Assistant Director (AD) - YouTube Original Production

Dragonfruit; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading production company in Los Angeles is seeking an experienced Assistant Director to ensure smooth operations on set. You will manage the production schedule, anticipate changes, and coordinate between the Director and crew. Ideal candidates possess remarkable communication skills and have a track record in high-pressure, fast-paced environments. This role demands quick decision-making to maintain momentum without sacrificing quality. If you thrive in challenging settings and have a passion for production, we want to hear from you.

Responsibilities

• Own the Call Sheet and enforce the production schedule.
• Anticipate camera setup changes and prep the crew.
• Communicate between Director, technical crew, and talent.
• Manage set efficiency and call the roll.

Skills

Proven AD experience on narrative and commercial content

Exceptional scheduling instincts

Calm, clear communication style

Logistical foresight

Deep comfort in indie-style production

Job description

Role Overview: We're looking for an AD who runs a tight ship without running a tense set. You are the operational engine of the entire shoot — the person who holds the schedule in one hand and the crew's trust in the other. With 15–20 minutes of final content needing to be captured in just one to two shoot days, there is zero margin for drift. You make sure there isn't any.

This is an all-hands‑on‑deck production environment. Things move fast, setups change, and the unexpected is always on the call sheet. Your job is to see it coming before anyone else does and have the solution ready before anyone has to ask.

Key Responsibilities:

• Schedule Management: Own the Call Sheet and enforce the hour‑by‑hour production schedule, pushing the crew to meet scene transition deadlines.
• Logistical Foresight: Anticipate the next camera setup or location change and ensure the DP, Production Designer, and Talent are prepped before the current scene wraps.
• Crew Coordination: Act as the primary communicator between the Director, the technical crew, and the talent, allowing the Director to focus entirely on performance and visuals.
• Set Operations: Call the roll ("Quiet on set," "Rolling," "Cut") and manage general set efficiency.

Who You Are:

• Proven AD experience on narrative, commercial, or high‑production digital content — you've run a set and you know what that actually means
• Exceptional scheduling instincts and the ability to make real‑time decisions that keep production moving without creating chaos
• A calm, clear communication style that commands respect without creating tension
• The logistical foresight to always be one setup ahead of where the crew currently is
• Deep comfort in lean, indie‑style production environments where the AD often has to be the answer to problems that don't have a robust department