Film terms

See Gaffer.

The person is responsible for the daily operations of production. They are on set and the main go-to when something is needed. On-time and on the budget is their goal. This person works directly with the Above the, Line Producer(s) and translates what they want or need to the rest of the crew, usually through the Production Manager. Line Producers are the buffer between the Below the Line crew and the Above the Line creatives.

The loader is responsible for loading and unloading all film canisters. The loader also properly labels all loaded film magazines and cans of exposed film and short ends. The loader also prepares the film for delivery to the lab,  delivers the final film to the production at the end of each day. The loader also provides all the necessary tools and accessories that are associated with performing the job.

The person who often leads the negotiations to secure a location for filming and is responsible for the location’s budget. They make sure that all the required permits and paperwork are submitted, with approvals in place. On production days, they are usually first on-site and last to leave, unless they have support from a Location Assistant. If filming is happening in multiple locations on one day, they often advance to the next location to make sure everything is ready for the crew’s arrival.

This person backs up the department and is often in the field. As part of pre-production, they will Paper or Fly a neighborhood in advance to let people and businesses there know that filming will be happening in the area. They assist with watching out for potential problems at locations in advance or during filming. See Production Assistant and Set Production Assistant.

A person who finds different locations for filming, based on directives from the Creative Director or production company.

A person who assists the Key Makeup artist, who typically does makeup on the actors hired as featured extras or day players.

Being hired as a temporary or permanent employee and put on the payroll. This means that appropriate taxes will be deducted from your compensation.

Petty cash is a pre-determined amount of cash that a producer will bring on a shoot to buy last minute needs. Often the Production Assistant helps with these purchases, tracking the petty cash and submitting the petty cash recap form.

In general, a Producer is a person who manages many aspects of the production or project. They are typically in a category known as Above the Line, along with Directors, Lead Actors, Writers, and other managerial positions. Besides the basic Producer role, there are also Executive Producers, Co-Producers, Associate Producers, Independent Producers, Line Producers, Music Producers, and more.