Glossary of Roles in Movie-making
Reference: http://us.imdb.com/Glossary
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Filmmakers:
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(A collective term used to refer to people who have a significant
degree of control over the creation of a movie: directors, producers,
screenwriters, and editors.)
Executive Producer
- A producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the
filmmaking process, but who is still responsible for the overall
production. Typically, an EP handles business and legal issues.
Producer (REQUIRED)
- The chief of a movie production in all matters save the creative
efforts of the director. Responsible for raising funding, finding
key personnel, arranging for distributors.
Associate Producer
- Shares responsibility for creative and business issues.
Line Producer
- A producer who is responsible for managing every person and issue
during the making of a film. Line producers only work on one film
at a time.
Director (REQUIRED)
- The principal creative artist on a movie set. A director is usually
the driving artistic source behind the filming process, and communicates
to actors the way that he/she would like a particular scene played.
A director's duties might also include casting, script editing, shot
selection, shot composition, and editing.
Director of Photography (DP) (REQUIRED)
- A cinematographer who is ultimately responsible for the process of
recording a scene in the manner desired by the director. The DP has
a number of possible duties: selection of film stock, cameras and
lenses; designing and selecting lighting, directing the gaffer's
placement of lighting, shot composition (in consultation with the
director).
Unit Production Manager
- An executive who is responsible to a senior producer for the
administration of a particular movie. UPMs only work on one film
at a time.
Screenwriter (REQUIRED)
- Writes the script
Art Director (REQUIRED)
- The person who oversees the artists and craftspeople who build the
sets.
Editor (REQUIRED)
- A person who performs editing (in consultation with the director) on
a movie. This term usually refers to someone who does visual editing.
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Publicity Department:
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(The section of a production's crew responsible for promoting a movie.)
Publicity Director (REQUIRED)
- Chief of the publicity department, responsible for promoting the movie
through the media.
Publicity Assistant
- Assistant to the publicity director.
Still Photographer (REQUIRED)
- A person who photographs the action (often alongside the camera) to
be used in publicizing the movie.
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Production Personnel:
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Director
- See above.
Assistant Director (REQUIRED)
- An assistant director's duties include tracking the progress of filming
versus the production schedule, and preparing call sheets (a listing
of which actors will be required for which scenes and when they will
be required).
Second Assistant Director (REQUIRED)
- An assistant to the assistant director. Duties include overseeing the
movements of the cast, and preparing call sheets.
Third Assistant Director (REQUIRED)
- An assistant to the second assistant director; responsible for (among
other things) directing the movements of extras.
Script Supervisor (REQUIRED)
- A person who tracks which parts have been filmed, how the filmed scenes
deviated from the script; they also make continuity notes, creating a
lined script (a copy of the shooting script which is prepared during
production to indicate, via notations and vertical lines drawn directly
onto the script pages, exactly what coverage has been shot.)
Production Manager (REQUIRED)
- Reporting to the film's producer, this person is responsible for the
practical matters such as ordering equipment, getting near-location
accommodations for the cast and crew, etc...
Production Secretary
- Secretary to the Production Manager
Location Manager (REQUIRED)
- A person who manages various aspects of filming on location, such
as arranging with authorities for permission to shoot in specific places.
Location Scout (REQUIRED)
- A person who looks for suitable locations for filming.
Production Illustrator (REQUIRED)
- A person responsible for drawing the storyboards and anything else
that needs to be drawn during the production of the movie.
Costume Designer (REQUIRED)
- A person who designs the costumes for a movie.
Costume Supervisor
- A person responsible for handling the costumes worn by actors.
Set Director (REQUIRED)
- The art director's assistant in designing and constructing sets.
Set Dresser (REQUIRED)
- A person who has total charge of decorating the set with all
furnishings, drapery, interior plants, and anything seen on indoor
sets or on the walls.
Property Master (REQUIRED)
- A person responsible for buying/acquiring any props needed for a
production.
Property Assistant (REQUIRED)
- Responsible for the placement and maintenance of props on a set.
Production Assistants (REQUIRED)
- People responsible for various odd jobs, such as stopping traffic,
acting as couriers, fetching items from craft service, etc. PA's are
often attached to individual actors or filmmakers.
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Camera Crew:
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Director of Photography
- See above.
Camera Operator (REQUIRED)
- The person who operates the camera to the specifications dictated
by the DP.
Assistant Camera Operator (REQUIRED)
- Assists the camera operator. Responsible for the maintenance and
care of the camera, as well as preparing dope sheets (a list of scenes
from the script that have already been filmed, or a list of contents
footage already shot).
Focus Puller
- A member of the camera crew who adjusts the focus of the camera
during filming.
Clapper-Loader (REQUIRED)
- The person who operates the clapboard at the beginning of a shot,
also responsible for loading the camera.
Dolly grip (TBD)
- A grip that moves a dolly.
Key grip
- The chief of a group of grips, often doubling for a construction
co-ordinator and a backup for the camera crew. Key grips work closely
with the gaffer.
Grip (REQUIRED)
- A person responsible for the adjustment and maintenance of production
equipment on the set. Their typical duties include laying dolly tracks
or erecting scaffolding.
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Sound Crew:
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(Create the sound track in collaboration with the director.)
Sound Designer
- The conceptual chief of a movie's soundtrack, responsible for designing
and creating the audio component of a movie.
Sound Editor
- A member of the sound crew who performs editing on the soundtrack.
Sound Mixer
- An audio engineer who performs the sound mix.
Sound Recordist (REQUIRED)
- Responsible for operating the audio recording equipment on a set.
Boom Operator (REQUIRED)
- Responsible for operating the boom microphone.
Re-Recording Mixer
- Responsbile for mixing the final sound elements (dialogue, music, S/FX
and foley).
Music Supervisor
- A person who coordinates the work of the composer, the editor and
sound mixers.
Foley Artist
- A person who creates foley sound effects.
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Lighting Crew:
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(Lighting is designed by the DP in consultation with the director, and is
the responsibility of the electrical department).
Gaffer (REQUIRED)
- The head of the electrical department.
Lighting Technician (REQUIRED)
- A member of the electrical department that is responsible for operating
lights and lighting equipment on a set.
