The Production Team and Staff The Complete Guide

The Production Team and Staff The Complete Guide to Film & Digital Production: The People & The Process Lorene M. Wales, Ph. D. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

UPM Pre-Production ü Answers to directly to the producer and director, though mostly with the producer. ü Contacts and works with film commission in the city or state to get assistance in locating local housing, crew and locations. ü Hires production office coordinator (POC), which may include the rest of the production team, the location manager and script supervisor. ü Based on recommendations and bids from departments, contacts vendors & secures equipment packages, including but not limited to sound, camera, lighting, and grip packages. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

UPM Pre-Production ü Makes deals with crewmembers. Often, different department heads come with their own crews. It is still the job of the U. P. M. to give final approval to their rate and hiring. ü Goes on location scouts. ü Manages the budget (this continues through postproduction). The U. P. M. is, as part of his/her responsibility to the producer, to keep the project from going over budget. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

UPM Production ü Approves all call sheets and production reports. ü Continues to oversee all departmental budgets and spending. ü Spends time on set to handle crew problems. ü Approves purchase orders, check requests and cash advances for crewmembers. ü Fires crew if necessary. ü May attend dailies. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

UPM Wrap & Post ü Sometimes secures crew gifts for producer. ü Returns to the studio (if it is a studio shoot) to arrange for completion of post-production. ü Approves list of credits, which will then be handed over to producer. ü Usually spends approximately one to two months in post-production, continuing to monitor the budget and post-production crew. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

UPM - Qualities ü Can handle thousands of detail at once. ü Has a great memory for numbers (helps in dealing with the budget). ü Has no difficulty dealing with constant problems that arise. ü Can troubleshoot potential problems. ü Can deal with problem personalities and their conflicts. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

Production Office Coordinator (POC) Pre-Production ü Hires APOC and office assistants. ü Oversees cast physicals if needed, and cast insurance. ü Sets up production office. ü Coordinates production meetings for crew. ü Sets up production files. ü Finishes deal memos and tax paperwork with crew after they are hired by the U. P. M. . © 2017 Taylor & Francis

Production Office Coordinator (POC) Pre-Production ü Sometimes procures product placement. ü May research equipment packages for the U. P. M. . ü Oversees creation, updates and distribution of the cast, contact and crew lists. ü Oversees all paperwork distribution to the crew. ü Sometimes coordinates cast and crew travel. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

POC - Production ü Coordinates sending and receiving dailies to and from film lab. ü Manages petty cash for production office. ü Oversees script pages (changes) and their distribution. ü Opens or closes production office in conjunction with APOC. ü Troubleshoots everything having to do with coordination of the production office. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

POC - Wrap ü Wraps out the production office. ü Qualities of a good POC ü Extremely organized. ü Loves and can handle a lot of detail work. ü Has a service-oriented personality. ü Can handle stress well. ü Is able to lead a team of assistants. ü Excellent sense of follow through. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

Local Production Coordinator (LPC) ü Hired by POC ü Works at location the crew will be travelling to, to set up a temporary production office while crew is there. ü Wraps out the office after crew leaves. ü Lives locally, so knows local services. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

Assistant Production Office Coordinator (APOC) ü May handle cast and crew travel. ü Handles hotel reservations for cast and crew as they arrive and leave location. ü Handles housing for lead actors in high budget projects. ü Sets up laundry service for cast and crew while on location. ü Locates and secures local services such as beauty salons, restaurants, entertainment, medical facilities. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

APOC Production ü May type call sheets and production reports (sometimes done by DGA trainee) and is responsible for distribution. ü Assists or may be responsible for distribution of paperwork. ü Coordinates pre-production party, called the meetand-greet. ü Secures emergency forms for all crew and cast. ü If required by studio, completes weekly reports. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

APOC Production ü Opens or closes production office in conjunction with POC. ü Keeps a running hotel log of cast and crew. ü Receives the production calls; first shot, lunch and wrap. ü Continues working on travel. ü Oversees the office assistants. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

APOC - Wrap ü ü May compile and type credits for the U. P. M. . Coordinates the wrap party Assists the POC in wrapping out the production office. May assist with procuring crew gifts. üQualities of a good APOC ü ü Extremely organized. Loves and can handle a lot of detail work. Has a service-oriented personality. Can handle stress well. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

Office Production Assistants (P. A. ’s) ü May keep shipment logs. ü Gets lunch for all office personnel. ü Completes general office duties such as: ü ü ü making copies making coffee faxing documents answering telephones (if there is no receptionist to do so), screening calls running errands distributing mail dividing resumes and putting them in a notebook distributing call sheets in the production office copying call sheets for the crew assists the POC and APOC in wrapping out the office. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

Receptionist ü Ability to handle stress well. ü Has excellent typing skills. ü Is organized, dependable and can follow orders well. ü Knows how to work office machines such as a fax, and copier. ü Can handle a multi-line telephone with a large volume of incoming calls. ü Knows enough about production to properly screen phone calls and guests. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

Head Accountant Answers to U. P. M. and Producer. Examines expense reports. Produces cost reports. Issues petty cash when needed. Tracks budget. Makes sure all vendors are paid. May issue paychecks & payroll reports. Submits credit reports to vendors as needed (to establish an account). ü Wraps out all vendor accounts at the end of postproduction. ü ü ü ü © 2017 Taylor & Francis

1 st Assistant Accountant, 2 nd Assistant Accountant, Accounting Apprentice ü ü ü Checks expense reports for errors. Delivers paychecks to crew. Screens calls for head accountant. Processes various paperwork for head accountant. Completes general office duties such as copying, typing, and faxing. ü Qualities of a good Accounting staff ü Knowledgeable and has experience in general accounting procedures. ü Knowledgeable in the running of a production. ü Able to deal with the fast pace of a production. ü Excels in dealing with numbers and paperwork all day. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

Technical Advisor ü Reads script and advises writer of technical inaccuracies. ü Meets with director and/or producer to discuss level of involvement. ü May standby on set to answer technical questions. ü May standby on set to give constructive criticism of technique. ü May be needed to examine sets for technical accuracy. ü Is expected to speak up if the director or actors are being inaccurate. © 2017 Taylor & Francis

Executive Producer Unit Production Manager Script Supervisor Safety Manager Assistant to Producer Production Office Coordinator Associate Producer Head Accountant Technical Advisor 1 st Assistant Accountant LPC 2 nd Assistant Accountant APOC Accounting Apprentice Office P. A. 's Runner Receptionist © 2017 Taylor & Francis

Conclusion The production team includes the executive producer, associate producer, UPM, POC, local production coordinator, APOC, and assistants. Other personnel who work closely with the production team include the accountants, technical advisor, and safety manager. The production team is there to ensure that pre-production adequately prepares the show to run smoothly and that the crew has sufficient support. © 2017 Taylor & Francis