DPHU1006 Chap.5 Cast, Crew and Locations
Cast, Crew and Locations
Week 4 covers cast, crew and locations: the people and places a film depends on. The Video Project is made by teams of four or five in nominated crew roles, and the course names writer, director, cinematographer, editor, production designer, sound designer and actor, with some roles shared. A production roles checklist on Moodle spells out five of those jobs.
The producer coordinates the team and the paperwork: risk assessment, call sheet, budget and receipts, the production schedule, talent and location releases, special permits such as working with children, and contingency plans.
The director owns vision, tone and actors; the cinematographer the camera and the look; the sound recorder clean dialogue and atmosphere; the production designer the set, costumes, props, colours and continuity. A separate team assessment policy explains how participation problems are raised and how a tutor can set each member's percentage contribution.
This chapter compares the roles, walks through the producer's paperwork and works the contribution rule with real numbers. Two deadlines turn the crew into a record.
Each group uploads a crew list naming who performed each role by 4pm on Friday of Week 9, and every student completes the Team Evaluation Questionnaire by 4pm on Friday of Week 11; the course states that the questionnaire must be completed to receive the final grade.
Your role is also the subject of the individual Week 12 reflection, worth 10%, so the way a team divides its work shapes both the group mark and each member's own.
What this chapter covers
- 01
The five roles on the course checklist and what each one delivers
- 02
Sharing roles in a team of four or five
- 03
Talent releases, location releases and special permits
- 04
Call sheets and contingency plans for a student shoot
- 05
The team assessment policy and percentage contribution
- 06
Crew list and Team Evaluation Questionnaire deadlines
Worked example · free
Writing a call sheet line for one location
- +1Date, address and the time each cast and crew member is called, with the producer's phone number.
- +1Scenes to shoot in order, with the props and costumes each one needs.
- +1Paperwork: a location release from the apartment's occupant and a talent release from each actor.
- +1Welfare and backup: water, food and transport, plus a fallback scene if an actor cancels.
Key terms
- Call sheet
- A one-page plan for a shoot day listing location, call times, scenes, props and contacts.
- Talent release
- A signed permission from a person who appears on camera allowing the footage to be used.
- Location release
- A signed permission from the owner or occupant of a place allowing it to be filmed.
- Contingency plan
- A prepared alternative, such as a fallback scene, used when weather, cast or locations fail.
Cast, Crew and Locations FAQ
What does a producer do on a student film?
On the course checklist the producer coordinates the team and its paperwork: meetings, risk assessment, call sheet, budget and receipts, the production schedule, releases for actors and locations, equipment bookings and contingency plans.
What happens if a team member does not contribute?
The team first tries its own strategies, then consults the tutor in class, then raises concerns in writing. The tutor meets the team and sets each member's percentage contribution, and marks are awarded on that percentage.
Can one student hold two crew roles?
Yes. The course allows roles to be shared in teams of four or five. Pair roles whose busy periods differ, such as producer and production designer, rather than two roles that peak during every take.
When is the crew list due?
Each group uploads a PDF naming the team number, the film's title and the cast and crew, showing who performed each role, by 4pm on Friday of Week 9.
What releases do we need before filming people and places?
The producer's checklist lists a talent release for each actor and location releases where needed, plus special permits for situations such as working with children. Collect signed copies before the camera rolls and keep them until the film is submitted.
How are crew roles chosen for the video project?
Teams of four or five nominate roles among themselves, such as writer, director, cinematographer, editor, production designer, sound designer and actor, and some roles may be shared. Record the final split on the crew list.
Assessment move
Before your first team meeting, read the roles checklist and rank the five roles by how well they suit you. At the meeting, assign every role, write the split on the crew list, and agree a weekly check-in. Keep your own log of tasks and decisions from then on; it supports both the team policy and your Week 12 reflection.
Treat the producer's checklist as a shared document: copy it into your team's chat or drive, assign a name to every line and tick items as they are done. A checklist with names on it is also the evidence the team policy asks for if participation ever becomes a problem.
