Control shooting activities for productions

This Standard involves managing the production set and creating an effective relationship between directors and all other people. 

It is about interpreting the director’s needs and creative vision and translating this into tasks to be undertaken by the various departments. It is also about managing the crew to achieve this.

It involves producing a risk assessment for every shoot day, having identified, with others, the potential risks to crew health and safety.

This Standard is for 1st Assistant Directors, Floor Managers or Production Managers.

1. agree and confirm production vision and goals with directors and heads of department at appropriate times
2. discuss and agree best methods to realise creative vision with director and heads of department
3. give the team full information about the director’s creative vision
4. hold regular production meetings, and manage recce discussions and outcomes to ensure director’s needs are met
5. identify potential risks to cast and crew’s health and safety and take appropriate measures
6. communicate all health and safety procedures to cast and crew at the start of each day to meet organisational requirements
7. document and distribute relevant risk assessments to all crew members before shooting commences
8. confirm smooth communication between all cast and crew
9. resolve technical problems as they occur, and achieve satisfactory results in collaboration with others
10. ensure that the director’s requirements are met by delegating tasks to appropriate people during shooting
11. brief the production about on-set requirements for next day’s call sheet at appropriate times
12. identify potential causes of delay to schedules, and suggest and organise viable solutions
13. monitor on set activity to ensure the efficient use of resources
14. alert producers or production managers to any problems which may have serious implications to production schedule or budget

1. how to develop a strong relationship with directors, heads of departments and crew
2. how to identify potential risks that concern the crew’s health and safety
3. what documentation is required for risk assessment purposes
4. how to manage the crew to achieve the best results
5. how to resolve problems in conjunction with technical experts
6. which tasks should be delegated, and when
7. what key information different departments need in order to realise the director’s vision
8. how creative and technical decisions might impact on the budget and schedule
9. how to plan ahead whilst managing day to day activities
10. how cast, crew, and location availability impact on re-scheduling decisions
11. how filming activities impact on health and safety and how this is communicated to the crew on a daily basis
12. how and when to alert production to any issues which impact upon the schedule or budget