If in addition to directing and shooting you also have to worry about the HMI lights that are mysteriously flickering or the generator which is refusing to work, you are in trouble.

For an ambitious project – regardless of whether it is a 30-second TV spot or a 3-hour epic – the AD should be a pro, or at least a reliable person who really understands the job.

The 1st AD attends the technical location scout with the director, DP and other department heads, and will warn the director about possible problems. For example, the AD might warn the director that clean sound recording might be a nightmare; there are many factors that can make a location impractical, and the tech scout is done partly to assess these difficulties in advance.

The most valuable qualities of assistant directors are energy and field experience – it is not uncommon for a 1st AD to be older than the director. For a young director shooting a serious project, even if it is a 30-second TV spot, an experienced 1st AD will be well worth the fee you have to disburse and will ensure that your production values are deployed with maximum efficiency.