This week we are picking up where we left off in my brief explanation of who does what on a film set. (For Part One see the 5/5/05 issue). As I said last month, there are innumerable variations on these basics from film set to film set, and nothing printed here should be taken as law. Don't think of this as an official guide: Use it as a starting place for your own education. I have used gender pronouns randomly below, so don't get stuck on that and, again, this column was written with help from production veterans Alex MacInnis and Greg Eliason, who know more about this stuff than I ever hope to. And we're off.
Director of Photography: Sometimes called the Cinematographer, the DP is arguably the most important person on the set after the director. He oversees the camera, electric, and grip departments. He and the director work together to set up shots, decide on coverage, and create the look of the film.
Camera Operator: She is the one who holds the camera and shoots the film. She is likely a very experienced cameraperson, and works with the support of the assistant camera people.
1st Assistant Camera: The 1st AC is responsible for the immediate running of the camera and for "pulling focus" or changing the camera's focus as a shot progresses. Besides focusing the camera (with the Camera Operator), he changes lenses and magazines (film cartridges), and is responsible for keeping the camera clean and in prime condition.
2nd Assistant Camera: She works directly under the 1st AC and is responsible for marking the slate and setting the focus marks with the actors.
Loader/3rd Assistant Camera: The Loader is usually the least-experienced person in the camera department, and definitely the one with the most grunt work. The Loader spends a lot of his time just loading film into magazines. He also downloads the exposed film, sends film to the lab, and maintains a careful inventory of the film stock. On a large or technically demanding film there may be a 3rd AC and a separate Loader to do all the loading and downloading -- somewhat tedious but obviously critical work.
Gaffer: The Gaffer is the head of the Electric Department and does all the film's lighting. She works directly with the DP to decide how to light the film and implements those ideas with the help of a crew of Electricians.
Electricians: These guys run cable (move power cords), put up lights, gel lights (put colored gels in front of the lights to create ambiance), and run the power generator (or "genny"). They deal with any electricity on the set, including work lights and the power for the coffeepot. The Gaffer's right-hand man is called the "Best Boy Electric," regardless of gender. The Best Boy is not only the second-in-command of the electricians but is also responsible for all the department's paperwork and inventory.
Key Grip: The Key Grip is the head of the Grip department. He works closely with the DP and the Gaffer. These three must stay in close communication to keep the set working efficiently and safely.
Grips: One aspect of their work is "everything to do with lighting that does not plug in," meaning they don't work with anything electrical but they do create lighting effects through other means. They use bounce cards, shiny boards (that reflect the sun), flags (to block light), and cookies (to create patterns in front of the light fixtures -- like "gobos" in the theatre). The other prominent area of Grip work is camera placement and -movement. Grips are responsible for dollies (wagon-like things that run on tracks to create movement during a shot), cranes and jibs (for lifting the camera), and any camera mounts (such as a car mount). The second-in-command of the Grip department is known as the "Best Boy Grip," and, like her counterpart in the electric department, she does the paperwork and inventory.
Production Designer: The head of the Art Department, she works closely with the Director and DP to decide on the quality of the physical realm of the film. Compare the looks of the films Spider-Man and Far From Heaven. Each is set in a very specific, very different world. The Production Designer devises that look and works to make it cohesive throughout the film.
Art Director: He takes the Production Designer's vision and makes it a reality "on the ground," overseeing all art department elements. On smaller projects, he may be the head of the art department.
Set Decorator: Working with the Art Director, she either makes, rents, or buys all the stuff that goes on the set. She is responsible, for example, for decorating a 1950s home or outfitting a spaceship with the appropriate flooring, wallpaper, fixtures, and materials.
On-Set Dresser: Much of the Art Department work is done before the rest of the crew shows up, but the Set Dresser is there while the film is shooting, to keep things looking good as the day progresses. He also helps maintain the continuity of the physical world from shot to shot.
Property Master: He deals with all the props, from glasses to guns. Props, as opposed to set pieces, are the things that actors pick up and move around. So, a bottle of wine that just sits on a table is part of the set, but if an actor pours a glass or takes a swig, it's a prop.
Costume Designer: She works with the director to design each character's look. At her discretion, costume pieces are "pulled" (taken from existing stock), purchased, or built (made from scratch). She will sometimes work with an actor to create wardrobe befitting their particular characterization.
Wardrobe, Makeup, and Hair: These folks make the actors look like the characters they are playing on the shoot day. The Wardrobe Department will clothe you and tend to any wardrobe malfunctions. Large films have a Key Makeup Artist to design and oversee the process, and some projects require special-effects makeup, which is often done by a specialist. Sometimes there are separate Makeup and Hair people, but on smaller projects, the Makeup Artist is also responsible for hair. In my experience, many Makeup Artists are happy (and sometimes relieved) for actors to help out with their own hair. I suggest you take a small beauty kit with you to the set. Although you should never "fix" what Makeup does to you, especially if you have already been shot, you might be able to lend a hand or that perfect-for-you product while you are in the chair.
Sound Recordist: He is in charge of getting good production sound. This is a lot harder than it seems, as tracks are consistently plagued by static, airplanes, weird humming noises, and other mysterious sounds. He is usually found sitting with all his gear at a rolling cart (or "taco cart"). He rolls sound, and listens in to make sure the sound is "good."
Boom Operator: She runs all the sound equipment away from the actual sound cart. She deals with the boom: the large, black mike (or shotgun) that is held near the actors' heads on a long stick (or fish pole). The Boom Operator tries to get the microphone as close to the actors' mouths as possible, while keeping the equipment and its shadows out of the shot. Also, odds are good that she is the one who comes around and sticks her hand in your shirt to pin the lavalier or "lav" microphone on.
Drivers/Transportation Department: These folks drive and maintain the many production- and picture vehicles that need to be maneuvered during a typical shoot day. The head of this department (a.k.a. the Transpo Department) is called the Transpo Captain. On big jobs, these guys are Teamsters, and what they do is highly regulated.
Script Supervisor: She helps keep continuity between shots, which means that she makes sure that if a water glass was half full when you said a particular line in a shot from one angle, it is half full when you do the same line from another. As an actor, you should keep track of your own movements and gestures, but she may step in to remind you of what you did if you forget or make a mistake. She also works with the director to assure that all necessary coverage (takes from different angles to "cover" the scene) was shot and times each shot, which helps in editing and is crucial for time-sensitive mediums such as television commercials. Lastly, she marks the script with specific notations indicating how much of the script was shot in each take, exactly what coverage was shot, and how long it took, which gives the Editor (who inherits this detailed script) a shorthand to what's on the reel.
Craft Service: Get this: He has a table full of snacks for the cast and crew that's on-set all day long. He usually also has aspirin and other basic first-aid stuff. The most important part of his job? Having coffee ready at crew call (when the crew has to be at the job site).
Catering: Don't eat too much at Craft Service, because when Catering shows up with actual meals, you'll wish you hadn't.
Well, I am out of space. I'm sure I have overlooked many important positions, but I hope I at least got you started with basic knowledge of who surrounds you on-set. I can't emphasize enough how much it will behoove you to be kind to the other professionals you meet on the job. It may improve your performance, and it will definitely improve your experience. A film set has a life of its own. As soon as you know the rules, they change on you. But if you expect the unexpected and check in with the 2nd AD, you'll be just fine.