The Camera Assistant's Manual, 4th Edition

2

The Camera Department

Film Productions

The number of members in the film camera department depends on the kind of film being shot. Big-budget feature films usually have a larger crew than a low-budget film, TV commercial, or music video. It also depends on whether the production is union or non-union. In the United States the typical camera department usually consists of the following crew members:

Director of Photography (D.P.)

Camera Operator

First Assistant Cameraman (1st A.C.) (Focus Puller)

Second Assistant Cameraman (2nd A.C.) (Clapper/Loader)

Loader (optional position on larger multicamera productions)

This list is based on a union, big-budget feature film and includes only the basic crew positions. All of the following lists of camera ...