While many people want to work in the TV or Film industry, most students flock to only a handful of the more high profile jobs.
Directors, producers, and editors get a lot of love in the industry, but there are hundreds of people working diligently in the background to support the work that they do.
Anyone considering a move to Hollywood should look more closely at the many and varied careers available, as they might be surprised at the ones that end up appealing to them.
Post-Production Supervisor
While everyone has heard of an editor and of the important work they do for a film or television show, far fewer people know what a post-production supervisor does. In fact, most haven’t ever heard of this position at all. Yet, without a post supervisor, no content would ever make it to the big or small screen at all.
Post supervisors can be in charge of everything from the hiring, budgeting, scheduling, and day-to-day management of the entire post team, including the aforementioned editor.
They generally watch every cut, pointing out any technical or continuity errors, and follow the final product all the way through color correcting and audio polishing.
They are the point people who coordinate receiving raw footage, and are the last ones to see a film or episode before final delivery.
The crucial, but often overlooked, details of finalizing a film or television show, such as ordering the CCSL transcription, broadcast scripts, and subtitles, fall on the post supervisor to handle. This job is demanding, but can pay well, and an established post supervisor can work steadily year-round.
Script Supervisor
Anyone who has ever wondered who makes sure that a character’s outfit is the same from scene to scene—even when shot days apart—or how actors manage to make take after take fit together without running into continuity issues, can thank the script supervisor. Not only do they follow the scrip itself, to make sure important lines of dialogue are not flubbed or skipped, they are often the first line of defense against a continuity error that would otherwise not be caught until weeks later in the edit.
They also are often in charge of passing notes from the production team to the post production team, making sure editors know which take was the director’s favorite or which camera angle to avoid using in a given moment. A good script supervisor is beloved by directors and editors, and can work steadily throughout the year.
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Executive in Charge
The EIC, or Executive in Charge, is the most powerful person on any given production aside from the executive producers. They handle all the day to day management, leaving time for the producers to exercise their creativity. While an executive producer may pick a stage design they like, the EIC will hire the staff to build it, make sure all permits have been acquired, schedule the stage crew, budget all of it, and communicate with the production company or network all along the way. Producers are the artists, but the EIC is the head of the team that makes the art reality.
Clearance Supervisor
No clips, music, art, or even branded content would ever make air without a clearance supervisor. They ensure that if a character is sipping from a soda bottle, that soda company isn’t going to sue. Any artwork or music that make it into a film have passed through the hands of the clearance team, who have negotiated deals with the relevant parties, down to the number of seconds that can be used.
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They are absolutely crucial to the smooth running of a set or edit, and without them entertainment lawyers would have much busier schedules. Clearance supervisors can have very stable careers, as they come on board during pre-production to try to avoid making mistakes, and stay on through post production to catch any final issues that slipped through.
These are just four of the overlooked position that are crucial to the success of any film. If you’re considering a career in the film industry, but don’t know where exactly to start looking, consider these positions.
Image Credit: film industry careers by Pixabay
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