Nick Durante
RRFC
	An Assistant Director, or AD, is integral to the timely production of a film. The time and productivity of a film is greatly dependent on  the AD. An AD does everything from tracking progress in comparison to the shooting schedule, to monitoring the health and safety of the crew. The AD "calls the roll" on the set making sure everyone is in position and ready for "action". This is so crucial to a smooth production because everything must be done in a timely and organized manner and it is the AD's job  to do so. 
	Assistant Directors prepare the call sheet for a shoot. They must make sure that everybody on set is prepared to take their position and work. The director of a film must be fully engaged in the creative process. Because of that, and AD works to take care everything else that could easily get in the way of this. An AD will break the screenplay down into a storyboard, page by page. Being a leader, supportive, and positive reinforcer are required to do an AD's work. These things all contribute to the overall productivity and work ethic of the cast and crew. An AD ensures that the cast and crew is comfortable on set and healthy. If anyone on the cast and crew is not doing well or unhappy, it has potential to hinder the production. A director unfortuneatly cannot necessarily monitor all of those things while still being fully engaged in the creative process, so the AD takes on that responsibility. 
	The First Assistant Director is essentially the director's right hand man, while the Second Assistant Director fills that role for the First Assistant Director. Time management and organization are a necessary for such a job. They compile daily filming logistics to be dispensed to the cast and crew. The Second AD also sees to it that the prinicple cast are all on stand by on the set so that when their time is ready everyone can go right into work. Patience, tact, and communication skills are key to being an AD, first or second.. It is a huge responsibility to wrangle everyone together in their respective positions in a timely fashion. 
	Assistant Directors are an extremely valuable part of a production and ease the load of the director. Alfred Hitchcock was once an AD, it is a great pedestal to move up in the business.