Main jobs on a film set – who does what? 

A director’s main job is to lay out the script in a visual format, ensuring they guide the entire creative process of film-making. They are known to have a strong communication skill, firm ways of handing out orders, good management of time and keeping calm under pressure. Directors interpret the script given with either a screenwriter or a script editing team, as they supervise the artistic details of a film, they tend to block out an actors’ performance guaranteeing that actors know where to stand during a shot and their delivery of certain lines. When the project is filmed, they oversee the editing team and prepare a director’s cut. They are also equally responsible for managing their given budgets, prep and adjourn meetings with designated departments, and guide the performance and post-production parts of the film. During my personal project, my job as director is to ensure my vision as the scriptwriter is produced through all the creative aspects including: props, lighting, costumes, hair and makeup, I will also block out scenes with the actors to make sure that they know where to stand especially during Hollyann’s scene in which she is left alone and the camera shots tend to change to convey a sense of tension. 

Producers are the main aspects to effectively create a successful film, they have varied responsibilities including the funding and the beginning push of a project. Commonly, producers are the decision makers who create/ find a story and hire writers or secure rights to scripts which is usually called optioning a script. Their main responsibility comes through with a financial decision which is affected by their sources, this can change the size and overall scale of the film. Sources mainly come from investors, studios and distributors. Producers’ responsibility also includes ensuring a safe work space for every department including actors, they often communicate to different departments to confirm that the production of the film is running smoothly. Similarly, producers decide and approve the location in which the scenes are set, even sharing some of their own duties to a line director. Producers must and habitually have a sound judgement when it comes to organisation, calming stress levels, communication, financial awareness and decision-making. For my personal project, my role as a producer is to guarantee the health and safety of my cast during the filming and rehearsals as well as ensuring I have the relevant props and costume that link with the period that the film is set in within the budget of the school provided. 

Another important job is an assistant director, also commonly known as AD; they tend to schedule and plan filming days and times depending on the availability of the whole cast needed for a specific shot. In the initial parts of the project, assistant directors break down the script and depict what cast is needed, the props, overall equipment and the location of filming. Also confirming, that the decided locations are risk proof and are free to use. Assistant directors are similar to directors in which they must be able to envision the script in a visual aspect. As assistant directors, they must also be able to multitask to ensure that not only that all the props, hair and makeup, set is properly readied for the next shot while assuring that the current scene being filmed is running smoothly. Correspondingly, assistant directors must also have a strong communication skill as they are needed to effectively yet efficiently be able to organise all the separate departments. Meanwhile in my personal project as the assistant director, I will have to establish a set time in which all the cast is available to film while also making sure that I have all the props, costume, lighting, hair and makeup done in time.

A stage manager is the main form of communication between the director and the different elements in regards to making a scene. Firstly before beginning rehearsals, a stage manager will meet with the director to learn their initial idea for what their project will look like, if they are in a new area they will familiarise themselves with the area to think of ideas. Stage managers will have to schedule the rehearsals to ensure that all the actors, designers and crew of different departments arrive according to thethe script. They will also create something known as - ‘prompt book’ which is a binder that includes: light and set cues, production’s sound and other important info. Once the show has begun, they oversee the safety checks behind the stage and guarantee that the actors are ready by the wing, ready to enter - they all usually do this through a wireless headset. The skills that stage managers acquire are strong communication skills, multitasking and the ability to keep a calm mind during pressure e.g. just before a scene is being recorded making sure all the actors are ready and props are set. Personally, as a stage manager I will have to ensure that I check for healthy and safety checks e.g. props are in prop box and lighting wires are securely packed, I also make sure that the actors have their props and costumes ready so they are set to go when filming starts.

Camera operators’ job is to catch the moment in the script in a visual manner. As a camera operator, they are responsible to capture the film the scene also ensuring that they are aware of the scene’s intention and feeling e.g. a romantic moment may include a closer shot of the couple whereas a horror/ thriller scene may include different camera perspective to show a power imbalance and a potential threat. Similarly, in the show ‘The Office’, the camera pans from person to person to capture their emotions and reactions to certain commentary to enhance the comedic effect. They usually have a steady hand and good concentration skills to possibly maintain a shot for a longer period of time. Another important skill they must have is adaptability and knowledge in photography - having a conception on the lighting, colour, focus and closeness of the shot. A related career would be a cinematographer as they manage the overall vision in a scene, this could mean they chose a specific filming technique such as bird eye’s shot (shot from above, peering down at the scene below). They usually work closely with directors (to maintain a certain vision and guarantee the production doesn’t go over the set budget) and set and costume designers to ensure that the scene is seemingly pleasing to the eye and overall correlates to the emotion the scene portrays. As a cinematographer and camera operator, I will have to pre-plan the shots and visualise how a scene may take place e.g. Laurie’s scene when she’s on her own may have close up shot to convey her nervousness and tension, the scenes may be shot in fast pace to increase the added pressure to the audience which will be a contrast to how the scene begins with her and James, a slow and steady scene with overall aesthetic views to build the character’s relationship. 

Some key terms:

• Clapper Board  - The main goal of a clapper board is to inform the post-production team when the camera has begun and ended filming. To be more precise, the ‘clap’ sound of the clapperboard stick hitting lets the editor know where two different shots have been cut off as there will be a spike in the audio script. To provide a cleaner sound, the assistant director will shout out for ‘quiet’. 

• Hitting a mark - The mark is the location given by the director where the actor walks up to it and delivers their line, this allows the editor in post-production to combine two scenes and make it seem seamless. 

• Aspect Ratio - Aspect ratio is the film’s width in relation to its height, this means that the film is shown on TV and can differentiate how the film will bring in the audience. 

• Call Sheet - It’s a film schedule laid out by the assistant director, it guarantees that the whole cast is given the appropriate information beforehand to make sure that the filming has the least hiccups possible. 

What's the production process of working on a film?

For this section of a film process, I will mainly refer to an actor’s perspective as that is the line of work I am leaning more towards. The first big step as an actor is go through the casting process, which an important decision of the casting director in pre-production, here a some short steps of a classic casting process:

1. Analysis - Casting directors break down the script and create basic character descriptions including age range, backstory and appearance (which has been notably sometimes changed) - helps the actor convey the character.

2. Casting Call - Casting directors will send out auditions online or send the breakdown of the script to talent agents. 

3. Auditions - Relevant to the audition, actors will have to do either an in-person audition or self tape which usually includes a piece of dialogue, which helps the casting director properly visualise the appropriate actor.

4. Call-backs - As there are many available actors, to rule them out they will call back the actor to act in different scenes to help the casting director see if they are right for the role, allowing casting directors to pin down ‘that’ actor. 

5. Screen Test - This is an audition in which the multiple actors are filmed in a scripted environment to study the actors’ performances and their chemistry, as well as make-up and wardrobe. 

6. Decision - Finally, the director and producer pick the most suitable actor for the role and in terms of their budget.

Info: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-cast-a-film

After a table read with the director, you start by presenting yourself to the assistant director in which they will assist them with their trailer (which depends on the importance of the actor and the overall budget). The actor will then be introduced to the make-up and wardrobe departments in which they usually tend to start to build connections and calm their initial nerves. Usually, an actor’s job will consist of 10 - 12 hours a day which may contain long hours of waiting for lights, costume, makeup and shooting other actors’ scenes. The assistant will then go through the lines with the cast including you while the director and lighting crew decide on the position of lights and how the scene will be shot.  Run-throughs are required as the actor will have to know their spot (where they will have to stand and move within the shot filmed), as well as the director will normally film two or more of the same scene to ensure that the scene is captured accurately in relation to the script and its vision. 

While waiting in between filming shots, the actors will have time to eat and chit chat with their co-workers in order to build a friendship and make themselves acquainted, meanwhile the director may make some last minute changes to the script depending how the last scene was shot or to make the scene more believable, comedic or interesting in general. During the main aspect of the acting in filming, there will be little to no communication between the cast to ensure that the actor is left with creative abilities in case there is a need to improvise. However, the assistant may give directions as well as the director will give out more specific directions, just before the ‘final check’, all the costume, makeup and hair will come on stage to make sure that the actor is ready to film the shot. Finally, once the final shot has been taken you will be allowed to leave through the costume and makeup department. Depending on your contract, you either leave to go home/ your trailer or there is a driver in place.

What are film acting techniques + how is it different to acting on stage? 

There are various film acting techniques and I will be explaining what they are and how they differentiate from on stage acting:

• Projection - During onstage performances, actors do not have do-overs if they mess up, this is why they work with vocal coaches to work on good diction and an easy to understand enunciation. They must also ensure that they have a healthy and non-dairy diet the days following from the show as dairy is proven to worsen the voice when singing, as well as in musical theatres, actors also have to perfect the notes they’re hitting along with the lyrics. On the other hand, film actors have the possibility to redo a take if they mess up on a word, or emphasis on the line isn’t delivered the way the director envisions it. Similarly, filming sets usually have designated people holding up microphones above the actor’s head out of the shot so that even if the actor is whispering/ being quiet, the camera can still pick up on what is being said. After filming, some actors may have to record any mistakes that the director may find. 

• Facial Expressions and Body Gestures - A main aspect that stage actor must attend to is how far away the audience is, this is because the audience members sat at the back may not see if the actor has subtle body language, in order for the even the back of the audience to understand what is happening, the actor must exaggerate their movements. For example, a stage actor can’t just frown to express their sadness, they may have to wipe their cheek to express their sadness with obvious movement. Contrarily, a film actor must restrain their action since the camera will be closer and their emotions will be more noticeable. A film actor must be fully and constantly aware of the camera to ensure that their action seems natural to the audience and believable even a small grin would be visible to the camera whereas an onstage actor would have to exaggerate it as the audience may not see it. 

• Order of filming - During pre–show, stage actors usually go from Scene 1, Act 1 and go from there, in order to make sure that the actor memorises the actions, lighting, set and blocking of the scenes that the director will give to the actors. However, on the other hand, film actors may have to film scenes out of order, although they try to avoid this to maintain the actor’s control in emotion; however, in a financial and practical manner they may film scenes out of order. For example, a director may choose to film all the scenes in a church in one go since they could only reserve a limited booking. 

Different examples and description of genres:

Camera Shots Explanation

Directing Scene 3