What Does an Assistant Director Do? A Guide to AD Roles in Film and TV

Background actors and stand-ins interact with many people on set, but their main points of contact are usually assistant directors. Aside from giving background actors direction in a scene, it’s the assistant director’s job to help a production run smoothly and on time.

What is an assistant director?

Assistant directors (ADs) are in charge of managing the set during production and act as the liaison between the director and the rest of the crew.

There are a number of roles under the assistant director title. Some of the most common AD roles in film and TV are:

• First assistant director or 1st AD
• Second assistant director or 2nd AD
• Second second assistant director or 2nd 2nd AD

Most projects employ at least one 1st AD and one 2nd AD, with 2nd 2nd ADs usually hired on big-budget productions or calls with a high number of background actors.

An assistant director’s job can vary from production to production and can also be influenced by if the project is filming in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom or another location. Generally, the AD team is responsible for figuring out the logistics to make the director’s vision come to life.

Assistant directors are sometimes confused with a director’s assistant, but they are two different roles. Unlike an assistant director who can work in both an administrative and on set capacity during pre-production and production, a director’s assistant usually works in an administrative capacity throughout all phases of the production process.

What are a 1st AD’s job responsibilities?

The first assistant director is responsible for the overall logistics, scheduling and coordination of a production. During pre-production, their job mostly revolves around planning, then executing that plan during filming.

• Breaking down the script is the first step in creating the full production schedule. The 1st AD identifies all the elements needed for each scene, including which principal actors appear, how many background actors are needed, props required, etc. Then they work with the department heads to understand what the director, director of photography, locations, costumes, and all other departments need in order to shoot the scene. Once the script breakdown is complete, the 1st AD can create the shooting schedule.
• Calling the roll is one of the first assistant director’s main responsibilities during filming. If you’ve worked as a background actor before, you know to listen for certain cues like “background” and “back to one.” It’s up to the 1st AD to make sure the scene is ready to film before the director calls “action.”
• Coordinating with the crew and acting as a go-between for the director and all departments is a top responsibility for first assistant directors. If changes need to be made to the scene or if there are conflicts on set, the 1st AD works with the department heads and delegates tasks to ensure the production remains on schedule and runs smoothly.

How is a 2nd AD different from a 1st AD?

While the first assistant director coordinates the overall logistics of a production, the second assistant director is more focused on the day-to-day coordination of talent and production paperwork.

• Creating daily call sheets from the 1st AD’s production schedule is one of a 2nd AD’s top priorities. Call sheets are specific to each filming date and include call times for the cast and crew, which scenes are filming that day, where and when those scenes are filming, a breakdown of how many background actors and stand-ins are needed that day and more.
• Ensuring all talent are on time and camera ready, including principal actors and background actors, and helping talent get from hair to makeup to set is how second assistant directors help first assistant directors keep the production on schedule.
• Directing background actors is often part of a 2nd AD’s responsibilities, though 2nd 2nd ADs or production assistants can also give background actors direction in a scene. Second assistant directors also work with stand-ins, who take the place of the principal actor for rehearsals and lighting set-ups.

What do second second assistant directors do?

Large productions or productions with complex schedules may opt to hire a 2nd 2nd AD to assist the 2nd AD with their workload. Second second assistant directors can take on the background actor coordination, including checking in talent, managing background schedules, directing background actors in the scene and filling out vouchers at the end of the day. Depending on the needs of the project, a 2nd 2nd AD may work during the entire production phase or may only work on days with large calls or when the AD team needs additional support.

Working with assistant directors as a background actor and stand-in

Whether you want to work in front of or behind the camera, getting on set experience as a background actor or stand-in is a great place to start. Not only does background work provide valuable experience on a professional film set, but background actors work closely with many different departments, including the assistant director team.

Since a large part of an assistant director’s responsibility is time management, background actors who show up on time and camera ready contribute to keeping a production running smoothly. But background actors contribute more than just keeping filming on schedule, their performance adds authenticity and can contribute to the tone of the scene. Assistant directors notice when background actors are keyed into instructions and put effort into their performance, which can go a long way if you’re interested in making connections in the industry.

“I look for background actors who listen, who follow directions, and who understand what it is they can lend to production,” said Michele Azenzer Bear, an assistant director who has recently worked on The Upshaws, Call Me Kat and Happy Together. “You just never know what a new day is going to bring, it could be a new opportunity.”

For background actors looking to work as stand-ins, that new opportunity could be getting upgraded from a background actor to a stand-in on set. Stand-in work provides an opportunity to work more closely with cast and crew members and, particularly in multi-camera productions, requires experience and professionalism.

How do you get your first stand-in role? Assistant director Molly Rodriguez, whose credits include Nobodies, Big Shot and Nashville, advises background actors to be attentive and follow directions, which shows you can handle the responsibilities of a stand-in.

“The ADs want to know that they’re hiring someone who’s going to be a team player and work hard,” Molly said. “Whether you’re green or not doesn’t really matter when upgrading on set. As long as you have a good attitude and pay attention, that’s like half the battle right there.”