The lead manages and oversees decorations on a set, working closely with other members of the production team. They must be able to handle sudden changes and routine issues, and work well with their team. Film or theater experience is preferred.
The lead works under the supervision of an art director, production designer, and/or set decorator to manage and oversee the placement and use of decorations within a set.
The leader’s role on a set is very important and requires a lot of collaboration and coordination with other people on a set. Film directors come up with the concept and overall look of the film, and collaborate closely with art directors, production designers, and set decorators to bring the concept to life. These individuals will in turn share the assembly and support requirements in more detail with the leader who will implement it along with his team of technicians, decorators and assistants. The leader’s primary role is to oversee and manage the team and ensure that all suite and support requirements for a suite are met.
The exact nature of the work depends on the type and scope of the project, as well as the personalities of the individuals involved. For example, while some directors are more hands-on and like to make all the decisions when it comes to a production, others may completely rely on their art director and production designer to handle details. Regardless, there will be sudden, last-minute changes needed to sets during shooting. This means that a leader must not only act quickly to implement necessary changes, but also manage issues calmly.
Some examples of routine issues handled by the leader are ensuring continuity of set and props from one scene to the next, making last-minute prop replacements, and producing new parts from scratch when needed. An ideal leader is dynamic, innovative and works well with his team to solve these problems on set.
Smaller productions may require their decorators to also act as leads, because it’s not possible to split the work into two positions. This job can be demanding as the leader needs to think about the overall aesthetic appearance as well as take care of day to day issues.
Those who remain calm under pressure, are reliable and helpful are ideal candidates for leadership. While field education is not always necessary, people with film and television or theater backgrounds and familiarity with the production process are often preferred.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
