Who does what on a film set

The people who decide what the film is and how each moment should feel.

Director

Owns the story on screen. Works with actors, chooses shots with the DP, and makes the final call on every creative question.

Co-Director

Shares directing duties equally with another director — common on documentaries and music videos.

Second Unit Director

Directs material the main unit doesn't shoot: inserts, driving plates, scenery, stunts.

The people who make the film exist — money, deals, hiring, and the buck stopping somewhere.

Producer

Responsible for the film existing: financing, hiring, schedule, and every decision that isn't creative-only.

Executive ProducerEP

Usually brings financing, rights or industry backing. Rarely on set day to day.

Co-Producer

Shares producing duties on a defined slice of the film — often a specific phase, territory, or partner company's contribution.

Associate ProducerAP

Junior producing credit. Handles delegated pieces of the production — research, deliverables, a key relationship, or a meaningful contribution short of full producing.

Line Producer

Runs the budget line by line during the shoot and keeps spending honest.

Unit Production ManagerUPM

Books crew, gear, locations and vehicles. The logistics engine of the shoot.

Impact Producer

Builds the campaign around a film's subject — partners, screenings, and the change it's meant to create. Common on documentaries.

The people who protect the clock so the director can think about the story.

1st Assistant Director1st AD · First AD

Runs the set. Builds the shooting schedule, calls the roll, and keeps the day on time and safe.

2nd Assistant Director2nd AD

Handles call sheets, wrangles cast through hair/makeup, and manages background.

2nd 2nd Assistant Director

Extra AD support on bigger days — usually background, paperwork and set flow.

Key Production AssistantKey PA

Leads the PA team: assignments, radios, lockups and coverage across the day.

Set Production AssistantPA · Set PA

The most useful person on set. Runs, drives, locks up the street, and keeps things moving.

The people who put it on the page before it exists anywhere else.

ScreenwriterWriter

Writes the screenplay — structure, scenes, dialogue.

Co-Writer

Shares the writing credit, drafting the script alongside another writer.

Story By

Credited for the underlying story even if someone else wrote the script pages.

Staff Writer

Writes within a room on a series — episodes, punch-ups, and outlines under a showrunner.

Script DoctorScript Consultant

Brought in to fix a draft: structure, dialogue or a specific problem, often uncredited.

Story EditorStory Consultant

A close collaborator on the story who isn't the credited writer: gives structural, in-depth feedback on drafts — character, spine, pacing and scene order — rather than dialogue alone.

The people who find the faces.

Casting Director

Sources, auditions and negotiates with actors for every role.

Casting Associate

Runs sessions, schedules auditions and handles submissions.

Extras CastingBackground Casting

Books and coordinates background performers.

The people on screen.

ActorLead · Supporting · Principal · Day Player · Background · Extra · Voice Over

Performs on screen — from leads to day players.

The people who decide what the image looks like and keep the footage safe.

Director of PhotographyDP · DoP · Cinematographer

Designs the look: lensing, lighting, camera movement. Leads camera and G&E.

Second Unit Director of Photography2nd Unit DP

Shoots second unit material to match the main unit's look.

Camera OperatorOp

Physically operates the camera and holds the frame during takes.

1st Assistant Camera1st AC · Focus Puller

Pulls focus, builds and maintains the camera, changes lenses.

2nd Assistant Camera2nd AC · Clapper Loader

Slates each take, logs it, manages media cards and camera paperwork.

Digital Imaging Technician (DIT)DIT

Manages exposure, on-set color and the look pipeline into post.

Camera Assistant / LoaderLoader · Data Wrangler

Offloads and backs up footage — at least two copies, always verified — and supports the camera team.

Steadicam Operator

Operates a stabilized body rig for smooth moving shots.

Drone OperatorAerial

Flies aerial shots — needs the right license for commercial work.

Still PhotographerUnit Stills

Shoots the on-set photos you'll use for posters, press and socials.

Gimbal Operator

Runs a motorized gimbal or remote head for stabilized handheld and vehicle work.

The people who make and shape the light, and rig everything the camera sits on.

GafferChief Lighting Technician

Head of lighting. Turns the DP's intent into actual lamps, power and placement.

Best Boy Electric

The gaffer's second — orders gear, manages the electric crew and the truck.

Key Grip

Head of grip. Rigging, flags, diffusion, camera support and set safety.

Best Boy Grip

The key grip's second — crew, gear and truck.

Dolly Grip

Operates the dolly or slider so moves land on the same mark every take.

Grip

Builds, rigs, flags and shapes — everything light touches that isn't plugged in.

Electrician / Set Lighting TechnicianLamp Op · Spark · Electrician

Sets, powers and adjusts lighting units, and runs distro safely.

Rigging Grip

Pre-rigs and strikes overhead and structural setups ahead of the shooting crew.

The people who capture dialogue clean enough to use — and build everything you hear after.

Production Sound MixerSound Mixer

Records and balances all audio on set, and flags noise problems before a take.

Boom Operator

Places the mic on a pole just out of frame, following the dialogue.

Utility Sound TechnicianSound Utility · Sound Assistant

Wires talent with lav mics, manages cable, batteries and timecode.

Sound Designer

Creates and places the non-dialogue sound world of the film.

Dialogue Editor

Cleans, smooths and conforms every line so the mix has something usable.

Sound Effects Editor

Cuts and lays in effects — hard effects, backgrounds, and design elements.

Foley Artist

Performs everyday sounds — footsteps, cloth, handling — in sync to picture.

Re-Recording MixerDub Mixer

Balances dialogue, music and effects into the final mix.

ADR Recordist

Records replacement dialogue with actors after the shoot and matches it to picture.

Composer's Engineer

Records, edits and preps the score sessions for the composer.

The people who build the world in front of the lens.

Production Designer

Designs the physical look of the film: sets, palette, texture, period.

Art Director

Executes the designer's plan — drawings, builds, budgets, crew.

Set Decorator

Chooses and places everything in the space that isn't handled by an actor.

Set Dresser

Physically dresses and strikes the set each day.

Props MasterProp Master · Props

Sources and manages every object an actor touches.

Assistant Props

Supports the props master — prep, tracking, resets and on-set handling.

Art Department Coordinator

Runs the art department's paperwork, purchases, rentals and returns.

Construction Coordinator

Builds the sets — crew, materials, schedule and safety of the build.

Scenic Artist

Paints, ages and finishes surfaces so they read right on camera.

Graphic Designer

Makes the signage, labels, newspapers and screens that live inside the world.

The people who dress and finish the characters — and keep them consistent across weeks of shooting.

Costume Designer

Designs what every character wears and what it says about them.

Costume Supervisor

Runs the department's budget, sourcing, fittings and paperwork.

Wardrobe Supervisor

Manages the racks, continuity and daily turnaround of every outfit.

Set CostumerCostumer

Handles wardrobe on set: changes, repairs, distressing, steaming.

Key Makeup ArtistKey MUA

Designs the makeup looks and leads the makeup team.

Makeup ArtistMUA

Applies and maintains makeup through the shooting day.

Key Hair Stylist

Designs the hair looks and leads the hair team.

Hair Stylist

Styles and maintains hair for every character on the day.

Special Effects Makeup ArtistSFX Makeup · Prosthetics

Builds wounds, aging, creatures and anything straight makeup can't do.

The people who turn footage into a film — usually the longest phase of all.

Editor

Assembles the film: performance, pace, structure. The final rewrite happens here.

Additional Editor

Cuts alongside the lead editor — sequences, passes, or a stretch of the schedule.

Assistant EditorAE

Organizes media, syncs sound, and keeps the project file sane.

Trailer Editor

Cuts trailers, teasers and social pieces from the finished material.

Colorist

Grades the image — contrast, color, mood, and matching shot to shot.

Post Production Supervisor

Owns the post schedule, budget and vendors from wrap to delivery.

The people who finish and deliver the file everyone else will actually watch.

Post Production Coordinator

Tracks assets, sessions, deliverables and deadlines across post vendors.

Online Editor / Conform

Rebuilds the cut at full resolution and preps it for grade and delivery.

Data Manager

Owns the archive: backups, checksums, LTO and where every file lives.

Subtitles & Captions

Creates subtitle and caption files — required by most festivals and platforms.

The people who put things on screen that were never in front of the camera.

VFX Supervisor

Plans and oversees visual effects from set through delivery.

VFX Producer

Runs the VFX budget, bids, vendors and shot schedule.

Compositor

Blends plates, CG and cleanup into a single believable frame.

VFX Artist

Builds effects elements — CG, simulations, screen replacements, fixes.

Motion Graphics

Designs animated text, UI, maps and graphic elements.

Matte Painter

Paints or builds set extensions and environments that don't exist.

Roto / Paint Artist

Isolates elements and removes rigs, markers and anything that shouldn't be there.

Title Designer

Designs the main and end titles.

The people who write, choose and clear everything you hear musically.

Composer

Writes the original score.

Additional Music

Writes cues alongside the main composer.

Music Supervisor

Finds songs and clears the rights to use them. Clearance is not optional.

Score Mixer

Mixes the recorded score before it goes to the final dub.

Music Editor

Cuts music to picture and preps stems for the mix.

Songwriter / Performer

Writes or performs an original song used in or over the film.

The people who make the shoot physically possible — permits, paperwork, food, safety.

Production Manager

Day-to-day management of crew, gear, and the moving pieces of the schedule.

Production Coordinator

The office hub — call sheets, paperwork, travel, and who needs to know what.

Production Accountant

Handles payroll, invoices, cost reports and keeping the budget auditable.

Location Manager

Finds, secures and babysits the places you shoot, including permits and neighbors.

Assistant Location Manager

Runs the location on the day: parking, access, neighbors, and putting it back.

Script SupervisorScripty

Tracks continuity, coverage and takes so the edit actually cuts together.

Transportation Coordinator

Manages trucks, picture cars, drivers and how everything gets to set.

Craft ServicesCrafty

Keeps snacks, coffee and water flowing all day. Morale is a department.

Catering

Provides the hot meal. A fed crew is a fast crew.

Covid / Safety OfficerSet Medic · Safety Officer

Handles health protocols, medical response and safety compliance on set.

Intimacy Coordinator

Choreographs intimate scenes and protects performer consent and boundaries.

Studio Teacher

Teaches and safeguards minors on set, and enforces their legal work hours.

The people who make dangerous things look dangerous and be safe.

Stunt Coordinator

Designs and supervises every stunt, and signs off on safety.

Stunt Performer

Performs the action, often doubling a cast member.

Fight Choreographer

Designs and rehearses fight sequences so they read on camera and nobody gets hurt.

Armorer / Weapons Master

Owns every weapon on set — handling, storage, safety checks and training.

Special Effects CoordinatorPractical FX

Runs practical effects: atmosphere, fire, rain, squibs, breakaways.

Animal Wrangler

Handles and safeguards any animal appearing on camera.

The people who make sure the film gets seen — and document how it was made.

Marketing Director

Owns the film's marketing strategy: positioning, audience, campaign and budget across the release.

Unit Publicist

Handles press on set during production — media visits, interviews, approvals and set photography coverage.

Publicist

Runs press around the release: festival announcements, reviews, interviews and awards campaigns.

Press & Media Coordinator

Manages the press kit, screener requests, review embargoes and journalist outreach.

Social Media Manager

Runs the film's social channels — content calendar, community, and turning followers into ticket buyers.

BTS PhotographerBehind-the-Scenes Photographer

Shoots stills of the production itself — the making-of images used in press, socials and EPKs.

BTS VideographerBehind-the-Scenes Videographer

Films the making-of footage that becomes featurettes, EPKs and social content.

EPK ProducerElectronic Press Kit Producer

Produces the electronic press kit — interviews, B-roll and featurettes delivered to press and distributors.

Key Art / Poster DesignerKey Art Designer

Designs the poster and key art — the single image that sells the film everywhere it appears.

Trailer Producer

Shepherds the trailer from brief to delivery, working with the trailer editor to sell the film in two minutes.