Is the 1st AD the director's assistant?

No, despite the name. The director is responsible for what the film is; the 1st AD is responsible for whether it gets made in the time available. They own the schedule, run the floor and carry formal responsibility for on-set safety.

What does a 1st AD do in pre-production?

They break down the script scene by scene, tag every production element, build the stripboard and shooting schedule, and generate the Day Out of Days. Most of a production's cost is decided in that work.

Do I need a 1st AD on a small shoot?

Below about two days with a handful of people, the producer or director often absorbs the role. Beyond that, an AD saves more time than they cost — mostly by preventing days that were never achievable from being scheduled.

All Roles

Direction

Assistant Director (AD)

The set's general. Manages the shooting schedule, coordinates departments, and keeps production on track.

The Assistant Director Role

The First Assistant Director (1st AD) is the organizational backbone of any film production. While the director focuses on creative vision, the AD ensures the entire production machine runs on schedule and on budget. They create the shooting schedule, manage the call sheet, coordinate between all departments, and maintain order on set. The AD calls 'rolling' and 'cut', manages background actors, and is the critical link between the creative and logistical sides of filmmaking. A great AD can save a production days of shooting through smart scheduling and efficient set management.

A shooting schedule you can argue with.Scheduling is a series of trade-offs — actor availability against location cost, night shoots against turnaround, weather cover against page count. ScenePaper lets you build competing versions of the schedule and compare them, instead of committing to the first one that fits.Free · the tool this role uses on ScenePaper Shooting Schedule TemplateA shooting schedule is the order in which a film's scenes will be shot, grouped into shoot days. It is built from the script breakdown, with each scene becoming a strip carrying its cast, location, page count and time of day. Scenes are ordered to minimise company moves, cast hold days and overtime — not to follow script order.Free template · every field explained

Key Responsibilities

Break down the script and create the shooting schedule
Prepare and distribute daily call sheets
Manage the flow of the shooting day on set
Coordinate between all departments (camera, sound, art, etc.)
Manage background artists and crowd scenes
Ensure health and safety protocols are followed
Communicate schedule changes to all departments
Work with the line producer on budget and timeline

When to Hire a Assistant Director

The 1st AD should be your first below-the-line hire after the DP, and they need to be on before the schedule exists — because building it is their job. Hiring an AD after the schedule is set means inheriting somebody else's assumptions about what is shootable. On anything longer than two days with cast and a crew, a 1st AD pays for themselves in days saved.

What to Look For

Experience scheduling your scale and format, not just any scale
Willingness to tell you a day is unachievable before you commit to it
Calm under pressure — their mood spreads across the whole unit
A track record of protecting turnaround and meal breaks
Familiarity with the safety requirements in your shooting territory

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FAQ

Assistant Director — Common Questions

Is the 1st AD the director's assistant?: No, despite the name. The director is responsible for what the film is; the 1st AD is responsible for whether it gets made in the time available. They own the schedule, run the floor and carry formal responsibility for on-set safety.
What does a 1st AD do in pre-production?: They break down the script scene by scene, tag every production element, build the stripboard and shooting schedule, and generate the Day Out of Days. Most of a production's cost is decided in that work.
Do I need a 1st AD on a small shoot?: Below about two days with a handful of people, the producer or director often absorbs the role. Beyond that, an AD saves more time than they cost — mostly by preventing days that were never achievable from being scheduled.

Related Crew Roles

Production Management