Job roles in the film industry

1. Farheen
Rahman
JOB ROLES IN THE FILM
INDUSTRY

2.  Directors are responsible for translating the film's script into
an actual film. At the end of the day they are responsible for a
film's artistic and commercial success or failure.
 Directors may write the film's script or assign it to be written,
or they may be hired after an early draft of the script is
complete. They must then develop a idea for the finished film
and work out how to attain it.
 During pre-production, Directors make critical decisions, such
as selecting the right cast, crew and locations for the film.
 They also manage the technical aspects of filming.
 During post production, Directors work closely with editors
through the many technical processes of editing, to reach the
final cut or version of the film.
 Directors must also always be aware of the constraints of the
film's budget and schedule and manage the expectations of the
film's financiers.
DIRECTOR

3.  In pre-production, Casting Directors work with both
the director and producer to bring together the perfect cast
for the film. As a result, Casting Directors must have in-depth
and up-to-date knowledge of new and existing acting talent.
 They are responsible for matching the ideal actor to each role,
based on a number of different factors, such as the actor's
experience, ability, reputation, availability and box office
appeal. Casting Directors also work closely with Production
Accountants to prepare the casting budget.
 They conduct interviews and auditions for each part, and are
also in charge of offering each actor an appropriate fee to
appear in the film. They also draw up and negotiate the terms
and conditions of contracts with agents.
 On larger productions, Casting Directors may hire Casting
Assistants.
CASTING DIRECTOR

4.  Composers are responsible for writing original music for films.
They write scores that guide the audience through the film
and increase the films' emotional impact, and set the mood.
They discuss ideas with Directors, and establish where and
when music is required. They produce a demo score,
searching for a musical style to suit the story.
 Composers may also be required to produce temp tracks,
sometimes made up of other composers' work, which can be
used in test screenings. They often work closely with the
Editor to fine tune the score as the editing process develops.
 Composers assemble and brief appropriate teams, including
orchestrators, copyists, and programmers. Composers' work is
usually overseen by a Music Supervisor or Music Agents.
COMPOSER

5.  Distributors acquire films via deals with studios, and production
companies, and/or through film sales agents who represent
filmmakers.
 Any Distributor may compete for the rights to release a film,
whether for cinema, terrestrial television, satellite, the DVD/Blu -
ray/VOD market, or another ancillary market. The distribution
deals cover the overall rights to a film for a set period of time,
and usually include the release plan, media promotion, and what
edits and changes are allowable. For example what is needed to
get a particular classification.
 Distributors must create a new film release plan for each project
that will maximise the unique selling points and inform the
widest possible audience about the film. Distributors also
oversee the accountancy procedures for their films, and provide
studios or producers with reports covering marketing plans,
expenditure evaluations, forecasts, and revenue breakdowns.
DISTRIBUTOR

6.  Editors are one of the key Heads of Department on feature
films.
 The Editor works closely with the director. To ensure that the
story flows effortlessly from beginning to end, each shot is
carefully chosen and edited into a series of scenes, which are
in turn assembled to create the finished film.
 The Editor works closely with the Director before shooting
begins, deciding how to maximise the potential of the
screenplay.
 Because scenes are shot and edited out of sequence, Editors
may work on scenes from the end of the film before those at
the beginning, and must therefore be able to maintain a good
sense of how the story is unfolding.
 Editors select the best takes and edit them together to create
scenes.
 During the post production period, the Editor and the Director
work closely together, refining the assembly edit into the
Director's Cut, which must be approved by the Producers, until
they achieve picture lock or Fine Cut.
EDITORS

7.  They are in charge of all the business aspects of the production of films.
 Line Producers are given the script when in development to assess 'below -the-line'
cost of the production. They break down the screenplay into a timetable for the
film shoot that shows how long it will take to shoot each scene.
 From this schedule the Line Producer estimates the cost of each day's shooting.
They produce a provisional budget to show the total amount of funding required.
Once the Producer and Executive Producers have raised the finance, the film can
go into pre-production.
They prepare the production schedule and budget, and to set the shoot date with
the director, production manager, art director and other Heads of Department.
 Line Producers oversee all other pre -production activities. They hire the production
team, set up the production office, deal with location scouting, sourcing equipment
and suppliers and selecting crew.
During production, Line Producers hand over control of the final budget to the
Production Accountant. Producers are ultimately responsible for overseeing
everything and making sure the production is completed on time and within budget.
 Line Producers are responsible for certain health and safety procedures, and for
sorting out any insurance claims.
LINE PRODUCER

8.  The Marketing and Publicity Managers' main responsibility is
to convince the public that this is a 'must-see' movie. Once
Distributors have identified the target audiences and potential
revenue, the marketing campaign should reach target
audiences before and during film releases. When the film
opens, audiences’ interest should be at its peak. After
release, the Marketing and Publicity Manager needs to
increase interest in the film with more promotion and
troubleshoot any problems.
 Marketing and Publicity Managers must be fully aware of the
Distributors' needs and requirements. As every film is
different, every marketing campaign must also be unique. Big
budget films involving top stars usually spend more money on
marketing and publicity because they have more production
costs to recoup. Smaller 'indie' films have less to spend.
MARKETING AND PUBLICITY MANAGERS

9.  Producers have overall control on every aspect of a film's production. They bring
together and approve the whole production team. Their key responsibility is to
create an environment where the talents of the cast and crew can flourish.
Producers are accountable for the success of the finished film. They steer the film
from beginning to completion and beyond.
The many responsibilities of the Producer span all four phases of production. In
the Development stage, Producers are often responsible for coming up with the
idea for a production, or selecting a screenplay. Producers secure the rights,
choose the screenwriter and story editing team. They raise the development
financing and supervise the development process.
In pre-production, Producers bring together the key members of the creative
team. They help the Executive Producers to raise money for the production.
Once the film is in production, Producers are responsible for the day -to-day
smooth operation of the team. Producers are also in constant communication and
consultation with the Director and other key creatives, on and off set. Producers
approve all script changes and cost reports. They are the first point of contact for
all production partners, investors and distributors.
The Producer will deal with the finance and distribution companies in planning
the marketing and distribution of the finished film .
The Producer's ultimate responsibility is to the production company and the
Executive Producers.
PRODUCER

10.  Screenwriters create screenplays for films. They provide the
blueprint for the creative input of
the producer, director, production designer, Composer
and editor, cast and crew.
 Screenwriters have to produce highly creative writing, to strict
deadlines. They work with a script development team to
create a finished product that is likely to be financed and
made. Sometimes producers bring in an additional
Screenwriter to improve certain aspects of the screenplay..
SCREENWRITERS

11.  A location manager is responsible for finding and managing
locations for filming. Most films are shot in controlled
environments, such as a studio, but some scenes may require
outdoor filming such as a different country.
 Sometimes a location manager has to travel to certain
locations and decide whether or not its suitable for filming at.
LOCATION MANAGER

12.  The costume designer is responsible for creating the
costumes/outfits for the characters/actors. They take
directions from the script and the directors recommendations
to create the most appropriate outfits. They also work with
the actors to ensure measurements and size as well as that
they work with the makeup artists and hair stylists.
 The makeup artists and hair stylists are responsible for
creating the required look for a character. Similarly they work
with the screenwriters and director to ensure they create a
suitable look for the character.
COSTUME DESIGNER AND MAKE-UP
ARTISTS