A spectator's guide to movie-making

~ Who will be doing what job on the "Killshot" film

At the end of a movie we see the film credits that tell us who did exactly what for the production of a film. It is a long list, often into the hundreds, that represents the various jobs and responsibilities held by the crew (and cast) during the pre-production, production, and post-production phases of movie-making. Generally, the job descriptions are self-explanatory. But, a lot of the jobs, such as "Gaffer" and "Best Boy," are enigmatic to the general audience not familiar with the art of filmmaking.

With the shooting of a big-budget Hollywood film taking place in Cape Girardeau this month, we thought it a good idea to give everyone a brief description as to who will be doing what job when the "Killshot" production army invades our small town!

First off, show business is a business. And a very expensive one at that! As with any business, there is a structure and heirachy of power and responsibilities to make things more organized and efficient. Those at the top of the filmmaking food chain make the big decisions (and reap the big benefits), while those lower in the pecking order do the hard grunt-work for the production. Generally, however, they act as a team geared towards one goal: making a good movie.

The filmmaking heirachy is normally divided into two classes in professional film productions: those above the line and those below the line. These terms come from their placing on the film's budget. On this document there is an actual line in which the esteemed Producers, Directors, Writers, and Key Actors (whose high pay are relative on each production) are above the line on the general film budget. The working crew, the Supporting Cast and the Extra's positions and pay (thanks to union regulations) are already set. The bulk of the union-member, working-class film laborers make up those below the line in the established budget.

Above the Line

The Producers - These are the individuals, or companies, that get the production going (or "green-lit"), come up with the film's financing, and stick around to make sure things stay on track. They generally don't run the actual production, but they do run the show. They supervise the entire effort and work to solve problems when they arise. There is a hierarchy within this echelon, as well.

The Director - If a film is a battle, and a production crew an army, then the Director is the Commander-In-Chief! The Director is the one responsible for making sure a film is completed in the way it was envisioned. This one individual decides where to shoot, what to shoot, how to shoot it, how all should work during the shoot, and what the final product looks like.

The Assistant Directors - This cadre of directing lieutenants make sure the cast and crew do what the Director has required. They are generally below the line, but their influence and responsibilities put them right into the production power-mix. Sometimes they may actually direct key scenes or shoot the "Second Unit" (location background) scenes in a film. These people are also generally responsible for a lot of the film's paperwork and are usually in charge of directing the film's extras.

The Actors - This is an easy one. They are the "talent" in a movie. Everyone knows what an actor does: they play the characters that are being filmed. Key actors (also called principal actors) command the most influence and money, while below the line supporting actors (and dialogue-less extras) have less influence and input into the creative process. Big-name stars are taken care of and pampered by an army of assistants that cater to them. No principal actors, no film. These individual's performances can make or break a movie.

The Writer/Screenwriter - This is the person, or group of people, that comes up with the story and the characters. Sometimes a director will write his own screenplay and film it. Most often, however, someone else comes up with a plot (a treatment) and then a professional screenwriter will write it out in play form. Many screenwriters are also hired to adapt certain books into films. These guys sometimes may show up on-location to make sure that their work is not changed too much.

* The next three positions are actually below the line, but their influence and control make them a valued part of the decision-making level of the production. And they are paid extremely well to do their jobs!

The Cinematographer - Also called the director of photography, the cinematographer works closely with the director, the cameramen, and the lighting staff to ensure that a good image comes out. They often suggest the angles to shoot and offer advice to the director on how to achieve a certain style of photography. This is the "nuts-and-bolts" film photography expert. The look of an image in a film is their responsibility. They tend to be in charge of the camera crew.

The Casting Director - This is the person, or sometimes the firm, that suggests certain actors for certain roles. They work closely with the producers and the director to pick the best people for the best parts. They also run the auditions for the roles and choose the extras. They have a lot or power over the careers of many actors working in film.

The Art Director/Production Designer - These people create the "look" and style of a movie. They work with nearly every level of the production (from the producer and director all the way down to the set designers and costumers) to achieve a certain visual style. The bigger the film - and the more visual the work - the more influence they have. One just need look at films like "Star Wars," "The Matrix" or "The Lord of the Rings" to see the impact they have on how things look in the final product.

Below the Line

The Script Supervisor - This used to be called the script girl, but either sex performs this function now. This person keeps track of the shots in accordance with the script. He or she may also oversee the film's continuity or a separate individual (a continuity supervisor) may be responsible for that task. If the glass was half-full in the last shot, they know it.

The Location Manager - Working with location scouts and film commissioners, this person finds and secures the filming locations. The LM will work closely with the director and the production designer to find the right locations and make them look the way they should. They do a lot of interacting with civic leaders, local business owners and the community to make things work out.

The Film Editor - Usually working in post-production, the editor, can be sometimes found near a location making working prints (called dailies) of the shots that were filmed during the day. This is important because some things may not work out right and scenes may need to be re-filmed. This person oversees the team that cuts, processes and prints the exposed film stock. He or she works closely with the director to come up with the storytelling sequence of the scenes and, hopefully, an excellent final product.

The Camera Operators - The camera operator, along with a few assistants, actually operates the camera and shoots the film. While, at first, it seems like one person doing this job, there is actually a whole crew working here. Various assistants are responsible for the camera's focus, the loading of the film and the maintaining of the equipment. There is also a Dolly Grip whose job it is to move the camera during filming. Other supports maintain paperwork on the details of different shots and care for exposed film. There will be teams of these guys if there is more than one camera in use.

The Sound Men - The sound director/editor or a sound mixer oversees the recording of sound for a film and its use during editing. Their team cares for the sound equipment (recorders and microphones) and records the ambient sounds and dialogue. The boom operator is the person with the long pole with a microphone on the end (called a boom mic) who records the dialogue of the actors. Various post-sound guys, such as music directors, effects mixers, and foley artists (who create effects like footsteps), add to the final product to create the sound style of the film.

The Gaffers - Sometimes called key electricians, these are the people responsible for the lighting of the location and all of the electrical stuff. Sometimes a lighting director will be in charge of this group. They work closely with the director and the cinematographer to ensure proper lighting for the image and maintain power to the equipment. The best boy is the gaffer's assistant who cares for, and sets up, some of the equipment and does necessary physical labor. The best boy is the cable-pulling, electrical handyman for this team.

The Grips - Like the term denotes, these are the folks that physically set-up and move things. They are the laborers on the set. We have already mentioned the dolly grip, but there are other grips that serve various functions on the production. The key grip is in charge of moving the camera equipment around and sets up the lighting equipment and various filters or reflectors. His team of grips consists of the best boy grip (the key's right-hand man), the rigging grips (who set up light rigging) and the hammers (tool-belt guys who do repairs and construction). Each of these technical handy-men care for and set-up certain assigned equipment.

The Lead Person - This person is in charge of the construction and transportation of sets and other items. The lead's team of laborers is called a swing gang as they do the physical work of setting-up and tearing down the film's set. Transportation crews (from the Teamsters Union) also involve themselves in the transportation of the production from one location to another.

The Prop Master - The property masters are the people that take care of the film's props. Whether it is a gun, a sword, or a Lost Ark, these items are carefully watched over and maintained by these folks. Their importance should not be minimized.

The Stunt Coordinator - If there is action, these guys are there. These coordinators plan and execute all the various physical stunts necessary in a film and oversee the acts of the stuntmen who perform those activities that are deemed too dangerous for the actors to do themselves. Sometimes a fight coordinator will be used to train actors to safely act out tricky fight sequences.

The Special Effects Artists - These guys like to blow things up or make people bleed. Physical effects artists involve themselves in creating physical effects and make-up effects - like squibs (fake blasts when someone is shot), pyrotechnics (explosive car crashes) and latex masks (for aliens and monsters). Visual effects artists work in post-production to create technical (often computer generated) visual effects that are too hard to do, or impossible, in physical reality. Lucas and Spielberg love these guys.

The Make-Up Artists/Stylists - Another easy one. It is these people's responsibility to make the actors look good for the camera, or bad, depending on the scene. These people tend to spend the most time around the actors than anyone else. They have all the good gossip.

The Wardrobers/Costumers - These folks also spend a lot of time around the principal actors as they are the ones who dress them for the film. They are in charge of all of the clothing (usually housed in big trailers with numerous sewing machines) and spend a lot of their time making clothing or wardrobe adjustments. They can tell you what size underwear Angelina Jolie wears.

The Craft Services Workers - These people feed the troops. Often, professional local caterers are hired to fill this function. They get to meet absolutely everyone involved in the production, including the stars, because everyone has to eat. Union regulations.

The Production Assistants - These are generally film students or driven amateurs who are hired to help different levels of the production as assistants and/or gophers. They run a lot of errands, do various odd jobs, and perform certain (sometimes unusual) tasks. It is the lowest rung on the ladder, but it is a good way to get one's foot in the door in filmmaking. Most people in the field get their start as a PA.

The Extras and Stand-Ins - On location, extras tend to be regular locals who are used to make up crowds or background people. They are paid little, but they are paid. Stand-ins are hired to take an actor's place for certain scenes that an actor is not willing to do. These people generally resemble the person they are standing in for. Many actors get their starts as extras or stand-ins before venturing on to more meatier roles with actual lines.

As you can see, there is literally a whole army of people involved in the making of a movie! And actually, there are even more assistants, publicists, lawyers and other specialists not mentioned here! This guide is just the tip of a larger, and immense, filmmaking iceberg.

Anyone interested can get a job on a film production if they have the right training, a little bit of talent, and a good work ethic. Connections help too, of course. But, if one has the inclination and the drive, you can try and contact a production to get involved. There are also numerous independent filmmakers working on smaller productions - right here in the region - that need all the help that they can get.

To find out more about the art of filmmaking, and to get hooked up with a film project in the area, people can visit the Cape Independent Film Association (CIFA) website at www.capeindiefilm.com (which also has a "Killshot" production fan site) or the Cape Filmmaker's Cooperative (CFC) site at www.capefilm.com. You can become more than just a spectator, you can actually be a part of the making of a movie. And maybe, one day, you will see your own name on that long list of closing film credits.

In the meantime, enjoy watching the filming of "Killshot" this winter. Say "hello" to the best boy and the grips and be sure to welcome them all to Cape Girardeau. Tell 'em to "break a leg!"