Second unit

A second unit is a discrete team of filmmakers tasked with filming shots or sequences of a production, separate from the main or "first" unit. The second unit often shoots simultaneously with the other unit or units, allowing the filming stage of production to be completed faster. The functions of the second unit vary, but typically the first unit films the key face-to-face drama between the principal actors. Two frequent ways a second unit is used are: In both of these scenarios, the purpose of the second unit is to make the most efficient use of some of the resources that are expensive or scarce in film production: actors' and directors' shooting time, sound stage usage, and the cost of sets which may have been built on stages. The work of second units should not be confused with multiple-camera setups, where several cameras film the same scene simultaneously. Large productions may have multiple second units. Although filmmakers may refer to having "three or four units working", each unit would be called an "additional second unit"; usually, none would be described as the third or fourth unit. The second unit has its own director and cinematographer. A key skill for a second unit director is to follow the style set by the film's primary director. Peter MacDonald, who has directed second unit on multiple films, has said, "The most important thing about any second unit is that you can't tell the difference between the second unit and the first unit.