Skip to content

Job roles in the industry

2.2 Describe a range of key job roles and responsibilities in the film industry

  • One major role in production is the role of a director. The main role of director is to be a storyteller, they have most of the control over the visual and creative aspects of a piece and need to be fully prepared with that, meaning they often take care of the script (or screenplay) and also the storyboarding process, especially on films with a smaller crew and no specific department for storyboarding etc.
  • A second key role is the editor, although most of the editor’s work happens in post rather than production, however, they are arguably the main factor in whether a film looks good and comes together properly. The editor works closely with the director to ensure their vision is correctly created. The editor is responsible for cutting together all of the footage, audio clips, and sound effects. It may also include the creation of graphics and sound effects.
  • The role of producer is another key role in the production process. The producer, much like the director, has a large portion of control over the overall project and the final outcome of the film. Unlike the director, however, the producer has control over every aspect of the film’s production, bringing together the screenwriters, director, cast, finances and production team rather than just the creative control and vision. Another key role of the producer is to finance the production and producers normally delegate some functions to executive producers, co-producers, line producers and associate producers.
  • One important role/group is the sound crew or sound recordist. The main role of someone in sound is to achieve a clean, accurate sound to complement the visuals (and to minimise any unwanted sounds). They work very close to the camera operator and editor, to ensure the sounds etc are all in time and accounted for. They play a very large role in communicating with the director too as a slight change in sound can completely change the context of a scene.
  • One final key role in a film production is the camera operator. The camera operator is in charge of handling the camera physically and carrying out the actual filming of the production. They support the director and director of photography with shot composition and need to be very well trained in the specifics of their equipment. They need to also be up to date with current styles and trends witch means they are required to analyse new films and tv constantly.

 

Comments

  1. Bex Rose

    Well done for completing your research for 2.2 – Describe a range of key job roles and responsibilities in the film industry. You have outlined what the roles involve and also how they work together and depend on each other. Your practical knowledge will develop with your time at the academy as you learn more about working together on a film production in your specific role.

Leave a Reply