What Does an Assistant Director Do?
Background Actors interact with many people on set, from the wardrobe department to production assistants, but their main points of contact are often Assistant Directors. Aside from giving you direction in a scene and signing off on your voucher, do you know all the ways an Assistant Director helps a production run?
What is an Assistant Director?
Assistant Directors (ADs) are in charge of managing the set during production and act as a liaison between the director and the rest of the crew. Those unfamiliar with production jobs may confuse Assistant Directors and director's assistants, but they are two different roles. A director's assistant usually works in an administrative capacity throughout all phases of the production process.
While the director is in charge of the creative vision of a film, the ADs are responsible for figuring out the logistics to make that vision come to life. Every set is different, but for most productions there is a First Assistant Director and Second Assistant Director. Sometimes projects with large background calls will also hire a Second Second Assistant Director to help manage Background Actors.
1st AD
Before filming begins, the First Assistant Director will create a long-term production schedule by breaking down a script to determine all the elements needed for each scene, including which principal actors appear, how many Background Actors are needed, props required, etc. Then they'll create daily shooting schedules and coordinate with department heads to ensure everyone is ready when production starts.
If you've worked as a Background Actor before, you know to listen for certain cues like "background" and "back to one." To make sure the camera, sound, and other crew members are ready, the 1st AD will "call the role" before the director calls action. Once a take is cut, they will then either reset the talent or alert the crew to set up the next shot.
Since a lot of a 1st AD's job is about time management, a great way for Background Actors to impress on set is by showing up on time and ready to work. You can show you're a professional by following directions given and paying attention to your movements in a scene so you can recreate them each take.
2nd AD
Second Assistant Directors coordinate with the First Assistant Director to create call sheets and schedules for the next day and are responsible for production paperwork, including filling out Background Actor work information in SmartVoucher.
Working with talent, including Background Actors and Stand-Ins, is also part of a 2nd AD's typical day. They make sure everyone arrives to set on time, work with Stand-Ins during rehearsals, and direct Background Actors on where and when to move throughout a scene. Depending on the production, a production assistant may also work with the 2nd AD to give direction to Background Actors.
Interested in working as a Stand-In? There may be times when production needs to upgrade a Background Actor to a Stand-In on set. If you're interested in these opportunities, being where you're needed, following directions, and acting professionally are great ways to stand out to Assistant Directors. Just remember, upgrades are made based on production's needs, you should never ask to be upgraded on set.
To hear more from the people responsible for directing Background Actors on set, check out the Assistant Director category of our Articles.
