What Roles Does a Second Unit Director of Photography Have on Set?

The film set is an incredibly busy and powerfully efficient environment where time is money. Each individual on the set has their own roles and responsibilities. Which, together, form a highly effective and efficient work crew. The second unit director of photography represents the second camera crew for a large scale production. And actively engages in a variety of duties and tasks in their time on the set. We’re breaking down what those roles and responsibilities are. How the 2nd unit performs each role. And why the job of a second unit director is so incredibly powerful and important on the set.

What is the Second Unit Director of Photography?

First, what is a second unit director of photography. And how can you spot this individual working on the film set? You might notice the 2nd unit director actively engaging the film’s second unit camera crew.

These are the secondary crew members which operate the additional camera equipment involved in a multi-camera, large scale production.

The 2nd unit director of photography is in charge of the camera crew that is responsible for shooting secondary scenes that are not part of the film’s primary principal photography.

Unique Needs

The 2nd unit director of photography frequently works alongside or simultaneously with members of the first crew.

It’s important to note that the two crews are operating under a unique schedule. And have unique filming needs which must be captured in a timely process in order to ensure maximum production value.

Second Unit Director of Photography Responsibilities

The second unit director of photography is responsible for a variety of tasks on and off the film set. They will oversee the second camera crew, also called the auxiliary crew. And often function as the lead in overseeing the production of action sequences in major films.

Second unit directors are found on both film and television sets. They take on many of the same responsibilities that you would expect from the DP, but working with the auxiliary camera crew.

Save the Production Time

Scenes that are incredibly simple are often handed over to the 2nd unit director of photography on the set to save valuable time and to allow the first camera crew to focus on other scenes of importance.

But don’t think that the handing off of easy shots to the second unit director is due to any lack of technique or skill on their part!

Some of the most difficult, and highly technical scenes are also frequently handed to the second unit director, for the same purpose. To save valuable production time and act more efficiently on the set so that the entire crew can get more done in less time.

In Summation

So, what does a second unit director of photography do on the set? They act as the lead of a second unit camera crew performing most of the roles and responsibilities that a first DP would have in management of their crew/

And typically working for less than the traditional fees that are paid for the first AD on set which effectively saves money by reducing overhead expenses for a film.