Last Updated 2 months ago
One thing I didn’t truly understand until I started working on set was just how vital the Assistant Director team is. In this three-part series, we’ll break down the roles of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Assistant Directors.
Let’s start at the top.
The 1st Assistant Director (1st AD) is the bridge between the director’s creative vision and the production’s logistical reality. The job demands strong leadership, time management, and communication skills — and thinking you can get away without one is a serious mistake. The 1st AD should be hired early in pre-production because they help shape the entire shoot from day one.
Responsibilities of the 1st Assistant Director in Pre-Production
The 1st AD’s pre-production work lays the foundation for a smooth shoot.
Break Down the Script
Go through the script page by page and note every element that requires attention — props, wardrobe, effects, sound cues, stunts, and more.
(See Breaking Down Your Script for an in-depth guide.)
Mark the Script in 8ths
Each script page is divided into eighths, which helps calculate running time and organize the schedule. Once you gain experience, you can do this by eye; early on, marking pages is essential.
(Each full page generally equals about one minute of screen time.)
Create the Shooting Schedule
Work closely with department heads, the director, and the producer. Modern productions often use Movie Magic Scheduling, StudioBinder, SetHero, or Celtx. Your schedule should show the shooting order, required talent, scene lengths, and any special needs.
Consult with departments about setup times, lighting requirements, and pre-calls. The more accurate your schedule, the smoother your shoot days will be.
Generate Breakdown Sheets
Breakdown sheets summarize all the notes from your script analysis. They’re easily created in Movie Magic Scheduling or similar tools and can be distributed to department heads to ensure everyone is prepared.
Build a One-Liner
The one-liner is a concise overview showing which scenes will be shot each day, including scene numbers, short descriptions, page counts, and time of day.
Complete a Day-Out-of-Days (DOOD)
The DOOD chart tracks each cast member’s workdays, holds, and travel days. It’s essential for payroll and scheduling. This should be finalized once your main schedule is set but will evolve during production.
Confirm All Locations
Maintain a complete list of shooting locations — both their script names and real names. Your location manager or production coordinator should provide this list, along with parking, access, and contact details.
Prepare the 2nd AD
Once your master documents are complete, hand them off to the 2nd Assistant Director to start work on call sheets and background breakdowns.
Modern Tip: Many ADs now manage these tasks collaboratively through cloud platforms (Google Workspace, Dropbox, or StudioBinder) to allow live updates across departments.
Responsibilities of the 1st Assistant Director During Production
Once production begins, your focus shifts from paperwork to leadership, communication, and time management. You are the voice of the production — the person ensuring each day gets made.
Key On-Set Responsibilities
- Introduce yourself on Day One. Be approachable, but firm. Make expectations clear and maintain authority.
- Run the blocking. If a private blocking is needed, allow the director and cast time first, then hold an open blocking for department heads to observe.
- Turn the floor over to techs. After blocking, allow camera, lighting, and grip teams to work, followed by final touches from art.
- Rehearse as needed. Especially if effects, stunts, or camera moves are involved.
- Communicate clearly. Call for “lock-up,” “rolling,” and “cut” both in person and over the walkie. On digital systems, confirm cues over both wired and wireless channels.
- Reset efficiently. Bring everyone back to first positions or announce the next setup quickly.
- Stay on schedule. If falling behind, motivate the crew and coordinate with the director to adjust coverage if needed.
- Handle meal breaks properly. If you’re approaching or exceeding the scheduled meal time, consult department heads before calling a “Grace” period. Be aware of union meal penalty rules if applicable.
- Lead with safety. Begin each day with a brief safety meeting or department check-in. Many sets now require this by contract or insurance.
- Keep daily paperwork up to date. Work with your 2nd AD and production coordinator to log times, incidents, and progress on the Daily Production Report (DPR).
The AD’s Set Box
Have a small set box or kit containing:
- Copies of your documents
- Spare walkie batteries
- Pens & Sharpies
- First aid supplies
- Tape, and multi-tools
- Water and snacks (you’ll rarely have time to leave set)
Skills Needed to Work as a 1st Assistant Director
Be Organized
You’ll be juggling multiple documents, schedules, and communications every day. The more organized you are, the smoother everything runs.
Manage Your Time
Estimate shooting times realistically. Don’t pack an impossible schedule just to look ambitious — producers prefer honesty and accuracy.
Manage Everyone Else’s Time
Keep departments moving efficiently. Directors and DPs often want “one more take” or “five more minutes” — it’s your job to know when enough is enough. A professional crew respects a decisive AD who keeps things on track.
Communicate with Confidence
The 1st AD is the on-set voice of authority. Give clear, confident commands and maintain consistent communication with your team. Listen to feedback and foster mutual respect — your tone sets the atmosphere of the entire production.
Problem Solve Under Pressure
Every day brings challenges — missing props, weather delays, talent issues, or technical failures. Stay calm, think quickly, and find workable solutions that keep production moving.
Safety Awareness & Training
Modern productions expect 1st ADs to lead on-set safety. First Aid certification, WHMIS, or equivalent safety training is often required. Even if a medic or safety officer is present, the AD must know how to respond to emergencies and enforce safety guidelines.
Emotional Intelligence
Great ADs balance authority with empathy. A motivated, respected crew will work harder and stay calmer under pressure.
Modern Tools & Resources for Assistant Directors
- Movie Magic Scheduling / Budgeting – Industry standard for professional productions
- SetHero – Digital call sheet and communication platform
- Gorilla Scheduling – Budget-friendly scheduling software
- Google Workspace / Dropbox – Collaborative storage for shared documents
- Walkie Check Apps / Setkick – Digital tools for communication and distribution
Final Thoughts
The 1st Assistant Director is the engine that keeps a film or television set running. You’re responsible for balancing creative needs with real-world constraints — making the day, keeping people safe, and supporting the director’s vision.
The first time you work as a 1st AD will feel overwhelming, but with experience you’ll develop intuition, confidence, and rhythm. Respect your crew, stay calm, and lead by example. A good AD doesn’t just make the day — they make the day work.
Check out Part 2: Working as a 2nd Assistant Director and Part 3: Working as a 3rd Assistant Director.
How long does is take for a production assistant to become a 1st assistant director?
Hi Janine,
Thanks for the question, there is no right answer to this question unfortunately because it depends on where you work and whether or not you plan on working in a union. If you are good at what you do and you work hard then people will notice and are more likely to give you a chance and let you move your way up the ranks. If you are union it could take a couple of years or if they need someone in a pinch it could take you only months. All I can say is, work hard and let people know what your end goals are. They won’t consider you for a job if they don’t know that you are interested in it. Whichever you choose, good luck!
For anyone else reading this and wondering for a more concrete answer, if you don’t plan to go DGA (Director’s Guild (union)) then really, it’s whenever a director or producer (or UPM depending on set size) feels comfortable enough to hire you. It took me about 6 years of working all departments to finally get AD jobs, all non-union.
However, generally the more steady flow of work, and higher-paying work comes as a member of the DGA. There are several requirements to joining the union, but the biggest ones are 3+ years of merited production work (basically under a DGA member), and 600+ days of merited production work. There are many more requirements, but those are the biggies. If you ever hear PA’s talking about “getting their days” this is what they’re referring to.
Is being a 1st AD good for a life long career?
If you enjoy the work and are good at what you do then absolutely it is good for a life long career. If you are a good AD then you will be able to work a lot and the money is pretty good too. You have to be confident and put yourself out there to get the jobs until you have established enough contacts that the phone is always ringing. It isn’t an easy life but it can be a fun one.
If you are okay with being fairly uninvolved with the creative process of filmmaking, and more involved in the showrunning aspects of it, then yes, it’s great. The work is hard, grueling, but rewarding. You are quintessentially one of the most important persons on set. Without you, the set falls apart. However, it is also one of thoe most stressful, and difficult positions on set. If you’re not absolutely stellar in organizational skills, multi-tasking, interpersonal, and conflict resolution skills, get absolutely stellar at them, then go for it.
Hi Courtney,
I am wondering about One-liners. Is the document created from top to bottom or from left to right? Or isn’t there a correct way to do them?
I also wondered about Scene Numbers in this Document? Would the scene number be created on the script or on the One-liner document?
Hi Chris,
The way I have always done one liners is from top to bottom. I start with the day number at the top and then add a row with all relevant information, I add rows for unit moves and day ends as well. The scene numbers come from the script. Thanks for your questions, if you have any more I would be happy to answer them. If you are interested I can also email you a sample of one of my one liners.
-Courtney
Hey Courtney I’m about to take on my first 1st AD job soon and I’m getting a bit nervous. I’d love a copy of your one-liners or anything else that you might deem helpful.
Hello! I would love to have one copy as well. It is always a great thing to have a good reference to start doing paperwork. Thank you!
Hi, very well done!
I liked this blog, i’ve been a 1st AD for about 7 years now, the only thing i would add to the “grace” part is always make sure your crew has food, even if they’re working on a small budget short film and they’re working for free, always make sure that the producer has catering or something along the lines and have some extra food and water. I always recommend to my producer that nothing too heavy is served for lunch because that’ll just slow the crew down in the afternoon, keep it abundant but light. If you’re filming at night…COFFEE and please, GOOD coffee!
Great post Courtney. Extremely well-written, informative, and yet brief article. I would personally add an extra emphasis (from personal experiences) to the point about introducing yourself to everyone and making yourself known. As a young AD with only 6 years of production experience and 2 years AD’ing, it’s very easy to be given a stigma on set for your young age, or if your older and more experienced department heads and crew members have never heard of you before. Let your work speak for itself. I can’t tell you how many times some DPs and Gaffers have underestimated me. This industry puts high merit on experience and seniority, and for good reason. But if you get in a situation similar to mine, I really recommend staying humble, but firm. If you’re unsure about something, get sure and do it quickly. If you seem even the least bit uninformed, you lose immense amounts of credibility.
You don’t mention in the post anything about the role of AD in the aspect of safety. Can you elaborate on the expectations of an AD and keeping the set safe?
Hi, I’m just starting as a 1st AD (at university level) and was wondering if there are any books you would recommend to get a firmer understanding of my role? Thank you!
Hi Eliza! The best book is easily Running The Show by Liz Gill. you Can check it out here: https://amzn.to/23BeDK0