Overview of the role
The first assistant director (1st AD) plans and manages the practical elements of each filming day, balancing the director’s creative vision with the production’s resources. They break down the script in pre-production to identify requirements for cast, supporting artists, stunts, special effects, props, and technical equipment, and lead tech recces to assess locations, including facilities for child performers.
The 1st AD compiles the shooting schedule, coordinates with the director, producers, and department heads, and develops contingency plans for potential delays or challenges. During filming, the 1st AD manages the set, overseeing cast, crew, and supporting artists, including child performers, ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations around working with children, including safeguarding, GDPR/data protection, legal working hours, chaperone requirements, tutoring, breaks, and health and safety regulations. They monitor progress against the schedule, communicate changes promptly, and delegate tasks to 2nd and 3rd ADs to maintain efficient operations.
The 1st AD manages risks by identifying them early, planning contingencies, enforcing safety on set, and ensuring regular communication across departments, with special attention to legal and welfare requirements when children are involved.
The 1st AD also maintains communication with the production office and department heads to resolve issues, manage resources, and report progress. They support post-production planning, including ADR and pick-up shoots, ensuring child welfare and legal compliance. They work closely with 2nd ADs and the AD team to ensure smooth implementation of the shooting schedule and overall production requirements.
Core responsibilities
These core responsibilities are provided as a guide and are not exhaustive. The exact responsibilities in a particular job will vary depending on the size of the team and the scale and budget of the production.
- Agree and confirm production goals with directors and heads of department, ensuring plans support creative vision.
- Demonstrate an up to date awareness and understanding of how AI can be used to support production planning and ensure any uses are employed transparently and in accordance with production company and broadcaster guidelines and UK and EU law.
- Allocate sufficient time and resources to each stage of production to meet objectives efficiently and within budget.
- Break down scripts to determine scene timing, duration, and production needs, including sequence of locations.
- Identify major responsibilities, sequences, and likely duration of tasks, flagging any risks to schedule or budget.
- Identify potential schedule delays and organise viable solutions, confirming that proposed schedules are realistic and achievable.
- Collaborate with departments to determine key elements, timescales, and resources required for production.
- Develop detailed plans and shooting schedules using appropriate methods and tools like Movie Magic.
- Ensure schedules comply with all regulatory and health and safety requirements for cast and crew, including legal working hours, tutoring, breaks and welfare provisions for child performers.
- Alongside production manager (PM), record any location issues, noting climatic, physical, environmental, access, or health and safety factors.
- Recommend contingency arrangements for extreme scenarios or unavailable locations.
- Plan and schedule pre-production activities, including technical recces and production meetings, to ensure readiness.
- Supervise pre-production implementation and approve risk assessments alongside producers and production manager.
- Monitor ongoing risk assessments and escalate concerns or suggest alternatives where safety issues arise.
- Interview and select 2nd and 3rd ADs based on availability and suitability.
- Estimate numbers and types of supporting artists (SAs) required, coordinating with relevant departments before the 2nd AD takes over detailed management.
- Agree final SA numbers with the PM or line producer (LP) in line with budget and director requirements.
- Advise production teams on child performers’ legal working hours, tutoring, breaks, and welfare, ensuring compliance with child performance regulations.
- Ensure background action is correctly set up, delegating practical supervision to 2nd/3rd ADs.
- Prepare and implement the shooting schedule, ensuring optimal use of time and resources while adhering to all child working hours regulations.
- Lead daily health and safety briefings (sometimes with the safety officer).
- Monitor activities to check cast and crew are working within agreed safety parameters.
- Maintain communication with all departments, providing updates on shot progress, schedule changes, and potential delays via the AD and production teams.
- Supervise the AD team, delegating tasks and instructions to ensure the director’s creative vision is realised.
- Oversee, with the 2nd AD, the management of child performers on set, liaising with licensed chaperones to manage working hours, tutoring, and breaks.
- Resolve on-set disputes or technical issues promptly, escalating only when necessary.
- Ensure all relevant information is accurately included in call sheets, communicating updates to cast, crew, and the 2nd AD.
- Monitor adherence to health and safety regulations and organisational procedures, including risk assessments and safety briefings.
- Coordinate movement of cast, SAs, and crew between locations, studios, and base to ensure efficiency.
- Keep producers and production managers informed of progress, schedule risks, or issues with budget or resources.
- Maintain awareness of post-production requirements, including ADR sessions, and schedule accordingly.
Skills
Check out the role specific skills, transferable skills and attributes for the role of first assistant director in children's TV.
- Working with children: knowledgeable on all aspects of working with children legal and safeguarding procedures, from overall scheduling to coordinating with chaperones and tutors to ensure compliance around hours, tutoring, breaks, and welfare.
- Planning and organisation: break down scripts, develop realistic schedules, anticipates contingencies, and resolves logistical issues in collaboration with other departments.
- Communication: convey requirements clearly, providing timely updates, and liaising confidently with talent, crew, and senior staff while upholding professional standards.
- Financial awareness: manage budgets and expenditure in line with production requirements; agree supporting artist costs and contract terms.
- Problem-solving and analysis: anticipate and resolves issues with schedules, locations, or logistics, developing contingency plans to keep production on track.
- Set management: manage the set, studio, or location to maintain smooth operations, schedules, and welfare and health and safety compliance.
- Management: support and guides the AD team, implementing systems and feedback to ensure an effective team.
- Research and analytical skills: assesses briefs and script breakdowns to plan practical production requirements in line with the creative vision.
- Communication: interprets and conveys requirements clearly to colleagues, ensuring smooth information flow across the production.
- Etiquette: understands and upholds production roles, responsibilities, and professional communication standards.
- Time management: prioritises tasks effectively and keeps the production team updated on progress.
- Negotiation: balances the needs and working practices of all production personnel, finding ways to collaborate effectively.
- Problem-solving: plans for contingencies and resolves issues with locations, schedules, or logistics to keep productions on track.
- Resilience and enthusiasm: adapts positively to changing priorities, maintaining drive and energy to meet deadlines under pressure.
- Productivity: organises workload efficiently to deliver results within deadlines while managing competing demands.
- Etiquette: understands and upholds production roles, responsibilities, and professional communication standards.
- Ethics and integrity: acts honestly, inclusively, and with professionalism, upholding safeguarding and ethical responsibilities.
- Flexibility and creativity: listens, learns, and adapts to changing needs while exploring creative solutions to improve production processes