Guide
Who does what in film, TV and commercials
A plain-language guide to the people behind a production. Every role at a production company, on a film or TV set, at a broadcaster and in commercials, with a short description and a page of its own.
How a production is organised
Titles differ per country, per union and per format, but the structure is roughly the same everywhere.
A production splits into above the line and below the line. Above the line are the people who shape the project creatively and are usually hired first, often on a fixed fee. Think of the producers, the director, the writer and the principal cast. Below the line is everyone else who makes the film physically happen, mostly paid by the day or the week. The split comes from the old budget topsheet, where a literal line separated the two. Our article on above the line vs below the line goes deeper.
Below the line, the crew is grouped in departments. Each has a head (director of photography, production designer, costume designer and so on) who hires their own team and manages that part of the budget. The production office ties the departments together, and the production accountant keeps track of what they spend.
Around the production sit the production company, which exists between productions and develops the next one, the broadcaster or streamer that commissions or buys the programme, and in commercials the brand and its advertising agency. Want to see how all of them come together over time? Read how a film is made, from the first idea to the release.
Film and TV production
The people who make a film or a series, from the producers who start it to the crew on set and the team that finishes it in post. Most of them are hired per production, many as freelancers.
Producers
- Associate producerTakes on a defined part of the producing work, from research and rights to delivery paperwork, and supports the producer wherever the project needs help.
- Co-producerShares a production with the lead producer, often from another country, bringing in part of the finance and running the share of the work spent there.
- Executive producerSecures the money, the rights or the commission behind a production, protects the interests of those who put them in, and steps in on the big decisions.
- Line producerTurns the script into a budget and a schedule, hires most of the crew, and runs the production against both until it is finished.
- ProducerFinds the project, raises the money, hires the key people and carries responsibility for the production from the first idea to the finished film.
- ShowrunnerLeads a TV series creatively and practically, running the writers' room, approving every script and keeping all episodes on one course and within budget.
Writing and direction
- DirectorDecides how the script becomes images and sound, guiding the actors, the camera and every creative department towards one vision of the film.
- First assistant director (1st AD)Builds the shooting schedule and runs the set on the day, so the director can focus on the work and the crew finishes each day's scenes.
- ScreenwriterWrites the script that everything else is built on, from the first treatment through rewrites until the story, scenes and dialogue are ready to shoot.
- Script editorReads every draft with a critical eye, gives the writer clear notes and helps the script get better without taking it over.
- Script supervisorWatches every take for continuity, records what was shot and how, and gives the editor the notes needed to put the scenes together.
- Second assistant director (2nd AD)Prepares each shooting day behind the scenes, writing the call sheet, getting cast to set on time and handling the paperwork that keeps the shoot running.
- ShowrunnerLeads a TV series creatively and practically, running the writers' room, approving every script and keeping all episodes on one course and within budget.
Production office
- Production assistant (runner)Does whatever the production needs at that moment, from fetching equipment and guiding traffic to copying scripts, and learns how a shoot works from the ground up.
- Production coordinatorKeeps the production office running, sending out call sheets, booking travel and hotels, and making sure every department has the right information at the right time.
- Production managerRuns the day-to-day business of a shoot, from crew deals and equipment orders to paperwork and spending, so the line producer's plan actually happens.
Finance and legal
- Completion guarantorGuarantees to the financiers that a film will be finished and delivered, and watches the production closely to make sure that promise holds.
- Payroll accountantPays cast and crew correctly and on time, working out hours, overtime, allowances and tax from the timesheets that come in each week.
- Production accountantKeeps the books of a production, pays crew and suppliers, and reports each week how actual spending compares to the budget.
- Production lawyerDrafts and negotiates the contracts that hold a production together, from rights in the script to financing, cast deals and delivery to buyers.
Casting
- Casting directorFinds and proposes the actors for every speaking role, runs the auditions, and negotiates the first deals with agents within the cast budget.
- Extras casting (background casting)Finds, books and schedules the extras who fill the background of every scene, from a few passers-by to a stadium crowd.
Locations and transport
- Location managerSecures every place a production films outside a studio, negotiating fees and permits, and makes sure each location works for the crew and is left as it was found.
- Location scoutSearches for real places that match the script, photographs them and checks whether filming there is practical, before the director sees the options.
- Transport captainPlans and runs all the vehicles on a production, from crew minibuses and cast cars to equipment trucks, and makes sure everyone gets where they need to be on time.
Camera
- Camera operatorOperates the camera during each take, framing and moving it exactly as agreed with the director of photography and the director.
- Digital imaging technician (DIT)Secures and checks every frame shot on set, manages camera settings and colour, and hands safe copies of the footage to post-production.
- Director of photography (DoP)Decides how a film looks, choosing cameras, lenses and light with the director, and leads the camera, lighting and grip crews on set.
- First assistant camera (focus puller)Keeps every shot sharp by adjusting focus during the take, and is responsible for the camera, the lenses and their care on set.
- Second assistant camera (clapper loader)Marks every take with the clapperboard, keeps the camera reports, and makes sure the camera never runs out of media, batteries or kit.
- Unit stills photographerTakes the photographs on set that later sell the film, from posters and press images to behind-the-scenes shots and continuity records.
Lighting and grip
- Best boyRuns the lighting or grip crew day to day, handling the kit, the paperwork and the people so the gaffer or key grip can stay on set.
- Dolly gripLays the track and pushes the dolly that carries the camera, so every move starts, stops and lands at exactly the right moment.
- Electrician (spark)Rigs, powers and adjusts the lights on set, running cables and generators safely under the direction of the gaffer and best boy.
- GafferLeads the lighting department, turning the director of photography's ideas into lamps, cables and power that are safe and ready when the camera rolls.
- Key gripLeads the grips, who build everything the camera stands on or moves along and everything that shapes the light, from tracks and cranes to flags.
Art department
- Art directorRuns the art department day to day on a film set, or, at an advertising agency, creates the visual idea of a campaign together with a copywriter.
- Construction managerBuilds the sets, from a single wall on location to a whole street on a backlot, and runs the carpenters, painters and plasterers who make them.
- Production designerDecides what every place in the film looks like, from sets built in a studio to real locations dressed for the story, and leads the art department.
- Props masterFinds, makes and looks after every object an actor handles on screen, from a coffee cup to a prop gun, and makes sure it is there for every take.
- Set decoratorFills every set and location with furniture, curtains, books and clutter so the space looks lived in and tells the audience who belongs there.
Costume, hair and make-up
- Costume designerDesigns what every character wears, so clothes tell the audience who someone is, where they come from and how they change during the story.
- Make-up and hair designerDesigns how every character's face and hair look, leads the make-up and hair team and keeps each look consistent from the first shot to the last.
- Wardrobe supervisorRuns the costume department day to day, making sure every actor is dressed correctly for every scene and that costumes stay consistent from take to take.
Sound
- Boom operatorHolds the microphone on a long pole just out of frame, following each actor's lines so the dialogue is recorded clearly in every take.
- Production sound mixerRecords the dialogue and sound on set as cleanly as possible, leading the sound team and protecting audio quality during every take.
Stunts, effects and safety
- Health and safety advisorChecks every location, set and risky scene for dangers, writes the risk assessments and helps the crew work safely from the first recce to the last day.
- Intimacy coordinatorHelps actors and the director plan scenes with nudity or sexual content, so they look right on screen and every actor's consent and boundaries are respected.
- Special effects (SFX) supervisorCreates physical effects in front of the camera, such as rain, wind, smoke, fire and explosions, and makes sure they work safely on cue.
- Stunt coordinatorDesigns and runs every stunt on a production, from a trip on the stairs to a car chase, and makes sure everyone walks away unhurt.
Post-production
- Assistant editorPrepares and organises all footage, sound and paperwork in the cutting room so the editor can cut, and handles the technical handovers to every post team.
- ColouristSets the final look of every shot in the grading suite, matching colour and light across scenes and shaping the mood the director and cinematographer want.
- ComposerWrites the original music for a film or series, scene by scene, in close collaboration with the director, and delivers the recorded score for the final mix.
- EditorBuilds the film from the footage, choosing takes, shaping scenes and setting the rhythm, together with the director, until the picture is locked.
- Music supervisorFinds and licenses the existing songs and recordings a film uses, negotiates the rights within the music budget, and keeps the paperwork that proves it.
- Post-production supervisorPlans and runs everything after the shoot, from the edit to the final deliverables, so the finished film arrives on time and within the post budget.
- Re-recording mixerBalances dialogue, effects and music into the final soundtrack on a mixing stage, then delivers the mix in every format the film needs.
- Sound designerCreates the sounds of the film that were not recorded on set, from footsteps and doors to entire worlds, and shapes how the film sounds as a whole.
- VFX producerRuns the business side of the visual effects, from bids and vendor contracts to the shot schedule and VFX budget, until every shot is delivered.
- VFX supervisorDecides how every visual effects shot will be achieved, guides the shoot so the material works, and approves the finished shots for the director.
Sales, distribution and publicity
- DistributorBuys the rights to release a film in a country or region, decides how and when it reaches audiences, and pays for the marketing to get it seen.
- Sales agentSells the rights to show a film in other countries, to distributors and platforms, often at film markets, and uses early sales to help finance it.
- Unit publicistGathers the press material for a film during the shoot, from interviews and set visits to stills and notes, so the film can be marketed later.
TV broadcaster
A broadcaster or streamer decides what gets made and when it is shown. Most programmes are commissioned from independent production companies. News, sport and live shows are often made in-house.
Channel leadership and commissioning
- Channel controllerDecides what a TV channel or streaming service stands for, which programmes it pays for and roughly where they sit in the schedule.
- Commissioning editorChooses which programme ideas a broadcaster or streamer pays to have made, agrees the price and keeps an editorial eye on them until delivery.
- Head of acquisitionsBuys finished films and series from other companies so a broadcaster or streamer can show them, and negotiates what it pays and for how long.
- Production executiveWatches the money, schedule and paperwork of commissioned productions on behalf of a broadcaster or production company, and steps in when they drift.
- Script editorReads every draft with a critical eye, gives the writer clear notes and helps the script get better without taking it over.
In-house programme making
- PresenterFronts a TV programme on camera, talks to the audience and contributors, and keeps the programme moving whether it is live, recorded or filmed on location.
- Programme producerMakes a single TV programme or episode happen, from finding the story and contributors to the shoot, the edit and the final version for transmission.
- ResearcherFinds the facts, stories, people and archive a programme needs, checks that they are true, and gets them ready for filming.
- Series producerRuns a television series day to day, leading the team that makes the episodes and answering for content, schedule and budget across the whole run.
Studio and live production
- Floor managerRuns the studio floor during a TV recording or live show, passing the director's instructions to presenters, guests and audience and keeping everyone safe and on cue.
- Studio director (multi-camera)Directs live and studio programmes from the gallery, choosing which of several cameras the audience sees at each moment and calling every shot.
- Vision mixerCuts between cameras, graphics and video sources live during a studio or outside broadcast, following the director's calls to the exact frame.
Rights, legal and compliance
- Business affairs managerNegotiates and manages the deals behind a production, from writer and talent contracts to the agreement with the broadcaster, financier or distributor.
- Compliance managerChecks programmes before they go out, so what a broadcaster or streamer shows is fair, accurate, suitable for the time slot and within the rules.
- Rights and clearances managerMakes sure a production has permission for everything it uses, from music and archive to logos and artworks, wherever it will be shown.
Scheduling and playout
Production company
The permanent team of a production company, the people who are there between productions. They find ideas, pitch them, close the deals and keep several productions running at once.
Leadership
- Creative directorSets and guards the creative standard, either for everything a production company makes or for the advertising ideas an agency presents to its clients.
- Managing directorRuns the production company as a business, deciding which projects it takes on, how many people it can carry and whether the year ends with money in the bank.
Development
- Development producerShapes rough ideas into pitches, treatments and taster tapes, and does much of the hands-on work that gets a TV or film project commissioned.
- Head of developmentDecides which ideas a production company works on, leads the development team, and turns the best ideas into pitches that broadcasters, streamers or financiers will pay for.
- ResearcherFinds the facts, stories, people and archive a programme needs, checks that they are true, and gets them ready for filming.
Production management
- Head of productionOversees every production a company runs at the same time, setting budgets and standards, hiring the producers and managers, and stepping in when a show goes off track.
- Production executiveWatches the money, schedule and paperwork of commissioned productions on behalf of a broadcaster or production company, and steps in when they drift.
- Series producerRuns a television series day to day, leading the team that makes the episodes and answering for content, schedule and budget across the whole run.
- Story producerFinds the stories in hours of unscripted footage, plans what to film and shapes the material into episodes that work with the editor.
Business affairs and finance
- Business affairs managerNegotiates and manages the deals behind a production, from writer and talent contracts to the agreement with the broadcaster, financier or distributor.
- Financial controllerKeeps the production company's own books, cash flow and reporting in order, and combines the figures from every production into one picture of the business.
- Production accountantKeeps the books of a production, pays crew and suppliers, and reports each week how actual spending compares to the budget.
- Rights and clearances managerMakes sure a production has permission for everything it uses, from music and archive to logos and artworks, wherever it will be shown.
Commercial production
A commercial has three parties. The brand pays, the advertising agency comes up with the idea, and the production company makes it. The shoot crew is the same as on a film.
Advertising agency
- Account directorManages an advertising agency's relationship with a client brand, turning the client's needs into briefs for the creative team and keeping the campaign on time and budget.
- Agency producerManages the making of an advert on behalf of the advertising agency, from choosing the production company and comparing bids to signing off the final delivery.
- Art directorRuns the art department day to day on a film set, or, at an advertising agency, creates the visual idea of a campaign together with a copywriter.
- CopywriterWrites the ideas, scripts and words for adverts at an advertising agency, usually in a pair with an art director, and follows the idea through to the finished film.
- Creative directorSets and guards the creative standard, either for everything a production company makes or for the advertising ideas an agency presents to its clients.
Commercial production company
- Commercials producerPrepares the bid for an advert at a production company, and once the job is won runs the shoot and post-production so it stays within the fixed price.
- DirectorDecides how the script becomes images and sound, guiding the actors, the camera and every creative department towards one vision of the film.
- Director's representativePromotes a commercials production company's roster of directors to advertising agencies, so the company gets invited to bid on new jobs.
- Executive producerSecures the money, the rights or the commission behind a production, protects the interests of those who put them in, and steps in on the big decisions.
- Head of productionOversees every production a company runs at the same time, setting budgets and standards, hiring the producers and managers, and stepping in when a show goes off track.
- Production managerRuns the day-to-day business of a shoot, from crew deals and equipment orders to paperwork and spending, so the line producer's plan actually happens.
Who signs off on the money
Almost every role on this page spends money. A production stays on budget when it is clear who may spend what, and who sees it afterwards.
- Heads of department manage their own budget line. They request purchase orders, collect quotes and approve their team's timesheets.
- The line producer or production manager approves purchase orders above a set amount and decides where money moves when one department needs more.
- The production accountant records every commitment and invoice, and once a week reports actual and expected costs against the budget in the cost report. That gives the estimate for completion (EFC).
- The producer answers to financiers and the completion guarantor, and approves the use of contingency.
On many productions this runs through email, spreadsheets and a shared folder, and the cost report is days behind the set. Tubes keeps budget, schedule, purchase orders and actual costs in one place, with approvals per role, so every person in this chain works from the same numbers.
Questions about production roles
What is the difference between a producer and a line producer?
The producer owns the project, from rights and financing to key creatives and delivery to financiers. The line producer runs the production physically, building the budget and schedule from the script and managing crew and costs against them. On small productions one person does both.
What is the difference between a production company and a broadcaster?
A production company makes programmes and films. A broadcaster or streamer decides what goes on its channel or platform, and usually pays a production company to make it through a commission. The commissioning editor is the person at the broadcaster who makes that call.
Who does what on a commercial?
The brand pays and approves, the advertising agency writes the idea, and the commercial production company makes the film. The agency producer is the link between agency and production company, and the commercials producer prepares the bid and runs the production.
Which roles are above the line?
Producers, the director, the writer and the principal cast, plus their travel and assistants. Everyone else is below the line. See above the line vs below the line for how that split works in the budget.
What do the gaffer and best boy do?
The gaffer is the head of the electrical department and turns the lighting plan of the director of photography into lights, cables and power. The best boy is the gaffer's second in command and handles crew, equipment orders and paperwork.
How many people work on a film?
It depends on the format. A small documentary can work with a handful of people, an independent feature has dozens of crew on the shoot, and a large studio film can have several hundred across all units. Most of them are freelancers hired for that one production.
One place for everyone who touches the budget
From the head of department who requests a purchase order to the producer who reports to financiers. Tubes gives each role their own view of the same budget, schedule and actual costs.