Second Assistant Directors

Here is how this works in practice. The 2nd assistant directors we work with in South Korea have come up through the K-drama production pipeline at Studio Dragon, JTBC Studios and CJ ENM, with crossover credits on Korean cinema features and global co-productions shooting under the Korea Location Incentive. They build call sheets in Korean and English, manage cast and background flow from holding into wardrobe and makeup, set up transport between basecamp and set.

Here is the short of it. Keep the production forms flowing accurately so the 1st AD never loses focus on the shooting floor. Their working knowledge of the Korean Labour Standards Act on crew hours, late hours and rest periods means schedules they distribute are realistic and compliant from the first day of principal photography.

Here is the breakdown. On the ground, our 2nd ADs in Korea handle daily reports, time cards, scene status, cast and crew logs and the administrative trail needed for KOFIC and incentive records. They have experience across Busan Cinema Studios, Art Service Studios in Goyang, Seoul Studio Tricky and CJ Powercast.

Here is what that looks like on the ground. They routinely set up large background calls through Korean extras agencies for street scenes in Hongdae, Itaewon and Gangnam, period work in Bukchon hanok villages and crowd sequences at Jeju coastal locations. We match 2nd ADs to projects based on scale, language needs and the format of the shoot. We keep deputies ready on call so the AD teams keeps scene matching through shifts in schedule or unexpected illness on the floor during a Korean production.