Jay Williams
Production Manager, Local Line Producer
About me
1st Assistant Director Dubai. As an Assistant Director I see my role as integral and vital to any production – being the Director’s support, the Producer’s Representative and the Crew’s motivation. Having worked my way up through the ranks, my day-to-day perspective is fuelled by years of hands-on experience within various disciplines of the industry. I’ve seen my job description written as First Assistant Director, often as 1st assistant director and 1stAD for short, a girlfriend affectionately named me ‘Jay the First’, but it’s all pretty much the same. I use both Movie Magic and Gorilla Scheduling, for smaller jobs I like Shotlister, but I can get my head around most software and I initially created this website, www.filmservices.me, that you’re reading now. I work as both 1stAD and Production Manager and for the companies I really like, Line Produce as well. My love affair with film started at the age of five growing up around Elstree Film Studios.
I began working in the industry as a tracking car driver progressing to become an integral part of the camera crew. From 1990-1995 I Key Gripped four features, before moving to Spain. Based in Andalucía I worked consistently on car commercials for the following five years, before I decided to set up my own location and services company. In 2001, after working on a TV feature in Ibiza as local Production Manager, I negotiated a deal with VFG to leave their generators and lights with me in Spain where I operated their equipment for two years. Following this period I concentrated on working on freelance productions up until 2010, when I returned to the UK on family business. I am now based in Dubai.
Fundamental attributes of being a First AD, as I see it, are to anticipate where delays or problems could occur and to take steps in advance to prevent them. Also to ensure that the AD team under my supervision is a hub that allows information to travel in all directions between the technical, creative and logistical teams, to hopefully accomplish works of art. In addition to this, flexibility is key due to constantly changing logistics. To this end, I am comfortably aware that schedules must be adhered to for budgetary reasons. Over the years I have worked on feature films, commercials and music videos with artists including Robert De Niro, Freddie Mercury, AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. I have worked with directors such as Mike Leigh, Storm and Bob Keen.
UK full including heavy class 1 & motorcycles unlimited cc
My Equipment
Land Rover 4×4 + desert equipment
6 X Motorola Walkies
Canon EOS 20D for location shots
Canon EOS 550D for video
Canon 10-18mm, 50mm, 17-85mm, 75-300mm
2Kw Quiet Generator
Work Lights
