What Does a Script Supervisor Do?

The Script Supervisor oversees continuity during principal photography, making sure there aren’t any distracting continuity errors during production.

If you’ve ever seen a film where a character drinks half a glass of water, and in the next shot the water is full again, that’s a sign that the Script Supervisor didn’t do their job.

By overseeing continuity on set, the Script Supervisor must pay attention to things like:

• Costumes
• Props
• Hair and makeup
• Character movement
• Lighting
• Sets
• Scene coverage

Simply put, it’s the Script Supervisor’s responsibility to ensure that regardless of the number of takes, the Editor has available to them all the footage necessary for assemblage of the final film without any distracting errors and inconsistencies.

Want a visual breakdown of what Script Supervisors are responsible for on set? This video from Beyond Film School explains the role in action!

Daily Tasks of a Script Supervisor

Roe Moore, a veteran Script Supervisor on over 30 films and TV specials, says, “The typical day-to-day is keeping the set organized. When it comes to resets everything needs to go back to one. That means bringing back everything, props and people, to how the scene started. Just think about hair, makeup, and blood for horror films! But it’s not always that complicated. Sometimes it’s just making sure a cup an Actor moves is returned to its original spot.

“The Script Supervisor is a one-person crew keeping track of all these details. It can be quite intense. We also take notes for the Editor, Script Analyst and Script Reader. It helps them organize footage faster so they’re not stuck looking through countless dailies to find a specific moment in an Actor’s coverage. We also note if there was an error within a specific shot.”

Most of the time a film is shot out of order. Usually, a production will shoot one side of a room before flipping to do another angle of the opposite side. This means that everything must be put back in the exact same spot as the first angle for the two shots to cut together. This process is repeated for multiple takes. In a larger sense, a scene will be shot and then the following scene won’t be filmed until a week later.

It’s truly a job where the devil is in the details.

The average annual salary for a Script Supervisor is approximately $63,748. The salary range for Script Supervisors runs from $25,000 to $115,000.

When Script Supervisors are just starting out in the industry, the majority will work non-union and set their own day rates. After joining the union, they’ll benefit from higher wages established by the union.

A Script Supervisor’s annual salary will also depend on the number of gigs they take in a given year, and the budget allotted to their salary for each gig. As with many specialties in filmmaking, that salary can fluctuate from year to year.

Most Script Supervisors work on a freelance, project-to-project basis.

The freelance life can be very sporadic. Moore says, “Sometimes a job will come in a month in advance and other times it’s less than twenty-four hours. Usually, features and television shows give more notice while commercials are in the two-day range.

“When working with a network, things can be more regular, but usually it’s booking a job for three weeks and then nothing for a month, then three commercial jobs all at once. I’m lucky to have friends and a spouse who are totally understanding. Work can be any day of the week, at any time, and show up with no notice.”

Script Supervisors work in the production phase of filmmaking. It can be a bit turbulent due to people dropping out of jobs and the last-minute nature of building a film crew. When a Script Supervisor becomes more established, they’re going to have better luck booking jobs with a more consistent workload because their network of referrals and rehires will be larger.

The Script Supervisor is usually hired by the Line Producer or Unit Production Manager. They take notes from the Director and pass on all continuity observations to the Editor. Otherwise, the Script Supervisor is working with every department on set, making sure that each shot can be cut together.

What does a Script Supervisor’s career look like on a major set? Check out this behind the scenes video where Helena Jung shares what it’s like working on Bridgerton.

Wondering how to become a Script Supervisor? Moore explains, “Since we’re a department of one, when a Script Supervisor starts, they’ve got the weight of production on their shoulders. It isn’t a job that is directly taught in film school either. Most Script Supervisors will shadow a veteran to learn the job.”

“It’s a sort of an apprenticeship method. I got into it by working with a 25-year veteran. It gave me the opportunity to get on set and make connections that would lead to my first couple of jobs.”

Many Script Supervisors advance in their career by working on larger productions. Some will go on to become Directors or Editors because they spend so much time focusing on shot setups and details.

The best approach for advancing as a Script Supervisor is to understand the context of what it means to be on set, including etiquette, as well as knowing what needs to happen for each specific scene and when.

Most people become a Script Supervisor through mentorship. “Script Supervisors pass on the training that they have. If I’m not working and one of my mentees has set, I’ll go with them for support. If they have questions then they can ask me first before walking up to the Director or star of the project.

“Doing that can be intimidating. Otherwise, I’m usually meeting up with my students after a day of filmmaking to hear how everything went,” says Moore.

She also mentions, “If someone is going through film school it can be great for them to hop on their friends’ shoots and practice. It’s good to keep those student film connections. Even if you’re not in school it can be good to do student films because some schools, like the AFI cycle and thesis projects, hire key department heads to help with projects for a decent rate. Also, those relationships can be carried forward after people graduate.”

A person usually lands their first Script Supervisor gig through student films or a recommendation from their mentor. As they continue to work, a network of relationships will be built that results in rehires, leading to consistent work.

The following breaks down some of the more common ways to develop your Script Supervisor skillsets:

• Examine shows for common continuity issues.
• Join Facebook groups that discuss this specialty.
• Find a mentor and work with them on set.
• Study films. Break down how many cuts are in a scene and how many angles it was shot in.
• Read Script Supervising and Film Continuity by Pat Miller.

Script Supervisors are the glue that holds continuity together on set. With such an important role, Script Supervisors need a variety of skills to succeed.

When script supervising it’s good to have a general knowledge of filmmaking. However, there is one special skill that is imperative to have.

“I would definitely say be detail-oriented. Our job deals with very small minutia. It’s making sure that an Actor takes a sip of their drink on the exact same line every time, but it’s not just that. A Script Supervisor needs a lot of positive energy when communicating what they see. It’s really easy to become a nag,” says Moore.

Every single take will be slightly different. It’s up to the Script Supervisor to catalog these differences and make sure that they each match enough to cut. Therefore, general knowledge of how to shoot and edit a movie is imperative.

Everyone on a film set needs to be collaborative. A Script Supervisor also needs to be diplomatic because their job is often about pointing out flaws in the other departments. It’s about being approachable.

“Be kind when talking to others; we’re not supposed to be the police. If you start bullying or bossing people around then it’ll make it a toxic set and you won’t get rehired.

“The best way to be is solution-minded. Always have a solution to a problem before approaching someone with it. If you walk up and tell someone to deal with it, things won’t go over well,” says Moore.

Having a good attitude is always important but it’s especially crucial for Script Supervisors because the potential for conflict is so high. Sometimes it’s just as simple as asking for one more take to see if an error can be solved without telling everyone except the Director why.

Although there’s no degree or educational requirement needed to become a script supervisor, having exposure and training in both script supervisory positions and filmmaking can be helpful for someone looking to pursue this role. Some things to consider would be…

Film School Education

Film school can provide you with a base knowledge of the filmmaking world and provide a hands-on experience for the way movies are produced.

On-Set Experience

While educational institutions have their value, there can be no greater teacher than an experience working on an actual, living, breathing film set. By simply observing the way departments interact and how shots are achieved can be an invaluable experience for any script supervisor looking to get a true sense of the way things are done on a working set.

“I would highly recommend getting to know what every position on set does. A Script Supervisor’s hands are in every single department and it’s important to know what they’re doing to effectively collaborate.

A lot of these things may seem simple but while on set people’s heads are pulled in so many different directions that the obvious can become invisible. A good job to take to get on set experience is as a PA in the grip or art department.

Studying Shot Lists

Moore explains, “It’s also good to understand how shot lists work. Sometimes the Script Supervisor must be the outside eye and let people know if shooting in a specific order won’t work. For example, if a chainsaw comes through a wall and cuts a desk in half where a character in a movie is supposed to be hiding then it’s important to get the Actor’s coverage under the desk before sawing it in half.”

Mentorship Programs

There are a couple of professional mentorship programs and apprenticeships dedicated to training people to become Script Supervisors. IATSE Local 871, the union that oversees union Script Supervisors, provides a list of Script Supervisor/Continuity Coordinator instructors that features Moore and other working professionals.

There are many good resources and professional organizations for aspiring Script Supervisors to check out. Moore mentions, “Some of the best online resources are the Facebook groups ScriptSupervisors! and Digital Script Supervisor.

“They’re a great place to find work and build connections. Also, it’s good to check out the Local Union 871 or whichever union represents your area. There are different local unions and while they can’t give jobs, they do have meetups. It’s a good place to meet a veteran Script Supervisor.

“Finally, I’d check out Below the Line magazine. It has a list of all projects in development or production with contact information. Reach out to a Production Manager who works consistently and take them out to lunch. Let them get to know you and build your contacts.”

The most important thing to remember about script supervising is that it is a job that needs to be learned through experience. The best thing a person can do is use these online resources and organizations to make contacts and get on set.