The video-craft encyclopedia.

The person who decides what the audience sees and feels. Owns vision, casting, performance, final edit.

Cuts the film. Where stories are actually written for the last time.

Owns image - camera, lighting, lens choice. Director's closest creative partner.

Builds the sonic world - effects, ambience, sweeteners. Often handles the final mix on smaller projects.

The one who makes it happen - money, scheduling, hiring, conflict resolution. The unromantic engine of every shoot.

Financier, packager, or rights-holder. Doesn't necessarily show up on set. Title sometimes ceremonial.

Runs the budget day-to-day during production. The producer who lives on-set.

Coordinates the logistics - equipment, locations, crew bookings. Line producer's lieutenant.

Actually frames and pulls the trigger on the shot. On bigger crews, separate from the DP.

Operates focus, manages camera body. Margin for error: zero.

Slates, loads media, builds reports. Future first ACs in training.

Manages on-set media, color, backups. The reason your footage doesn't evaporate.

Chief lighting technician. The DP describes a mood; the gaffer builds the rig that makes it real.

Gaffer's second. Tracks gear, scheduling, dolly to the next location.

Runs the grip department - dollies, cranes, flags, anything non-electric that shapes light or supports camera.

Key grip's second. Same logistics-and-personnel role as best boy electric.

Sets levels, manages wireless, lives or dies on takes.

Holds the boom, follows dialogue, dances out of shot.

Manages media, syncs dailies, organizes bins. Editorial's nervous system.

Grades the picture for tone and consistency. The most underrated discipline in post.

Final mix engineer. Balances dialogue, music, effects to the platform target.

Owns the look and pipeline of visual effects. Bridges set and post.

Writes original score. Sometimes hired before shooting; sometimes after the edit lock.

Owns the look of the world - sets, props, locations, colors. Above the art director.