Second Assistant Directors
Skilled 2nd ADs keeping your Brazilian production on schedule from Rio to São Paulo and beyond.
Here is how this works in practice. The 2nd Assistant Director on a Brazilian production manages call sheets, sets up background artists, and handles the logistical details that keep the 1st AD focused on the shooting floor. In Brazil, 2nd ADs must handle CLT labour rules for crew hours and late hours, set up talent across major cities like Rio and São Paulo, and manage the specific administrative needs of ANCINE-registered shoots accessing federal and state incentives.
Here is the short of it. Through NeedAFixer, we connect you with bilingual 2nd ADs who bring disciplined organisation and clear communication to each shoot days. Our network has pros skilled in managing telenovela schedules at Estúdios Globo, global features at Quanta Studios, and multi-site shoots spanning Brazil's varied geography from urban centres to remote natural locations.
ACT 01
Capabilities
Complete 2nd AD Services
From call sheets to cast coordination, our 2nd ADs handle the essential logistics that support efficient production.
01
Call Sheets
- Daily call sheet creation
- Schedule distribution
- Crew notification
- Cast coordination
- Update management
Communication Hub
02
Talent Management
- Cast scheduling
- Makeup & wardrobe calls
- Transport coordination
- Holding management
- Actor liaison
Cast Coordination
03
Background Artists
- Extras coordination
- Check-in management
- Wardrobe flow
- Holding supervision
- Voucher processing
Crowd Control
04
Production Reports
- Daily reports
- Time tracking
- Scene status
- Cast & crew logs
- Production paperwork
Documentation
ACT 02
Why Us
Why Choose Our Second Assistant Directors
01.
Bilingual Communication
Clear, accurate call sheets in Portuguese and English. Our 2nd ADs make sure seamless communication between global crews and local Brazilian departments, vendors, and background artists.
02.
Talent Coordination
Pro management of cast movements across Brazilian shoots, from Rio studio pickups to remote location transfers. Planning with local talent agencies and SAG-AFTRA equivalent Sated unions.
03.
Background Expertise
Skilled handling of large crowd scenes with planning through Brazilian extras agencies. From carnival sequences in Rio to market scenes in Salvador, efficient management at any scale.
04.
CLT Labour Compliance
Careful forms and reporting aligned with Brazilian CLT labour rules and ANCINE records needs. Accurate crew hour tracking, late hours calculations, and production accounting.
On Location
2nd ADs running call sheets, talent wrangling, and background casting from the Globo PROJAC bench
Here is how this works in practice. Brazilian 2nd ADs are the bridge between the production office and set — they prep and distribute call sheets via PIX/Frame.io/WhatsApp Business (overwhelmingly dominant in Brazilian production), run the daily talent-and-background sign-in, manage hair/makeup/wardrobe rotation through the trailers, and feed the 1st AD a constantly new who-is-where-when picture. The bench was trained inside Globo PROJAC (the world's largest telenovela tricky, in steady production since 1965), where daily-output discipline produced the country's deepest 2nd-AD culture, then refined on features under Walter Salles, Fernando Meirelles, Kátia Lund, Kleber Mendonça Filho, Karim Aïnouz, José Padilha, Anna Muylaert, and Bruno Barreto. SindCine and SATED-RJ/SATED-SP sign-ups is standard, with reciprocal DGA Second Assistant Director plan for US co-productions. CLT contracts, FGTS 8% termination fund, INSS workers comp, 13º salário, and 30-day paid vacation accruals are managed in-house.
Here is what we have to work with. Background casting is a Brazilian 2nd AD's special area. Our team taps the Globo Estúdios casting bench (Patricia Faloci, Sergio Penna and the wider extras pool), São Paulo and Rio extras agencies, Salvador's capoeira and Afro-Brazilian community networks, the samba-escola dancer pools (Beija-Flor, Mangueira, Salgueiro, Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel), and FUNAI-coordinated indigenous community access for real representation across 305 peoples and 274 languages. Tropical-shoot logistics — 80-95% humidity Rio and Salvador, Amazon and Pantanal yellow-fever-vaccination needs, Carnaval February-early March demand peaks — sit in the 2nd AD's daily-management remit.
Here is the layout. On the ground, Recent shoots staffed have Walter Salles's I'm Still Here (Best Foreign Language Oscar nominee 2025), Kleber Mendonça Filho's Aquarius and Bacurau (Cannes Jury Prize 2019), Karim Aïnouz's Eurídice Gusmão (Cannes Un Certain Regard 2019), José Padilha's Elite Squad franchise, and Netflix's Narcos. Currency advantage BRL ~5:1 USD keeps day-rates highly competitive.
ACT 03
FAQ
2nd AD Expertise
What does a 2nd AD do?
Here is the breakdown. The 2nd AD handles logistics and forms that support the 1st AD's set management. This has creating call sheets, setting up talent movements, managing background artists, wrapping production reports, and handling the administrative side of daily production.
How does the 2nd AD work with the 1st AD?
The 2nd AD works off-set to keep the 1st AD informed and supported. They manage cast and background ready for set, handle forms the 1st AD needs, and make sure logistical planning that allows the 1st AD to focus on running the shooting floor.
What information goes on a call sheet?
Here is what that looks like on the ground. Call sheets have shooting schedule, cast calls, crew calls, location addresses, parking info, department notes, weather forecasts, safety info, and any special instructions. In Brazil, call sheets also have tropical weather advisories and security protocols for urban locations.
Can you handle large background calls?
Here is how the picture comes together. Yes, our 2nd ADs are skilled with large crowd scenes across Brazilian shoots — from beach scenes along Copacabana to street festival sequences in Salvador. They set up with local extras agencies and manage efficient check-in and holding logistics.
What production reports do 2nd ADs complete?
2nd ADs complete daily production reports logging scenes shot, cast work times, background numbers, hours worked, and any incidents. These reports are key for production tracking, accounting, and ANCINE compliance records.
Do your 2nd ADs speak English?
Yes, our Brazilian 2nd ADs are fluent in both Portuguese and English. They communicate clearly with global cast and crew while setting up with local Brazilian background artists, vendors, and authorities.
Related Services
Related Support Roles
ACT 04 — On Set
Need a 2nd AD?
Tell us about your production needs and we'll connect you with skilled 2nd ADs.