In today’s media-driven world, film and video production skills can be applied not just in Hollywood blockbusters and television programs, but also in website creation, marketing concepts, and much more. But whatever medium it may be, it takes a team of skilled professionals to see a production reach its completion.
Every project starts with writers who create an original storyline before anyone even picks up a camera. They’ll often work alongside the producer, who supervises and packages a project from its conception to the actual distribution of the film. As the story gets finalized, other members of the crew lend their talents within this preproduction process – the location manager will search for and secure the best settings to match the film’s script, while the casting director and assistant casting director schedule and maintain the interview and rehearsal process for the film’s actors and talent.
The film’s director, who is in charge of the overall vision of the film, helps oversee this entire process, and when it comes time to actually begin shooting, he or she is aided by a large group of on-set professionals. They work closely with the on-set assistant directors.
The director of photography works to ensure the photographic integrity of the project by guiding cinematographers and camera operators as they shoot the scenes on 16mm, 35mm, or digital film cameras. Lighting also plays a crucial role during production, as gaffers work under the direction of the lighting director to set up and operate the proper lighting fixtures for each scene.
But actually shooting a production is only half the adventure – post-production is where they say the magic really happens. Editors and assistant editors piece together raw footage of the film in a manner that adheres to the director’s filmmaking vision and time requirements. Foley artists, who physically create audio effects by re-creating on-screen sounds on a Foley stage, enhance a film’s audio in this stage of the filmmaking process.
Full Sail grad Larry Katz was a second assistant director on Cloverfield, where he helped wrangle actors, direct extras, track the daily progress against the filming production and schedule, and generally made sure production ran smoothly.
Grad Hunter Via has been an Assistant Editor on television shows like The Shield and Arrested Development.
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