Post 10: Job Roles Research

Post 10 was all about understanding the job roles and responsibilities within a film production crew. This was an important post as it helps us a group understand each role everyone has, not only themselves. We were asked to research into five different job roles/departments.

• Direction,
• Camera,
• Lighting,
• Production Sound,
• Art Department.

This will help me when I come to deciding what role I would like to play in the group my our A2 film. What I have researched will be the different roles each person has in the group but at a much smaller scale. Each person will be assigned to a job meaning each person in the group will have their own work to do. Knowing what each role has to do will help us as a group as every task can be product efficiently and effectively.

Direction

• The Direction department is a subset of a larger occupational group referred to as 'Production'.
• Best known role within the Direction department is that of Director.
• Within this department, the Director is also supported by a number of Assistant Director.
• Other roles in the Direction department include the Script Supervisor, Runner.

Camera

• Good cinematography involves the creation of beautiful and/or arresting images on screen; it can also tell us more about a character or a location.
• Shot composition, camera movement and the way a Director of Photography (DoP) chooses to manipulate light and shade, all combine to create each film's unique photographic signature.
• Camera crews work with extremely delicate, expensive equipment and are amongst the most highly skilled practitioners on any film crew.

In our group the cameraman must be able to work with their equipment succesfully. However like the directer when it comes to filming our chosen cameraman must have more of a say when it comes to filming the project.


Lighting

• The Lighting department plays a crucial role in most film crews.
• Although some productions may make use of daylight, for the most part it is necessary to use artificial light to achieve the visual image required.
• They set up a wide range of lighting equipment to achieve a variety of moods, atmospheres and effects, as well as helping to make the actors, performers and participants look right for their roles.

Sound Production

• Recording all sound on set or on location is the work of the Production Sound Crew.
• Although film is considered a primarily visual medium, much of the storytelling and emotional resonance of a script is conveyed through dialogue.
• Dialogue recorded must be suitably clear which is a complex job.
• Most actors and Directors prefer to use the sound captured on set or location.

The group member dealing with sound will have to take full responsibilty when learning how to work the sound and when we come to filming. Sound is one of the most important parts of film and the member doing this job will have to make sure they know what they are doing.

Art Department

• Films can be located anywhere.
• The look of sets or locations transports audiences into the world of the story.
• A great deal of work and imagination goes into constructing appropriate backdrops to any story.
• The Art Department usually employs the largest number of people on any film crew.

The person who decides to take up this role in our group will have to do more production work then practical work like when it comes to filming.