FilmclusiveEngineering
Filmclusive ↗
Chapters

Production

Communication

Compare organizational affiliation with the cross-department communication needed to make the day work.

Who belongs where.

Selected connections: Production supervises Camera; Production supervises ElectricProductionCameraElectric
  • Production→Camera
  • Production→Electric
A few connections to start. Open the full diagram to follow every relationship.
Full diagram · 7 people and departments
A representative organizational structure: Production → Department → Department Head → Department Crew.
Connections in words
  • Production → Camera: organizational structure.
  • Production → Electric: organizational structure.
  • Camera → DP: organizational structure.
  • Electric → Gaffer: organizational structure.
  • DP → Camera crew: organizational structure.
  • Gaffer → Electric crew: organizational structure.

Who needs to communicate.

Selected connections: Director communicates with DP; Director communicates with 1st AD; 1st AD communicates with Production Office; 1st AD communicates with DP; DP communicates with Production Office1st ADDirectorProduction OfficeDP
  • Director↔DP
  • Director↔1st AD
  • 1st AD↔Production Office
  • 1st AD↔DP
  • DP↔Production Office
A few connections to start. Open the full diagram to follow every relationship.
Full diagram · 14 people and departments
Operational communication crosses department boundaries. These lines show coordination, not reporting authority.
Connections in words
  • Director ↔ DP: operational communication.
  • Director ↔ 1st AD: operational communication.
  • Director ↔ Production Designer: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Production Office: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ DP: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Gaffer: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Key Grip: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Production Designer: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Sound Mixer: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Costume: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Hair / Makeup: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Locations: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Transportation: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Script Supervisor: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Cast coordination: operational communication.
  • DP ↔ Gaffer: operational communication.
  • DP ↔ Key Grip: operational communication.
  • DP ↔ Production Designer: operational communication.
  • DP ↔ Sound Mixer: operational communication.
  • DP ↔ Production Office: operational communication.
  • DP ↔ Script Supervisor: operational communication.
  • Locations ↔ Transportation: operational communication.
  • Costume ↔ Hair / Makeup: operational communication.
  • Production Office ↔ Cast coordination: operational communication.

Two overlapping structures.

Dashed: organization · Solid: communication

Selected connections: Director communicates with DP; Director communicates with 1st AD; 1st AD communicates with Production Office; 1st AD communicates with DP; DP communicates with Production Office1st ADDirectorProduction OfficeDP
  • Director↔DP
  • Director↔1st AD
  • 1st AD↔Production Office
  • 1st AD↔DP
  • DP↔Production Office
A few connections to start. Open the full diagram to follow every relationship.
Full diagram · 16 people and departments
A DP belongs to Camera and also coordinates with the Director, ADs, Grip, Electric, Art, Sound, Production and Script Supervision. Post is another important connection beyond this on-set example.
Connections in words
  • Director ↔ DP: operational communication.
  • Director ↔ 1st AD: operational communication.
  • Director ↔ Production Designer: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Production Office: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ DP: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Gaffer: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Key Grip: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Production Designer: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Sound Mixer: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Costume: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Hair / Makeup: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Locations: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Transportation: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Script Supervisor: operational communication.
  • 1st AD ↔ Cast coordination: operational communication.
  • DP ↔ Gaffer: operational communication.
  • DP ↔ Key Grip: operational communication.
  • DP ↔ Production Designer: operational communication.
  • DP ↔ Sound Mixer: operational communication.
  • DP ↔ Production Office: operational communication.
  • DP ↔ Script Supervisor: operational communication.
  • Locations ↔ Transportation: operational communication.
  • Costume ↔ Hair / Makeup: operational communication.
  • Production Office ↔ Cast coordination: operational communication.
  • Production Office → Camera department: organizational structure.
  • Production Office → Electric department: organizational structure.
  • Camera department → DP: organizational structure.
  • Electric department → Gaffer: organizational structure.

Representative examples. There is no single universal film crew hierarchy. Organizational affiliation does not establish software permission.