Instructions

Imagine it's 1974 and you've just been hired as a trainee on the film set of a new thriller called Jaws! The production is challenging, with filming on the ocean and a giant mechanical shark that keeps breaking down. Your job is to help your department make movie magic.

First, read the descriptions of the film departments below. Then, choose the one you would want to work for. In the "Trainee Logbook" section, list at least five specific tasks you think you would be responsible for as a trainee in that department on the set of Jaws.

Step 1: Choose Your Department

Read about the teams working behind the scenes on Jaws.

• Camera Department: This team is in charge of all the cameras. For Jaws, they have to figure out how to film on rocking boats, get steady underwater shots, and create the famous "shark's point of view" shots.
• Costume Department: This team handles everything the actors wear. They need to create realistic 1970s beach town outfits for hundreds of extras, plus the signature looks for Chief Brody, Hooper, and Quint. Costumes get wet, dirty, and even "bloodied," and they must look the same for every take.
• Props Department: The props team is in charge of any object an actor touches or that is part of the set dressing. This includes Quint's fishing gear, the yellow barrels, Hooper's anti-shark cage, the license plate found in the tiger shark, and even the Kintner boy's inflatable raft.
• Sound Department: This team captures all the audio. They record the actors' lines, the creaking of the boat (the Orca), the sound of the barrels hitting the water, splashing, and screams. They also work with the composer to add the iconic "dun-dun...dun-dun" music.
• Visual Effects (VFX) Department: This is the team responsible for the star of the show: "Bruce," the giant mechanical shark. They operate the shark, repair it when it breaks, and create special effects like blood in the water to make the attacks look terrifyingly real.

Step 2: Fill Out Your Trainee Logbook

Answer Key (Sample Ideas)

Your own creative answers are great! These are just examples of possible tasks for each department.

Camera Department

• Wiping saltwater spray off the camera lenses between takes.
• Helping to secure camera tripods to the deck of the rocking Orca boat.
• Loading new reels of film into the cameras.
• Assisting with the special waterproof housing for the underwater camera.
• Holding a slate (clapperboard) at the beginning of each shot.

Costume Department

• Organizing and labeling Chief Brody's police uniforms so they look the same from day to day.
• Using a spray bottle to make sure an actor's shirt is the right amount of "wet" for a scene.
• Helping to sew patches onto Quint's jacket or aging it to make it look worn.
• Handing out and collecting 1970s-style swimsuits for the beach scene extras.
• Adding fake blood stains to costumes for the shark attack scenes.

Props Department

• Making sure the three yellow barrels were ready for the scene and helping to attach them to the fishing line.
• Polishing the scuba tank that Hooper uses so it looks right before it goes in the shark's mouth.
• Checking that all of Quint's fishing rods and harpoons were on the Orca boat each morning.
• Creating several copies of the Kintner boy's inflatable raft (since one gets "destroyed").
• Carrying the "Alex Kintner" reward sign to the beach location for the scene where his mother puts it up.

Sound Department

• Holding the boom microphone over the actors' heads to capture their dialogue, making sure not to get the mic in the shot.
• Recording "wild sounds" like ocean waves and seagulls to be added to the film later.
• Helping to place waterproof microphones to try and capture underwater sounds.
• Making sure the batteries in the sound recording equipment were always charged.
• Keeping a log of every sound recording, noting which take it belongs to.

Visual Effects (VFX) Department

• Helping to repaint and patch up the foam skin on "Bruce" the mechanical shark after it got damaged.
• Assisting the divers who operated the shark's underwater platform.
• Mixing batches of red food coloring and corn syrup to create the fake "blood in the water" effect.
• Operating the pumps that would shoot the fake blood into the water at the right moment.
• Cleaning and maintaining the mechanical and hydraulic parts of the shark at the end of each day.