GLOSSARY

A

Accent coach/Dialect Coach: The coach to assist actors in being able to perform a required accent for a role.

Agent: Everyone needs an agent at some point and they will negotiate contracts, find auditions and manage an actor.

Assistant Director (1st): Easily mistaken for the director since they are normally the person doing all the shouting and giving everyone their cues. They are the person in charge when you are on set. Listen very carefully to what they say.

Assistant Director (2nd): Normally your first point of contact, but not always on the set as they are often at the Unit Base planning ahead. The 2nd AD is responsible for making sure all members of the Cast and Crew are in the right place at the right time. They liaise with the Agency about background requirements.

Assistant Director (3rd): On set, the 3rd AD is the person who will be looking after you. He/she liaises with the 1st and will be the person giving you instructions on where you should go.

Assistant Director (Crowd): On bigger productions there may be a separate AD to look after the background talent/extras..

B

Background Extra: Artistes or talent that fill up the background to make it look like a real scene.

Best Boy: The first assistant electrician, assisting the Gaffer.

C

Casting Director: This person will source the actors, run auditions and is primarily responsible for casting a show.

Casting assistant: This person helps the casting director and will set up auditions, set up the studio for audition, get coffees and may even read opposite the actors in auditons.

Cinematographer: This person shoots the film or tv show.

Clapper Loader: The person who loads the film into the camera.

Continuity: When shooting a film this person watches all scenes to make sure that the actors are in the exact same position at the beginning of each shot and logs everything that is happening. Eg if the actor is drinking coffee the cup will always be refilled to the exact same spot each time.
Costume: The person who is in charge of making sure all actors are in the correct wardrobe requirements for the shoot.

Craft Services also known as Unit: Very important role of making sure everyone on set is fed and watered.

D

Day players: Actors hired for 1 or 2 days.

Dialect Coach/ Accent coach: The coach to assist actors in being able to perform a required accent for a role.

Director: The main person in charge of creating the vision of the film, tv show or play.

DOP: Director of Photography (or Cinematographer). This job requires the person to work closely with the director and then supervise the camera and lighting department to set up the camera to shoot the scene and create the look and style of the film / tv show.

Double: A person used when the Actor is not available. Usually from long distance or from behind, or for a part of the body such as hands and feet.

E

Editor: Cuts the film or TV show together.

F

Featured Artiste: Another name for a featured actor.

Fight director/Stunts: When performing stunts the fight director choreographs the scenes and assists the actors to perform the stunts.

Focus Puller: The person in charge of the lens on the camera.

G

Gaffer: Head electrician.

Grips: Crew members involved laying tacks, blacking out light for night shoots and they also help build platforms for the cameras to be set up on.

H

Hair and Makeup: This is the team that is hired to make sure all actors, extras etc look right on the day with hair and makeup.

HOD: Head of department

I

Intimacy coaches: Professionals who assist actors in scenes involving intimacy and ensure a safe and comfortable environment.

L

Lead role: This is the main actors/actress’s in a play, movie, or TV show.

Location Manager: has the sole responsibility of managing the location.

Location Assist: assists the location manager from making sure that all cast and crew can find the location and also looks after all aspects of being on location.

Look-alike Double: A person who resembles an actor who can stand in for lighting, set ups and sometimes is shot long distance if the main actor isnt available.

M

Make up director:In charge of creating the look and feel of the production from a make up perspective and running the entire department.

Make up assistant: Usually the first to set to get the make up area set up so that when the actors arrive everything is ready to go.

Medic/ Medical: if someone becomes injured on set and medic is immediately called.

P

Post-production manager: The person in charge of making sure that all the sound design, visual effects, editing and other processes performed after the production has been shot is completed.

Pre-production co ordinator: The person who organises the crew prior to shooting.

Production Manager: The person responsible for the day-to-day running of the production.

Prompter: When doing a live show this person is there to help with lines.

Prop Master: This person provides the actors with any type of object in addition to your costume to make the scene real. From swords to handbags and pints of fake beer.

Prosthetics Team: Creators or artificial body parts for the actors. This can include fat suits, scars, fake noses etc.

R

Reader: This person will read lines opposite an actor for auditions or rehearsals.

Runner or PA:This job is huge, it’s the first person to start work and usually the last to finish. Jobs include running actors around, making coffees, taking rushes to editors. You name it you will do it.

S

Safety: Usually, a medical officer or nurse on set to be there for any injuries whilst shooting.

Second Unit: This is a smaller film crew to the main crew who shoot smaller scenes such as pick up shots, Inserts or missing scenes.

Spark/Sparky: Electrician.

Special FX: When you need rain, wind, snow, fire etc this person makes that magic happen.

Stand In: This role is similar to a body double but can be any person who is of similar age, height, ethnicity and they will be used to set up a scene for lighting and camera when the main actor is in make up or not available.

Steadicam Op: This person operates a camera that allows the footage to be shot smoothly with no lumps or bumps.

U

Unit: This team is similar to craft service. Providing tea, coffee, food, chairs, greenrooms etc.

W

Walk On: Similar to a featured extra where they are recognised as an individual and not just an extra/background talent.