Overview of the role
The Head of Department (HOD) stagehand reports to the construction manager and is responsible for the safe movement of set pieces from workshop to stage, or location for film and TV productions. HOD stagehands are responsible for moving items of all shapes and sizes, whether they are a simple wooden flat or a finished plastered and painted piece. They must select the best form of transportation for the required items. HOD stagehands organise and recruit the stagehand department for a production and are responsible for health and safety in their department, making sure training is provided.
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
- Establish arrangements and undertake the planning for the stagehands department for lifting and transferring set pieces using selected transport.
- Organise transport, for example, articulated lorries for location work.
- Calculate safe payloads for the loading of vehicles, identifying the dangers of overloading, and hazards.
- Monitor the movement of set pieces around the studio or location.
- Conduct recces to gather information regarding the method of transportation required, and measurements in order to deliver the item(s) efficiently and not to obstruct any builds.
- Complete customs paperwork for overseas locations.
- Establish communication channels for the stagehands department.
- Hire stagehands as necessary to meet demands of the daily and overall production requirements.
- Check the competences of each team member, allocating their work accordingly.
- Check and confirm with production that all crew paperwork, such as start forms and non-disclosure agreements, have been signed and received.
- Ensure the latest version of the schedule is referred to, keeping up to date with changes to avoid disruption and maintain deadlines.
- Report the impact of changes to the construction manager and suggest amending stagehand department plans.
- Maintain records of production paperwork and subsequent changes.
- Forward driver and operator licence copies, and ensure drivers and machinery operators are added to production insurance policies.
- Check that all members of the team understand the requirements and specific activities they are responsible for.
- Monitor team performance to ensure that requirements are being met.
- Devise a work plan to provide training for new members in the department.
- Provide advice and guidance as appropriate to enable work to be completed.
- Liaise with the grips department to provide a competent stagehand to standby for the production shoot, and operational standbys when required for additional blue or green screen work.
- Provide stagehands as requested by production to provide background crew in filming scenes.
- Work in compliance with health and safety legislation, regulations, and protocols at all times.
- Ensure health and safety protocols are being followed, in particular for crew working at height.
- Agree action to address health and safety breaches or repeat offenders with the construction manager.
- Obtain and sign departmental risk assessment method statements (RAMS) to comply with all health and safety protocols.
- Identify team medic, location of hospital, and mental health first aider, if there is one.
- Log close calls or accidents in the accident book.
- Follow production protocols for dealing with bullying or harassment reported to them.
- Consider working hours for their team and ensure nobody is working longer hours than deemed safe.
- Select and organise waste management companies to provide skips for recycling products or mixed waste in line with production requirements.
- Confirm the budget for skip distribution within the site.
- Arrange for skips to be positioned so as not to hinder working areas and provide adequate barriers to meet health and safety requirements.
- Check that there is breaking down of larger set piece items to maximise the skip’s capacity and to ensure that less frequent exchanges or collections are required.
- Receive technical drawings of stage layouts and identify backing requirements, for example, blue / green screen, scenically painted backing, translights or black drapes.
- Arrange an appropriate supplier and obtain quotes for a cost-effective and quick turnaround to meet schedules and deadlines.
- Mark out the floor with coloured camera tape for positioning of backings, checking fire exits are included adjacent to stage doors and not obstructing fire lanes.
- Check and confirm the correct measurements of backings to be hung, and liaise with the rigging department for correct scaffold framework to be erected.
- Organise container walls for exterior sets to hang and secure any backings.
- Obtain strike notices paying attention to instructions for a full strike, pack strike or part strike.
- Implement the strike notice, pack away and log all details of the backing including size and appearance, noting any defects ready for reuse or re sale.
- Work in accordance with deadlines for the off hiring of stages and workshops.
- Liaise with construction coordinators to log and document construction assets to be sent to storage as per production requirements.
- Check and confirm stages and workshops are swept and cleaned thoroughly ready for inspection by studio management to be signed off and handed back.
- Check and confirm that any plant and machinery left on site are off hired.
Skills
Check out role specific skills, transferable skills and attributes for the role of Head of Department stagehand.
- Interpreting the creative vision of the art department.
- Bridging the creative vision with technical application of stagehand skills.
- Inspiring stagehands to achieve their goals.
- Delegation and team management.
- Organisation: developing departmental methods of control, and managing health and safety.
- Management: assigning duties and overseeing work.
- Securing work: collating proof of competency and experience, establishing and negotiating rate, and clarifying and approving deal memo and contract.
- Communication: building rapport and interpreting other’s requirements and communicating requirements to other departments and colleagues.
- Problem-solving: contingency planning and ability to resolve issues while shooting so that productions remain on schedule.
- Resilience and enthusiasm: adapt positively and quickly to changing work priorities and patterns, ensuring deadlines continue to be met. Proactive and explores new ideas and non-standard ways of working which will enhance and deliver the best results for the production.
- Productivity: organises work effectively and achieves required results within deadlines.
- Demonstrates the drive and energy to get things done in pressurised situations and escalates appropriately when necessary.
- Ethics and integrity: honest and principled in all their actions and interactions. Respectful and inclusive of others, and meets the ethical requirements of their profession.
- Flexibility: willing to both listen and learn and to accept changing priorities and working requirements and has the flexibility to maintain high standards in a changing production environment.