Understanding the Job Titles in Film Credits
All those film crew roles finally explained simply, and in under 30 minutes.
Who's Who in the Movie Credits | FilmmakerIQ
Date: 2017
Type: Video, Essay
Topic: Filmmaking
Length: 25 minutes
Source: YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CutWL8Al61E
We know the favorite standard of being the "director" for films. Perhaps, even some of the more oddly named titles, like "gaffer" and "best boy". (Still not sure on best boy sometimes.) Knowing textbook definitions give you an idea of job roles but even then, the job can remain a bit ambiguous.
Film crew structure becomes more jumbled as your own independent projects grow and you hire more crew. Or when you're hired onto bigger and bigger projects. Knowing who to report to, and what groups deal with what, and how to correctly organize your own billing and credits can be confusing-- when you're just starting out or if you forget, like in the form of a stress induced memory lapse.
I mean, when you actually look at a list of credits on a feature film-- and sit through them all (you really should occasionally), what do all those people in movie credits actually do? There are plenty of titles that don't sound familiar at all (child wrangler) or sound way too familiar-- like, producer, associate producer, and executive producer. What do all these nuanced job titles actually represent? And more importantly, what are their job requirements and position among other crew members? How do you dole out credits correctly and maintain structure in your work?
John Hess from Filmmaker IQ details the organization and meaning behind these commonly known but not commonly well-explained terms. The video discusses these relationships between departments and specific roles. The job responsibilities of the title are spoken about as well as the unit and sub-units that make up the entire film set crew. He also explains the specific wording and rules used to identify leading and closing credits and job positions.
This in-depth video discusses the crew hierarchy and goes beyond definitions alone. It covers 'above the line' and 'below the line', the progression of job hires from pre-production through post-production, departments, and small technicalities-- like why does the producer accept the best picture oscar instead of the director?
The video is far more understandable and specific than just reading an org Chart or descriptions from Wikipedia. If you want a refresher on film crew terms and what they entail, or just want a better understanding of the all these roles and who hires who, this informative video is a great place to start or save for future reference. Here you learn what all the job titles in film credits actually are and where you'd like to fit in.
I think that me trying to describe this video's merit isn't giving it as much justice as I'd like. So, instead, I'll leave you with the genuine and realistic words of the top YouTube comment:
"I went to film school and I think I learned more in this video then they ever taught me (I'm kidding.... kind of)"
Give it a watch, and make your own judgement. A free 25 minute video is still less time than a film class and way, way cheaper.