[libdb-develop] [task] Defining Role Types: Movies

[Morbus I. <mo...@di...>]

 Project:      LibDB
 Version:      cvs
 Component:    Documentation
 Category:     tasks
 Priority:     normal
 Assigned to:  Anonymous
 Reported by:  Morbus Iff
 Updated by:   Morbus Iff
-Status:       active
+Status:       closed

These have been committed to CVS. Closing.

Morbus Iff



Previous comments:
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July 21, 2004 - 19:23 : Morbus Iff

The provided libdb.mysql database schema contains a number of predefined
role types, mostly from the film industry. Whilst most of them contain
descriptions of what they actually entail, some are still missing.
Those that are missing should be completed.

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July 22, 2004 - 19:34 : Little Nemo

From filmsound.org:

What is Audio Post-Production?  
----------------------------------------------------------------------

 Audio Post-Production is the process of creating the soundtrack for a
visual program of some kind. Ever since silent movies began to talk,
filmmakers have been looking to control and improve the quality of the
sound of their creation. As soon as creators realized there was a way
to control and enhance the sound of their pictures, Audio Post was
born, and has been a fact of life ever since. In Television, audio was
originally "live", like the visual program it was part of. As TV
evolved, and the art form grew to include "videotaped" and "filmed"
programming, the need for Audio Post increased. Nowadays, it would be
difficult to find any feature film or television show that hasn't been
through audio post.   
  
What is involved in Audio Post ?   
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Audio Post usually consists of several processes. Each different
project may need some, or all of these processes in order to be
complete. The processes are:   
Production Dialogue Editing  
ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement - if needed)  
Sound Effects Editing and Design  
Foley Recording (human sound effects recorded in sync with picture)  
Music Composition and Music Editing  
Mixing (also called re-recording)  

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July 22, 2004 - 19:37 : Little Nemo

From filmmusicmag:

3. What is an engineer (aka "scoring mixer") -

A scoring mixer, also known as an engineer, works during the recording
sessions to record and mix the music. The engineer is the primary
technical resource at recording sessions, and oversees all technical
aspects of the recording sessions.

Scoring mixers work closely with composers and songwriters to make sure
the recording process happens successfully, whether in a commercial
studio or at a home project studio.

Scoring mixers can also be a great source of technical information for
composers and songwriters, providing up-to-date information about how
current technology is used. 


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July 22, 2004 - 19:40 : Little Nemo

From  the Directors Guild of Canada (of all places):

Post Production Accountant(PPA)
The Post Production Accountant is responsible for the coordination,
supervision, and operation of the accounting department after principal
photography has been completed. 

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July 23, 2004 - 12:33 : Little Nemo

Regarding Orchestra Contractors:
From John Hopkin's Magazine:

It is the contractor's job to hire the musicians, handle the payroll,
and see to it that everyone abides by the union work rules. 

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July 23, 2004 - 12:40 : Little Nemo

From The California Employment Development Department:

Lighting Technicians are members of the production crew who set up and
operate electrical lighting equipment for motion picture production.
Lighting Technicians determine from the Chief Lighting Technician what
the Photographer is attempting to accomplish and how the set will be
lit. They also handle the hook-up of all electrical apparatus used,
setting up and adjusting various types of lighting equipment.


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July 23, 2004 - 12:43 : Little Nemo

From filmmusicmag.com:

1. What is a Music Coordinator? - 

A music coordinator works with the composer or songwriter to establish
an accurate and realistic budget, and manage the music creation and
recording processes to make sure the budget is maintained and
followed.

While much of the work of a music coordinator involves working with
budgets and numbers, music coordinators can also work with contractors
to make sure the appropriate number and type of musicians are hired for
a project, and can assist with musicians' union contracts and
arrangements. 

Music coordinators can also be very helpful in recommending payroll
services, and making good matches between composers and orchestrators,
arrangers, scoring mixers, and other parts of the music production
team.


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July 23, 2004 - 12:48 : Little Nemo

From allfx.com:

The Special Effects department's job is to filmicly create
photographable events that simulate real events that would otherwise be
too dangerous, costly, or impossible to experience in a given setting.
Special Effects also refers to the creation of the elements, i.e. wind,
rain, fog, smoke, steam, etc. that is performed during principal (live
action) photography. It is furthermore the job of the Special Effects
Coordinator / Supervisor to create the explosions (pyrotechnics) that
occur on the set. The Special Effects crew is usually responsible for
the fabrication of systems that will help with the above mentioned
responsibilities.

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July 23, 2004 - 12:54 : Little Nemo

From the FilmFrog archives:

Special Effects Coordinator: specialist in miniatures, mechanical
effects, pyrotechnics, matte painting, animation, model making, and
special photography; works closely with producer, director, director of
photography, art director, and editor.

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July 23, 2004 - 12:56 : Little Nemo

From TapeOp.com:

I produce and mix records. Everyone that would be reading an audio mag
knows what I do, but what does a scoring recordist do?

On a large scoring stage there is usually a crew of 4 people. Two guys
take care of the stage (the live room), set up chairs, mic the
percussion as well as run head phone mixes. With a live room that is
7500 square feet That's a big job! I take care of the control room with
the help of a technical engineer, who is sort of like the maintenance
tech. I liase with the music editor and the mixer for each film, to
make sure everything is in place for the session. During the session I
run video playback, all the various analog and digital tape machines,
all the synchronization, patching, console automation, virtual
timecode, surround mix bussing as well as the stereo "fold down"
versions of the surround mixes. I work with a mixer who is pushing
faders a guy who is always aligned with the film's composer. That mixer
will specify how to lay out the stage and pick the microphones, decide
on tape machines and do the final balancing. 


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July 23, 2004 - 12:59 : Morbus Iff

LittleNemo - thank you! These will be committed to CVS either tonight or
early next week.

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July 23, 2004 - 13:00 : Little Nemo

From filmsound.org:

Mixing (also called re-recording)

...

Mixing (also called Dubbing) - The Mixers have the responsibility of
balancing the various elements, i.e., - the Dialogue (and ADR), Music,
Sound Effects, and Foley Effects, in the final mix. The Dialogue Mixer,
(also called the Lead Mixer or Gaffing Mixer) commands the mixing stage;
his partners in the mix are the Effects Mixer and the Music Mixer. On
large features, it is not uncommon to have an additional mixer handling
just the Foley effects. On huge pictures with tight deadlines, it is
possible that several teams of mixers are working simultaneously on
numerous stages in order to complete the mix by the release date. 

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July 23, 2004 - 21:27 : Morbus Iff

These have been committed to CVS in revised form. There seems to be some
similarity between a score recordist (defined as "A score recordist runs
video playback, analog and digital tape machines, handles
synchronization, patching, console automation, virtual timecode,
surround mix bussing, and stereo 'fold down' versions of the surround
mixes.") and score engineer (defined as "Also known as a scoring mixer,
a score engineer records and mixes the music during recording sessions,
working closely with composers and songwriters to ensure the process
happens successfully.") - if a score engineer is also recording, why is
there a need for a score recordist?

Remaining undefined roles: 2D Artist, Insurance, Payroll Accountant,
Score Performance, Set Director, Special Effects Technician (an
underling to a Special Effects Supervisor?), Stereo Sound Consultant,
Titles, Video Playback Engineer, and Visual Effects Producer.

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July 25, 2004 - 17:54 : Little Nemo

if a score engineer is also recording, why is there a need for a score
recordist?

I'm assuming the scoring recordist works under the score engineer,
while the engineer works out the "larger issues of the score" with the
composer/songwriter, etc. Kind of like the relationships between:

Director::2nd unit director
Special effects coordinator::Special effects technician

Where one is responsible for the logistics of the task, and the other
(subordinate) is resposible for the execution of said task. Just a
guess though.

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August 18, 2004 - 08:47 : Morbus Iff

Just changing the title (in preparation of following issues).

Remaining undefined movie roles: 2D Artist, Insurance, Payroll
Accountant, Score Performance, Set Director, Special Effects Technician
(an underling to a Special Effects Supervisor?), Stereo Sound
Consultant, Titles, Video Playback Engineer, and Visual Effects
Producer.

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August 24, 2004 - 17:37 : Little Nemo

From http://saturn.vfx.com/loup/glossary.html :

Set Director  (REQUIRED)
    - The art director's assistant in designing and constructing sets.



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August 25, 2004 - 13:56 : Little Nemo

via Dolby(pdf file):


The Dolby consultants provide technical and creative assistance to over
250 authorised Dolby film dubbing studios in 43 countries, as well as
film laboratories and cinemas.

It appears to me that "stereo sound consultants" are actually
consultants from various sound companies who help studios use their
sound technology. For example: Dolby, THX, Skywalker Sound, etc.

More often than not, if a consultant is credited the company he
represents will be credited as well.

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August 25, 2004 - 14:23 : Little Nemo

Titles:
via Digital Media FX:

...In the days of silent film, the story was moved along by title
cards, which were imbued with text and inserted through out the action.
The white lettering on black backgrounds was sometimes livened up by
some decorative additions (such as 'lace' outlines, type treatments or
drawings of characters or buildings) but for the most part, they were
rather plain. The cards could be found not just within the film, but
before as well. And so film titles were born, dull and plain, but they
were here. Thankfully they evolved and matured to where they were not
just reciting off the names of the films participants, but were
actually an integral part of the main feature...

...opening credit sequences that did not simply announce the credits
and open the movie, they were instead a logical extension of the film.
Each sequence was in it's self a short film that prepared the viewer
for what was to come. In his closing credit sequences, he worked to
give the story a 'semi-prologue', to give the viewer a chance to
continue the experience of the film while bringing it to a close...

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August 25, 2004 - 14:29 : Little Nemo

Film Score Perfomance:
via Cinescape:

`The essence of live music film score performance is that it is live:
it is a new hybrid, neither a concert nor a film showing, but perhaps
closer to performance art.` According to Byron, silent movies offer
composers an important advantage: autonomy, a freedom that would be
unimaginable scoring a contemporary sound film where directors know
what they want and composers are fairly limited to that view.


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August 28, 2004 - 19:33 : Little Nemo

Video Playback Engineer/Operator/Assist
via The Society of Camera Operators.

3 part article, here's a gloss summary.

Basically the playback engineer/operator works a video camera that is
mounted in parallel with the film camera. The footage of the video
should be representative of what will print to film. This approximation
allows (or allowed) directors to get a feel for a shot without having to
wait for dailies. Seen as unreliable in the early years, it helped
directors establish blocking for actors who needed it, kept boom mic
operators out of shots, and things of the like. That Jerry Lewis is a
genius no?

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September 1, 2004 - 20:17 : Little Nemo

via Tippett studios:

Production Accountant [1]

Not quite payroll, but close.

The closest "job description" I've come up with so far for payroll
accountant is from Zoran:

Payroll Accountant (Sunnyvale, CA) 

Primary Function: 

Perform all U.S. payroll functions at Zoran for >250 employees 
Work with human resources to ensure accurate upload of employee
information, processing time sheet data for nonexempt employees,
processing equity transactions, vacation and worker's compensation
activity 
Work with accounting department to prepare payment/transmission of
401k, FSA, payroll taxes, and salaries, prepare entries to general
ledger and ensure payroll accounts and activities are reconciled 
Personally work with employees to address any payroll related issues 
Process manual checks for terminations, retroactive adjustments and
special payments 
Research payroll issues and prepare special reports/projects 
Assist with audits of 401k and financial statements on an annual basis


[1] http://www.tippett.com/jobs/detail/admin_Prodaccountant.html


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September 1, 2004 - 20:28 : Little Nemo

2d artist:

via Animal Logic:

An Overview
Compositing is a visual art form where various elements, both filmed
and digitally created, are combined to produce one final image or
composite. 

Compositing can involve putting together various elements into one
finished product or may involve frame-by-frame touch up work (known as
rotoscoping).  This process is used in cases where wires or rigging may
need to be removed or where defects have occurred in the filming
process, such as neg scratches and hairs in the camera gate or dirt
present in the various developing processes. In addition to the
alteration and rectification of these types anomalies of the film
process, 2D artists may also do some work with editing and colour
grading. 

Generally compositing deals purely with visual images (not sound mixing
or audio work) however in unusual circumstances a 2D compositor may also
have to deal with these other issues, so knowledge of these processes is
also necessary.



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September 1, 2004 - 20:37 : Little Nemo

Here's two different looks at film insurance:

via The UK Film Council:

...Film insurance is highly specialised with each production carrying
different risks. The types of insurance needed and the level of premium
will vary from film to film. At its most basic, your insurance should
cover sickness, accident, death (of crew, cast etc.), physical loss and
damage to equipment and assets, employers and public liability...

Pretty standard right? Then there's this definition,  via The
Economist:

...A few years ago, Hollywood’s film makers thought that they had
found, in insurance companies, the ideal partners to co-finance films.
Insurers make a living from risk, and the industry could offer plenty
of that. Insurers also faced falling premiums in their traditional
insurance markets, while film makers were prepared to pay in premiums
almost any sum they demanded.

The big companies in the industry—American Insurance Group (AIG), Axa
Reinsurance, the reinsurance arm of France’s biggest insurer, and XL
Capital, based in Bermuda—duly threw themselves into insurance-backed
“gap finance”. The idea seemed simple enough: insurers underwrote
bank loans that formed part of a film’s financing package,
guaranteeing to compensate for any shortfall between the sum insured
and the money that the film made. Reinsurers, in turn, insured
“direct” insurers. The rest of the finance package consisted of
capital put up by studios, as well as other loans that were not
insured.

In the event, film-insurance deals were more favourable to Hollywood
than insurance executives at first realised. The film makers enjoyed a
financial safety net, thereby becoming a better bet for potential
lenders. But many policies were written for one film at a time—so the
risk of failure, resulting in large claims, was high. In addition,
insurers often underwrote a foolishly large percentage (sometimes as
much as half) of a film’s production budget. That was a disincentive
for producers to watch what they spent either on the film or on
themselves...

Seedy no?


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September 1, 2004 - 20:58 : Little Nemo

Visual Effects Producer:

via Star Trek:

...Could you please describe your job?

My job title is Visual Effects Producer and, unlike most people who
fall into that category, I'm much more hands-on. I work with Visual
Effects Supervisors Ron [B.] Moore and Mitch Suskin. I do some of the
matte paintings myself and sometimes I'll design ships or work together
with the [producers] supervising things on stage. I also direct second
unit and design a lot of the bladed weapons. I'm kind of like a visual
effects ombudsman...

via The Producers Guild:

For TV:
 VISUAL EFFECTS PRODUCER:

1. A credit of Visual Effects Producer is only applicable to a
television series if each episode contains significant visual effects
of substantial cost and duration (e.g., Star Trek: Voyager). 
2. The Visual Effects Producer reports directly to the person(s)
receiving Produced By credit. 
3. The Visual Effects Producer has responsibility for the creative and
business aspects of the television series in collaboration with the
visual effects supervisor, director and the person(s) receiving
Produced By credit.

For Film:
VISUAL EFFECTS PRODUCER 

1.The Visual Effects Producer reports directly to the individual(s)
receiving Produced By credit on the theatrical motion picture. 

2.The Visual Effects Producer has responsibility for the creative and
business aspects of the motion picture in collaboration with the visual
effects supervisor, director and the individual(s) receiving Produced By
credit.



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