Overview of the role
Second assistant directors (2nd ADs) are the main off-set contact for all departments, including production, locations, and facilities. In pre-production, they break down scripts, organise fittings and rehearsals for cast members and plan transport and facilities requirements. They work closely with the 1st assistant director (1st AD) and the production coordinator (PC) to ensure all aspects of scheduling, crew, and cast needs are considered in advance.
During filming, 2nd ADs prepare and issue the next day’s call sheets, ensuring all actors, including children, are ready for filming when required. They coordinate transport, make-up, and wardrobe timetables, liaising with relevant departments to keep production on schedule. They monitor the welfare and compliance of the child performers, working with licensed chaperones to manage working hours, tutoring and breaks and ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations around working with children, including safeguarding, GDPR/data protection, legal working hours and health and safety regulations.
2nd ADs may also be responsible for sourcing and coordinating supporting artists (SAs) including child SAs, ensuring they are briefed and ready for scenes with the same attention to welfare, scheduling, and health and safety. They maintain close communication with the 1st AD, providing updates on cast availability, progress, and any issues that may affect the filming schedule.
Where a production has multiple 2nd ADs, one may be designated as key 2nd AD, overseeing coordination and communication across the second AD team and ensuring smooth implementation of schedules and 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 scale / budget band / genre of the production.
- Collaborate with departments to determine key elements, sequences, and timescales required to meet project requirements and budget constraints.
- Break down the script to identify tasks, sequences and resources needed to deliver production within schedule and budget, including scenes involving child performers.
- Identify potential factors likely to cause delays, and create realistic contingency plans, including alternatives for weather, location unavailability, or child performer availability.
- Check that production plans and schedules are complete, accurate, and fit for purpose in consultation with relevant colleagues.
- Confirm that schedules account for the health, safety and welfare of cast, crew, and children, including legal working hours, tutoring, breaks and chaperone requirements.
- Coordinate with chaperones, tutors, and relevant departments to ensure child performers’ schedules are integrated seamlessly into production planning.
- Implement the secure handling of sensitive data in line with agreed DGPR/data protection storage and retention procedures as set out by the production manager (PM) or line producer (LP).
- Ensure all necessary consent and release forms are signed by cast, parents/guardians at appropriate times.
- Plan and schedule pre-production activities to ensure smooth delivery of the production, including fitting sessions, rehearsals, and any special arrangements for child performers alongside the PC.
- Check cast and AD availability against the schedule, raising any conflicts promptly.
- Check schedules against casting advice notes (CANs) and script breakdowns to ensure accuracy.
- Work with PC to liaise with Local Education Authorities (LEAs) and agents to apply for and obtain child performance licences.
- Work with PC to identify and book chaperones, tutors, or sign language interpreters as required.
- Recruit and verify chaperones and tutors, ensuring NSPCC training, licences, DBS checks, and safeguarding certifications are up to date.
- Distribute supporting artist (SA) breakdowns and coordinate costume and make-up fitting schedules with relevant departments.
- Estimate and agree the number and type of SAs or cast required, balancing director requirements with budget constraints.
- Identify SAs likely to meet production needs and negotiate contracts and fees in line with industry rate agreements.
- Organise selection and coordination of SAs and crowd ADs to meet the director’s brief and production requirements.
- Confirm vehicle operators hold appropriate licences and comply with regulations.
- Alongside PC, maintain secure records of contracts, licences, DBS checks, and other essential documentation in line with agreed storage and retention procedures as set out by the production manager (PM) or line producer (LP).
- Maintain ongoing communication with all relevant departments to provide updates on shot progress, schedule changes, and potential delays and suggest realistic solutions.
- Deal promptly with urgent matters in collaboration with appropriate production personnel.
- Ensure all relevant information is accurately included in call sheets, communicating updates to cast, chaperones, crew, agents, parents and guardians as relevant.
- Delegate tasks during shooting to ensure the director’s requirements are met and production runs smoothly.
- Resolve disputes or communication issues between cast, crew, or supporting artists (SAs), escalating only when necessary.
- Maintain accurate records of artists on set, including child performers, background artists, overtime, special categories, meal breaks, and wrap times.
- Alongside the PC, coordinate transport to enable the efficient and compliant movement of SAs, cast, crew, and departments between set and base, confirming availability throughout the filming day.
- Brief SAs on studio or location codes of practice, health and safety requirements, and child safeguarding protocols on arrival.
- Monitor post-production schedules and ensure production activities, including ADR sessions, are planned in accordance with legal working hours and child performer regulations.
- Track expenditure detailed in reports, alert producers or production managers to budget issues, and discuss variations with production accountants as needed.
- Compile accurate daily progress reports and support documentation, distributing updates promptly to relevant colleagues.
Skills
Check out the role specific skills, transferable skills and attributes for the role of second 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.
- Enthusiastic: strong interpersonal skills, acts as a key point of contact and provides production personnel with up-to-date information.
- Reporting: compile resourcing and progress reports using information from all relevant departments.
- Communication: provide timely, accurate updates and liaise confidently across all levels of talent and production staff and building strong relationships with PC.
- Planning: coordinate practical needs such as transport, logistics, and catering for artists, including children, ensuring compliance with child performance regulations.
- Set support: assist in managing the set, studio, or location to maintain smooth operations, schedules, and health and safety compliance.
- Management: support and guide runners and 3rd ADs, implementing systems and feedback to ensure an effective team.
- Technical awareness: use production tools, call sheets, and communication systems to support efficient filming.
- 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 and ensures deadlines are met.
- Productivity: organises work efficiently to achieve results within deadlines.
- Ethics and integrity: acts honestly and principled in all interactions.
- Respect and inclusion: maintains professional and ethical standards while respecting others.
- Flexibility: listens, learns, and adapts to changing priorities while maintaining high standards.
- Developing attribute: explores creative solutions and new methods to improve production processes and outcomes.