Image credits –
Wikimedia
Being an AD is one of the most complex and stressful jobs. There’s a large amount of responsibility on the AD’s shoulders and they have to balance both the creative and technical elements of a TV show or movie. To excel at being an AD, here are some key things to remember:
Image credits –
Wikimedia
- Communicate clearly
As AD, you will have a bunch of people from different departments to communicate. Not all of these are associated with a single aspect of the production and may have trouble understanding certain jargon. A successful AD has the ability has the ability to understand what someone is trying to say and relay information quickly. Simultaneously, they have to be careful of not being run over by others. Authoritatively accommodating tasks while also helping them overcome issues to the best of your abilities is the task of the AD.
- Do you prepDuring pre-production, every AD has to put in the work to learn everything they can about the production. Since they are in charge of everything from the schedule for the shoots to making sure that everything goes as planned, prepping is the key to management. At any point of time, an AD is multi-tasking on different levels, a proper prepped plan will help keep their main tasks in focus. A lack of preparation will show during shooting.
- DelegationDepending on the size of the production, an AD will have other ADs under them. The most senior AD is referred to as first AD, while subsequent members are called second AD and so on. Delegating tasks to your subordinates in an efficient manner can take a lot of stress away from the first AD and make production smoother.
- Do not micromanageWhile delegating as much as possible on set is a must, micromanaging can cause friction. It is important to trust your subordinates and believe in them to understand their instructions. Constantly hovering over the crew and checking in to see if they’re doing what they are supposed to.
Being a good AD comes down to experience and being assertive. You will face problems and stress in the beginning but eventually, you will develop the necessary skills to excel in the industry. As long as you understand what is required of you and can accommodate all your tasks through efficient planning and problem solving, you will be a great AD.
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