DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTIONS

By clicking on the links below you will find a brief description for every department covered by Local 476. Beneath each description you will also find the chain of command for that specific department.

The Accounting Department works with the producer/studio to prepare schedules and budgets for filming. Additionally this department monitors and manages the expenses related to the project, making sure the production stays within its designated budget. 

  • Accountant Including Payroll
  • Assistant Accountant Including Payroll

The Construction Department is lead by the Construction Coordinator working under the direction of the Art Director and Production Designer. The construction Coordinator is tasked with budgeting, staffing, and planning for all fully constructed or instalation sets with a General Foreman to assist. Additionally there are Location Foreman or “Gang Bosses”, Carpenters, Welders and Laborers.

With the use of blueprints, models, sketches cad drawings, and storyboards, The Construction Department brings the vision of the Art Department to life. They build walls, doors, windows, balconies, churches, restaurants, and storefronts in any style, period or look required by the script.

  • Department Head: Construction Coordinator
  • Seconds: General Foreman, Location Foreman, Stage Foreman,  Welder foreman, Gangboss,  Labor Foreman. 
  • Specialty Positions: Stand-by Carpenter, Tool Room Technician, Construction Estimator/Buyer
  • General Crew: Carpenters | Welders | Laborers

Assigned to various departments, Coordinators have many different responsibilities based on the specific departments they work for.  Some duties may include, coordinating travel and accommodation for cast and crew, scheduling, distribution of filming schedules, revised scripts and set drawings, budget monitoring, package tracking, set-up of new production offices, organizing equipment and supplies etc.

  • Production Coordinator
  • Assistant Production Coordinator
  • Travel Coordinator
  • Script Coordinator
  • Writers Assistant

On a film set, the Craft Service Department provides all members of the crew with snacks, beverages and additional meals if necessary. Since filming often takes place around the clock and in between normal mealtimes, a well-stocked craft services table/truck provides cast and crew with a quick snack break between hot meals.

  • Department Head: Craft Service Foreman 
  • General Crew: Craft Service Assist

The Electric Department is headed by the Gaffer under the direction of the Director of Photography. The electric crew is primarily responsible for the distribution of power and lighting on the set, creating the desired lighting concept. Additionally the electricians provide power support and assistance to all other departments that require it.

  • Department Head: Gaffer
  • Second: Best Boy
  • Specialty Positions: Fixture Gaffer | Special Operator | Balloon Tech | Generator Operator | Lighting Console Programmer (Dimmer Op)
  • General Crew: Electrician | Lamp Operator

A film Set Medic is a critical part of any film production set. The role of the film set medic is to ensure the safety and health of all cast and crew members. If a crew member is injured the set medic will determine if the injured crew member is  able to return to work safely or needs further medical assistance. 

It is also the responsibility of the film set medic to complete and file the necessary paperwork regarding injuries sustained on while working.

  • Set Medic

The Grip Department is headed by the Key Grip under the direction of the Director of Photography and has two main responsibilities: The first is to provide camera support. When a camera is mounted to a dolly, generally it will require dolly track or dance floor to be set, leveled, and secured. Additionally, grips assist camera operators when using cranes, jibs, vehicle mounts, ladder mounts, or any other application in which a camera and/or its operator needs to be secured safely.

The second responsibility of the grip department is to provide lighting support to the electrical department. They do this by providing ladders, leveling, and sandbags for focusing and setting lights. Finally, by using specialized flags and diffusions, grips will shape the lighting to achieve the desired effect of the Gaffer.

  • Department Head: Key Grip
  • Second: Best Boy
  • Specialty Positions: Dolly Grip | Crane Tech | Crane Grip
  • General Crew: Company Grip

The Greens Department is lead the Greensman Foreman working under the direction of the Art Director and Production Designer. They are tasked with procuring plants, flowers, mulch, sod, trees, and leaves to create and maintain any vegetation on a film set. Using  real or artificial components, the Greens Department creates landscapes, floral arrangements, and foliage to provide the desired look of the Production Designer and/or the appropriate season required by the by the script. .  

  • Department Head: Greensman Foreman
  • Specialty Position: On-set Greensman
  • General Crew: Greensman

The Hair Department is responsible for the implementation and maintenance of the hair design for the principal cast, background actors, stunt performers, photo doubles, and any other hairstyle that will appear on camera. Throughout the duration of the filming day, the hair department is tasked with maintaining the principle and background actors appearance continuity after each shot taken.

  • Department Head: Department Head
  • Specialty Positions: Wig Master | Wig Designer 
  • General Crew: Assistant Hair, Assistant Make-up

The Heating and Air Department provide and maintain portable heating and air conditioning equipment on the set for cast and crew members. 

  • Department Head: Heater Foreman
  • General Crew: Heating/Air Conditioner Operator

Makeup Artists devise and apply the makeup designs for principal actors and supporting cast. The complexity and type of design will vary depending on the production and character. The Makeup department can execute a wide array of looks across genre and period. Like the Hair Department, they are tasked with maintaining the principle and background actors appearance continuity after each shot taken

  • Department Head: Key Make-up Artist
  • Specialty positions: FX make-up
  • General Crew: Make-up Artist

The Paint Department is lead by the Paint Supervisor. Their duties include sanding, filling, sealing, priming, painting, undercoating, plastering and varnishing of sets, props, interior and exterior sets, in the studio sound stage and on location.

Scenic painters create faux cement, brick fire damage, aging, graffiti, specialty signage, hand lettering, and apply vehicle wraps based on time period and production design requirements of the script.

  • Department Head: Paint Supervisor
  • Seconds: Paint Foreman | Plaster Forman
  • Specialty Positions: Stand-by Painter | Paper Hangers | Sculptor Modeler
  • General Crew: Painter | Plasterer

Under the direction of a Prop Master, the Props Department breaks down the script: then purchases, organizes, stores, transports, preps, and distributes the props used by actors and background on set.  Props can include firearms, watches, cellphones,  computers, food, beverages and much more. 

  • Department Head: Prop Master
  • Second: Assistant Prop Master 
  • Specialty Positions: On-set Props | Armorer | Prop Buyer
  • General Crew: Props

The Rigging Electric crew prepares the set before filming begins. Rigging electricians, working under the direction of the Rigging Gaffer, are tasked with rigging lighting fixtures, installing dimmers, running heavy-duty cable and power distribution equipment to support production. This ensures that the set (whether on stage or location) has the necessary power and lighting equipment needed to complete the work for “Main Units” production day.

  • Department Head: Rigging Gaffer
  • Second: Best Boy
  • Specialty Positions: Lighting Console Programmer | Fixture Gaffer
  • General Crew: Electrician

The Rigging Grip crew prepares the set before filming begins. Rigging Grips, working under the direction of the Rigging Key, are tasked with providing the necessary equipment to support the camera and electric departments. With the use of truss, steel cable, ropes, pulleys, and chain, rigging grips create structural elements suspended over the set. These structures allow lights, backdrops, green screens, and other light shaping/diffusing materials to be hung and adjusted.

Additionally, rigging grips erect scaffolding, build platforms, ramps, and provide safety harnessing to support camera operators, equipment and production personnel.

  • Department Head: Rigging Key
  • Second: Best Boy
  • Specialty Positions: LED Technician (Video Wall Assembly)
  • General Crew: Rigging Grip

A Script Supervisor oversees the continuity of the production including wardrobe, props, set dressing, hair, makeup and the actions of the actors during a scene. The notes recorded by the script supervisor during the shooting of a scene are used to help the editor cut the scene. They are also responsible for keeping track of the film production unit’s daily progress. Script supervisors play a crucial role in the shooting of a film or TV show. It is the script supervisor’s job to monitor the camera shots, seeking to maintain coherence between the scenes

The Set Decoration department works under the direction of the Set Decorator to provide the “look” of the set . With the use of furniture, accessories, pictures, art, rugs, drapery, housewares, and several assorted items, the set decoration department decorates the set based on the time period, style, environment and look detailed in the script.  

  • Department Head: Set Decorator
  • Set Dec Coordinator (Administrative Assistant to the Decorator)
  • Seconds:  Lead Man | Assistant Decorator 
  • Specialty Positions: Buyer | On-Set Dresser 
  • Second to the Leadman: Gang boss
  • General Crew: Swing gang/Set Dresser

The Sound Department is responsible for capturing and recording sound on set. High profile boom and body microphones are used to ensure that dialogue is collected clearly and as free from interference as possible. This also allows for the extraction of unwanted ambient noise in post-production.

Sound crews also are responsible for capturing atmosphere or “wild” tracks, depending on the needs of the production. 

  • Department Head: Sound Mixer
  • Positions: Sound Boom | Sound Technician | Sound Playback

The Special Effects Department  produces visual, pyrotechnic (fire, smoke, explosion, and firearm effects) or physical effects (designing and making, props, models, scenery, prosthetic and mechanically animated pieces) to create a particular impression or illusion while filming. 

  • Department Head: Special Effects Coordinator
  • Seconds: Special effects Foreman | Special Effects Welder Foreman 
  • Specialty Positions: Licensed Pyro Operator | Assistant Pyro Operator 
  • General Crew: Special Effects (Assist) | Special Effects Welder

A studio teacher is a certified teacher who works on set with child actors, ensuring that they receive a proper education while working in the entertainment industry. Studio teachers are required by law in Illinois State Law and play a critical role in the learning, protection, and welfare of child actors.

The Video Playback Department is responsible for displaying moving or action based computer and video content to screens that appear on camera such as phones, computers, or televisions. 

Additionally, this department provides transmission of the image being captured by camera to crew monitoring stations throughout the set.

  • Department Head: Video Engineer/Computer Video Assistant
  • Second: Video Assist/Playback
  • General Crew: Video Assist Assistant