What Does It Take to be a Successful Script Supervisor?

From a diplomatic personality to a thorough understanding of every role on a film set, a successful script supervisor knows how to manage the production in an effective and swift manner. I often say a producer or director won't notice when we're doing our jobs well; however, they will notice when we're not doing it well. I had the opportunity to speak with JobHero to give an insider view of what it takes to be successful. Here's a quick snippet of the article:

When considering becoming a Script Supervisor, I would suggest considering one’s skill level in organization, detail-oriented, and a capacity to have a powerful memory. The Script Supervisor is the on-set representative for the post-production team. They are the last line of defense before the cameras roll to catch any errors like missing props and/or continuity errors. They are responsible to review what is being recorded to ensure that dialogue lines are said correctly, that movements matched what was discussed in rehearsal, and if the take can ‘cut’ with any other footage or coverage for the scene. Because of this, knowledge in other areas of production is highly suggested because our position interacts with every other department. If one is familiar with the other departments, the Script Supervisor can then collaborate to find smart decisions in the event an error happens or additional support is needed.

A powerful memory is important because one has to remember (or notate) the movements of multiple things at a time while the camera records the take. After each take, the actors and props reset to their original positions and the Script Supervisor is the authority on those positions. In addition, the Script Supervisor has to know the script better than anyone else on set. This is to field any changes that could affect the story line as a whole or for a single character and determine if the change is something that can be done. More often than not, the director/producer/writer may know that in scene 2, the character gets punched. But they decide to remove the punch from the script, making the dialogue in scene 3 about the punch irrelevant and changes the story. The Script Supervisor has to be on top of the script to catch these errors before they are put on film.

Read More at JobHero!