A video production crew is a family and one big family, sometimes based on the scale of production. In a production crew, there usually are very many people who work together to keep things balanced. Someone new to the video or TV production should need to know about the Production Crew and its participants. Before knowing the crew, let us read a few crew types:
Skeleton crew – among the production crews, it is the smallest crew typically based on 2 to 10 people. The budget for the crew is too low, but these are highly talented and multi-tasking people. A skeleton crew is ideal for independent production and small projects that are easy to manage by the individuals.
Commercial crew – the production crew ranges from 10 to 30 people arranged for the commercial but medium scale projects. The budget for the crew falls in between the normal to maximum budget level. It includes all major and important actors that perform all the necessary actions.
Hollywood crew – it is the biggest production crew coming with more than 30 people. It costs too much as it involves a number of people in the overall management. Moreover, the projects are of a vast level, so there is a need for more people in order to fulfill the project efficiently.
Actors in the production crew
If you are new to the production family, then it is necessary to know the production crew actors. Here are all major actors that perform an integral role in the production procedure.
Producer
The producer refers to the person who finances the whole production. He is the core person who spends money overall production starting from pre-production to post-production. For the larger productions at the mass level, there can be more than one producer.
Executive producer
The executive producer is not a technical actor or participant of the production crew. He is more responsible for financial actions and procedures. He needs to manage the finical matters like arranging finance, the sanction of budget, and more.
Line producer
The line producer is the person who is in charge of managing the budget for the production. In concludes all the daily expenses, cast payments, crew wages, rents, transport, food, location, and more.
Director
The person who is in control of creative shots for the production is the director. He is the technical head who guide crew on set to manage the things in a specific artistic style. All the directors have their own set of references in creating shots and set arrangements.
First assistant director
The first assistance to the director takes care of script breakdown and shooting schedule; he is responsible for keeping the whole crew and cast on track as per schedule to make the production smooth.
Second assistant director
He is the helping hand to the 1st AD in managing all the events and schedules. He is responsible for managing call sheets, look after script copies, script revisions, and much more. Sometimes it is not necessary for a director to have only two assistants. There can be more AD to manage all the functions on a broader production set.
Production manager
The production manager is the one who is in charge of all the technical aspects of production. He manages the technical equipment, budget, and overall production schedule. He is responsible for all the managerial matters related to production.
Production assistants
These are the assistants to take care of any general tasks assigned by the production head.
DOP [director of photography]
The director of photography is the one who is in control of the overall video feel and look. He decides the feel of the screen as per the instructions of the director, manages the light levels, and sometimes runs the camera as well.
Camera operator
The person behind the camera who controls the frame and film the scene as per the instruction of DOP.
First assistant camera
The first assistant to the camera operator is responsible for the focus, film media loading, and camera movement during the shot.
Second assistant camera
The second assistant camera is the clapper loader who runs the slate and gives footage to the DIT.
DIT [digital imaging technician]
The person is responsible for data management and keeping the backup of all the files and footage. Moreover, he uses to check the footage in order to crosscheck any technical issues.
Gaffer
This can be a single person or a team that works according to the instructions of the director and DOP to setup set light.
Best Boy
They are responsible for light renting and other necessary options. They make sure that all lights are in working condition with full power supply.
Grip
The grip is not responsible for the technical aspects but deals with the non-technical factors of lights such as bounce filters cutters, gels, and much more.
Key grip
He works with the whole grip department and DOP to prepare a plan for lighting and power supply during production.
Production designer
The designer’s job is to make everything looks amazing and give the film or video an artistic look. He designs every scene and set with the relevance to the character, time, and overall scene feel.
Prop master
The one who manages all the necessary materials required on the set in relevance to the story and time period. He takes care of all the necessary options required in a specific scene.
Audio technician
He is managing the overall sound recording and management on the set. He is responsible for notifying if there is any issue with the audio recording while shooting.
Boom operator
He is one of the essential crewmembers of the production team. While listening to the audio level, he is handling the mic stands and ensures that all the beats are on the same level.
Hair and makeup artist
Without makeup, any production is a failure. It is necessary to have the best on-camera look, so we have the hair and makeup artist. He is responsible for giving every character a specific look and significant appearance as per the character.
Wardrobe stylist
Along with makes up, there is a wardrobe specialist who takes care of all the clothes and apparel on the set for the talent and location.
Talent
The essential part of the production crew is the talent who is performing on screen. These can be actors, influencers, employees, and more.
Conclusion
The production crew is essential for the production on any scale. Without any of the crew professional, it is not possible to have a smooth and quality production. To achieve the ultimate success, it is necessary to maintain a perfect balance between the crew members.