FOC Film Crew

Kyle Abourizk & Sandy Shelton stand on the set of a film.

If you saw our April newsletter, you may have noticed our pro-tip was about assistant directors on films and how their job is similar to a stage manager in theater. After receiving grateful replies for this quick tip we thought we’d share an in-depth look at some of the positions on a typical film set. These positions have also been on our mind because we just wrapped our first made-for-tv feature film as the production company and lead producer! Join us as we take a look at some important crew members on a film set.

Andrew Rasmussen, Seana Rogovin, & Tiffany Nakamura pose together on the film set.

Director & Director of Photography (DP)

Up first let’s take a look at the positions of director and director of photography (DP). Much like in theater, a director in film and television is the lead on creative. They are responsible for the tone, and creative elements of a film, aided by the heads of the other departments, and in consultation with both the production company and the producers (mainly the Line Producer).

 

Following the script, directors guide actors and work with the Gaffer (lighting), Wardrobe (costume department), and the DP/Cinematographer (almost exclusively a film/tv role). The DP works closely with the director to create the visuals needed to bring the story to life. They research lighting, camera movement, and framing in the lead-up to the film and once filming begins they  use this information to capture the world of the screenplay.

 

Our director for the film is Andrew Rasmussen (he/him) and our DP is Seana Rogovin (she/her). Andrew is a “New York-based director, designer, and producer, who [sic] is passionate about delivering ambitious, visually dynamic and inclusive storytelling that often involves puppets, cats, lasers, or electric guitars.” Seana was “born and raised in New York City and the Hudson Valley and is a talented and versatile filmmaker with a passion for bringing stories to life through the lens of a camera. With eight years of experience in the film industry, Seana has established herself as a highly skilled collaborator, director, and Director of Photography specializing in commercial and narrative work.” We absolutely loved working with Andrew and Seana and we hope we get to do it again soon!

Assistant Director (AD or 1st AD), 2nd Assistant Director (2nd AD) & Script Supervisor

Now let’s take a look at the assistant director (AD or 1st AD), 2nd assistant director (2nd AD), and the script supervisor positions. As mentioned in our April pro-tip, an assistant director is very similar to a production stage manager in theater. They are in charge of communicating with all department heads and overseeing the schedule for the production. Basically, the AD ensures everything runs smoothly. Our 1st AD is Tiffany Nakamura (they/them), “a multi-talented artist, producer, creative director, and dreamer, they are [sic] a dedicated champion for diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice by creating opportunities and equitable spaces for people of difference to expand their skill sets, amplify their voices and share their stories.” We are so lucky to have Tiffany on the team.

 

Working closely with Tiffany is Ian Ross, our 2nd assistant director. A 2nd AD is comparable to a stage manager in theater. They are responsible for helping execute the schedule created by the AD, ensure cast & extras are where they’re supposed to be, and create the call sheets for each day of filming. Ian is “a producer and director. He [sic] “came up” doing scrappy music videos and documentaries. “Maybe This Year” is on Hulu. “The Sentence of Michael Thompson”, playing on MSNBC & Documentary+, was selected by Vimeo as best of the year 2022.”

Andrew Rasmussen, Tiffany Nakamura, & Yajing “Yaya” Wu look at a monitor on the film set

Finally, we have the script supervisor; they are responsible for ensuring continuity across all departments throughout the filming process, taking notes during filming to aid editors, and keep track of filming progress. The script supervisor makes sure that every camera angle lines up and makes sense, that wardrobe, hair, makeup, props, and production design all align with the storytelling, and ensures there are no rogue Starbucks cups in a shot. Our script supervisor is Yajing “Yaya” Wu (she/her). Yaya has worked on films such as A Different Man, Shady Grove, Lunchbox, and more. We knew we were in good hands with Tiffany and Yaya. 

Courtney Irizarry holds an iPhone and a robe while working on set.

Wardrobe Department 

Finally, we have the wardrobe department. The title basically says it all: the wardrobe department is in charge of designing, procuring, fitting, and maintaining all the clothing and looks for the film. We are lucky enough to have not one but two associate costume designers, Courtney Irizarry (she/her) and Amanda Jenks (she/her). Courtney is “a Freelance Costume Designer; Associate & Assistant Designer as well as a Homegrown New York Half-Puerto Rican/Nuyorican. Mixing patterns & colors and getting into the real ‘design’ is an important part of this job for her [sic].” Amanda “is an NYIT-Award nominated freelance costume designer for theatre, film, television, and dance based in New York City and a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.”

 

Courtney and Amanda are the dream team. They have our cast looking so incredible and each costume helped further tell the story of the film. The next time you watch a movie or TV show, pay special attention to how the characters are dressed and how those outfits help convey who that character is and what they’re doing. 

These are just a few of the many roles that work together to create a film. Our collective success would not have been possible without our incredible team. If you’d like a behind-the-scenes look, be sure to check out our Instagram and be on the lookout for further announcements about release dates and more!