Michael Tabansi Ms
Ahmadian
BTEC
Level 3 Diploma Creative Media Production
Unit
8: Understanding the television and film industries
Assignment
2/LO2: Know about job roles in the television and film industries
I have been asked to write a
report on the different jobs roles that are associated with the film and TV
industry. In this report, I shall explain the job roles and what
responsibilities they have. The job roles in the TV and Film industry are
separated into categories. These categories consist of Management, Creative,
Editorial, Technical, Research, Financial and Administrative. These roles will
all be explained as well as finding out what skills it requires.
In the TV and film industry,
there are different working patterns where staff in the industry can work. One
is a shift. ‘Shift work is an
employment practice designed to make use of, or provide service across, all 24
hours of the clock each day of the week’(Wikipedia, 10/10/13). When working in
the media industry, shift work is involved a lot. If you are working on a film
set, you are very likely to be working at some peculiar hours. You could end up
working all through the night or even all morning. In the television industry,
all the broadcasting centres are reinforced at all times so this means there
will be many shift workers working at different times of the day. An advantage
of shift work is that there’s less working hours, meaning you can have longer
breaks and periods of the day where you can rest. This is different from
regular hours because you have a set time of hours to do and the work goes over
to overtime. A disadvantage of shift work is that you are going to be living an
irregular lifestyle, meaning they will get tired very easily. Another working
pattern is fixed term. ‘A fixed-term
employment contract is an employment contract by which an employer recruits an
employee for a limited period of time’ (insee, 10/10/13). In the TV and film
industry, the employee will have a start and finish date and the contract will
be terminated as soon as the end date comes. An advantage of fixed term is that
it allows the fixed-term employee to learn different skills and be committed to
their job. Another advantage to this is that they could get paid more than the
permanent staff because they may have special skills or because they are only
there for a temporary job. A disadvantage to a fixed term contract is that
someone of the employers might find the temporary workers will deprive in
motivation because they are not there for a long time. Another working pattern
is office hours. This is ‘the amount
of time someone spends at work during a day’ (dictionary.cambridge, 10/10/13). The
employee works for a fixed amount of time and this is usually between the hours
of 9-5 which is common hours in any workplace. An advantage of office hours is
that if you’ve got a normal 9-5 shift, after 5 you have a lot of time to do
productive things because you are not finishing in the night or the early hours
of the morning. It will also leave you enough time to get yourself prepared the
day ahead. A disadvantage to office hours is that is fixed and the hours cannot
be altered. Another working pattern is freelance.
‘A freelancer is a person who is self-employed and is not committed to a
particular employer long term’ (Wikipedia, 10/10/13). Because they are not
hired by anyone, they have their own set of hours in which they can decide for
themselves how many hours they want to do. A freelancer can work for as many
companies as they want but the important skill they need for this is to be
organised so that they know what days they have to go to different companies.
An example of freelance in the TV industry is the BBC. The freelancers in the
BBC usually work behind the camera and is hired for different jobs or projects.
Also, there is a contract that has to be agreed between the freelancer and the
BBC. This contract ‘will include BBC Terms & Conditions - one copy to be
signed and returned, one copy to be retained’ (bbc, 10/10/13). An advantage of
a freelancer is that they can work whenever they want and choose their own
hours. This means that they are able to work during any hours that they are not
working at. A disadvantage of a freelancer is that you do not get paid when you
are sick. This means that the days that the freelancer does not work, they will
not get paid. Another working pattern is irregular
patterns. This is when the worker works for different amount of hours on
different days. For example, the personnel may come to a decision where they
want to go overtime on different days so this means they do not have a set amount
of hours they work for on each day. Another working pattern is piece work. ‘When someone is hired to do piece work,
he or she is paid on the basis of how much is produced, rather than being
offered a flat hourly wage’(wisegeek, 23/10/13). Because they get paid on how
much they produce, this means it will motivate then to do more work which is
good for the business they are working for. Within this pattern, you are likely
to work at home and you are free to start and finish work when you like. Another
working pattern is hourly rates. This
is when employees are paid for the amount of hours they do when they are
working. This is beneficial because it will allow workers to put their all in
when working as they only have a set amount of hours.
Management
The first job role that I
will be talking about first is the Management role. This is where people work
together to make sure their goals is achieved. In the management roles, they
have to have good communication with others as well as being able to work under
pressure.
A role in the managerial
department is the Producer. ‘Producers
have overall control on every aspect of a film's production, bringing together
and approving the selection of the whole production team. “Their primary
responsibility is to foster an environment in which the creative talents of the
cast and crew can flourish’ (creativeskillset, 17/10/13). Producers are highly
involved in raising finance so that it can help to find crew for a production.
They are also part of the development and pre-production stage because they
have to make sure that the shoot runs smoothly. When it comes to being a
producer, you have to make sure you have team-leading and organisational skills
and with these skills, it allows them to make sure that all the projects are
completed on time. When becoming a film or TV producer, your responsibility
will be to secure funding, manage budgets, and hire and fire the crew and
talent. Producers have to be organised because they have to make sure all
targets are reached and all problems are handled as quickly as possible.
Producers are also in charge of writing up a call sheet and keeping it safe. ‘A
call sheet is chart issued to the cast and crew of a theatrical or film
production, listing the production schedule’ (wisegeek, 17/10/13). As well as
this, the call sheet also has all the contact details of the cast and crew
members. Producers also produce a contingency plan which is a backup plan
in-case things do not go well. They also produce a budget log sheet which tells
them how much everything in the production is going to cost. These costs for
the production also gets controlled and managed by the producer and the
executive producer. The producer also works with the director and the
post-production departments to edit which includes picture, sound, music and
visual effects. An example of a producer is Steven Spielberg. Spielberg is a
producer, film director and screenwriter. The films Schindler’s List (1993) and Saving
Private Ryan (1998) won Spielberg the Academy Award for Best Director. He
also managed to achieve box office records with three films which were; Jaws (1975), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) and Jurassic Park (1993). Steven Spielberg usually produces films that
are about science fiction and have characters that find themselves in weird
situations.
Another role in the
managerial department is the Director. ‘Directors
are responsible for creatively translating the film's written script into
actual images and sounds on the screen’ (creativeskillset, 17/10/13). The
director has the vision of the film and has the artistic vision of the
story/script. Directors also have different jobs like casting, script editing,
shot selection and editing. This means that the director must be very patient
and must be able to multitask as they will have different jobs to do at
different times. Directors also direct the actors and crew whilst the film is
in production. In the post production department, the director works with
editor so that the cinematography has been edited to a high standard. The
director also has the job of the creating the storyboard which means he has to
draw up of every bit of the film. The
director has management duties when it comes to pre-production because the
director has to select the correct cast, crew and location for the film. This
means the director has to be able to work under pressure because they are going
to be doing a lot of selecting in order to make the film good. Directors also
have to be motivators towards the cast and crew so that they can produce the
best possible results. Directors also have management duties because they have
to keep making decisions daily as well as communicating with others. They also
have to be aware of the film’s budget and schedule. This is so that the budget
does not go over the amount they have said and also all schedules are kept so
that the rehearsing is kept to date.
Another role in the
managerial department is the Casting
Director. ‘A casting director is responsible for helping to gather a number
of actor candidates for a given role in a film or television production’
(filmtvcareers, 20/10/13). The casting director meets with a huge amount of
actors to find out whether the actor fits the character in the production. For
this, the casting director will need a lot of patience because it will take a
lot of time to find the right person for the role. The casting director also
works with the Director and Producer to find suggest roles for the different
actors as well as putting on interviews and auditions for the actors. They also
with the Producers to see what actors get hired or fired. The casting directors
must have good knowledge of the new actors because they are responsible for
putting the actor to the correct role. Each actor that is picked by the casting
director is based on their experience and ability. Because the casting director
is in charge of hosting interviews and auditions, they also have to offer each
actor a suitable fee to make an appearance in the film. Casting directors need
to have good interpersonal and communication skills because it allows them to
interact with a range of people such as the actors, staff and talent agents.
Another role in the managerial department is the First Assistant Director. ‘The First
Assistant Director organises pre-production, and organises the crew, securing
equipment, breaking down the script, preparing the strip board and a shooting
schedule’(zenera, 20/10/13). The first assistant director is the director’s
right hand man and takes responsibility for a lot of different things so that
the director is left free to concentrate on being creative. They also work with
the director to break down the script into a storyboard then find out what
order the shoots go in and then find out how long each scene will take to film.
The first assistant director also has to draw up the shooting schedule which
consists of a timetable for the filming periods. The main job of the first
assistant director is to assist the director, manage the production activity
and supervise the cast and crew. When it comes to production, the first
assistant director has to make sure everyone is ready for the director’s
actions. They are also in charge of making sure they keep filming on schedule
so they can make announcements to the cast and crew. They have to be
responsible at all times because one of their main jobs is to make sure there
are no risks on set and it isn’t a hazardous place to work. They have to be
able to communicate with others because they deal with problems and situations
so they have to speak to everyone to solve them. As well as working the
directors, the first assistant director has to work with the assistant
directors because they have to supervise them when controlling the discipline
on set. They do this to make sure that the assistant directors know how to
handle everything on set.
Another role in the managerial department is the Distributor. ‘A film distributor is a
company or individual responsible for the marketing of a film’ (Wikipedia,
20/10/13). When the distributor has rights to a film, they then have a job to
make sure that film gets out to the public. Distributors provide studios or
producers with reports that covers the marketing and the revenues. They must
also be able to know what kind of target audience the film has and also be
aware of the box office figures. They are the people who distribute the film to
the cinemas or even just put it straight to DVD so that customers can buy. Distributors
work with different people such as the filmmakers, producers and film sales
agents. This is to ensure that the film gets sold to the media, cinema
operators and marketing partners. They also work with film publicists to see
how to advertise films to make sure the audience numbers are maximised.
Distributors must be able to analyse the different audience’s for different
films and see how much figures the film made at the box office. This is to see
if they can now do better than that film.
Creative
A role in the creative department is the Scriptwriter. A scriptwriter is someone
who writes the script for a film or a television programme. They have a job to
research the story they are writing so the story adds up and makes sense.
Another job they have is to tell the story in a series of scenes as well as
describing where and what happens in the different scenes. The scriptwriters
have to produce creative writing and meet very strict deadlines so that things
can run smoothly and the schedule does not run behind. They also have to work
very close with the script development team so that the film that is made can
make a lot of profit. To make their work realistic, they have to be able to use
sound and dialogue in their writing so the audience will be able to have more
in-depth information about the film. Scriptwriters will have to be able to work
under pressure as there will be a lot of deadlines given. They are also likely
to work for longer hours because things may need to change in the script and
depending on what it is, it may take long. Scriptwriters work with the
producers because whatever ideas they come up with, they run it back to the
producer. They also work together because the producer might recruit the
scriptwriter to improve narrative on a project.
Another role in the creative department is the Creative Director. ‘The Director is the
driving creative force in a film's production, and acts as the crucial link
between the production, technical and creative teams’ (creativeskillset,
21/10/13). The directors have to visualise the film and create the style and
structure of the film. As well as telling the actors how they should act, they
motivate and guide the creative department to help them achieve their goals. The
creative director has a responsibility of organising the arts and props of the
film. They also have a responsibility of managing the employees and establish
new ideas. A main role of what a creative director does is to decide how to use
the funds conveniently to ensure that there is quality in the films art
department. An example of a director is James Cameron. He is known for
directing the films; Terminator 2:
Judgement Day (1991), Titanic (1997) and Avatar (2009). The film Titanic
that he directed became the second film to gross more than $2 billion
worldwide. The film Avatar that he directed broke many box office figures and
grossed $2.74 billion worldwide. For the film Titanic, Cameron won Best Director and Best Film Editing.
Another role in the creative department is the Actors/Actresses. Actors/Actresses are
the storytellers in a film or a television show. Actors/Actresses have to be
able to put their all in when rehearsing and be able to memorise their lines
clearly. Actors/Actresses have to be able to play different characters but this
depends on the script that has been written for them. Sometimes they will have
a big role to play whilst sometimes they may only have a few lines. When
performing, the actors/actresses work with the director rehearsing the script.
They also work with the director to create believable characters that the
scriptwriter has written. Because these actors/actresses are working in the film
and TV industry, they have to rehearse nearly every day because they have a set
date when films or shows gets released. Actors/Actresses get selected by the
Producer, Director, Casting Director and sometimes the scriptwriter may be
asked to pick them. They have to be able to handle the pressure as they have to
be able to learn their lines in a short period as well as having to re-take
different scenes. The actor/actress works with the directing team so that the
directing team can give them feedback and to see if anything is good or needs
improving. They also work with the directing team so that the actor/actress can
give the team ideas on how to make their performance creative. The
actors/actress works with the make-up artist so that the make-up artist can put
their make up on for the scenes that they need to be in. The make-up artist
will also improve on their make-up sometimes during the shooting.
Another role in the creative department is the Art Director/Set Designer. ‘They
facilitate the Production Designer's creative vision for all the locations and
sets that eventually give the film its unique visual identity’
(creativeskillset, 21/10/13). The art director keeps in contact with the
accountants and the producers so that everything that gets used on set is
within the budget they have given. Because the Art Directors work on a
freelance basis, their hours tend to be long and the job can involve very long
periods. Art Directors have to analyse the script so that they know what props
or items will need to be used for long periods. When it comes to
pre-production, the art director is responsible for the special effects. An
example of special effects that the art director could be responsible for is
when two cars crash. Towards the end of the shooting, the art director works
closely with the location manager to talk about when the locations being used
can be prepared and dressed. When the shooting is finally done, they make sure
that all the locations they have used have been cleared and all the art
department bills have been paid for. Some of their key skills are;
‘A good eye for decoration and detail; this means that
they have to be able to do their decorations to precision and do it in detail.
It means that everything has to look perfect.
Ability to think visually; this means that whatever they
do, they have to use their eyes to look for the vision to make it good. Everything
they do has to be seen with their eyes and not their mind.
Ability to lead a team; this means they have to be able
to manage a team to achieve their goal. They have to be able to communicate
with others and listen to their ideas as well as giving them out.
Knowledge of the requirements of the relevant Health and
Safety legislation and procedures’ (creativeskillset, 21/10/13)
Another role in the creative department is the Make-Up Designer/A. The make-up artists
are the people who create a look for the characters in the film or the
television show. They are usually on a freelance basis so this means they are
used during pre-production and production. The make-up artists updated by the
chief make-up artists who are responsible for the overall design of the make-up
as well as working out the make-up styles for each character. The chief make-up
artist provides the make-up artist with notes, character and scene breakdowns
but sometimes, they may have to research their own notes. The make-up artist
also has to carry out risk assessments so that there aren’t any health and
safety issues. The make-up artists also ensure that the actor/actress is
comfortable with their looks and note down what allergies they have so that
they do not use the wrong product on their face. The make-up artists usually
stand by the actors/actress so that they can fix up their make up during the
shooting. When all the scenes have been shot, the artist removes the entire
make-up and other products. This is so that they are cleaned and ready to be
used for the next time needing it. They have to be able to cope with stress and
pressure because putting on the make-up could take a long time to do, depending
on what character the personnel is playing. They need to be able to be
technical and artistic to make the character look realistic. The make-up artist
works closely with the actors to support them throughout the shooting. Throughout
the pre-production stages, the make-up designer works with the director. This
is because they both read through the script to discuss their ideas for the
film. They also write down notes for each character about what look they should
have on when it comes to different scenes. They also work with the director to
make sure that the design is suitable for the characters.
Another role in the creative department is the Costume. ‘The Costume Department is
responsible for the design, fitting, hire, purchase, manufacture, continuity
and care of all costume items on feature films’(creativeskillset, 21/10/13).
The costume designer starts to work on the costumes they make for the
actors/actress at the beginning of pre-production. They are in charge of hiring
all the costumers to the people acting and even the extras. This means they
will need to be responsible because it is their job to get everyone ready for
the shooting. The costume designer works with the Production Designer because
they both have to make sure the costumes fit with their vision. When it comes
to pre-production, the costume designer breaks the scene down so they can find
out how many characters are involved and what type of costumes are needed. The
costume designer also works with the hair and make-up team to make sure the
costumes given complement the characters and matches the character in the film.
Some of the skills that a costume designer needs are;
‘Creativity, imagination and excellent design skills;
they need to be creative and imaginative because the costume designs cannot be
plain. They have to be something that will stand out and match the character in
the film
Good communication and organisation skills; they need to
be able to communicate with others to get the costumes made on time for the
rehearsals. They also need to be organised because they need to be able to keep
the costumes in one place so they do not get lost.
Good stamina and the ability to work under pressure to
strict deadlines’ (creativeskillset, 21/10/13)
Another role in the creative department is the Lighting Director. The lighting
director ‘ works with the director, choreographer, set designer, costume designer, and sound designer to
create the lighting, atmosphere, and time of day for the production in response
to the text, while keeping in mind issues of visibility, safety, and cost’(Wikipedia,
21/10/13). One of their jobs is to work with the director so that the lighting
team and the director can deliver the pictures they would like to see. The
lighting director also has to read the script that is produced. This is because
they have to note down the type of light it needs for each of the scenes. The
lighting directors also go to the rehearsals because it will help them get a
feel for the lighting cues and it will plan how to use the lights when the
actors are moving across the stage. Lighting directors need to have knowledge
about how light equipment works and they need to have mental stamina as they
will up and down the stage putting different types of lights on different
actors. They also need to have knowledge of the health and safety procedures
because lights all come under electricity and something could go wrong with the
wires or the lights so they will need knowledge on it just in-case. The
lighting director works with the cinematographer to ensure that the light falls
perfectly on the actor/actress’s face to create drama and excitement in the
play.
Editorial
A role in the editorial
department is the Editor. ‘An editor
is someone who assigns, distributes, checks, corrects and perfects written
materials, articles and pieces.’(freelancewrite, 22/10/13). For example, say if
on a Monday there was the shooting for a film or television show, on Tuesday,
the editor will work in his suite and develop on the shooting that occurred the
day before. The main job for the editor is to select the best shots and then
edit them together to create scenes. Most of the editing is done of the
computer so the editor has to be able to use the editing software on it as well
as having knowledge of it. The editor only works in the post-production department
only and this is where the editor cuts the film and puts it into sequential
order to outline the story. The storyboard that is created by the director can
be used the editor as a guide for editing the shots. The editor has to work
under immense pressure because they will have a deadline for when they need all
the footage edited. The editor also sits with the director and the director
tells the editor how the footage should look. The editor also has to be able to
have knowledge of using the technical equipment on the computer because it will
allow the editor to edit shots faster so that they can meet their deadline.
They also have to be able to solve problems to make the film sequences work
well. An example of an editor is Michael Kahn. Kahn has managed to win the most
nominated editor 8 times and has the most wins for the best film editor. He has
edited the 3 film that Steven Spielberg directed. These films were; Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Schneider’s
List (1993) and Saving Pirate Ryan
(1998). For all these films, Kahn won Oscars for. Another role in the
editorial department is the Assistant
Editor. The assistant editor gets
put forward to the producers by the editors. From there, they have to be the
first to come every morning and set up the editing room for the day. They take
charge of the running of the editing room which allows the editor to work on
the editing of the film. During the shooting, the assistant director has to
check the camera sheets and note down any technical problems that might occur.
Most films are usually edited on the computer so the assistant editor needs to
be able to use the computer editing equipment.
Another role in the
editorial department is the Title
Designer. The job of a title designer is to design the opening title for
the film/television programme. They also design the captions in the film and
the list of cast and crew at the end who appeared in the production. The title
designer works with the Director and Editor to talk about the ideas on how to
make the opening title stand out. Before they create the title, they usually
sketch out the ideas on paper then move it onto a computer using different
types of software. The title designer needs to have good artistic vision as the
opening title needs to be stood out so the audience can have positive mind-set
about the film.
Another role in the
editorial department is the Foley Artist.
‘Foley is the reproduction of everyday sound effects which are added in
post-production to enhance the quality of audio for films’ (google, 22/10/13).
They are responsible for the sound effects on a production’s sound-track that
later on get added during the sound editing process. The Foley Artist attends a
meeting called a “Spotting Session” which includes the Supervising Sound Editor
and sometimes the Director. In the spotting session, the Director basically
tells the rest what they want to achieve and what the different scenes should
sound like. The Foley artist also makes and records the sounds in their own
special studio and depending on the budget of the film; it can take up to 5
weeks. The foley artist has to be able to meet strict deadlines as they have to
give in what songs are going to be used in different scenes. They also have to
be able to communicate as they will be in different meetings with different
members to ensure that the songs used are suited for each scene.
Another role in the
editorial department is the Post-Production Supervisor. ‘The Post
Production Supervisor pulls together the many visual and audio facets to
complete the film that the audience sees on the cinema screen’
(craftandtech, 22/10/13). The post-production supervisor is an important role
because they have to make sure that the post-production budget is achievable
and all the deadlines are met and not overdue. Sometimes the post-production
supervisor may have to be involved in more than one film at a time so the work
can become stressful. Post-Production supervisors are employed on a freelance
basis by the Producer and they usually work alone but can employ an assistant
if the production is large. Most of the time, the post-production supervisor
works with the editor and producer discussing what post-production personnel’s
should be hired. They must have skills in managing budgets and have to be able
to work under pressure because they have to meet deadlines. The post production
supervisor works with the producer to find out how the budget will have an
impact when it comes to the post production stages. .
Technical
A role in the technical department is the Camera Operator. ‘Camera operators
physically control camera equipment both in studio and on location for film and
television’ (targetjobs, 22/10/13). The camera operator supports the director
and the photographer by following their instructions. These instructions are
how the shots should be composed and then developed. Once the shots have been
rehearsed, it is now up to the camera operator and the director of photography
to decide where the camera needs to be positioned and what equipment needs to
be used. When the shooting is being done, the camera operator is responsible
for the camera operation because it allows the director of photography to work
on the lighting and visuals. Camera operators have to be able to multi-task
because they are going to be on their feet doing different tasks as well as
using their hands to handle different types of equipment. Some of their key Skills
include:
- ‘a
good sense of visual composition, perspective and movement; they will need
this because they have to make sure that the shots are well taken and they
are taken with precision
- physical
co-ordination and strength; they will need this because they are going to
be carrying different things so they are going to need to be strong in
controlling the equipment.
- precise
attention to detail’(creativeskillset, 22/10/13)
Another role in the technical department is the Music Editor. ‘The music editor working
on a film or television music project is in charge of tracking and managing the
different pieces of music used in the production’. (filmmusicmag, 22/10/13).
The music editor helps and works with the director to decide what songs are
suitable for the different scenes. The music director has to pick the music
very carefully so that the music goes with the action going on in the show or
the film. When it comes to a film that is based on music, the music editor is
responsible for how the music is portrayed into different scenes. Music editors
also meet up with the director, picture editor, music supervisor, producer and
composer. This is done because they all write down notes when all the music
needs to be cued. Music editors make something called a click track which is
then used to make sure the musicians have the correct tempo and the timing of
the music matches the scene. The music editor must lay down all the music
tracks and fit them exactly to the picture. The last job a music editor has to
do is prepare a cue sheet which is a sheet with all the featured music. The
music editors need to have knowledge on how music can be recorded and then
performed. They must understand how music can create drama and how it can
affect images.
Another role in the technical department is the Sound Mixer. ‘A production
sound mixer is the member of a film crew or television crew responsible for recording all sound
recording on set during the filmmaking or television production using
professional audio equipment’(Wikipedia, 22/10/13). The sound mixers have to
meet with the costume department and visual effect supervisors to talk about
where the microphones should be placed on or around the actors. They also have
to visit all locations to make sure that there aren’t any sound problems. They
also work with the boom operator to make sure that all microphones are put in
the correct places so that there is good sound quality. After each take, the
sound mixer has to check the quality of the sound recording. If the sound
recording does not sound right, then there will be another take. Once a day of
shooting has been done, the sound mixer sends the sound recording files to post
production and then on to the camera assistant. A sound mixer has to be able to
be patient has they will be up and down the place trying to find different
microphones for different actors/actress. They will also need to have a good
understanding of sound recording and editing equipment.
Another role in the
technical department is the Boom
Operator. ‘A boom operator is a member of the sound team responsible for
capturing live sound during on movie or television sets’ (wisegeek, 22/10/13).
A boom operator can get tired really easy as they have to hold the microphone
for long periods of the day so they have to be really patience. There are
different types of microphones and if in a production, a radio or clip
microphone is used, the boom operator has to position them correctly around the
set, at the location or on the actors/actresses clothing. Boom operators also
have to make sure the sound equipment is good and working. Boom operators are
also given small booklets which contain pages from the script that are to be
shot each day. They are given this so that the can memorise all the lines and
then know when the move the boom whilst the filming is taking place. In the
morning rehearsals, the boom operator meets up with the director, the director
of photography and the actors so that they can note down the camera movements
and the lighting movements. This is done so that the microphone will not fall.
Boom operators need to have knowledge and understanding of sound recording
equipment and microphones. The boom operators work with the camera crew because
they see what lights need to be used and what angles of the camera should be used.
They also work with the production sound mixer so that the microphone can be
operated and used in the correct position. Boom operators go for location
recces to see what position the microphone needs to be so they can get a good
angle of where people can speak.
Another role in technical
department is the Moving Light Operator.
This job is when the moving light operator controls the lights that are
chosen by the director of photography. The moving light operator has to set up
the moving lights and programme the cues. Because this will take long, the
moving light operator has to be patient as they are likely to work at night so
it is ready for the morning. The moving light operator has to make sure the
lights are working well because lights are usually sensitive. This job requires
you to be able to work as a team to get things running quicker. Moving light
operators have to be patient because they have to set up lights which could
take a lot of their time. They also need to be creative because they will need
to move the lights into a position where the lights are positioned in a good
angle. Moving light operators work with the director of photography which is
known as a cinematographer. This is because the director of photography is the
chief over the camera and lights so they have to listen to their instructions.
Another role in the
technical department is the Script
Supervisor. A script supervisor’s main job is to find out if it is possible
for each scene to be edited in a verbal and visual sequence. In the
pre-production stages, the script supervisor has to check the scripts to see if
there are any errors. They also file reports and photos of the shooting from
the day before and then plan the paperwork for the post production. Whilst
filming, the script supervisor has to check the script to see if any dialogue
has gone unnoticed and also to see if the actors are cued at the right times.
It is necessary that sometimes the script supervisor help the sound mixers to
note down any voice-overs. They also sometimes re-write the script to make
dialogue changes for the post production. The directors rely on the script
supervisor most of time so that each scene is shot accurately and
creatively. Script supervisors have to
have stamina and be dedicated to the job because the filming can get intensive
and the days where the shooting happens can become very long. They have to be
able to be precise in their work as they will be jotting down different notes
about the script. They also have to be able to communicate as they will be
explaining any errors they see to the Directors and production office.
Financial
A role in the financial department is the Financial Controller. ‘The financial
controller is responsible for the business accounting activities. They plan the
finance, prepares financial statements, budget for the organization’ (uk.ask,
23/10/13).One of the main jobs for a financial controller is to control the
cash flow so that all payments are paid on time. If there is an individual
production, the financial controller will help the producer and the executive
producer to prepare the budgets and raise the finance. Financial controllers
have to have good problem solving skills as they will be dealing with money.
They also need to have a good knowledge of IT because they will be dealing with
accountancy and budgeting. Financial controllers work with the producers and
the executive producers to make sure the original budgets have been prepared.
They also sometimes work with the film production accountant to make sure all
the payments have been paid at the right time.
Organisational
A role in the organisational department is the Transport Co-ordinator. ‘The person responsible for
managing drivers and co-ordinating the transportation of a production's cast, crew, and
equipment from the various locations and sets used for filming’(imdb,
23/10/13). Transport co-ordinators are usually hired the producers to be in
charge of the transport schedule. Transport co-ordinators get hired by they
also hire. They hire someone called a “Transport Captain” and their job is to
take charge of the transport schedule of the cast and crew during filming. Before
the shooting gets done, the transport co-ordinator gets a copy of the script
and has to study it. The transport co-ordinator has to meet up with the
producer and director and they will talk about where each scene will take
place. When the shooting is done, the transport co-ordinator and their crew
pack up the equipment and put it in their truck and take it back to the studio.
The transport co-ordinator works with the transport managers to make sure
Lorries have arrived on time to move props, sets and equipment.
Administrative
A role in the
administrative department is the Production
Accountant. ‘A Production Accountant in the film and television industry
prepares budgets for a production by breaking down the script to assess the
needs of the production and determining the costs involved’ (careerdirections,
23/10/13). The production accountant works with the producer so that they can
prepare schedules and budgets for the film productions. They have a
responsibility to calculate finances and costing productions so that the
payments are made on time. Their job is to work with the financiers to make
sure all payments are made on time. This is an important role because if
payments are not made on time, more money will be added on which means less
money will be used on things such as props and equipment.
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