My Dads is a PropMaster in the film television industry in the Iaste (EYE-AT-SEE) 891 film union. My Dad is in charge of everything an actor interacts with as it is described in the script.
To be in the Props Dept you have to have a few requirements such as film technician schooling certificate, Firearms license , food safe certificate and a level one gun certificate in gun handling on set.

When you first start out in the Props Dept you start as a props person and do odd jobs of what ever the PropMaster asks you to do, such as aging down props , doing dishes , sorting paperwork and even moving chairs around on set for the cast. In the beginning it’s quite hard work and takes dedication. To get to a PropMaster it takes many years and 80 % of people in the props dept don’t make PropMaster in their career.The average props person makes about $400.00 a day based on a 12 hour day.The PropMaster makes around $500.00 or more.

    Prop Dept Rankings:

Props person
Props truck supervisor
Props person Asst Propsmaster
Buyer
PropMaster

Being a prop master earns you many perks and benefits.Some perks include getting to meet famous actors , having full medical and dental coverage, as much time off as you want as you are your own self contractor and all the food and candy you want and all your meals cooked for you.

The day finally came to go to my Dads work. We got up 7am and drove to Bridge Studios in Burnaby. Once we arrived I was starving. It was time for breakfast. When we reached the food tent it had the best food you can imagine. Then it was time for my Dad to go to a production meeting. I wasn’t aloud to go, as all the shooting is top secret. In that meeting they talk about the script.The first Assistant Director reads the script and they all just follow through together and as they go along if there’s any questions they have about the script this is the time to ask it. After his meeting we went downstairs to their warehouse where they store all the props. It’s like a giant workshop with lots of tools and 100s a blue Tupperware containers full of all kinds of props and tools.

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My Dad has 6 other prop employees,1 person who runs the set where they do the filming and another who runs the truck where they keep all the props and supplies that they may need on set when they shoot on location. There is also 2 other people. His Assistant prop master and a buyer who work in his office. When we first got to the office we all sat down had a coffee in his office then talked about what we did last night. After we finished our coffee we talked about what needs to be accomplished for the day and what needs to be done for the rest of the episodes. The buyer is in charge of buying all the props whatever the script has in it. My dad does a breakdown list of props required and the days it is needed for shooting, they call it the bible.

As a PropMaster you have to be very detailed and take lots of notes and must be very organized as nothing can be forgotten on the day of shooting.If you forget something it will hold up the production and this is really a huge expense to the production on some shows it costs up to $800.00 per minute while they wait for the problem to be resolved. Working in the film industry isn’t for everyone. You work long hours you have to do detailed oriented work in time crunch situations. In many situations you have to think outside the box to create props and to improvise if needed. What other jobs give you the opportunity to work as a team player making movies every day and getting paid to do it? It must be very rewarding when you see the finished product of what you made up on the big screen in a movie theatre as it all comes together.

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