Overview of the role
The assistant script supervisor in high-end TV, scripted film and drama, reports to the script supervisor and assists them with continuity. Depending on the production, they may also work with a script supervisor trainee.
They are responsible for supporting the workflow as much as possible. They will often review new shooting schedules and advanced call sheets to cross-check information, bringing any discrepancies to the attention of the script supervisor. During shooting, if there is no script supervisor trainee, they will assist the script supervisor by recording the technical information and taking the photographs the script supervisor needs to ensure continuity between takes and scenes. They will also assist the script supervisor by liaising with other departments about the actions required by them to achieve continuity. Depending on their experience, assistants may also assist script supervisors with managing script revisions, and they are likely to step up for multi-unit days.
Download the PDF version of this skills checklist here: Assistant Script Supervisor Skills Checklist.
Core responsibilities
These core responsibilities are provided as a guide and are not exhaustive. The exact responsibilities on a particular production will vary depending on the scale and budget band.
- Read the script
- Familiarise self with script supervisor’s workflow
- Liaise with script supervisor to agree expected duties and how to support the script supervisor
- Organise files and documents the script supervisor may need
- Gather a distribution list for continuity notes when required
- Liaise with production to sort out any required security passes for the department
- Liaise with production to organise a departmental Wi-Fi dongle when required
- Liaise with locations to request a locations list for the department when required
- Liaise with locations to outline the department’s daily location work requirements such as table and chairs
- Collect mic receiver and possibly headphones when required
- Check new shooting schedules for any extra crew requirements, such as second unit days
- Identify when additional cameras will be brought in
- Alert the script supervisor when camera and sound have split for the day, checking with digital imaging technician (DIT) department if necessary
- Send relevant continuity notes to editorial and possibly the dailies technician when camera and sound split for the day
- Cross-check story days in scene and story day breakdowns against advanced call sheets
- Alert script supervisor about any discrepancies between call sheets and story days
- Communicate any corrections to call sheets to the second assistant director on behalf of the script supervisor
- Insert relevant script revisions into the marked-up script
- Alert script supervisor to relevant summarised changes in the revisions and assist them to deal with revisions when required
- Mark-up script with shots and tram lines and make any necessary adjustments to dialogue and action, teaching the script supervisor trainee how to do this, if there is one
- Keep daily paperwork as up-to-date as possible, typing up or logging information in accordance with the preference of the script supervisor
- Collect beverages and / or snacks for the script supervisor when required
- Cover for the script supervisor when they need to step off set or location
- Provide slate information to the second assistant camera technician when required
- Record technical information about cameras, visual effects and sound when required
- Log continuity photographs and screen grabs when required
- Update the assistant production office coordinator or production coordinator about the status of scenes and information in the progress report when required
- Upload daily continuity notes and / or distribute them to relevant parties
- Act as the second point of call in the department
- Gather information about matching from other departments when required
- Communicate to other departments, on behalf of the script supervisor, actions they need to take to achieve continuity
- Gather relevant information from breakdowns, script pages, and previously shot footage
- Check with the script supervisor which specific aspects of continuity or dialogue to monitor
- Attend the director’s rehearsals / blocking for the scene. Listen to conversations between the director, cinematographer and first assistant director regarding the shots planned
- Ensure continuity during shooting
- Monitor any dialogue, and prompt when necessary
- Record information about the viability of each take and the reasons, logging the director’s preferred takes when they communicate them, and formatting notes in the same style as the script supervisor
Complete or gather documents and information to support wrap as required
Skills
Check out role specific skills, transferable skills and attributes for the role of assistant script supervisor.
- Identifying and recording technical information about cameras, visual effects and sound
- Interpreting the implications of variations in shooting schedules and advanced call sheets
- Identifying relevant continuity information and logging it accurately
- Organisation: organising the continuity database and ensuring all documents are labelled properly
- Communication: liaising regularly with script supervisor and communicating diplomatically with other departments about matching and continuity requirements
- Team-working: working within the hierarchy of the script supervisor department, anticipating the needs of the script supervisor and supporting them to carry out their role, and helping to guide the workflow of the script supervisor trainee, if there is one
- Reporting: recording information about shots and continuity on behalf of the script supervisor and updating information in the daily progress report
- Resilience, enthusiasm and curiosity: adapts positively to changing work priorities and patterns, ensuring deadlines continue to be met. Proactive and explores new ideas and non-standard ways of working which will enhance and deliver the best results for the production
- Productivity: organises work effectively and achieves required results within deadlines. Demonstrates the drive and energy to get things done in pressurised situations and escalates appropriately when necessary
- Ethics and integrity: honest and principled in all their actions and interactions. Respectful and inclusive of others, and meets the ethical requirements of their profession.
- Flexibility: willing to both listen and learn and to accept changing priorities and working requirements and has the flexibility to maintain high standards in a changing production environment