Movie Making Manual/Staff

The number of crew on a movie naturally varies greatly depending on budget and production size and types. The goal of this section is to list as many specific staff positions as possible and describe their responsibilities and skill requirements.

The positions are divided by departments or divisions. A position can exists in several of these, and are to be listed in all those to which it applies.

Management/Production Team

• Executive Producer
• Producer
• Co-Producer
• Associate/Assistant Producer
• Director
• 1st Assistant Director
• 2nd Assistant Director
• 2nd 2nd Assistant Director
• Cinematographer/Director of Photography (DoP)
• Casting Director
• Line Producer
• Unit Production Manager
• Screenwriter
• Art Director
• Production Designer
• Editor
• Dialect Coach
• Extras Coordinator
• Location Manager
• Location Scout
• Prop Master
• Stunt Coordinator
• Production Assistant

Writing

• Head: Screenwriter
• Director of Development
• Script Editor
• Script Supervisor

Financial

• Head: Producer
• Co-Producer
• Accountants
• Lawyers
• Line Producer
• etc

Camera and Lighting

• Head: Cinematographer/Director of Photography (DoP)
• Camera Operator
• 1st Assistant Camera/Focus Puller
• 2st Assistant Camera/Clapper Loader
• Dolly Grip
• Steadicam™ Operator
• Gaffer
• Grip
• Key Grip
• Lighting Technician
• Lighting Board Operator
• Electrician
• Generator "Genny" Operator
• Still Photographer

Sound

• Head: Sound Director/Engineer (often the same)
• Foley Artist

Music

• Head: Music Director/Supervisor (not to be confused with a conductor of an orchestra) - The one with the top level responsibility for the music part of the soundtrack.
• Composer - Makes the actual music, if it is original to the movie. May have a Sound Engineer working with him to do the recording and mixing.

The most intriguing part of movie making is music. Music is an essential component of any typical movie. Imagine a movie without sound - awful, isn't it?!

Different genres of movie adopt different music styles, for instance, soft music for a romantic comedy, crazy music for a comedy or jarring music for horror movies.

In the history of movie making, there are several examples of movies which were blockbusters, just because of the music! There are also many cases where movies have flunked due to poor music composition.

Music gives a mesmerizing spirit to the movie!

Art/Props

Art director Property Master