Careers A–Z · Assistant directing
3rd AD
The 3rd AD holds the edges of the set. Lockups, background artists, cast to and from set, and the flow of people around the camera.
It is the first grade in the AD department with real responsibility, and the first place people notice whether you can run a floor.
The basics
Also known as, and where the grade sits.
| 3rd AD | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | 3rd AD, third assistant director. Crowd 2nd AD is a related grade on large background days. |
| Level | Junior grade in the assistant directing department. |
| Reports to | The 2nd AD, and on the floor the 1st AD. |
| Comes after | Floor runner. |
| Leads to | 2nd AD, then 1st AD. |
The job
What does a 3rd AD do?
You place and run background artists, brief them, and cue them so a street looks alive without anybody looking like they were told to walk.
You hold lockups, keep the public and the crew off the shot, walk cast to set, pass information on the radio, and tell the 1st AD what is happening at the far end of the location.
The unglamorous end: you spend the day outdoors, on your feet, being the person who says no to members of the public. In the rain, at night, politely, for hours.
The requirement
What is a 3rd AD good at?
Authority without aggression, and the stamina to hold a position all day.
Calm authority
Turning people away without a row starting.
Radio discipline
Short, clear, correct. The channel belongs to everyone.
Awareness
Seeing the problem coming down the street before it arrives.
People skills
Background artists work better when treated as crew.
Reliability
Where you were put, until you are moved.
Kit
Tools of the trade.
| What | The actual items |
|---|---|
| Radio | Walkie-talkie, earpiece, spare batteries and the correct channel. |
| Paperwork | Call sheet, movement order, background breakdown, chaperone and licence details where relevant. |
| Floor kit | Hi-vis, torch, cones, tape, an umbrella and a pen. |
| Signage | Unit signs, lockup signage, and the public notices locations has agreed. |
| Weather | Proper boots and a coat. You will be outside longer than anyone. |
The unit
Who does a 3rd AD work with?
| Who | What passes between you |
|---|---|
| 1st AD | The running order, and what needs to happen next. |
| 2nd AD | Cast movement, background numbers and the day’s calls. |
| Background artists | Briefing, placing, cueing and looking after. |
| Locations | Access, the public, parking and the neighbours. |
| Camera and sound | Where the shot ends, so you know what to hold. |
Routes in
How do I become a 3rd AD?
A promotion from runner, and one of the clearest ladders in the industry.
Crowd work
Crowd and background units use large AD teams and hire often.
Events and stewarding
Crowd management and event control transfer directly.
Commercials
Small crews mean a runner does AD work sooner.
A degree is not required and is not usual in the AD department. What counts is a 1st AD who has watched you keep a set calm.
The AD ladder is walked, not jumped. Everyone above you did this grade.
Nearby
The grades either side of this one.
Read up the ladder, and read the departments you spend the day next to.
Production department guide
The paperwork, the office, the published rates and the free route through all three.
Never been on a set? Start here. Offered a first day? Read this first. Want to know where this grade leads? Where people have gone names people who trained here and the productions they went to.
