In order for any movie to be successful, there are a bunch of people who work day and night to make it happen. It’s their hard work that gets a movie from script to screen. From screenwriter to director or production designer to costume designer, each of them brings in a different element during the film shoot.

As the production gets larger, more people are needed to handle various aspects. Although all roles in the film production team are equally important, an effective communication strategy and good teamwork are required to get the job done for a better end product. 

Behind the scenes: Main roles in the film production team

If you’re planning to make your own film or pursue a career in filmmaking, it’s crucial for you to understand the film crew hierarchy. 

Producer 

The producer oversees the entire process of production from start to finish with an aim of keeping everything on time and within the allocated budget. They develop the project from the initial idea, finalize the script and also manage the entire production team. In addition to this, he is involved throughout the entire project lifecycle i.e. pre-production, production and post-production.

Director 

Typically the most involved and entrusted person on and off set. The director assists the team to bring vision to life by guiding them in the right direction. They are immersed in every aspect of the filmmaking process and are linked with dozens of people to get the job done smoothly.

Screenwriter

For a viewer, it may seem natural to hear dialogue in the film, but a writer is the one who carefully crafts it to make it sound appealing. Screenwriters or scriptwriters do far more than this – research, developing the narrative, writing screenplay, and also shapes the sequence of events in the film to ensure the right scene transitions, in order to unfold the story logically in an interesting way. 

Like the director and producer, screenwriters also play an important role in the completion of any film. In short, there will be no movie, if there is no script!

Production Designer 

The production designer is responsible for the overall aesthetic of the story. He is the first artist to translate the script into a visual form and is also responsible for creating a series of storyboards that usually serves as the film’s first draft. Creating the storyboard ensures the visual continuity of the film from start to finish. 

Costume Designer 

The core of the film or any TV drama! Costume designers create, design and hire costumes for the cast so that they feel emotionally connected to the character they are playing. They also sketch and draw mood boards of the characters and costumes to communicate the style. 

So, did learning about the film production team roles interest you? There just isn’t one path to get you working in a film, there are several film crew positions out there you could opt for – so let’s get you rolling!

Join DICE-VFS – offering the best film production courses in Mumbai and master the art of filmmaking. 

Whether you want to create your own short film or if you dream to be working with a film crew in the future, DICE-VFS will help you launch your career in filmmaking.