What does Second Unit mean?
Second Unit refers to a separate crew in film or TV production that works independently from the main (first) unit to shoot supplementary footage. The second unit typically handles scenes that do not involve the principal actors, such as action sequences, stunts, location shots, or establishing shots. This allows the production to move faster, as the second unit can shoot footage simultaneously while the main unit focuses on more complex scenes. The second unit is led by a second unit director and often includes specialized crew members for stunts, visual effects, or action sequences.
Example:A second unit crew films the action sequences for an action movie while the main unit works on dialogue scenes with the principal actors.
Example: The second unit shoots establishing shots of the city skyline, which will be used in transition scenes throughout the film.
Did You Know?
The second unit often shoots footage that doesn’t require the main cast, such as car chases, stunts, or wide landscape shots!
