The Assistant Director (AD) is responsible for keeping a production moving forward and on schedule. He/She will typically work with both the Director and the Production Manager in determining the shooting schedule and monitoring daily movement relative to the confirmed filming production schedule. If practical problems need solving they typically fall onto the Assistant Director’s lap, as does keeping track of the filmmaking crew and staff (making sure they are there, and then that they are behaving and rehearsing as they should). Sometimes a Director will let his/her Assistant Director direct extras, background shots or other smaller sequences of the film. Otherwise the job pretty much entails everything from call sheets to keeping a timer on the Director. In the old days, Assistant Directors often aspired to become Directors. Today however due to how the role has evolved into something closer related to production management, Assistant Directors more often progress to become a Producer or Production Manager.
There can be several Assistant Directors on a filmmaking crew. Typically the First Assistant Director (1st AD) will rule the set, work more closely with the Director and manage any extras or other filmmaking staff and smaller talent. The Second Assistant Director (2nd AD) will organize all the paperwork (call sheets, union contracts and keep relevant cast on time and in place for the 1st AD to direct them). In some places, such as the UK, Australia and some other countries there are even more layers of Assistant Directors than these.
Good skills to have if you are considering a career move into becoming an Assistant Director: Organizational skills (be prepared to juggle a million things at the same time)
People skills (you’d be surprised how much drama a filmmaking set can produce, off camera)
Leadership skills (being in charge of many things, from equipment to extras you need to be able to make people listen and follow you)
Listening skills (paying attention is Assistant Director skills 101)
Ways to become an Assistant Director: Participate in the production of as many short films as you can, to expand your knowledge of all aspects of shooting and running a set – no matter how small the project, you will always learn something.
Take courses at local training programs and film schools, if for no other reason but to get to shoot in a studio, handle equipment and work with others (i.e. put your people skills to the test before you work on someone else’s film).
See if you can shadow a Production Manager, even just as a volunteer. Learn from him/her and see how the Assistant Directors on the set where he/she works behave (i.e. approach them carefully, be friendly and ask questions without getting in their way).
The best way to learn how to become a good Assistant Director is to be on a set, and get hands on experience, so be prepared to start someplace with less responsibility and then work your way up steadily.
GOOD LUCK!
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