Directors and Assistant Directors

In 2001, Armstrong was awarded a Technical Achievement Award

from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, for the refine-

ment and application of the Fan Descender to the film industry.

Considered a standard of the industry, the Fan Descender provides a

means for significantly increasing safety of very high stunt falls. The

system permits falls to be made under controlled deceleration, with a

highly predictable stopping point and without limitation of camera

angles.

Armstrong has worked with some of the world's most well-respected

directors, such as Sir Richard Attenborough, Michael Cimino, Roland

Joffe, Irvin Kershner, Ridley Scott, and Steven Spielberg, amassing an

impressive body of work that includes: Air America, An American Werewolf

in London, Black Beauty, Blade Runner, Captain Correlli's Mandolin, Charlie's

Angels, Dune, Empire of the Sun, Entrapment, Johnny Mnemonic, The Last

Action Hero, Legend, Quills, Rambo III, Star Wars: Episode VI--Return of the

Jedi, Shadow Conspiracy, Starship Troopers, Terminator 2, and Total Recall, to

name just a few.

"I'm proud of my reputation, I must say. I'm still friends with all of

the people I started off with, which is nice. (Early mentor, actor Richard

Todd, recently visited Armstrong on the set of Bond 20.) I enjoy the whole

[process] of filmmaking and am proud to be part of that. When I look

back at my credit list, I go `Wow!'"

Job Overview

The second AD disseminates information to the entire crew, such as

setting call times and making up call sheets; notifying actors and crew of

what scenes are scheduled to be shot, and when; and assisting the assis-

tant director in his duties as needed.

"Everything goes through the key second AD," explains second AD

Eric Tignini. "If something is not on set, the first AD is going to hear

about it; so you hear more about the problems than you do about the

things that are good: `Why didn't we bring so-and-so in earlier?'

(Because you told me to bring them in at this time!) You're the middle-

man. You have to be thick-skinned. It's a strange position. A lot of people

have said that the key second is the hardest job on the set. You put in

the longest hours of anyone. You're the first one there and the last one

to leave."

JOB TITLE: SECOND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR,

2ND AD, OR KEY SECOND ASSISTANT

Directors and Assistant Directors - Page 20