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At Wrapbook, we pride ourselves on providing outstanding free resources to producers and their crews, but this post is for informational purposes only as of the date above. The content on our website is not intended to provide and should not be relied on for legal, accounting, or tax advice. You should consult with your own legal, accounting, or tax advisors to determine how this general information may apply to your specific circumstances.
The Wardrobe Department is responsible for choosing, coordinating, fitting, and constructing every garment you see in a given film, television show, or commercial.
The costume designer is the head of the wardrobe department. Working closely with the director, production designer, and DP, they develop a wardrobe plan that enhances story and tone.
On complex productions, this role is often linked with early development and may be instrumental during pre-production.
The wardrobe supervisor handles day-to-day logistics, overseeing costumers and dressers, tracking continuity, and maintaining the condition and organization of wardrobe items. They also interface with production to handle receipts, rentals, and returns.
In essence, they manage the day-to-day execution of the costume designer’s vision.
The set costumer represents the wardrobe department on set. They’re always on standby, watching the performers and making adjustments as necessary, whether that means fixing a minor tear or adjusting shirt collars to ensure proper continuity.
It’s a surprisingly fast-paced job on a film crew positions list that requires quick-thinking and a present mind.
The costume coordinator manages the administrative side of the department—tracking purchases, scheduling fittings, and ensuring garments are labeled and logged correctly. They bridge creative and logistical needs to keep everything running smoothly.
The tailor builds or alters garments to fit specific performers or match creative requirements. From vintage repairs to building custom uniforms, this role is critical for fit, movement, and finish.
A project that sources the majority of its wardrobe from vintage shops and costume houses might only need one or two tailors on hand, but massive, wardrobe-heavy productions such as The Favourite will often require an entire costume shop of capable tailors.
The shopper shops. They visit stores and rental houses of all kinds to find the perfect shirt, shoes, or bedazzled belt.
But make no mistake, this job is not as easy as a stroll through the mall. Shoppers must possess a rare combination of taste, communication skills, and physical endurance. And given the always-present constraints of time and money on any production, the shopper may very well have the most stressful day-to-day responsibilities of all the film crew positions in the wardrobe department.
The Sound Department captures every word, breath, footstep, and ambient moment that brings your story to life.
While often overlooked during planning, good sound can make or break your final cut—and poor on-set audio can lead to costly pickups or extensive ADR in post.
The production sound mixer is in charge of recording all relevant sound on the shooting day. That includes everything from principal dialogue to room tone to wild lines to limited sound effects.
The role of the on-set sound mixer is quite different from that of a sound mixer in post. The production sound mixer is concerned with gathering high-quality raw audio materials that will only later be layered into a film or television show’s final mix.
The boom operator is responsible for operating the boom mic, but they also play a significant role in placing microphones around sets and on performers in order to achieve the highest overall quality in the audio department’s recordings.
On low budget productions, the boom operator and the production sound mixer film crew positions are often filled by a single individual, but their skill sets differ considerably and should always be hired as separate film crew positions whenever financial circumstances allow.
Larger productions may require a sound assistant or cable person to be hired in addition to the senior sound department film crew positions.
The sound assistant primarily supports the department through microphone placement and the monitoring of equipment, but they may be called upon to assist any other member of the sound department with any task requiring additional personnel.
The Craft Service and Catering Departments make sure that the film crew is fed, hydrated, and ready to work. Though often lumped together, these are two distinct roles.
The catering crew handles full meals—typically breakfast and lunch, and sometimes dinner depending on the schedule. Meals are served at set times, often under union or contractual obligations (such as the six-hour rule). Caterers may operate out of trucks or a designated meal space, and they need to accommodate a wide range of dietary needs.
Crafty keeps snacks, drinks, and small bites available throughout the day. Unlike catering, craft service is always “open”—usually located at a central table or station. The craft service attendant monitors cleanliness, restocks items, and helps ensure crew stays alert and hydrated between meals.
Both craft services and catering are often filled by external companies or individuals operating as an LLC. As such, there is no official film crew hierarchy of individual film crew positions within either department. However, craft service and catering personnel are vital members of the film crew family.
The Stunts Department handles all physically demanding or hazardous action that appears on screen—whether it’s a simple fall, a car flip, or a high-wire explosion. Their job is to create the illusion of danger while keeping everyone safe.
These women and men are the real action heroes, risking life and limb to plan and execute some of the most exciting sequences in movie history.
The stunt coordinator is an expert in creating physical illusion and mitigating physical danger.
Usually experienced stunt performers themselves, stunt coordinators collaborate with directors to design, cast, and choreograph whatever stunts a script or sequence may require.
The stunt performer actually carries out a given stunt, as conceived by the director and stunt coordinator.
Stunt performer film crew positions are not for the weak of heart or stomach. They simultaneously require a keen eye for personal safety and a willingness to put that safety at reasonable risk.
The set medic is not technically part of the stunts department. However, if the stunts department is active on any set, the presence of a set medic is an absolute requirement.
The set medic is prepared for short-term response to medical emergencies of nearly any kind. In bad conditions, that could mean anything from monitoring a concussion to treating an open wound.
While visual effects are often completed in post-production, the VFX Department frequently plays a critical role during principal photography.
From planning green screen elements to tracking set data or consulting on practical effects, this team ensures that visual effects can be executed cleanly later.
The VFX supervisor is the creative and technical lead for all visual effects work and can help plan for a project’s needs long before cameras roll.
On set, they collaborate with the director, DP, and production designer to plan shots that will later be enhanced or built digitally. They ensure correct camera data, lens information, tracking markers, and lighting references are captured.
Supervisors also work with stunt, SFX, and art departments to decide what can be achieved practically—and what needs to be handled digitally.
The VFX coordinator manages communication and schedules between departments and vendors, ensuring all necessary data is collected on set and that post-production workflows are aligned with key deadlines.
The Production Department is the glue that holds the entire shoot together. From budgeting and scheduling to hiring and legal compliance, this team ensures that all departments are aligned and the project stays on track.
The line producer manages the day-to-day operations of the production. They oversee budgeting, crew hiring, cost tracking, union compliance, insurance, and high-level logistics.
They’re often the bridge between above-the-line decision-makers and below-the-line crew.
The unit production manager (UPM) is the chief administrator of all film crew positions. They handle the practical details of production: vendor coordination, location contracts, crew onboarding, union paperwork, and payroll oversight. They are deeply involved in budgeting and typically sign off on all financial decisions during production.
If you have film crew salary or payroll questions, the UPM is always the best person to ask. For that reason, they also play a vital role in getting any movie crewed up before cameras roll.
Working below the UPM and line producer, the production coordinator makes sure that all departments are on the same page.
Side by side with the rest of the production staff, these coordinators handle the paperwork and communication necessary to keep all departments working together towards the same goal.
The production accountant tracks expenses, reconciles budgets, manages invoices, and ensures payroll flows smoothly.
On larger productions, the production accountant may have an entire department of film crew positions dedicated to this task. However, on lower-budget productions, these same responsibilities may be split between the UPM and line producer.
Unlike on-set PAs, office production assistants are dedicated to assisting only the workers within a project’s production office.
They handle runs, paperwork, crew lunch orders, and other admin tasks from the production office. It's often an entry-level position—but a great launchpad into producing, coordination, or accounting roles.
Understanding film crew positions is the first step to building a production that runs smoothly, stays on budget, and wraps on time. From hiring department heads to coordinating payroll and compliance, every choice you make affects the entire shoot.
Wrapbook helps production teams move faster by streamlining onboarding, automating payroll, and keeping you compliant from prep to post. To get started, request a demo today!
Whether you’re producing a Mission: Impossible-sized blockbuster or a Paranormal Activity no-budget indie, one look at the closing credits reveals that every production relies on a diverse crew of specialized professionals to bring a creative vision to life.
It doesn’t matter if you’re an emerging producer or building your first crew; understanding these film crew positions is essential. It helps you hire smarter, communicate better, and avoid costly production hiccups.
In this post, we’ll help you successfully navigate the flood of film set roles on your next call sheet by decoding the basics of film crew hierarchy and running down the essential on-set jobs within it.
In production budgeting, you'll often hear about above-the-line and below-the-line crew positions. These terms refer to how film crew positions are compensated, but they also reflect broader creative and organizational roles.
Understanding this division helps producers plan budgets, track payroll, and stay in compliance across the full list of film production crew positions.
On any list of film crew positions, above-the-line crew members are the first people hired and the last to leave. They shape the creative direction, secure financing, and are typically involved from development through final delivery.
These roles are considered “above the line” because their pay is usually negotiated as a flat fee or percentage, rather than based on hours or days worked. Even more than a budget line item, they represent the core leadership team of a production.
Here’s a breakdown of the most essential above-the-line film production crew positions:
The director leads the creative vision of the film. From working with actors to making key decisions about performance, tone, and pacing, the director is involved in nearly every phase of production.
They work closely with all departments to ensure the final product matches the story they’re trying to tell.
The producer is one of the most important people on a list of film crew positions.
They secure funding, hire the team, manage schedules, and oversee the production from a high level. A producer may be creative, logistical, or both—but without one, a project can’t move forward.
Executive producer is a catch-all term on a list of film crew positions. It indicates authority and respect without necessarily denoting any specific film crew jobs or tasks.
Some EPs are involved in financing; others lend their industry connections or creative input. In some cases, the title is honorary. What unites all EPs is their influence: their involvement brings credibility or resources that help get a project made.
While technically not part of the crew, the principal cast is typically considered above the line on a film crew positions list because of their contracted fees and integral role in the production’s success. Their involvement often impacts funding, marketing, and creative direction.
Whether they’re SAG or just SAG-eligible, the salaries of any principal cast members often represent the majority of the above the line costs in any feature film or television show’s budget.
The casting director is responsible for assembling the right on-screen talent. They organize auditions, offer suggestions based on script needs, and often shape how characters are ultimately perceived.
Though their work wraps before filming starts, their impact on the final product is enormous.
While above-the-line film production crew positions guide the big-picture creative and financial direction, the below-the-line crew is responsible for turning that vision into reality.
These are the hands-on professionals who manage the shoot, build the world, capture the footage, and keep the production moving.
Below-the-line film crew positions are typically hired on a daily or weekly basis, with pay based on union scales, negotiated rates, or hourly wages. These roles make up the majority of any crew, and are organized by department—each with its own hierarchy and specialized tasks.
The AD Department is the nerve center of production. They keep all departments aligned and the schedule on track. Basically the organizational lifeline for daily operations.
The 1st AD is responsible for running the set.
While their title suggests they assist the director, they’re actually managing the entire shooting schedule, enforcing safety protocols, and coordinating between departments to keep production on time and on budget.
If (and, almost assuredly, when) a problem arises, you should approach their second in command.
The 2nd assistant director is the 1st AD’s right hand.
This essential role on any film crew positions list handles the daily call sheet and is in charge of moving cast to and from set. But their real superpower is communication: they ensure that everyone knows what’s happening, when it’s happening, and where they need to be.
To do this, 2nd ADs have to maintain a basic understanding of how nearly every department and film crew position operates. At the behest of the 1st AD, they’re most often coordinating forces behind-the-scenes to solve or prevent problems of all types and sizes.
Not every production needs one, but when things scale up—especially with crowd scenes or multiple units—the 2nd 2nd AD helps divide and conquer. They take on overflow scheduling, background performer management, and other critical logistics.
You may not see a single 2nd 2nd AD on a list of film crew positions for a low-budget indie, but you would likely find several of them working on a blockbuster with large crowds of background performers and a film crew the size of a small army.
Technically part of the Production Department, the set PA often takes direction from the ADs. This early-career role on a film crew positions list requires workers to be flexible and reliable as they are tasked with anything and everything needed to keep the set running smoothly.
The role of the set PA is invaluable precisely because its low position makes it one of very few film crew jobs that can be called upon to carry out nearly any task, which means finding good ones can be harder than you’d think!
The Art Department is responsible for the entire physical look of the production.
From the sets and props to furniture and graphic details, if it’s visible on camera and not a costume or digital effect, it likely came through this team. Depending on the size of your project, the art department can range from a handful of film production crew positions to a sprawling network of designers, fabricators, and specialists.
The production designer is the head of the art department. They work with the director and director of photography to craft an overall look for a film, as well as lead the team that brings it to life.
The art director is the production designer’s second-in-command, tasked with executing the production designer’s vision.
While the designer handles high-level decisions, the art director manages the day-to-day team operations, including scheduling, budgeting, and overseeing the work of construction crews, set dressers, and painters.
On larger productions, art directors typically have several assistant art directors working below them.
The set dresser is a specialized film production crew position in charge of arranging the furniture, decorations, and other graphic elements of a set.
On larger productions, this role often works under the guidance of a set decorator, who handles selection and style continuity, but on smaller shoots the lines between these roles may blur.
The prop master is in charge of all non-costume, non-set items used by actors—phones, food, letters, fake money, utensils, and so on... On larger productions, the prop master is often in charge of their own Props Department, a sub-department revolving around the design, management, and construction of prop items.
The art PA is the go-to support for anything the art team needs—runs to the hardware store, labeling props, moving furniture, helping with builds, and more. Often, this is the first stepping stone to higher roles in the department.
The film crew positions within many departments are often flexible according to the specific needs of a given production. However, few departments are as flexible or varied as the art department.
Additional film production crew positions on art team might include:
If the Art Department designs the world of the film, the Camera Department decides how you see it.
This team works closely with the director and director of photography to bring the story to life with precision, artistry, and an increasingly complex set of visual tools.
The director of photography is responsible for recording the images of a film in accordance with a director’s vision. They make key decisions about lighting, framing, camera movement, and exposure to help realize the project’s visual language.
They also collaborate with the grip and electric teams to shape the lighting environment on set.
The camera operator physically operates the camera during takes. Whether it’s on a dolly, Steadicam, handheld rig, or drone, they are responsible for executing the DP’s vision in real time.
On multi-camera productions, there may be several camera operators on the film crew positions list..
Traditionally, 1st ACs are most known for pulling focus during a shot. However, with the proliferation of digital cameras, the duties of a modern 1st AC have expanded to cover the management of lens swaps, sensor settings, and camera data.
The 2nd AC supports the 1st AC and the camera operator. Their responsibilities include maintaining the gear, keeping logs, organizing accessories, and—most famously—slating every take.
Born from the unique complications of shooting digitally, the DIT manages and troubleshoots all aspects of the digital workflow as it exists on set.
Reporting to the DP, they manage the digital workflow on set—handling footage backups, applying LUTs (look-up tables), and ensuring the captured image matches the intended look.
The Electric Department creates light, collaborating with the Grip Department to execute the director of photography’s lighting plan.
The gaffer is a production’s chief lighting technician and head of the electric department. They interpret the lighting plan and design technical solutions to achieve the production’s desired look, whether that involves rigging 10Ks on a condor or bouncing LED panels off a wall.
They’re also responsible for power distribution planning and overall safety when it comes to electrical loads.
The best boy electric (BBE) is the gaffer’s second-in-command. They manage crew scheduling, rentals, and gear maintenance, and often handle the logistics of hiring, timesheets, and inventory.
While the traditional “best boy” title is still most typically used, the alternative film crew positions of “best electric” and “best person” are gaining popularity and may very well be encountered on your next film crew positions list.
An electric (or electric lighting technician) physically sets up lights, runs cables, powers equipment, and adjusts lighting instruments on set. They’re essential to executing the lighting plan safely and efficiently.
Smaller sets may hire electrics as swings, meaning they work in both the electric and grip departments depending on what’s needed.
The generator operator manages any mobile power source brought to set. On larger productions, this is a specialized safety-critical role that ensures the entire production is powered properly without overloading circuits or risking fire hazards.
Low budget productions utilizing only small generators may not require a generator operator. However, on shoots with large generators or large arrays of generators, a competent generator operator is essential to not only to the success of the production but also the safety of all cast and film crew members.
While the Electric Department creates light, the Grip Department controls how it behaves—shaping, blocking, and modifying it with flags, silks, reflectors, and other equipment. They also physically support other departments as necessary with rigging and temporary structural elements.
The key grip is the department head and works closely with the gaffer and DP to execute lighting setups. Their team controls shadows, diffusion, camera movement rigs, and structural builds—from overhead pipe grids to car mounts to scaffolding.
The best boy grip is the key grip’s second-in-command. They tackle sensitive managerial operations and oversee the construction of more complicated grip elements.
On a large production, the organizational skills of a solid best boy grip can mean the difference between wrapping early and accruing vast quantities of overtime.
The grip physically executes the strategy laid out by the key grip, best boy, and director of photography. This includes rigging equipment, setting flags or silks, securing dolly tracks, and adjusting modifiers to shape light precisely as needed.
On a union shoot, if literally anything needs to be moved on a set, you’ll almost certainly need a grip to move it for you.
The dolly grip specializes in operating the camera dolly, including laying and leveling track, executing moves, and maintaining the rig. On some productions, they also assist with camera cranes or other specialized camera support.
Collectively referred to as “The Vanities,” the Hair & Make-Up Departments prepare on-camera talent for the big screen.
These departments are critical for shaping character looks, maintaining visual continuity, and collaborating across wardrobe, production design, and camera to craft a consistent on-screen aesthetic.
The key make-up artist is in charge of setting the talent’s look for a given scene. They work closely with not only the director but also the production designer, director of photography, and wardrobe designer to craft a cohesive look that contributes to the film’s overall aesthetic.
Similarly, the key hair stylist is in charge of setting the talent’s hairstyle for a given scene. This requires a diverse range of skills to account for multiple hair types, varying aesthetic requirements, and challenging conditions like weather, stunts, or continuity jumps.
Make-up and hair assistants support the department leads and help manage large casts, background performers, and continuity throughout the day. The more talent you have, the more HMU assistants you’ll need to keep things on schedule.
The SPFX make-up artist specializes in advanced techniques like prosthetics, scars, aging effects, and injury simulation.
These artists often collaborate with stunt coordinators, costume, and VFX to blend physical and digital effects seamlessly.
