Have you ever wondered how a movie or TV show set is managed throughout each day of production with all of the moving parts, all of the people, all of the action, and only so many hours in the day? Or how the production manages to always get the same information into the right people’s hands at the right time during all of the controlled chaos? Moreover, how does each day's schedule fit into the bigger schedule of shooting the entire film or show? Who is running the set to make sure that the director is achieving their vision, the producers are protected, the crew is safe and all of the trains are running on time? These questions and more can be answered in two words... the "Assistant Directors".

What Is An Assistant Director?

Assistant Directors, also known as "ADs", are a Director's right-hand people. Their job ultimately is to set the physical production schedule and run the set thoughtfully, safely, and efficiently to see the director's vision fulfilled on time and on budget. They plan the shooting schedule while working closely with the Director, the Director of Photography, and all of the key department heads. They analyze a script during pre-production and break the shoot down into elements such as locations, equipment, cast, and crew to estimate how long it will take to bring the script to life on film.

During filming the First Assistant Director manages the set and wherever the camera is, the Key 2nd Assistant Director manages everything else that's off set and is responsible for creating the daily Call Sheet that all of production uses for the day's logistics, the 2nd 2nd Assistant Director handles cast and crew logistics like getting in and out of Hair & Make Up and managing all background actors on and off set, and then all of the Production Assistants work to make all of their tasks happen.

The Assistant Directors are in constant communication with each other and every department and cast member to make sure the production day is executed as scheduled so the creative vision can be realized. Imagine being hired on a TV show or motion picture as an Assistant Director or in the AD department and not knowing the intricacies and expectations of the job you were hired to do. How could you possibly succeed? That’s where training comes in, and why I am so excited about the Stage 32 Master Certification track in Assistant Directing that I have the honor of teaching.

While the various responsibilities that an Assistant Director handles on a film or TV show may seem daunting, they don’t need to be! That’s why I’m teaching Stage 32’s new Assistant Director Master Certification along with several amazing Assistant Director colleagues. We are all members of the Directors Guild of America and we have worked on such films and television shows as The Walking Dead, Sons Of Anarchy, Seal Team, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, Chicago Fire, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Halloween, The Blues Brothers, E.T. - The Extraterrestrial, and many more.

The Stage 32 Master Certification track in Assistant Directing breaks everything down over six individual certification courses that not only explain the importance of each task and role, but we also show you how the job is done and what skills you’ll need to master in order to have a great career as an Assistant Director yourself.

Being a part of the on-set production team that makes a story come to life on screen is what makes working on films and TV shows an amazing experience, but the importance of this position cannot be overstated. Our Stage 32 Assistant Director Master Certification track examines and explains the real job of an Assistant Director from pre-production through production.

Learning how to be an Assistant Director and succeeding at it means being a main cog in the collaborative process and experience of filmmaking. It is exciting to play an intricate role in telling stories cinematically. And the industry needs more qualified Assistant Directors. That’s why I appreciate Stage 32 for creating this extensive, thorough certification course.

How Can You Get Started?

If you're interested in registering for Stage 32's Certification Courses, you can do so NOW!

Each course requires you to take a test at the end that you must pass to be entered into the Film Commission & Production Company Database. To see this for yourself, click HERE!

If you missed our blog from earlier this Summer, Stage 32 Certification is already resulting in successes! A feature film produced by Certification graduates is now in pre-production! Click HERE to read the blog!

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