December 4, 2012

Script supervisor Rhona Rubio's cool job

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Rhona Rubio on location in Nicaragua in November. (Frederick Schroeder / Special to NWjobs)

What do you do? As a [Seattle-based] script supervisor, I'm the one who makes sure the lead actor's hair is parted in the same direction during a scene, even though we may be shooting the scene over multiple days. I need to maintain that continuity of hair, makeup, wardrobe, props, sets, weather, even camera angles in some cases. I also time all shots and take notes on each take so the raw footage can be accessed efficiently during editing.

How did you get started? I located a veteran script supervisor in Los Angeles and took some classes with her. She went through the ins and outs with me for three months. When I completed the training, I started working on indie short films and thesis projects for free, mostly with students at USC, AFI and NYFA. From there, it was just a matter of hard work and constant networking.

What’s a typical day like? The work days are usually 10-14 hours long. Start time could be morning, noon or night! I will have my forms ready in advance and the script already prepped for notes and timing (usually on an iPad). I work most closely with the director -- keeping track of shot details while ensuring good continuity.

What’s the best part of the job? The best parts for me are meeting new people with each new project and traveling to exotic places, whether it be Waco, Texas; Philadelphia; or Nicaragua!

What surprises people about your job? Most everyone has seen a continuity flub in a film -- it happens -- but no one expects that there is a job dedicated entirely to making sure it doesn't happen.

--NWjobs staff

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