Roles and responsibilities

Aims and Objectives

Show an understanding to the

importance of team work

List key job roles on a film production

Demonstrate an understanding of

responsibilities within each roles

Apply the key roles to your own

production

The Production Process

Pre-Production

Production

Post-Production

Distribution

Exhibition

Why have job roles?To ensure employees work as efficiently as possible it is important to have

clearly defined job roles and responsibilities. This is particularly important

in large firms to ensure no part of the workload is overlooked. In smaller

organisations job roles may be less structured as employees may be

required to take on a variety of tasks and responsibilities. Clear job

descriptions and personal remits enable workers to focus on their job-

specific tasks. It allows employees to prioritise their workload and reduce

the chance of work duplication. In the offshore environment, where safety

is a key priority, defined roles and responsibilities ensure that workers are

competent and qualified for the tasks they undertake.

Key roles in media

production•Director

•Production Manager/ Producer

•Casting Director

•Screenwriter

•Sound operator/ technician

• Editor

DirectorThe Director is the driving creative force in a film's production, and acts as

the crucial link between the production, technical and creative teams.

Directors are responsible for creatively translating the film's written script

into actual images and sounds on the screen - he or she must visualize and

define the style and structure of the film, then act as both a storyteller and

team leader to bring this vision to reality. Directors' main duties include

casting, script editing, shot composition, shot selection and editing, also

other duties include always being aware of the constraints of the film's

budget and schedule. Being a Director requires great creative vision,

dedication and commitment. Directors are ultimately responsible for a film's

artistic and commercial success or failure so it is a very important job role

within the industry.

Production Manager/ProducerProduction Managers organize the business, finance and employment issues in

film and television productions. As a Production Manager, you would be in

charge of how the production budget is spent and making sure that everything

runs smoothly during filming. To become a Production Manager you will

need substantial experience in TV or film, in-depth understanding of the

production process, and a network of contacts in the industry.

A Producer sets the situation for the production of a television show or movie. A

film Producer initiates, coordinates, supervises and controls all aspects of a

production, from fundraising and hiring key personnel, to arranging for

distributors. The Producer sees the project through to the end, from

development to completion. Traditionally, the film Producer is considered the

chief of staff while the director is in charge of the line. This "staff and line"

organization mirrors that of most large corporations and the military. Under this

arrangement, the Producer has overall control of the project and can terminate

the director, but the director actually makes the film.

Casting Director

Casting Directors organize and facilitate the casting of actors for all the roles

in a film. This involves working closely with the director and producer to

understand their requirements, and suggesting ideal artists for each role, as

well as arranging and conducting interviews and auditions. Once the parts are

cast, the Casting Director negotiates fees and contracts for the actors, and

acts as a liaison between the director, the actors and their agents. Casting

Directors must have an extensive knowledge of actors and their suitability for

a particular role. On larger productions, Casting Directors may supervise

casting assistants, who will support and assist them in this work.

Screen writerScreenwriters create ideas and bring stories to life in scripts for feature films, TV

comedy and drama, animation, children's programmes and computer games. As a

screenwriter, you might develop your own original ideas and sell them to producers.

Alternatively, producers may commission you to create a screenplay from an idea or

true story, or to adapt an existing piece such as a novel, play or comic book.

Your work would typically involve:

•coming up with themes and ideas

•researching background material

•developing believable plots and characters

•laying out the screenplay to an agreed format

•preparing short summaries of your ideas and selling (known as 'pitching') them to

producers or development executives

•getting feedback about the first draft of your work from producers or script editors

•rewriting the script if necessary (you may need to do this several times before

arriving at the final agreed version).

Sound OperatorSound technicians are required to assemble, operate and maintain the

technical equipment used to record, amplify, enhance, mix or reproduce

sound.

They identify the sound requirements for a given task or situation and

perform the appropriate actions to produce this sound. Sound technicians of

different types are required in a range of industries including film,

broadcasting (radio or television), live performance (theatre, music, dance),

advertising and audio recordings.

As a sound engineer, you would control the sound at live events such as

theatre performances and music concerts. You would operate microphones,

amplifiers and control desks to balance the sound levels, and you might also

provide background music and sound effects.

Camera OperatorA Camera Operator works with digital, electronic and film cameras in multi

and single camera operational conditions, producing pictures for directors

by combining the use of complex technology with creative visual skills. The

work is based in either a studio, where the Camera Operator usually follows

a camera script (which gives the order of shots practiced at rehearsal and is

cued by the director during recording) or on location, where there is likely to

be more opportunity for creativity through suggesting shots to the director. A

Camera Operator usually works under the direction of a director or director

of photography and is sometimes supported by a camera assistant (or a

focus puller/clapper loader, although with the advent of digital and

electronic cameras these functions are in decline). The role is an interesting

mix of the creative and technical.

EditorFilm Editors assemble footage of feature films, television shows,

documentaries, and industrials into a seamless end product. They manipulate

plot, score, sound, and graphics to refine the overall story into a continuous

and enjoyable whole. On some films, the film Editor is chosen before cast

members and script doctors; people in Hollywood recognize that the skills of a

good film Editor can save a middling film. Film Editors spend a long time

perfecting and honing their craft. Like most industries, the film industry has

embraced new technology. Assistant Editors must now have strong computer

skills to work in the industry. While some Editors stay removed from the project

during the filming process so as not to steer the director away from his or her

concept of the film, many of them do visit the director on set while production

is underway. Nevertheless, the majority of a film Editor’s work is done alone.

Task

Apply these roles to your group

Make a list of YOUR duties

Research your role(s)