be anything too complex, but the key here is to always listen to the 3rd AD / Crowd Director carefully, and don’t be afraid to ask them to repeat something if you do not understand.

1st Assistant Director (or 1st AD)
So the first thing to point out here is the 1st Assistant Director is not the same as an Assistant to the Director who is more of a personal assistant who might bring the top dog their coffee of handle their schedule.
The 1st Assistant Director is a key member of the film crew and has various responsibilities of their own within the team. They report primarily to the Director, because their main task is to help ease the Director’s workload so they can focus on their most important tasks.
The 2nd AD will generally report to the 1st AD.

Director of Photography (or DOP)
The Director of Photography (DOP), also known as a Cinematographer, is in charge of the visual elements of a picture.
They are the visionaries making decisions as to what types of cameras, lenses, lighting and movements are required to achieve a specific shot. The DOP works closely with the Director to achieve the desired vision for the film.
Underneath the Director of Photography you’ll have a number of people such as Camera Operators, Camera Assistants, Digital Imaging Technicians who are responsible for backing up material and checking camera settings, and also Still Photographers.

Gaffer & Key Grip
It’s pretty rare you’ll come into close contact with a DOP on set, but for those artistes that work as a Double or Stand-In, you might get up close and personal with their team and the Gaffers and Grips.
What is a Double and a Stand-In? A Double is generally used when an actor’s character is in shot, but not in a way where you can see their face. Rather than have the actor go through the motions, they find a body double instead and, thanks to the magic of cinema, the audience should never know it was someone else!
A Stand-In is a bit different – it’s someone who is booked to help set up the shot ahead of an actor/actress arriving on set, which allows the film team to make sure that the lighting, angles, camera equipment, etc., is all ready. As you can imagine, this can be a lengthy process, so rather than potentially impact the performance of an A-list star, they’ll find someone who looks similar and use them to setup the shot ahead of time.
That’s where the Gaffer and Grips come in – they are responsible for controlling lighting (working alongside the Director of Photography) and setting up equipment. So if you hear the Gaffer tell someone, “we need to change that yellow bulb for white light” or “let’s back-light this scene instead”, it’ll be the Grip you see scurry off to make the necessary changes to the equipment!

Producer
Producers are the key to all aspects of a smooth-running production – they make sure everything is done on time and within budget, while maintaining an environment the cast and crew can flourish in.
Producers are involved in the business, financial, and legal aspects of a production.

Runner
Ah, the Runner, what a wonderful role! Whilst it’s not quite as glam as the Director or Leading Lady, it’s a perfect starting point for anyone looking to get on set experience and work in the film industry.
You’ll see the Runner doing things like… making tea and coffee, delivering and picking up packages, managing paperwork, helping with communications between departments, etc.
We’ve all heard the story of how Brad Pitt began working as a film extra (along with many other actors and actresses), but perhaps what you didn’t know is many of the film crew would have started as Runners.
Given how versatile this role is, it’s really no wonder that it makes a great base for someone looking for a career in film!
Uni-versal Extras has had the pleasure of providing Runners for a wide range of productions, so if you’re interested in these kinds of opportunities, look under the Skills & Training area of your profile where you can also list your previous experience if you have any. Log in to the UVE Artiste app now!

Stunt Coordinator
The Stunt Coordinator is in charge of planning and overseeing stunts! Believe it or not, those seemingly spontaneous fights, crashes and explosions are carefully designed and rehearsed!
Working in stunts is a dangerous profession, and the Stunt Coordinator’s job is to oversee everything to hopefully help ensure it all goes to plan, looks great, and that all the stunt performers remain safe.
As an extra with UVE, you can list your stunt experience in the ‘I Have Training In’ field which can be found under ‘Skills and Training’. Log in to the UVE Artiste app now!

Script Supervisor
A Script Supervisor’s job is to ensure that the filming stays on track in relation to the script.
The Script Supervisor will often be tucked away on a chair, listening closely or watching on a monitor to help ensure that things remain consistent, which might not only include dialogue but also any action sequences or performance related notes in a script.
Just imagine how hard that must have been for the Script Supervisors working with great ad libbers like Jim Carey or the late Robin Williams!
This role can sometimes move into Continuity, which means making sure things remain consistent on set – for example if someone is drinking, for each take they might make sure they pick up the glass with their left hand, and if they drink, that the glass remains full to the correct starting level for the next take.
For larger productions, Continuity is often its own distinct role in the team.

Costume / Make-up / Props
Okay, we’ve grouped these three just because they will generally help in the non-performance preparation ahead of your shoot day, though there might be some exceptions.
Often you will be sent to the Costume Department for a fitting prior to your shoot day, where they will find you an outfit to wear and make any adjustments necessary so that it’s a good fit. Under the leading union pay schemes, you’ll see that there are set rates for non-performance days.
When you arrive on set for a filming day, you’ll visit the Costume Team to pickup your wardrobe if you previously had one fitted, or they will choose from the outfits you bring (if you were asked to bring a selection of your own clothes).
The Props Team work on sourcing all levels of props for the set; think large items like furniture, right down to small things like pens or tooth pics! If you’re working in stunts, or require a prop as part of your outfit, for example a sword and shield, this will generally be matched with your Costume.
Finally, the Make-Up Team is a hugely important part of all productions. They will generally sort out your look at the start of the day and remain on set to touch-up and refine your look as required for good continuity.

Director
You must already know this role, huh?
Steven Spielberg, Sophia Coppola, Stanley Kubrick… and they’re just three whose first names begin with the letter ‘S’! Yes, this is the big boss of the whole production, and when it comes to the film crew, they get the most limelight!
Directors are in charge of all creative decisions on set and usually work with their ADs or Runners to communicate information to background artistes.
And while there are infinite roles we could go into, this is a really good base to give you some understanding ahead of your days on set as a film and TV extra!
Remember that every film set is different as is every crew. As a rule of thumb, remember to be kind, professional, attentive and open to direction. People are people at the end of the day, and you should treat everyone how you would want to be treated.
If you want to learn more about industry terms and common sayings, check-out this film glossary.