Who’s Who

A breakdown of Job Roles in the Film industry

 Director
Personality type - Creative
Departments - Direction

What do they do?

As the film director, you are in charge of directing the film. A film director controls both the
dramatic and artistic values and aspects of the script/screenplay. They act as a guide to
the technical crew and actors, to create their vision. A director has an important role in
making most of the key decisions for that film. For example, that would be involved in
choosing the cast members and production design.

Stages of making the film

They are one of the few jobs to be involved in all stages of pre-production, production and
post-production.
Pre-production - in post-production directors help to make crucial decisions, such as, se-
lecting the right cast, crew and locations for the film.
Production - here they run the production of the film. They act as a guide to the technical
crew and actors.
Post-production - in post-production, the director works very closely with the editors
throughout the editing process. They continue to work until the final cut of the film is re-
leased.

To do this role, you will need to:

 Have exceptional artistic vision and creative skills
 Possess a deep passion for filmmaking
 Be a confident and strong leader
 Be good at celebrating, delegating to, and motivating the team
 Pay attention to detail
 Stay calm and think clearly under pressure
 Producer
Personality type - Organizer
Departments - Production

What do they do?

Producers have overall control on every aspect of a film's production. This means that
they are responsible for creating and bringing together the production team. The job also
involves having the final say on matters, for example, approving the production schedule
or the shooting locations. One of the most important responsibilities is to make sure that
each team member can work to their full protocols, to improve the film.
They are accountable for the success of the finished film.

Stages of making the film

Much like the director, the producer is one of the few job roles that is involved in all stages
of making the film.
Pre-production - in production producers are responsible for the day-to-day running of
the film set. They also constantly consult with other key members, such as the director or
cinematographer.
Production - in production producers are responsible for the day-to-day running of the
film set. They also constantly consult with other key members, such as the director or cin-
ematographer.
Post-production—here they connect and work with the distribution and marketing com-
panies, helping to ensure the film's success.

To do this role, you will need to:

 Have exceptional artistic vision and creative skills
 Possess a deep passion for filmmaking
 Be a confident and strong leader
 Be good at celebrating, delegating to, and motivating the team
 Screenwriter
Personality type - Organizer
Departments - Production

What do they do?

Screenwriters create and write the script and screenplay for the film. The intention of the
script is to be sold and then produced.
Screenwriters have to produce highly creative writing, to strict deadlines. They work with
a script development team to create a finished product that is likely to be financed and
made. Sometimes producers bring in an additional screenwriter to improve certain as-
pects of the screenplay.

To do this role, you will need to:

 Be familiar with current formats for presenting screenplays
 Have an in-depth understanding of story, plot and narrative
 Be able to write visually, using sound and dialogue to support action
 Understand the different ways that films affect audiences
 Be dedicated and well organized, and able to work to strict deadlines.
 Production
Designer
Personality type - Creative
Departments— Art Department
What do they do?
Here, the production designer is responsible for the overall visual look of the production
and consequently the film/TV show.
Production designers have a key creative role in the creation of films and television.
Working directly with the director, cinematographer and producer, they must select the
settings and style to visually tell the story.
They also have a key creative role in the creation of the set. As well as this, they work
closely with the other key members to help ensure that the film looks and feels right on
camera.

Stages of making the film

Pre-production - after reading the script, they meet with the director to discuss the budg-
et of the location and the filming. They may also decide on the location and/or settings
which may be used in the film.
They also consider whether or not to use other elements of film, such as CGI. As well as
this, they also have to calculate the budget, deciding how the money, time and effort will
be spent.
Production - here they are normally one of the first people on set in the morning, to
check the set, as well as answer any questions from other crew members.
Post-production - on most films and smaller productions, the production designer will fin-
ish work on the last day of principle photography. However, on some larger films, the pro-
duction designer may be contracted to stay on longer.

To do this role, you will need to:

 Have exceptional artistic vision and creative skills
 Possess a deep passion for filmmaking
 Be a confident and strong leader
 Director of photography /
cinematographer

Personality type - Engineer

Departments— Camera
What do they do?
This is the person who is responsible for the overall visuals of the production. They do this
by using lighting, framing, camera movement, etc. They also collaborate closely with the
camera crew in order to get the desired result.

Stages of making the film

Pre-production - after reading the script they meet with the director of the film to dis-
cuss the visual styles of the film. They also need to work out a list of all the filming
equipment that will be needed during production. For example, camera equipment,
lights, camera(s), cranes and all other accessories.
Production they need to arrive on set early, along with their camera crew, to set
up all of the equipment which will be needed in the day’s shoot. They decide and set
up what camera movements (for example, panning, tracking or Dutch tilt) and lighting,
(for example, high-key vs natural) are required in the scenes.
In smaller shoots they can also operate the camera themselves.

To do this role, you will need to:

 Know all about the camera equipment
 Have in depth knowledge of lighting
 Be flexible and make quick decisions on set
 Have artistic vision and be creative
Financial
controller
Personality type Scientist
Departments - Accounts

What do they do?

They are the person who is responsible for controlling and managing the finances of the
film/TV production. This includes preparing and checking the budgets, managing cash
flow, raising funds, as well as accounting and taxation. In this job there is a lot of paper-
work involved.
Because this is a very challenging and skilled job, you need to have an accounting de-
gree, along with a number of years of experience in the film or media industry.

To do this role, you will need to:

 Have experience of film/commercial accounting
 Know about film finance and tax regulations
 Be a good leader and manage the team well
 Be organized and have good problem solving skills.
 Location manager

Personality type - Communicator

Departments - Locations/Production
What do they do?
The location manager is the person who is responsible for finding and securing the loca-
tions which can be used for filming. This includes getting any permits or permissions that
might be needed. For example, often you need a government or police permit to film in a
certain location.
They are also the public face of the production, which means that they are responsible for
addressing any issues that may arise during filming

Stages of making the film

They are one of the few jobs to be involved in all stages of pre-production, production
and post-production.
Pre-production - hey search and scout for the right location to film. When looking,
they have to take into account the accessibility, budget and shooting schedule.
Production - here they are in charge of managing the aspects of shooting in that loca-
tion. While on set, they also oversee the health and safety issues. After shooting has
finished, they make sure that the location is cleaned and locked up.

To do this role, you will need to:

 Have very good organizational skills
 Be able to work within a budget, and understand contracts
 Be reliable with good communication skills
 Have a good knowledge of health and safety requirements
 Costume designer
Personality type - Creative
Departments - Costume

What do they do?

It is the costume designer’s job to create the characters’ outfits/costumes for the actors
and extras on set. The costumes have to balance and fit in with the scene. The costume
designer works alongside the director and other creative personnel such as the produc-
tion designer.

Stages of making the film

They are one of the few jobs to be involved in all stages of pre-production, production and
post-production.
Pre-production - here they break down the script to work out how many characters there
are, and what they need. They research the costume’s styles and designs. They then pro-
ceed to develop an outfit for each character.
Production - here they arrange costume fittings for actors and extras, as well as super-
vising the range of costumes/materials. They are on set whenever a new costume is
worn, to make sure that it fits correctly, as well as to oversee any alterations made to it.

To do this role, you will need to:

 Be creative and imaginative
 Have good design skills
 Have good organisational skills and be able to motivate a team
 Know a lot about costume history and modern fashion.
 Editor
Personality type - Creative
Departments - Editing
What do they do?
The film editor works with the raw footage, selecting shots and combining them into the
film. The editor works closely with the director to ensure that the story flows effortlessly
from beginning to end.
Stages of making the film
They are one of the few jobs to be involved in all stages of pre-production, production and
post-production.
Production - although most of the editing is done in post-production, the editing process
starts in production. Because scenes are often shot out of order, the editor starts to edit
them as soon as they are shot.
Post—production - this is where most of the editing happens. Here the editor and the
director work closely together refining the film to produce the director's cut. The director's
cut must be approved by the producers.

To do this role, you will need to:

Have good editing skills
Have good knowledge and experience of the post-production process
Understand the methods of storytelling to create tension and rhythm within the film.
Be imaginative and creative under pressure.
 End
A breakdown of Job Roles in the Film industry