Camera Crew Titles & Roles

What’s a “Grip” or a “1st AD”? Well, here’s a list of camera crew job titles and there roles to help you understand.

Executive Producer: 

Is usually the person who put the money up to make the project happen or has partly invested in the production. Most big budget films will have 3 – 5 Executive Producers owning a share of the gross profits.

Producer: 

Is the information hub of any production, and in charge of all logistics from hiring crew, booking locations, renting the equipment to casting talent.

Director: 

The Director is very much the creative lead in any camera crew. They are responsible for guiding the plot, orchestrating the actor’s performances, and choosing the locations. As well as more technical tasks such as camera positions, lighting effects and content for soundtracks.

1st AD: 

Is short for first assistant director and is basically and extension of the director. The most integral responsibility of the 1st AD is making sure the production is running on schedule and relaying important information to the camera crew from the Director. Depending on the director’s discretion, some 1st AD’s will be in charge of directing background action or minor shot sequences.

DoP: 

Or Director of Photography is the head of the lighting and camera crew in any production. The DoP has to understand how the Director wants the shot to look and then choose the right framing, aperture, filters and lighting to accomplish the desired result.

Grip: 

“These are the people in charge of anything the camera goes on,” as I was once told. They will work closely with the DoP and place, level everything from Dolly’s to Tripods to Cranes. Sometimes the Grip will be asked to camera assist or even operate.

Gaffer: 

Is head of all things electrical and basically an on set electrician. They usually set up and operate all aspects of lighting and sometimes credited as “Chief Lighting Technician.”

Runner: 

A runner is generally the most junior member of the camera crew and involved in all aspects of the production from making tea, to picking up tapes or props and helping out with pre-production.

Set Designer: 

Often has to oversee the aesthetics or textual details to the set design and any props. A set designer is essentially the architect of any structure or interior and sometimes has to create whole landscapes that mean they almost become a foreman while the building takes shape.

Props Master: 

Is in charge of finding, managing and sometimes building the props that are featured in front of camera. Mostly these guys will be skilled technicians in construction, electronics, machining and plastic casting. A weapons master is someone that is licensed and specialises in firearm props. (They always get feed first at lunch breaks!)

Costume Designer: 

This is the person responsible for planning, designing and producing all the outfits to be worn on screen right down to the fabrics and colours. They will have to work closely with the Director and Set Designer to interpret the overall theme of the production. Depending how large the budget is, a costume designer will usually have one or two assistants.

That’s just some of the camera crew job roles within most productions, there are far more but we would be here all week if I were to explain every last one. This is just a list of the key members and usually the core of the video productions that we do at Phink TV. I hope it’s been useful if not interesting.