days, they never did that; the camera just went from one character to
another." After seeing Damski's first round of dailies, the producers hired
him to direct several more episodes. His work also earned him his first
Emmy nomination and an invitation to direct an episode of the hit series
M*A*S*H.
Damski has refused to allow himself to be typecast as a director of any
one particular genre by working on a wide spectrum of films like Mischief
and Yellowbeard, and television series such as Ally McBeal, American
Gothic, Any Day Now, Boston Public, Charmed, Chicago Hope, Early Edition,
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Picket Fences, and The
Practice. "I've tried to constantly mix it up. My feeling is if you stand in
one place, they will nail your feet to the floor."
Job Overview
Frequently, the assistant director's first task is to break down the script
and create a shooting schedule, estimating how many shooting days will
be required at the various locations. This is reviewed with the director
and/or producer, and adjustments are made based on their input and
budget restraints. Throughout production, the first AD oversees schedul-
ing and generating of call sheets, supervises the crew, sets up shots, and
conducts run-throughs, coordinates and sets the background actors, and
assists the director in every way possible to keep the production running
smoothly.
In addition to his duties as assistant director, Arthur Anderson also co-
produces films directed by John Woo. In that capacity, he is involved in
the creative process almost from the moment of Woo's decision to work
on a picture. For Windtalkers, Woo, the second unit director, and
Anderson used toy soldiers on a board to work out action sequences,
before bringing in a storyboard artist to illustrate the action they wanted
to create. Next, Anderson typed up their ideas into script form and gave
it to the writers, so that they understood what Woo was looking for in a
particular sequence and could incorporate that action into the script.
Special Skills
The first AD must understand the entire filmmaking process and the
role of each department. ADs should be excellent communicators, orga-
nized and thorough, and have the ability to manage and motivate people.
JOB TITLE: FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR,
1ST AD, OR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
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