Pete Majarich

Film Crew and their roles

This document is a handy guide to what common team members there are on a film
set. On a typical Hollywood film, there might be hundreds of different crew members
in all sorts of departments. For the purposes of this document, we’ll focus on the most
common types of people.

Director
In charge of the overall creative vision of the film. Also (ultimately) responsible for
running the show, making sure things run on time and on budget. If there’s a
question to be answered, the Director is the one who needs to answer it. This involves
leading all the other departments (light, sound, art department, production) in order
to make a successful film. When making a small, indie film (like one shot on a
smartphone), sometimes the filmmaker will play many of these roles themselves

Gaffer
In charge of light. Setting it up, shaping it, making sure it has power, and so on. Might
also be involved in setting up C-stands, blocking windows, and more.

Soundie
Someone responsible for capturing, monitoring and recording audio on set. This
might involve using a boom mic (long stick hanging over a scene to capture dialog) or
placing a lapel mic on an actor). They might also record common sounds on set or the
location in order that they can be recreated in high quality later.

Producer
In charge of logistics. Looks at things like timing, budgets, scheduling, call times,
on-set communication, and tracking progress. An Executive Producer might be
someone who provides financial backing or has a say in creative direction of the film.

Art Department
In charge of how the set or the location looks. They might add props, select costumes,
pick colours and generally guide the overall look of the environment being shot.

Cinematographer
Works with the director to actually film the shots and craft the frames to accurately tell
the story. They work with cameras and lens and light to make the scene.