Preproduction, production and post production roles

of a music video. By Jacob Spires

Stages of production

Pre productionRoles in preproduction include the tasks of recording a music video that include planning for the recording, This includes anything before the music video or film has actually started production. This can include roles like: storyboarding, location manager and costume design.

ProductionThings that are included in production is anything that is part of the recording/ production stage of a music video/film. These roles can include jobs like: on set-director, camera team, costume design, make-up artist and key scenic. Most of the roles in a films/music videos production is involved around the production. Some roles like the director, producers and finance manager need to be around at all Times.

Post productionJobs in post production include roles that can only occur once all the footage is gathered. A clear example of this would be simply an editor. There are also other roles that include visual FXsupervisor and a colourist.

Pre Production, Production And Post Production

Key management roles

Most of the key management roles in a film and video are dominant throughout the pre production, production and post production of a music video as they are in charge or the videos creative aspects, physical aspects and controls the rest of the team.

DirectorResponsible for the creative aspects of a music video or film. Including thins like: controlling content, plot and flow of the video, performance of actors and also makes the final decision on things like location setting.Also they manage cinematography and microelements within the video. The director is used in absolutely every stage of creating the film and music video and is consulted or aware of everything that is going on or needs to happen. He/she is the top man to come to.

Production managerSupervises the physical aspects of the production, mainly including the films/videos, personal, technology, budget and scheduling. Its there overall responsibility to make sure that the film stays within its budget and remains on time. Mainly works with the line producer and production coordinator.

ProducerThe producer initiates, coordinates, supervises and controls matters such as fund raising, hiring personnel and contracting and arranging distributors. The producer is also involved in stages from pre production all the way to post production

Pre production and production roles

Production team

Production designerResponsible for creating the physical, visual appearance of the film, which can include things like settings, costume, props and character makeup, they are mainly in charge of the visuals and appearance of on screen actors.

Line producerManages the films budget, or in addition they may manage the day-to-day tasks.

Assistant directorsAssists the director and production manager with their role in the filmAlso third and second assistant directors are used to help the first assistant director but also the chief assistant of the 1st AD. 3rd directors assistant may work on set with the first and contribute to moving actors across masses organize crows and supervise other assistants.

Production team

Director of photography/cinematographyThe director of photography is the head of the camera and lighting department of a film; DoP makes decisions on these elements in conjunction with the films director.

Casting directorThe casting director manages the cast; they look at the acting styles and scout actors for the right cast. They will manage them and their hiring contract as well as their role in the film/video and payment. Also conduct auditions and interviews for the part to decide who is best. Work mainly alongside the director and producer.

Production coordinatorThe production coordinator is the information hub and go-to of the video.

Executive producerMost of the time the executive producer has a major role in the films budget and facilitating income of it.

Script and narrative department

ScreenwriterResponsible for researching about the story, developing the narrative and ideas, and screenplay writing All the narrative side of a music video will be responsible from the screenwriter. Most of the time, the screenwriter works freelance that pitch ideas to record labels looking to make music videos for there artists.

Script supervisorKeeps on track of what parts of the script have been filmed and make notes on alternations and changes to the script that occur on-set. Also keep track of props and costume whereabouts. Manages the story producer, script editor and script coordinator who all contribute to the script and managing actor’s lines.

Art and design department

Costume design and construction of costumeSimply designs the costumes used on set and are responsible for all the clothing and costumes worn by the cast and anyone on set. Management of fabric, colours and sizes are all down to this department to make sure that they fit and are right for the actors used on set. Also used in production in maintaining actors appearance on screen.

IllustratorThe illustrator creates visual representations of the designs to communicate the ideas that the production designer sends across.

Art and set directorsManage the art department and set appearances, May sometimes have a chief assistant to enforce laborers and artwork.Also works very closely with the production designer

Property master and standby propsIn charge of finding and managing all the props used in the film, usually given several assistants which are maybe trainees of the trade. Also work on set during filming a scene overseeing the use of props and monitoring their continuity. Able to respond quickly and can request to change props and fixtures.

Art and design department

Make up artistSimply work with make-up and make sure that there hair, prosthetics and other aspects to make them fit into the role that they are playing. For example, the makeup artist will be used as well to create a sense of possession on a person through the use of make up.

HairdresserThe hair stylist is responsible for maintaining and styling the hair of anyone appearing on set. They work in conjunction with the make up artists to maintain on screen appearance.

Storyboard artistVisualizes the narrative through sketches showing the camera shots and scenes being used in order, quick pencil drawings and marker renderings are two most common forms of this. Although nowadays more modern films/videos with a bigger budgets use digital forms of storyboarding, with specialist storyboard software.

Key scenicResponsible for surface treatment of the sets, including special paint treatments and getting the right effect and texture of landscapes and props, to make it seem as realistic as possible.

Casting and on screen

Casting directorThe casting director manages the cast; they look at the acting styles and scout actors for the right cast. They will manage them and their hiring contract as well as their role in the film/video and payment. Also conduct auditions and interviews for the part to decide who is best. Working mainly alongside the director and producer

Stunt coordinatorWhen the film requires a ‘stunt’, and involves the sunt performers, the stunt coordinator will arrange casting, timing and work closely with the director to make sure that this goes well.

Property master and standby propsIn charge of finding and managing all the props used in the film, usually given several assistants which are maybe trainees of the trade. Also work on set during filming a scene overseeing the use of props and monitoring their continuity. Able to respond quickly and can request to change props and fixtures.

ActorsThe main cast appearing on screen to the video/film. The actors are under delegation of a contrast and under order from the director and producers.

Location department

Location managerResponsible for making most decisions about shooting location, Work very closely with the production director in finding places to shoot via the scout. Things like shooting, managing time and effort costs are taken into accountbut also the ideas and accessibility that the location can be used for. Things like microelements need to be taken into account.

Location AssistantHelps out the manager in finding location and who needs to be on set at that time but also accessibility is taken hugely into account. They are the first to the set, and mainly maintaining the cleanliness of the set during filming and in the camera field. Location scoutMain role is to find locations to shoot to pitch to the production manager on places to record.

Cinematography team

Director of photography/cinematographyThe director of photography is the head of the camera and lighting department of a film; DoP makes decisions on these elements in conjunction with the films director.

Camera operator and assistant camera operatorsSimply operates the camera under direction of the DoP, or the film director, depending on the camera format being used, the assistant is usually a trainee learning the trade, the Camera PA will assist the crew in any wauy but mostly learn the operation of the camera as well as the industy

Loader Simply loads the film from the manufactures canisters into the camera magazines for recording. Used later on once the film has been recorded too, he removes the canisters and then they seal them in light-tight containers for the lab.

Digital imaging technicianOn digital production the digital imaging technician is responsible for the coordination for the internal workings of any digital cameras, may have a camera team underneath him that he/she is managing but usually the DIT is one member of the camera team. Under direction of the DoP. Motion control operator.

Steadicam operatorThe steadicam operator is someone who is a trained specialist in this area of camerawork, using a steadicam. ( trained in camera stabilization.)

Finance

Finance departmentIn charge of all of the finance and budget to the film, are responsible for setting a well fitting budget that is accurate and ideal. Also used to manage this and set targets to run by.

Production accountant Production accountants are responsible for managing finances and maintaining records of this during the production. It allows them to compare these figures to targets and see how well they are doing compared to their budget.

Sound department

Production sound mixer(Sound records) the sound mixer is head of the sound department on set. Responsible for all sound during diegetic and non-diegetic. This includes choice of mic, operation of recording and also mixing and editing software in postproduction.

Boom operatorIs responsible for the microphone placement and movement during filming. The boom operator uses a boom pole to position the mic above camera frame so it isn’t visible but just above the actors, so that the sound is consistent and equal

Electrical department

GafferThe gaffer is head of the electrical department, responsible for the design and execution of the lighting plan to production and how if can be used effectively. Also can be known as a ‘chief lighting technician’.

Best boy – electric assistantWorks closely with the electrical department in setting up the right electrics to a setting but also to put in the correct lighting and output required for the shot.

Lighting technicianInvolved with setting up and controlling lighting equipment

Key gripGrips are trained lighting and rigging technicians. Their main responsibility is to work closely with the electrical department, and as the key grip, they work along side the DoP to help achieve the right lighting and blocking.

Best boy – grip assistantThe best boy grip assistant is the chief assistant to the role of the key grip.

Postproduction

ColouristAdjusts the colours of a film/video by contrast and saturation to set the light to the effect that they are after.

RotoscopistGoes through the film frame and removing wires and logos out of the video so no copyright issues have to be charged.

CompositorA compositor is a visual effects artist responsible for compositing images from different sources such as video, film, 3D imagery and 2D animations, text and even paintings or digital effects.

Visual FX supervisorThe visual effects supervisor is in charge of all of the visual effects used within a film/video

Editor Once all of the work and camera shots have been taken, it is the editor’s duty to then piece all of this together and put it in order to create the overall narrative as usually the narrative and performance isn’t recorded in chronological order, the scenes maybe be different so the editor works with the director to get all of this right.

Assistant editorHelps out the editor as this is the final stage in completing the video and there is usually a lot of decision making in this stage.

In conclusion…

From looking at the various roles and positions within the preproduction, production and post production areas within a music video I was able to get a closer look at how organised and ‘in-sync’ with each other each role must be to make the video successful. I learnt here, that you can see many different roles that need to work together and decide as a team, which our group needs to look at when planning our music video. It is important that each member of the pre production, production and post production roles are taken into account and are used accordingly as each member of the team is used in there own area to make the music video successful, this is something that we could use as a group to make sure ours is a successful video.

Another reason that I categorised it like this is so that we as a group could narrow down the options that we need to take into consideration when it comes to filming. The different departments like location, sound and the camera team are all departments that we will need to consider when recording.