TV or Film Assistant Director Careers

Work Environment:

As an assistant director (AD), you'd assist TV/film director by planning and organizing every thing on set. Most of the productions employ assistant directors' team with a 1st assistant director, 2nd assistant director and 3rd assistant directors, each having different duties.

1st assistant directors (AD) have most essential supporting-role to film/TV director. With this post, you'd do a lot of planning before starting production. You'd manage set throughout filming to let director focus on creative part. Your duties can comprise:

• hiring crew and cast
• encouraging crew and cast
• ensuring that filming keeps on schedule

• planning out schedule of filming, considering available budget and ideas of director
• working with film director to split script into shot by shot storyboard and choose shooting order
• overseeing team of 3rd and 2nd assistant directors, and runners
• supervising hire of equipment, locations and props

2nd assistant director assist 1st assistant director and ensure that their instructions are executed. Being a 2nd AD, you'd:

• find out and oversee extras on sets where there's no 3rd assistant director
• handle paperwork
• ensure that cast-members are on set, or in make up or wardrobe at correct time
• act as a link between production office and set
• organize hotels and transport
• create call sheet of each day (list of logistics and timings for shoot of following day)
• allocate call-sheets, in order that crew and cast know precisely when they're required on set

Qualification, Education and Experience:

To work as an AD, you'd necessitate work experience of production procedure, and contacts within industry. Generally, employers are interested into your initiative, experience and enthusiasm than standard qualifications.

You'd generally begin as production-assistant or runner, and advance to 2nd/3rd and beyond. You'd have to demonstrate your commitment through getting work experience and being included into activities such as community/studio TV/film, to be a runner.

It's not necessary to have learned media/film production before searching for job. Though, it could be useful since most helpful courses comprise placements and practical abilities. Numerous universities and colleges provide related courses, comprising:

• 'City and Guilds': Diploma into Media Techniques
• BTEC: degrees, postgraduate-courses and HNDs
• BTEC: Diploma or Certificate into Media Production

Training Details:

You'd improve your abilities at the work learning by experienced crew and assistant directors, e.g. being a 1st assistant director you'd have to know how scheduling influences budgets.

You might be capable to obtain training in the beginning of career by new-entrant training programs, which are provided by local screen agencies and broadcasters. For details regarding available programs, contact skill-set.

You can accomplish short training courses into production abilities, provided by training course providers, film-schools and local screen agencies. For information about related training courses, check the website of skill-set.

You can advance to production-manager or producer position, as your reputation, experience and skills develop.

Skills and knowledge:

• understanding of health and safety measures
• outstanding planning and organizational abilities
• calmness under-pressure
• capability to motivate and lead other people
• excellent administrative abilities
• initiative
• outstanding interpersonal and communication-skills
• an adaptable and flexible approach
• problem resolving skills

Salary and Other Benefits:

TV or film assistant directors working freelance basis are generally paid with fee for every project/contract. Pay scales could differ widely. It might depend on your reputation and available budget.

Working Conditions:

Hours of working can be irregular and long as per production requirements, and might comprise weekends and evenings.

You can work on-location, or within film/television-studios, based on production. Work might be anyplace within country or abroad.

Different Opportunities:

Generally, you'd work on freelance-contracts basis for film/TV production firms. In the beginning, you might be required to work for little-pay until you've developed contacts and reputation.

Few openings are publicized by business publications and websites. Though, it's common to obtain job by networking and directly contacting to firms.

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