What Is the Role of A Technical Advisor In the Film Industry?

A Technical Consultant / Advisor is an expert in a particular field who is hired to provide their advice and knowledge. In film, Technical Advisors are often hired to ensure that certain scenes or settings that filmmakers want to portray are as close as possible to real life without compromising the storyline in order to add some authenticity and realism to the production.

Technical Advisors typically get an early draft of a script to review, however, they can collaborate throughout a project from beginning to end with writers, directors, producers, actors, accountants, wardrobe and prop departments, and editors to ensure everyone is on the same page about modifying or correcting details to fix inaccuracies.

For example, a Technical Advisor about war in a specific time period and country will be able to provide input about the types of clothes military personnel and civilians wore, the kind of weaponry and technology that was around as well as the cultural aspects of the country (e.g., slang and gesticulation). If there is something in the script that is historically inaccurate and the film is based on actual events, the Technical Advisor for this film will need to make filmmakers aware.

The 2001 film Pearl Harbor was partially filmed at Jean Airport in Nevada and though the airfield was bombed in the film, it didn’t actually happen in real life.  These are the types of details that a Technical Advisor can address.

Technical Advisors also provide training to actors to help them understand their characters better. They can advise actors on speech, body language, and the natural thoughts that would occur in a scene that the actors may want to portray through facial expressions, such as fear or caution. Technical Advisors for military films often train actors on how to prepare, hold and fire weapons.

Many Technical Advisors work full-time in their area of expertise and only do technical consulting as a part-time venture. However, some people who start off as Technical Advisors may actually end up with some small or large acting roles in the production.

Our Technical Consultants / Advisors in Nevada offer consulting services as well as training for a variety of industries from aerial to military, law enforcement and more.

Are you looking for Technical Advisors in Nevada? Check out our online Nevada Production Directory for a list of companies, individuals and crew in Nevada offering technical consulting services as well as actor training or drop by our office and pick up a free printed directory!

If you are a Technical Consultant in Nevada and are not yet listed in our Nevada Production Directory, you can learn more about how to sign up for the NPD here.

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