The who's who of producing a short film

With the latest digital cameras and computer software, you can shoot and edit a film yourself, but if you’re not a virtuoso in the camera, lighting and post-production departments, the results will tend to be more Blair Witch than Lord of the Rings.

While the hand-held look isn’t necessarily a bad thing, for a more polished finish, it helps to other people on board and bring in a bit of expertise.

If you don’t have friends in the business, your budget probably won’t stretch to a cast of thousands. It makes sense to focus on the main production roles and make sure that, as far as possible, the most important jobs are covered.

So what are those main roles?

Director
Producer
Director of Photography (DOP)
Production Designer/Artistic Director
Camera operator
Sound recordist (aka Production Mixer)
Gaffer
Production Manager
Editor
Other hangers on
The cast

Director

The one with the vision, the Director as the creative glue that holds the production, technical and creative teams together. They are involved in every bit of the production from casting actors to the final edit. Their job also includes:

• choosing the crew
• organising rehearsals
• managing the team working on camera, sound, lighting, design and special effects
• guiding the actors on how to play their part
• shot composition and selection
• keeping an eye on budget and the shooting schedule

In a bigger team, they work with 1st, 2nd and 3rd Assistant Directors (ADs).

Producer

The Producer role covers a lot of ground. They control every aspect of production, from bringing together the scriptwriter, cast and crew to marketing the end result. They’re also in charge of the cash and it’s up to them to turn out a film that’s a commercial success. This means they need to be hot stuff around the negotiating table and have a sharp business mind, as well as inside-out knowledge of the creative side of filmmaking.

Their role also includes:

• securing rights
• sorting out insurance
• health and safety
• raising the funds for development and production
• keeping an eye on the development process
• checking in with the Director on a regular basis
• the day-to-day business of film making

Given the huge number of things they’re supposed to be doing, Producers normally delegate work to their Exec Producers, Co-producers, Line Producers and Assistant Producers.

Director of Photography (DOP)

In cahoots with the camera crew, Director and Production Designer, the DOP is all about setting the visual mood and style of the film. They are the ones who get creative with lighting techniques, shot framing and camerawork, as well as:

• doing the research and finding the source material to work from that will help them  get the look the Director is after
• technical recces
• preparing a list of the must-have camera equipment and checking and setting it out on a daily basis
• ‘blocking’ or planning out the shots
• watching the rushes, the unedited raw footage
• attending the digital grading of the film – the time when the colour of the film may be fiddled with eg. to make it more vibrant.

On smaller productions, the DOP may get behind the camera too.

Production Designer/Artistic Director

Both these roles involve creating the style of the set. The former has the main responsibility for creating the style of the film, which includes planning the visual design.

The Art Director focuses on set and location design. In smaller productions, the two roles are often managed by one person.

Camera operator

Far from being a case of point and shoot, skilful camerawork can help make a good film into a visual masterpiece. Guided by the Director of Photography with a little help from lighting, the job of the camera crew is simply to get the best shots possible. They do this with a mixture of composition, framing and clever camera control.

They are some of the most technically skilled members of the crew, handling expensive, temperamental equipment that needs creativity and experience to get the best results. Choose your crew carefully, particularly if you’re planning to shoot on film rather than a digital format. While film produces far more beautiful results, it’s very expensive and certainly not to be wasted by a rookie camera person!

Sound Recordist (aka Production Mixer)

You want good, clean sound; this is the person to make it happen. As well as recording the audio, the Sound Recordist will monitor the quality throughout filming to make sure it’s as clear as possible, without interference or background noise. If they’re working with multiple cameras and therefore multiple audio tracks, they’ll be using a mixing desk.

Working hand in hand with the Director, Producer and Sound Editor, they are also responsible for:

• providing details of their technical requirements
• setting up talkback systems between members of the production crew
• sound effects
• the final sound mix
• supervising the boom operator – the person who holds that big fluffy microphone if the sound recordist isn’t holding it themselves

If budgets are tight, one short cut is to have the Director doing the filming and the sound too!

Gaffer

Reporting in to the Director of Photography (DOP), the Gaffer, otherwise known as the Chief Electrician, Supervising or Chief Lighting Technician, manages the production’s electrical requirements. They provide the practical and technical solutions to the DOP’s creative vision.

They also:

• list and potentially advise on the best lighting equipment for the job
• get equipment quotes from lighting companies
• specify the crew required
• get involved with health and safety, including risk assessments and crew briefings
• carry out technical recces
• prepare light installations and equipment, including lighting rigs with the supervision of the Lighting Directors
• make sure that the lighting equipment is working throughout the production and coming up with alternative solutions if something goes pear-shaped or isn’t good enough

Production Manager

When it comes to the money, this is the person to make sure it’s being spent cleverly and that the production comes in on budget. They are the business brain of the production, keeping an eye on finance and employment issues too. During pre-production, their role involves:

• drawing up a budget based on a page-by-page breakdown of the script and an estimate of the resources and equipment required
• putting together a shooting schedule
• negotiating rates for crew and equipment
• overseeing location bookings
• arranging permissions with police and local authorities
• organising risk assessments
• managing production paperwork, including call sheets and release forms
• making sure the production sticks to the shooting schedule and within health and safety requirements
• updating the budgets
• paying bills and invoice

Editor

It’s the Editor’s job to take all that raw footage, sound recordings, effects and graphics and create some ‘cut and paste’ magic to form the narrative and logical structure of the film. It’s a bit of an art.

They view the daily rushes (‘dailies’) as they are delivered from the set. This raw footage won’t necessarily be delivered in the same order as it will finally be cut together, so it’s important the Editor has a basic sense of the Director’s vision and how the story is unfolding.

They will then start choosing the best takes and editing them into scenes. As filming progresses, they will keep on refining their cut and once the film wraps and shooting is over, they will have put together what is known as the Editor’s cut, assembly edit or rough cut.

The next phase is the Director’s cut. This is when the Editor works very closely with the Director to refine the rough cut. This is when any missing scenes or gaps in the plot will be picked up and additional filming arranged if extra footage is needed to fill the holes. 

The Director’s cut adds the creative signature to the film. Once this is done, any additional, edits are overseen by the Producers on behalf of the production company or film studio.

Other hangers on

On a full-scale production, the crew can be huge. Here are some of the other characters who could play a part in your filmmaking process:

Clapper Loader (2nd Assistant Camera):

operates the clapperboard at the beginning of each take and looks after the film stock (the raw film), keeping detailed notes about each take and logging the stock as it’s received and sent on for processing.

Costume Designer:

not only designs, but buys, hires and manages costumes too.

Executive Producer:

often a financier who may or may not have a hands-on role in the production. If they do, it’s usually an involvement on the business side, although some Exec Producers play a more creative role.

Hair/Make-up Designers:

making the actors look the part, whatever it takes. This may mean researching a period look or adding ‘special effects’ make-up such as scars or deformities or using wigs, bald patches and corrective make-up to achieve a natural look under the lights.

Grips:

the lighting and rigging technicians who work closely with the electrical department. The Key Grip is the big cheese of the Grip team on set. Their minions include the Best Boy and the Dolly Grip.

Line Producer:

makes sure the film comes in on time and to budget.

Location Manager:

researches and organises all the shooting locations outside the studio and negotiates rates and access.

Production Co-ordinator:

runs the production office, answering to the Line Producer and Production Manager. They work on the logistical side of the production, which involves hiring crew, organising and distributing paperwork (including new versions of the script), renting equipment, booking travel and accommodation and ordering and collecting equipment and supplies.

Runners:

general assistants, dogsbodies and underlings keen to get into the movie business.

Script Supervisor (Continuity):

keeps track of what’s been filmed – every shot – as well as managing props and making sure there are no inconsistencies from shot to shot. eg. If an actor is wearing gloves in one shot, they should be wearing them in the next too. Their detailed records are given to the Editor to help them cut the film and they work closely with the Director.

Steadicam operator:

a steadicam is the registered trademark name for a device that keeps a camera stable. This allows a camera operator to take very smooth shots while they’re on the move, without any shaking.

Storyboard Artist:

works with the Scriptwriter and Director, drawing out a visual layout of the plot to help illustrate the action, plan out the shots and make sure there’s continuity from one scene to the next.

The Cast

The right actors will make the Scriptwriter’s and the Director’s dreams come true.

Friends in high places and a great script may land you a star for your short film. Alternatively, spend time with Spotlight. In print and online, it lists all actors and their agents’ contact details.

Actors can also be hunted down through:

• networking websites such as Talent Circle or Shooting People
• newspapers or magazines e.g. PCR (Production and Casting Report)
• casting agencies
• local drama schools and colleges
• theatre groups

For more contacts, take a look at our Handy Links section.

A good actor will not only look the part but be able to pick up the script cold at the audition and bring the role to life while making it their own. Practice and rehearsals can smooth out any rough edges.

Once you have your cast, make sure you look after them. It’s the Director’s job to get the best out of them and nurture their talent to bring out the best performance they can give.