Careers In Culture

Film and Broadcasting - What You Need to Do

What Film And Broadcasting People Do

Thousands of Canadians today are working in film, television, animation, radio and indie podcasting. A big company usually divides the work up among many people. A smaller organization may use one person for several types of work. Many workers in this sector are self-employed, or work on contract. Whether you have a desire to be in front of the camera or microphone, or behind the scenes, you will be a part of a complex, exciting process involving the collaboration of many talented and skilled people.

On this page:


Careers In Film And Television

Audio-visual productions include feature films, documentaries, television dramas, talk shows, advertising commercials and industrial videos. If you dream about being in front of the camera or working behind it, you'll be part of a fast-paced, intense process that uses the skills and talents of many different people. Scroll through the image below to see what people in these careers do.

Careers In Film And Television


 

CREATION

Scriptwriter: Researches and writes the script.

Composer: Creates background and thematic music.

Songwriter: Composes the lyrics and/or music.

INTERPRETATION

Actor: Creates a character in a production, based on a scriptwriters dialogue, director's notes, and his/her own interpretation of the role; roles include lead or featured character, principle role (more than 5 lines), actor role (5 lines or fewer), or background performer (no lines).

Arranger: Creates original music or arranges original scores appropriate for the production.

Artistic director: Co-ordinates artistic elements including set, costumes and props.

Conductor: Prepares and directs musicians.

Dancer: Interprets choreographic works, and sometimes creates a character in keeping with a particular role and any director's notes or others' interpretation.

Director: Interprets the script and directs the action to be recorded.

First assistant director: Tracks recording progress and prepares call sheets.

Musician: Plays a musical instrument to accompany or form an integral part of a performance, based on a musical score, a conductor's direction, and his/her own interpretation of the music.

Storyboarder: Creates the visual pathway or script that maps the entire production.

Vocalist: Sings to accompany or form an integral pad of a performance, based on lyrics and a musical score, a conductor's direction, and his/her own interpretation of the music.

PRODUCTION & POST-PRODUCTION

Executive producer: Can be involved in the entire production, from developing the idea and obtaining financing to distribution and conservation, or may only be involved in only one specific role anywhere along the production chain.

Producer: Oversees the artistic direction of the entire production.

Production manager: Prepares budgets and schedules and hires technical crews.

Cinematographer: Co-ordinates lighting, framing and shooting of film.

Technical director: Oversees set design, lighting and sound.

Location/stage manager: Handles all details regarding sites for shooting scenes.

Script supervisor: Handles all script details such as word changes and camera angles.

Script editor: Makes changes to the script as needed.

Dialogue coach: Coaches actors in dialogue, especially in other languages.

Sound designer: Designs and creates the audio component of a film.

Audio/sound recording engineer/technician: Oversees the recording of live music.

Set designer: Designs and oversees production of sets.

Set builder/carpenter/painter: Works under the supervision of the set designer to create sets.

Lighting designer: Creates and oversees lighting effects.

Lighting technician/assistant: Installs, operates, and maintains set lighting.

Special effects technician: Designs and coordinates effects such as fires, explosions, and crashes.

Costume designer/sewer/ager/distresser: Researches and designs costumes, and treats costumes to make them look used or damaged.

Wardrobe supervisor/dresser/attendant: Acquires and cares for all wardrobe items, and makes sure actors are in correct costume for each scene.

Make-up/hair artist: Provides appropriate hair and make-up for performers, and maintains actors' hairstyles during filming.

Stagehand: Installs and moves scenery, fumiture and props. Property master Researches, selects and maintains props.

Warehouse manager: Handles supplies of company's equipment and products.

Stunt coordinator/stunt person: Designs and carries out stunt work.

Wrangler: Supervises production work involving animals.

Continuity: Ensures, from one shoot to the next, that everything is consistent.

Camera operator: Operates the camera under the direction of the Cinematographer.

Grip/gaffer: Rigs, places, moves and dismantles sets.

Re-recording mixer: Combines individual dialogue, music and special effects tracks into their final form.

ADR (automatic dialogue replacement) supervisor: Re-records dialogue that wasn't recorded properly during the shoot.

Foley artist: Creates sounds that cannot be properly recorded.

Sound editor/mixer: Mixes sound to match visuals.

Film/tape editor: Edits film to achieve a high-quality production.

Film dubber: Combines multiple sound components into one, and replaces original dialogue with a different language.

DISTRIBUTION

Marketing & distribution manager: Oversees all sales and marketing activities for a production.

Advertising sales manager: Sells advertising spots for broadcast of a production.

Rights sales manager: Negotiates distribution rights to different markets for a production.

Sales coordinator: Provides administrative support.

Technical coordinator: Provides technical support.

Publicist: Markets the production to consumers.

CONSERVATION

Conservator: Restores, preserves and ensures the safety of completed productions.

Archivist: Acquires, arranges and describes records from completed productions.

Librarian: Helps people retrieve knowledge from a collection of completed productions.

SUPPORT

Casting agent: Helps producer and director choose actors, singers, musicians and other performers.

Entertainment lawyer: Oversees contracts and agreements on behalf of producers and broadcasters.

Agreement administrator: Makes sure that contracts between screenwriters and producers meet specified standards.

Entertainment accountant: Oversees the preparation of financial statements for productions and production companies.


Careers In Animated Film

Animated film attracts larger and more diverse audiences than ever, and Canadian animators and animation companies have gained global recognition for their artistry and innovation. Scroll through the image below to see what people in these careers do.

Careers In Animated Film


 

CREATION

Animation scriptwriter: Researches and writes the script.

Composer: Creates background and thematic music.

Songwriter: Composes the lyrics and/or music.

INTERPRETATION

Director: Interprets the script and directs the action to be recorded.

First assistant director: Tracks recording progress and prepares call sheets.

Storyboarder: Creates the visual pathway or script that maps the entire production.

Artistic director: Co-ordinates artistic elements including set, costumes and props.

Executive animator: Designs and directs the work of the animation team.

Conductor: Prepares and directs musicians.

Arranger: Creates original music or arranges original scores appropriate for the production.

Actor: Provides voice-over dialogue for a film, based on a screenwriter's dialogue, director's notes, and his/her own interpretation of the role.

Musician: Plays a musical instrument to accompany or form an integral pad of a production, based on a musical score, a conductor's direction, and his/her own interpretation of the music.

Vocalist: Sings to accompany or form an integral part of a production, based on lyrics and a musical score, a conductors direction, and his/her own interpretation of the music.

PRODUCTION & POST-PRODUCTION

Executive producer: Can be involved in the entire production, from developing the idea and obtaining financing to distribution and conservation, or may only be involved in only one specific role anywhere along the production chain.

Producer: Oversees the adistic direction of the entire production.

Production manager: Prepares budgets and schedules and hires technical crews.

Cinematographer: Co-ordinates lighting, framing and shooting of film.

Technical director: Oversees set design, lighting and sound.

Animator: Creates flash, stop or play animation sequences to match the script, usually using computer animation software.

Script supervisor: Handles all script details such as word changes and camera angles.

Script editor: Makes changes to the script as needed.

Dialogue coach: Coaches actors in dialogue, especially in other languages.

Sound designer: Designs and creates the audio component of a film.

Audio/sound recording engineer/technician: Oversees the recording of live music.

Set designer: Designs and oversees production of sets.

Set builder/carpenter/painter: Works under the supervision of the set designer to create sets.

Lighting designer: Creates and oversees lighting effects.

Lighting technician/assistant: Installs, operates, and maintains set lighting.

Special effects technician: Designs and coordinates effects such as fires, explosions, and crashes.

Continuity: Ensures, from one shoot to the next, that everything is consistent.

Camera operator: Operates the camera under the direction of the Cinematographer.

Animation coordinator: Oversees the combination of animation sequences into their final form.

Re-recording mixer: Combines individual dialogue, music and special effects tracks into their final form.

ADR (automatic dialogue replacement) supervisor: Re-records dialogue that wasn't recorded properly during the shoot.

Foley artist: Creates sounds that cannot be properly recorded.

Sound editor/mixer: Mixes sound to match visuals.

Film/tape editor: Edits film to achieve a high-quality production.

Film dubber: Combines multiple sound components into one, and replaces original dialogue with a different language.

DISTRIBUTION

Marketing & distribution manager: Oversees all sales and marketing activities for a production.

Advertising sales manager: Sells advertising spots for broadcast of a production.

Rights sales manager: Negotiates distribution rights to different markets for a production.

Sales coordinator: Provides administrative support.

Technical coordinator: Provides technical support.

Publicist: Markets the production to consumers.

CONSERVATION

Conservator: Restores, preserves and ensures the safety of completed productions.

Archivist: Acquires, arranges and describes records from completed productions.

Librarian: Helps people retrieve knowledge from a collection of completed productions.


Careers in Radio

Radio careers vary from on-air hosts to behind-the-scenes sound engineers. At large radio stations, many people may work on one production. At smaller stations, one person may do an entire show including researching, writing, hosting, programming and producing. Scroll through the image below to see what people in these careers do.

Careers in Radio


 

INTERPRETATION

Musician: Plays a musical instrument to accompany or form an integral part of a production, based on a musical score, a conductors direction, and his/her own interpretation of the music.

Vocalist: Sings to accompany or form an integral part of a production, based on lyrics and a musical score, a conductor's direction, and his/her own interpretation of the music.

Reporter: Gathers information and conducts interviews.

Host: Reads scripts, conducts interviews and connects to audiences on a personal level.

Conductor: Prepares and directs musicians.

Arranger: Creates original music or arranges original scores appropriate for the production.

Actor: Speaks in dramatic productions, based on a screenwriters dialogue, director's notes, and his/her own interpretation of the role.

CREATION

Researcher: Researches background and stories for the production.

Scriptwriter: Researches and writes the script.

Composer: Creates background and thematic music.

Songwriter: Composes the lyrics and/or music.

PRODUCTION & POST-PRODUCTION

Executive producer: Oversees programming, and manages budgets and staff.

Associate producer: Researches and develops stories, including finding guests and preparing interview questions and background on guests.

Technical director: Oversees recording, lighting and sound.

Location/stage manager: Handles all details regarding sites for shooting scenes.

Script supervisor: Handles all script details such as word changes and recording angles. Script editor Makes changes to the script as needed.

Script editor: Makes changes to the script as needed.

Dialogue coach: Coaches actors in dialogue, especially in other languages.

Audio/sound recording engineer/technician: Runs the equipment for live and recorded programs, including concerts, gather sound, and assist reporters and producers in putting programs to air.

DISTRIBUTION"

Marketing & distribution manager: Oversees all sales and marketing activities for a production.

Advertising sales manager: Sells advertising spots for broadcast of a production.

Rights sales manager: Negotiates distribution rights to different markets for a production.

Sales coordinator: Provides administrative support.

Technical coordinator: Provides technical support.

Publicist: Markets the production to consumers.

CONSERVATION

Conservator: Restores, preserves and ensures the safety of completed productions.

Archivist: Acquires, arranges and describes records from completed productions.

Librarian: Helps people retrieve knowledge from a collection of completed productions.

SUPPORT

Manager: Controls budgets, oversees the development of new initiatives and programs, provides training, and oversees equipment and facilities.

Casting agent: Helps producer and director choose actors, singers, musicians and other performers.

Entertainment lawyer: Oversees contracts and agreements on behalf of producers and broadcasters.

Agreement administrator: Makes sure that contracts between screenwriters and producers meet specified standards.

Entertainment accountant: Oversees the preparation of financial statements for productions and production companies.


Careers In Indie Podcasting

The number of people involved in developing a podcast can be very small. Many are prepared and presented by a single individual who undertakes all tasks associated with a podcast; others are put on by a small group of people. The key tasks involved in developing and presenting an independent podcast. Scroll through the image below to see the key tasks involved in developing and presenting an independent podcast.

Careers In Indie Podcasting


 

CREATION

Scriptwriter: Researches and writes the script.

INTERPRETATION

Director: Interprets the script and directs the action to be recorded.

Performer/speaker: Talks, and undertakes other activities as required in the script such as creating characters, sounds or music.

PRODUCTION & POST-PRODUCTION

Producer: Oversees the artistic direction of the entire production. Production manager: Prepares budgets and schedules and hires technical crews.

Cinematographer: Coordinates lighting, framing and shooting of film.

Technical director: Oversees set design, lighting and sound.

Information architect: Builds the coding and background framework for the podcast website.

Programmer: Writes the podcast programming to suit the website architecture.

Costume & wardrobe coordinator: Acquires and cares for all wardrobe items.

Re-recording mixer: Combines individual dialogue, music and special effects tracks into their final form.

DISTRIBUTION

Web designer: Designs website for podcast, and handles all technical aspects of its broadcast over the Intemet.

Publicist: Markets the production to consumers.

CONSERVATION

Web designer: Preserves and ensures the integrity of completed productions.

SUPPORT

Web analyst/developer: Ensures that the podcast flows smoothly over the Internet, undertakes troubleshooting, etc.