When the director yells "Action!" the sound mixer’s bell rings and the cameras start rolling. The set is quiet until the shot is complete and the director yells "Cut!" All activity on the set revolves around those "magic" words. The crew knows the end of the day is near when they hear the "martini," or next to the last shot, is up. And though it’s been seen in the movies countless times, filming really does stop when the A.D. yells, "That’s a wrap!"

There is no end to the array of services that may be called upon during production, from baby wranglers to circus performers. Unforeseen problems can also arise, like inclement weather, actor illness, or unavailable locations. The controlled chaos of filmmaking would not come together so effectively without the total cooperation of the hundreds of people involved: crew, cast, director, producers and executives. But the filmmaking process is far from over, however, as the next phase of post-production begins.