From the course: Virtual Apprentice: Being a Great Production Assistant (PA)

Key personnel you'll work with

From the course: Virtual Apprentice: Being a Great Production Assistant (PA)

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Key personnel you'll work with

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- There are a lot of different types of people you'll be working with on set. Who are they? Let's meet them. The key people you will meet are: the producer; director; DP, or director of photography, or DOP; gaffer; camera operator' audio engineer; makeup artist; and clients. Let's break it down. There are more people to take a look at, as well. The Producer. Think of the producer as a parent on set. This person makes sure that everything sails smoothly. You might report to them. This person manages the project from beginning to end, drives preproduction, keeps production on schedule, they can take notes, and they also need to solve problems quickly. The Director. Think of the director as another parent on set. This person has the ideas and the vision to keep the ship moving forward. They oversee production, they block out each shot, they work with production, and they work with the editor to pull everything together in post. Director of Photography. The short hand is DP or DOP. They are in charge of lighting and cameras and making the image look nice. They report to the director and you might actually report to them. The Gaffer. Sometimes, this is synonymous with lighting director. They are responsible for the lights on set and they report to the DP. First Assistant Camera, also known as AC. They pull focus, they're responsible for charging batteries, they get media ready, and they report to the DP. Camera Operator. This person is in charge of running cameras and it could also be synonymous with first AC, and they also report to the DP, or DOP. Audio Technician. They are responsible for recording sound, they monitor and adjust sound levels, and they report to the director and the DP. Makeup Artist. This person makes sure talent looks great on camera. They can be responsible for wardrobe, and they report to the director and the producer. Talent, these are the actors and non-actors on set and they bring the script to life. They work with the makeup artist and director and they report to the director and the producer. DIT stands for Digital Imaging Technician. They are in charge of media management and they ensure that media is backed up. The Clients. They're the person or people the project is being made for. They work with the producer and director and they make decisions that can impact production. The client could also be the executive producer of the projects. Production Coordinator. This will probably be the person who is reaching out to you before the shoot, to give you information. Grip, they are part of the Lighting Department and are in charge of getting the gear set up and in position. They also work directly under the DP and gaffer. You would most likely answer to the grip on set.

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