Watch: Movies Aren't Possible Without These Essential, Under-Appreciated Crew Members

It takes a village to make a movie. Without at least dozens—and often many hundreds—of dedicated crew members, no director would ever stand at the podium on Oscar night to accept the Best Director award. 

Every great director knows that he or she is not an island. "When I was a kid, there was no collaboration; it's you with a camera bossing your friends around," Steven Spielberg once told the New York Times. "But as an adult, filmmaking is all about appreciating the talents of the people you surround yourself with and knowing you could never have made any of these films by yourself."

A new video essay from Fandor outlines some of the key crew members on film sets that often go unrecognized. These include, but are not limited to: assistant camera, who sets up the camera, places markers, and maintains focus when the camera operator frames shots; script supervisor, who notes script changes on set and keeps continuity for costumes and prop placement; craft services, who keep crew members alive and well; gaffers, electricians who handle lighting; grips, who help with non-electrical aspects of lighting; and the Best Boy or Girl, who support the lighting department.

The video essay ends with one important statement that no director should ever forget: "Even the most iconoclastic auteur can’t function alone."

Featured image: Emmanuel Lubezski and Emma Stone behind the scenes of 'Birdman,' courtesy of ARRI