Roll Credits II

It’s time for another look at the incredible people who work so hard to make the films we love (or hate). A while back I decided to use a portion of my blog to explain some of the titles we often see during the final credits of a movie. In an effort to shed some light on who all those people are and what they do, I bring you Part II of Roll Credits.

Line Producer – This individual is in charge of the movie’s budget. They manage all the expenses right from the actor’s salaries to the everyday costs of keeping the cameras rolling. When you see this credit scroll by on the next big, epic movie you see you can silently thank that person for ensuring that the film’s budget was so exorbitant that you had to shell out an extra $4.50 for a squirt of butter on your $12.75 small popcorn.

Film Loader – Pretty much what it sounds like, this person is responsible for loading and unloading the film magazines onto the cameras, as well as ensuring that the loading room stays clear and clean. This person is also commonly referred to as the ‘Clapper Loader’, because they are also responsible for operating the clapperboard (slate) at the beginning of each take. The loader is a very important job since it’s not only important to ensure the camera has film, but to be certain it is the right kind of film for the shot.

Camera Operator – Again, pretty easy to figure out what this person does. They’re responsible for not only operating the camera, but to ensure that the scene the director wants captured is perfectly framed. And if you’ve ever watched a behind-the-scenes special feature and heard a director yell “Check the gate!” you now know that it’s the camera operator’s job to visually inspect the film gate on the camera after each scene. He’s checking to make sure nothing has jammed in the gate, usually a human hair, which could ruin the entire shot. If there’s nothing in the gate then “It’s a wrap!”