Filming Roles

Main Roles on Set

The entire process of making a film requires hundreds of people in different roles, but the most distinct roles can be summarised into 5 main titles.

DIRECTOR

The Director holds the vision for the film from start to finish of the entire filmmaking process, they lead the creative process and are ultimately responsible for the general final outcome. 

The main goal of their job is essentially to maintain the overall vision for the film so it remains creatively consistent, they must efficiently translate their 'director's vision' to the crew, working closely with the scriptwriters and often being scriptwriters themselves, they are also heavily involved in the editing process to ensure the final product fits their original vision.

There are a very large amount of famous directors, they are often the most recognised titles after the main cast, some of the classic directors I look up to the most and my two favourite films by them include:

• Wes Anderson -> The Grand Budapest Hotel, Moonrise Kingdom 
• Edgar Wright -> Shaun of the Dead , Last Night in Soho
• David Fincher -> The Social Network, Se7en 
• Steven Spielberg -> Jurassic Park, Back to the Future
• Greta Gerwig -> Ladybird, Little Women 
• Woody Allen -> Annie Hall, Bullets over Broadway

I haven't had that much experience as a director just yet, but it is my dream to go down that path and the best advise i've gathered so far through the few short films I've made is to NOT be afraid to be assertive and passionate. You are creatively in charge of this project, it is like your own piece of clay that you have full freedom to mould into anything you could possibly manage, and if that's something you get excited about then it is the most thrilling experience to fully immerse yourself in your process. Especially if your director's vision tends to be very strong, don't be shy to take your time on setting up the perfect shot and even tediously instructing your crew (with full respect of course, you can't expect your crew to work well with you if you can't show them that you appreciate the important hard work they put in). You may feel insecure about asserting yourself in the moment, particularly if you're a perfectionist or not used to being "bossy", but the final result of all the hard work you and your crew put in will make all of it completely worth it and it is something you can treasure forever. So don't hesitate to let yourself go creatively wild because the pure passion and love you feel for your craft can be so exhilarating and rewarding, there's really nothing like it.

CAMERA OPERATOR

The Camera Operators are responsible for actually filming and capturing the film's story. Their job consists of deciding what type of camera or camera lenses to use for the desired shot, keeping composition and framing in mind, and then recording the action over and over from different angles and movements. They often work closely with the lighting crew in order to efficiently coordinate and create the best looking shot.

Some talented Camera Operators that have worked on big films include:

• Roger Deakins -> 1917, Blade Runner 2049, Sicario
• David B. Nowell -> Ant-Man and the Wasp, Jurassic World, Kong: Skull Island
• Janusz Kaminski -> Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, West Side Story

Some advice for this role involves becoming an absolute master of your craft and knowing everything you can possibly offer inside and out, be enthusiastic and eager in your work and offer your own creative input, after all you know your job better than anyone else on set and who knows what surprising ideas you could contribute. Don't just passively stand by and wait to be told what do to, be engaged and involved in the process, your initiative and knowledge will almost definitely be acknowledged and appreciated.

 

EDITOR

A Film Editor is essentially handed hours upon hours worth of raw footage, and are in charge of taking only the best parts and putting it all together to shape the story, they are often described to work the closest with the Director as editing plays an undeniably essential role in the final outcome as they have to encompass the film's entire magic, they are storytellers in essence.

Some of the highest grossing editors include:

• Jeffrey Ford -> Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War, Spiderman: No Way Home
• Michael Kahn -> Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
• Sally Menke -> Kill Bill Vol.1 & 2, Inglorious Basterds, Pulp Fiction

Some excellent qualities that truly distinguish talented editors are; 

- great communication skills - a large part of the job involves making sure you and the director, or anyone    else in charge, are on the same page about your work.

- patience, and the general ability to accept the amount of effort that goes into getting the perfect cut 

- decisiveness and trustworthy judgement.

- exceptional attention to detail and sensitivity to emotional depth.

- slightly less poetic but, good time management skills and ability to carry a heavy load of    

  responsibility/pressure.

ART DIRECTOR/DOP

Art Directors carry the responsibility of determining the overall "look" of the film, they work with conceptual artists and set builders through extensive sketches and artwork in order to construct the visuals that work best with the project - they have to understand what the final goal for the film looks like and what they can do to achieve it.

Some Art Directors involved in film franchises with iconic visual designs include:

• Gary Tomkins -> Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Brian Stultz -> Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War, Spiderman: No Way Home
• Lauren Polizzi -> Captain Marvel, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay part 1&2, Stark Trek into Darkness

To be a good Art Director you should possess great teamwork skills and be able to work efficiently with everyone's individual talents, it also helps greatly if you are friendly in nature and are able to see people's best potential.

PRODUCER

A Producer is in charge of making sure the film actually happens, they are responsible for financially arranging the project and hiring an entire talented crew, including the director, they oversee and supervise the entire filmmaking process from start to finish.

Some of the most powerful and highest grossing producers include:

• Kevin Feige -> Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War, Spiderman: No Way Home
• Kathleen Kennedy -> E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, The Sixth Sense
• Jerry Bruckheimer -> Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Film Producers should be ambitious and dream big, even if you have to start small, you should keep your goals and hopes high because your drive is what is making these projects happen. Appearance also plays a large part in being a successful producer, not physical appearance, but you should ensure that you keep a high reputation and maintain positive relationships with everyone you work with because unfortunately for this role, public opinion of you can really make or break your career.