Assistant Directors
Experienced 1st and 2nd ADs managing productions across Bogotá, Medellín, and Cartagena.
The assistant director transforms creative ambition into a structured production plan, coordinating departments across Colombia's diverse filming environments. From managing shoots at TIS Studios and RCN Studios in Bogotá to coordinating location work in Cartagena's colonial walled city or the Coffee Region highlands, the 1st AD must combine organizational precision with an understanding of Colombia's growing production infrastructure.
NeedAFixer connects you with Colombian ADs who bring deep local knowledge to international productions. Our network includes professionals experienced at TIS Studios, Caracol Studios, and on location across Colombia's major filming regions, with practical understanding of Proimágenes Colombia incentives, local crew practices, and the logistics of shooting across altitudes from sea level to the Andes.
ACT 01
Capabilities
Complete AD Services
From pre-production scheduling through wrap, our assistant directors provide the organizational leadership that keeps productions efficient and on track.
01
1st Assistant Director
- Set management & control
- Shooting schedule execution
- Director collaboration
- Crew coordination
- Safety oversight
Set Leadership
02
2nd Assistant Director
- Call sheet preparation
- Talent coordination
- Background management
- Paperwork & reports
- 1st AD support
Production Support
03
AD Team Services
- 2nd 2nd ADs
- Key set PAs
- Crowd marshals
- Base camp coordination
- Multi-unit support
Complete Teams
04
Pre-Production
- Schedule breakdown
- Day-out-of-days
- Strip board creation
- Location logistics
- Shooting order planning
Prep Excellence
ACT 02
Why Us
Why Choose Our Assistant Directors
01.
Colombian Production Expertise
Our ADs have credits on international features, Colombian series, and major commercials. They manage complex shoots across Bogotá's urban landscape, Cartagena's colonial settings, and remote Amazonian locations.
02.
Studio & Incentive Knowledge
ADs familiar with TIS Studios, RCN Studios, and Caracol Studios in Bogotá. They understand Proimágenes Colombia film incentives including the CINA tax credit and coordinate efficiently with local film commissions.
03.
Spanish-English Bilingual Communication
Fluent Spanish and English speakers ensuring clear communication between international directors and Colombian crews. They navigate local production customs and coordinate across Colombia's regional filming communities.
04.
Multi-Climate Scheduling
Expert schedule management across Colombia's varied geography and climates. Our ADs plan around tropical weather patterns, altitude considerations in Bogotá, and the logistics of moving between coastal, mountain, and jungle locations.
On Location
Bilingual primer asistente teams running Colombian sets
Here is what we have to work with. Colombia's 1st AD bench is built on the country's deep cinema-school lineage and two decades of growth around the Ley de Cine. The roster we work from runs through alumni of Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana's Centro Ático and the Escuela Internacional de Cine y Televisión de San Antonio de los Baños in Cuba — the SAB pipeline that has shaped a generation of Colombian directors, DPs and ADs.
Working credits cluster around Andrés Beltrán (1st AD on Alejandro Landes's Monos), Manuel Carballo and Juan Andrés Arango, with in-house AD pools at Dynamo Studios, 64-A Films and Rhayuela Films feeding the Netflix and Prime Video streamer slate that has parked in Bogotá over the last five years.
They prep day-out-of-days breakdowns, strip boards and shooting orders against scripts that route between La Candelaria's colonial cuadras, Cartagena's walled city, the Cocora Valley wax palms, the Pacific Chocó coast and the Amazon at Leticia — and they hold the schedule when company moves drop the unit from 2,640 m in Bogotá to sea-level Caribbean heat in a single shooting week.
On the floor the AD department runs bilingually by default. Our 1st ADs work set control, director joint work, walkie discipline and safety oversight in English and Spanish, while the 2nd AD desk handles call sheets, talent movement and background running against ACA-registered (Asociación Colombiana de Actores) crew shift conventions, ARL Riesgos Laborales workplace-insurance registration and the 12–14 hour day windows typical of Colombian features and series.
Heritage and protected-site work — Cartagena's UNESCO walled city under Alcaldía Mayor and IPCC consents, Tayrona and Los Nevados under PNN, Ciudad Perdida hike-in days under Sierra Nevada cabildo consultation, indigenous territory work in Wayuu La Guajira, Arhuaco Sierra Nevada and Kogi cabildos — gets ADs who already know the lead times, the community-liaison protocols and the daily contact-sheet rhythm those sites need.
For multi-unit features and streaming series we field complete AD departments — 1st, 2nd, 2nd 2nd, key set PAs, crowd marshals and base-camp coordinators — across main, second, splinter and aerial units (Aerocivil drone coordination included), keeping a single coherent rhythm from Bogotá to Cartagena, Medellín, the Eje Cafetero and back without losing turnover or the CINA 40% tax-rebate qualifying-expenditure log the line producer is running in parallel.
ACT 03
FAQ
AD Department Expertise
What does a 1st Assistant Director do?
The 1st AD runs the set — managing the shooting schedule, coordinating all departments, calling shots, and ensuring the director can focus on creative decisions. In Colombia, the 1st AD also coordinates with Proimágenes for incentive compliance and manages permits through local film commissions.
What's the difference between 1st and 2nd AD?
The 1st AD runs the set during shooting, while the 2nd AD handles logistics off-set — preparing call sheets, coordinating talent movements, managing background artists, and handling production paperwork. On larger productions, they work as a team with the 2nd supporting the 1st's set management.
Do your ADs speak English?
Yes, all our ADs for international productions are fluent English and Spanish speakers. Many have worked extensively with American and European productions shooting in Colombia and understand the expectations of international crews.
How do Colombian labor practices affect production?
Colombian productions typically operate with flexible 12-14 hour days and no formal union requirements. Our ADs understand local crew expectations, negotiate fair working conditions, and maintain efficient schedules that respect crew well-being.
Can you provide AD teams for multi-unit productions?
Yes, we staff complete AD departments including 1st ADs, 2nd ADs, 2nd 2nd ADs, and additional support for main unit, second unit, and splinter units. We coordinate to ensure consistent communication across all units.
What experience do your ADs have?
Our AD roster includes professionals with credits on international features, major Netflix and streaming productions, and high-profile commercials shot across Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, and the Coffee Region.
Related Services
Related Support Roles
ACT 04 — On Set
Need an AD Team?
Tell us about your production and we'll recommend experienced assistant directors.