Roles in the Film & TV Industry

Runner

• As a camera operator, it would be your job to record moving images for film, television, commercials, music videos or corporate productions. You would operate film, videotape or digital video cameras, usually under instructions from the director or director of photography.

• Your work could involve:• setting up and positioning camera equipment• planning and rehearsing shots• following a camera script and taking cues from the director or floor manager (in TV studio recording)• choosing the most suitable lenses and camera angles• solving practical or technical problems such as lighting• working closely with other technical departments such as lighting and sound.• You may be the only camera operator and use a portable single camera, or you could be part of a TV studio camera team. On feature

films and TV drama productions you may be part of a large crew with a specific role, such as:• second assistant camera (clapper loader) – loading and unloading film, counting the takes and helping the camera crew• first assistant camera (focus puller) – judging and adjusting the focus on each shot

• grip – building and operating any cranes and pulleys needed to move a camera during shooting.

Camera Operator

As a runner in the film and TV industry, you would work behind the scenes and do any small jobs and basic tasks necessary to help the production run smoothly. If you want to take a first step into a media career, and you are willing to turn your hand to any task that needs doing, this job could be ideal for you. You could work as a runner in any area of film or TV production, including:the production officeon a studio set or on locationart departments or animation studiosin post-production editing facilities.The job can be very varied and you would be asked to carry out a wide range of tasks, which could include:collecting and delivering equipment, scripts and other itemsdistributing messages and post, and running errandsfiling and photocopyinganswering the phone and greeting visitorsdriving vehicles around sets or between locationsfinding propslooking after studio guestskeeping sets clean and tidygetting lunches and making tea and coffee.Working as a runner is a common starting point in film and TV. The job would allow you to see the different stages involved in production, get experience and make the contacts you need to move on to other jobs in the industry.• Hours; Varied. Salary; Varied.

Director• Directors are the driving creative force in a film's production - visualising and defining the style and structure of the film, then bringing

it to life. Directors have overall responsibility for the way films or television programmes are made. You might lead a small team or a large cast and crew, to direct full-length feature films, short films, live or recorded television programmes, commercials, music videos or corporate videos. Your main purpose would be to make the creative decisions that guide the rest of the crew.

• Your work could include:• meeting producers• commissioning a script or an idea for a documentary• interpreting scripts and developing storyboards• deciding on how the production should look and where it should be filmed• planning the shooting schedule and logistics• hiring the cast and crew• guiding the technical crew• directing the actors (or the contributors to a documentary)• supervising the editing to produce the final 'cut'.• In some cases you might write your own scripts and raise finance for projects. On some productions you might also operate camera or

sound equipment – this is particularly common with documentaries or productions with a small budget.• Hours; Varied. Salary Varied.

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 ideasresearching background materialdeveloping believable plots and characterslaying out the screenplay to an agreed formatpreparing short summaries of your ideas and selling (known as 'pitching') them to producers or development executivesgetting feedback about the first draft of your work from producers or script editorsrewriting the script if necessary (you may need to do this several times before arriving at the final agreed version).Hours; Varied. Salary; Varied.

Producer• Producers are responsible for all aspects of a film's

production, putting together a creative and talented cast and crew, and turning story ideas into profitable films

• Producers play an important role in the film, television and video industries. As a producer, your main purpose would be to deal with the practical and business side of a project, so that the director and crew could concentrate on the creative side. Film Producers are instrumental in obtaining funding for a film while in TV, programmes are usually (but not always) commissioned and therefore funding is not a major part of the job.

Management RolesManagement is the process of dealing with or controlling things or people.

Management also includes:• Financial Roles – Relates to funds management and includes saving and lending money.

Deals with time, money, risk and how they are interrelated.• Organisation Roles – Required the ability to manage people and objects to ensure deadlines

are met.• Administrative Roles – Consists of the performance or management of an operation, and major

decision making. A universal process of organising resources efficiently to achieve goals.

Examples of management roles are:• Accounts – Production accounting, Financial Controller• Catering - Catering Crew• Transport - Transport Manager• Production Office – Producer, Exec. Producer• Casting – Casting Director, Casting Assistant• Locations – Unit Manager, Location Manager• Health & Safety – Unit Nurse, Paramedics• Distribution – Distributor, Sales Agent

Creative RolesA person whose job involves creative work.

• Creative also includes;- Editorial Roles – Editing is the process of selection and preparing material by correcting, condensing organising and other modifications, to convey correct, consistent, and complete information.- Technical Roles – Make sure that the technology on-set working and set up. Often work with the directors to make sure

everything is ready for filming to start.- Research Roles – The discovery, interpretation, and development of methods and systems for the advancement og human

knowledge.

• Examples of creative roles are; - Direction – Film Director, 1st AD- Production Office – Producer, Exec. Producer- Casting – Casting Director, Casting Assistant- Hair & Make Up – Chief makeup artist, Makeup and hair designer- Camera – Camera Operator, Script Supervisor- Performing – Actor, Choreographer- Music – Composer, Music Supervisor- Props –Prop Maker, Property Master- Script – Script Editor, Screenwriter- Lighting – Best boy, Moving light operator- Construction – Construction Manager, Model Maker- Costume – Costume Designer, Costume Maker