Job Profile
1st Assistant director part 2
Here’s all the result of the second part of the sheet business on the 1st assistant director. We will see in this article what are the qualities it takes to be a good 1st assistant director, how to become a 1er assistant director, the business opportunities that this post offers and we will finish by the salary of the 1st assistant director.
The qualities of a good 1st assistant director
The 1st assistant director must always…
…keep calm and this in any circumstance. If you see a first assistant to panic, or jumping about in all directions, it is that it does not control its subject…how do you want to in this case that the team has confidence ?
The 1st assistant director needs to be positive and reactive. To do this he must know the scenario by heart, the constraints as well as its work plan on the fingertips. It must be able to find a solution quickly in case of problems…How you say ?
This is very simple ;o) The 1st assistant director must anticipate all of the problems before they do not point the tip of their nose. Impossible, you tell me ?? Believe me, no !
The 1st assistant director must be resourceful, humble, have the team spirit, it must be organized and know how to calm the tensions. It is a kind of mediator sometimes lol
The 1st assistant director should it really be necessary ?
The work of the 1st assistant director it is, therefore, to foresee everything ! Even the unexpected ! lol let me explain : let’s Imagine that I make my work plan and that Tuesday, the 2nd of which I plan to turn in the middle of the sea , or outside! On the eve of the filming, I hear that there is a strong chance that the sea to be dismantled, or there is a storm (or the same day it snows !) that prevents me from going out….What to do ?
– Stop the shooting ?
Wait until the storm passes ?
– Out at sea, whatever the cost ?
To avoid this kind of headache, I’m going to have to provide a fallback solution before the problem arrives. If ever this (these) case arises, taking into account the presence of the actors, the sets close and ready to shoot, I’m going to have to provide what is called a coverset ! That is to say, a setting in which I will be able to turn to the inside if something prevents me to go in the middle of the sea, or to shoot outdoors !
And this is just one thing among many others ! lol The job of the 1st assistant director can have catastrophic consequences on the shooting and may cost a lot of money to the production if he is wrong.
I repeat again, this is a profession where it is necessary to keep his calme, to know the film by heart and have a strong team of assistants behind you. To err is human, and the 1st assistant director is not infallible. It is for this reason that we are also working in a team. These errors will not be serious if they are detected upstream ! A part of the 2nd and 3rd assistant director, is to constantly review the information ;o)
1st assistant director, a profession based on human relations
I say to you all net, often the 1st assistant director is perceived as the bogeyman or a guard chiourme (the one that was lashing the problems, the one who was severe and violent, so that the slaves row faster).
However, this profession is based on human relationships. I often repeat that you don’t make a film all alone, and it does not direct a tea all alone. If the 1st assistant director is not listening to the needs and requests of the director and of heads of posts, then everything will go through. If I had to find a parallel with the struggles of slaves, I would say that the first wizard is more of a Hortator (I believe that it is this name there ;o)) that is to say, the man who gave the rhythm to the rowers.
In addition, the role of the staging (dir, 1st, 2nd and 3rd assistant) is an important role at the level of theatmosphere. If the assistants are screaming all the time or are not respectful, then the atmosphere on the filming will be execrable. If, on the contrary, the assistants are smiling, attentive and pros…then the atmosphere will be excellent. But remember one thing ! If you are outgoing and pro with your team, you will be able to thetake, or you want to, it will make efforts and give 100% of herself.
1st assistant director and after ?
If one wants to talk about career development, you can’t go higher than 1er assistant director. You are at the top of the chain ;o) you are an executive and you can stay 1er assistant director your whole life if you want (and if it works ;o)), or if your nerves and your ulcers leave you alone. But you can also change your job. You will have acquired, over the years, of experience and you can pretend to pass to production manager by doing one or more internships or spend director you even. Moreover, a good number of assistant directors have become directors very well known today.
How does one become a 1st Assistant director (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
One does not become immediately 1er assistant. In general, it is necessary to pass through the position of 3ème, second then 1er. It is possible to have schools that teach you the theory and a little practice. To become an Assistant director there you have it : theesra, the clcf, 3is, louis lumière etc… All paid for
Otherwise you still have the FEMIS or a BTS audiovisual.
One more thing ! Even if you are a school or a BTS, it is very uncommon to proceed directly to 1st or 2nd out of school. You will have to make your proof just like everyone else !! And so very often start at the bottom of the scale.
If you do not have the means to pay you a training and you can’t access a BTS, it remains for you to do like me :
Roll up your sleeves !
You’re going to tell me : ” I don’t have a network, I don’t know anyone “ I didn’t know anyone. The best way to learn is to practice. To practice and get experience, there’s nothing like running shorts. I have made over twenty short films as an assistant that 2nd and first assistant director beforeaccess my first post of third assistant (and the only one ;o)). But it allows you to make a network and show that you are capable of.
To find a trainee position or 3th wizard, no need to know a 1st assistant director. On a film (feature and tv movie) le 1er assistant producer chooses its mate and the second assistant director chooses to turn the 3rd wizard or his trainee (in agreement with the 1 –er) but if the second has confidence in his 3rd or intern, there is no reason for the 1er assistant director does not agree (unless he wants to put someone from his family !). So this means that you can meet a second assistant director and try ” to seduce.” The best way is to work with him, to show that you are there. Once again, the best way to experience it is to run the shoots. The second assistant directors make a lot of short films as a 1st assistant director, try to get a position of 3rd !
You say that you have to start a day. To hope to do your job you need to build your network and this way is the best ;o) THEN MOVE YOU !!!!
How much money does the 1st assistant director and what is the status there ?
Before talking about salary I would like to remind you thatwe do this job by passion. Of course, the wages that I’m going to give you are high compared to what earns an average worker. But don’t forget that the assistant director as all technicians, on a film, are intermittent shows. It is a precarious status, and many of us do not work for months (believe me, it is hard sometimes).
Another fact to know : sometimes the productions require efforts to the technicians up to – 50 % of the salary. In short, once you allow it, over a year, it is not very heavy. If you think you will become rich or ride in a Porsche, go your way !
The salary of the 1st assistant director in the package is : 1387 euros/week for 35heures + 4% to 25% Gross
For a day of 8 hours : 355/day gross
For advertising, the daily wage may be much higher.
That’s it for this second part of the article on the job profile of the 1st assistant director. I hope this has enlightened on the opportunities that you have and this exciting profession. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to post them at the bottom of this article.
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Thank you to those who will make it ;o) and those who already are ;o) you are every day more numerous, thanks to you I live an extraordinary adventure made for sharing and the cinema ;o)
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Soon,
Tom Weil
* This little asterisk to explain what I meant by make-up and hair. Sometimes in the scenario the author gives us some info on a character, for example :
A trickle of blood running down the front of Lucas
Or
Michel to the hands full of grease
As a wizard I have to note in the tabulation that you will need to provide with the make-up artist of the blood to Lucas for the sequence X such day. It will also be the grease on the hands of Michel for the sequence Y such other day ; (o) In beyond be of importance to the game and the scene, these indications of blood and sludge can make me lose time if I plan another sequence right after, or Lucas and Michel do have more blood and sludge….. ;o)
** Pre-stripping figuration : I use the term because on a dépouilement general it is rare to see the detail of the figuration. We find the total number of contained, which we will need for this or that sequence, but not the detail that is to say, the number of : men, women, children etc..This work to detail the figuration is the responsibility of the 2nd assistant staged in collaboration with the head of wire.
*** The 1st wizard does its skinning in the order of the scenario that is to say, of the sequence 1 to 110, for example. Out of a number of technicians like to have a count in the order of filming (as it appears on the plan of work) They can have access to information faster every day.