Second Assistant Directors

Here is how the work lines up. The 2nd assistant directors we work with in Canada have come up through the AD pipeline that Vancouver Film School, Sheridan College, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson), Concordia University in Montreal, L'Inis Montreal and the Canadian Film Centre have shaped over the past three decades, with most having spent formative seasons on the CBC, Radio-Canada, CTV, Global and Hallmark high-volume episodic pipeline before crossing into the global features and streaming series that Rhombus Media, Don Carmody Productions, Conquering Lion Pictures, Max Films and Cinémaginaire build out of Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal soundstages.

Here is what we have to work with. They build call sheets in English — and bilingual EN/FR templates for Quebec shoots — manage cast and background flow from holding through wardrobe and makeup, set up transport between basecamp and set across Toronto's Distillery District and King Street West lock-up zones, Vancouver's Gastown heritage blocks and Stanley Park no-idle corridors, and Montreal's Old Port pedestrian streets, and keep the production forms flowing accurately so the 1st AD stays anchored on the shooting floor.

Here is the layout. Their working knowledge of the DGC (Directors Guild of Canada) Standard Agreement, IATSE 12-hour rest rules, ACTRA performer shift conventions and UDA francophone-performer rules in Quebec means schedules they distribute are compliant and realistic from day one of principal photography in Canada.

Here is how the work shapes up. On the ground, our 2nd ADs in Canada handle daily production reports, time cards, scene status sheets, cast and crew logs, and the administrative trail needed for federal CPTC and provincial tax-credit records that the line producer submits at wrap. Ontario OFTTC + OPSTC, BC PSTC + DAVE, Quebec CSCIQ, Alberta FTITP, Manitoba MFVPTC and the regional pipelines.

Here is how it adds up. They have credits across Pinewood Toronto, Cinespace Toronto and Vancouver, Vancouver Film Studios, Bridge Studios, MELS Studios Montreal and Calgary Film Centre, plus the regional bases shoots build around Halifax, Winnipeg and Iqaluit, and they routinely set up large background calls through ACTRA-registered extras pipelines for downtown Toronto street scenes, Vancouver doubling-for-Seattle work, Montreal period sequences in the Old Port and Mile End, and crowd shoots across Quebec City UNESCO Old Town and Banff townsite.

Here is the run-down. The 1st AD lineage they came up under. Adam Kane on Star Trek Discovery, Steve Vince on The Boys, David Brown on Dune Part Two's Vancouver block, Stéphane Bertrand across Quebec features — informs how they pace the day, and we match 2nd ADs based on language profile (English-only, bilingual EN/FR), format, AD operation scale and prior Canadian credits.