AD with ADHD Handbook: how to do an OD without crying (a lot)

Manual da AD com TDAH: como fazer uma OD sem chorar (muito)

Made by Dara Oliver

Summary 

1.Introduction: who I am and why I wrote this

2. A daydream before we really get started

3. OD header

4. Set times and cast list

5. The main OD table

6. How to distribute OD to the team

7. The relationship with the director

8. The AD sees everything (or almost)

9. What it's like to be an AD with ADHD

10. Finalising

Introduction

Hi, I'm Dara Oliver, I graduated in Film and Audiovisual from Unespar and I'm currently studying for a Masters in Film at Queen's University Belfast in Northern Ireland.

I was diagnosed with ADHD after I had already started my career as an assistant director, which surprised me a lot, as I had always been known for being super organised (sometimes even a bit systematic). So I was very surprised by the diagnosis and even insecure:

 How can I be a good AD if I'm easily distracted, have trouble following instructions and often forget tasks?

At that moment, I questioned everything, the diagnosis, my trajectory and even whether I was really good at what I did.

But then I realised that my way of working, full of codes, colourful spreadsheets and proprietary systems, was actually the way I found to deal with ADHD without knowing I had ADHD. And now I think this material can help other people too.

That's how this AD with ADHD Handbook was born: how to do an OD without crying (a lot), a material made with a lot of affection and real-life experience, full of tips, observations and strategies for those who need to put the set in order even when their heads are in chaos.

If you're AD, have ADHD (or just like a well-designed spreadsheet), I hope this manual helps you!

If you'd like to chat, my email address is dara-2405@outlook.com or call me on Insta: @daraoliver.

A daydream before we really start

After all this questioning of ADHD and being systematic, I realised that because of my big and frequent daydreams (as is happening right now), I had developed a technique to make my agendas as organised as possible. In fact, my biggest challenge has been to "disorganise" some things and let chance take its course a little, because (and here's the first tip) there's not enough organisation to prepare you for the chaos of a film set, a chaos that I find enjoyable but chaotic.

No matter how many meetings you have, how many assistants you have, things are going to go off plan. Of course, the more people and organisation you have, the better you can deal with these unforeseen events. But avoiding them completely, I don't know if it's possible. It could be that someone forgot to tell you something important during meetings, or some department changed logistics without your knowledge. Or, every AD's biggest nightmare: an actor can no longer take part, the extras are missing, some equipment has broken or the smallest and most common unforeseen event of all can happen, with or without ADHD, you may have missed something when planning (and that's OK!). 

Don't think that this is a discouraging text, in fact I see it as a great chat (or vent?). I feel that in the Brazilian film industry sharing information is something that nobody does very much, it's as if when you know more than others you're the best, and passing on knowledge to someone else can leave you behind. Of course I recognise that the market is extremely competitive and I'm even looking for experiences in other countries to see how the gringos deal with it, and I even go without a certain expectation that they should deal with it in a better way than we do.

I know a lot of people are going to Ctrl V/Ctrl C my OD, and to be quite honest, there have been times in my life when it would have bothered me a lot, but over the years I've realised three things. Firstly, in this day and age of the internet, having something very exclusive is very difficult. The second thing is that as I grew more confident about myself and my work, I realised that it's not an OD that's going to define whether or not I'm going to be successful in my career, not least because I think the hardest part of being an assistant director isn't the organisation and spreadsheets, but how to relate to the crew in the heat of the moment on set. The third thing was realising how difficult it is to access information in these more specific areas of cinema, and that knowledge and good things should be shared. 

So, going against this tide of "your colleague's misinformation equals more opportunities for you", come with me and I'll explain to you tim by tim how I make my Agenda when I'm struggling to put my Day to Day in order.    

A small PS: I organise my day-to-day life with Google Calendar, using a colour system and estimating how much time I spend on each task (here's a tip).

Back to the agenda:

Let's start with the header...

Header

1. project identification

- Name of production company / studio / college (above)

- Project title (below)

- If there is no production company/studio/college involved (e.g. independent projects), write: ➤ "Independent Project"

Note: This is more of a gimmick, since everyone on the project already knows what it's about. But it may help you in the future to identify old ODs and remember which project they were.

2. Key Team Names

- List the department heads, including:

◦ Management

◦ Production

◦ Your name as 1st Assistant Director (AD)

 

3. Key times

- Call → time when everyone should be on set

- Rolling → start of recording

- End → end of filming day

 

4. White rectangle (Climate)

- Reserved for:

◦ Temperature for the day

◦ Probability of rain

◦ Other weather conditions

- Add this information on the day you print the OD so that it is up to date.

 Tip: Avoid printing the OD too far in advance. Unforeseen events happen and you may need to redo it. Print it on the day of the shoot or the day before at the latest. Use icons (sun, clouds, rain) to make the visuals more sympathetic.

 5. Recording location

- Field: "Location"

- Enter the complete recording address

If there is more than one location:

■ Location 1: [full address]

■ Location 2: [full address]

- Do the same for the nearest hospital

Important: This header is designed more for you than for the other team members. Customise it in a way that works well for your organisation.

Schedules and Cast Tables

1. Set times

- Team arrives

- Start of production

- Start of filming

- Break (lunch/dinner) ➤ Break should take place after 6 hours on set

- Start of de-production

- Estimated end of set

2. Cast Table

The table must contain the following columns (in that order)):

character

actor/actress

scenes of the day

arrival time

makeup schedule

observations

This table is useful for you, for production and for the art department.

 3. Use of the Table by Other Departments

- Production:

◦ Tracks the logistics of the actors' arrival

Attention: the actors don't usually arrive all at the same time

Tip: leave the actor on set for as short a time as possible (avoid the famous "soaking")

- Art Department:

◦ You'll have your own organisation and spreadsheets, but...

◦ Will want to check information with you to align costumes, make-up, scenic objects and so on.

This is where this table becomes essential for cross-referencing data.

4. Group of extras

- Also include the extras in this same table

◦ It doesn't have to be name by name, putting them by group is enough

Ex: Girls in the toilets, children on the court, etc...

- The structure is the same: name, time, scene, observations

- This helps the whole team to be better organised with the day's participations

The OD itself

1. Quote of the day

- I always start OD with a phrase of the day.

- I think it's cute

- I like to choose a phrase based on the work or person that served as a reference for the project.

2. OD Main Table Information

The OD table contains the following columns (in that order):

time

scene/shot

day/night

indoor/outdoor

synopsis

script pages

Cast (numbers)

-Time: from what time to what time the action will last

- Scene/Shot: I like to specify which scene and which shot exactly is being recorded

- Day/Night and indoor/outdoor

- Synopsis

➤ Try to be as simple as possible

➤ It's fine if it's something only you understand (I'll explain why in a moment)

- Script pages

- Cast

➤ I use numbers (instead of names), based on the previous casting table

➤ This includes actors and a group of extras

3. Total Scene Duration

- Below this heading, I put the estimated total duration of the scene

- I like to give this estimate mainly to the director, since usually:

➤ The director doesn't carry an OD

➤ I or my assistant stand next to him guiding the logistics

4. Duration per Plan (with flexibility)

- I've also included an estimate of the duration of each shot

- Important:

➤ Don't get too emotionally attached to the time of each shot

➤ What you need to be firm about is the total time of the scene

Example of reasoning:

- Scene has to end at 4pm

- SHOT 1 was supposed to finish at 2.30pm, but finished at 3pm

- Think:

➤ SHOT 2 is quicker

➤ SHOT 3 takes longer

- So stay on top of SHOT 2 so that it comes out quickly

- Knowing that SHOT 3 will take longer

- So we can finish by 4pm

Communication tip with the director

If he asks how much time you have left, answer directly: "We have another hour for the next two shots." Don't go into too much detail straight away. Evaluate how the director handles the information.

Too much information at once can overwhelm the team.

What if you have ADHD?

All this structure, the phrase of the day, the table with well-defined columns, the clear division of total time and times per shot, is not just a matter of whimsy. For those with ADHD, creating visual patterns and predictable routines is a way of not getting lost in the chaos of the set. The phrase of the day may seem like just a treat, but it works as an emotional anchor point.

The OD chart, in turn, is a map that helps your brain not to get lost in too much stimuli.

You don't need to control everything, but you can create mechanisms to stay present, focused and gentle with your own limits and with others. Organising OD is also about organising your mental space. And that makes all the difference when the world outside (and the set!) is too fast-paced.

5. Distribution of the Detailed OD

This detailed OD (by shot) goes only to you and your assistants.

And this is a blessing for those with ADHD.

Because if there's one thing that consumes our energy, it's too much information.

The other departments don't need these details. They won't memorise the minutiae of each plan and they'll miss out on the OD you give them (so leave some on the walls). And that's fine.

What to pass on to the general team?

- Simplified version of the OD

- Scene order

- Arrival times, make-up, meals

- Technical breaks

- General comments (like: scene with VFX, presence of child, animal, extra, etc.)

Make the OD clear, but light. Don't clog up the group with information that will generate more questions than answers.

Rely on the organisation of other departments

You can (and should) follow up. But you don't have to solve everything.

- Costumes take care of costumes.

- Art takes care of art.

- Sound takes care of sound.

- You take care of general logistics and set flow.

Don't take on everything yourself. Asking for feedback from each department is part of your job, but it's not your role to anticipate or predict the entire universe.

Only go into detailed minutage with:

✔ Photo ✔ Art ✔ Sound ... and only if it's really necessary.

Director? Only as a last resort. He has a thousand other worries.

Another tip:

You don't get points for knowing everything. You get points for making the set work. And that requires: listening, trust and knowing when to stay out of it.

If you, like me, have ADHD, you know that:

- It's easy to go into hyperfocus and spend 3 hours polishing a PDF that nobody will read in its entirety.

- It's easy to want to control everything, out of insecurity.

- And it's very common to feel that you need to compensate for your distraction by being a perfectionist.

But here's an important reminder:

You don't have to be perfect. You need to be functional.

Making an ultra-detailed OD is a great support for you, it's not anyone else's job to understand your internal notes. Only share with the team what is useful to them. Avoid burdening others with what is part of your own process.

When you share too much information:

- People get confused.

- They ask you even more questions.

- And this comes back to you in the form of more overload.

In other words: you waste time, energy and make your anxiety worse.

Simplifying isn't about being relaxed, it's about being strategic.

6. Relationship with the Director

I've directed 4 projects, so I know how a director feels.

A phrase I always say:

"The director dictates the set."

What does this mean? If the director is overloaded, the whole crew feels it. The director's vibe contaminates the atmosphere on set, for better or worse.

And when you have ADHD, this takes on an extra layer: it's very easy to get carried away by the energy of the environment. If the director is anxious, nervous or lost, you absorb it. If you're not paying attention, you start to get anxious, aggressive and lost too.

That's why filtering out excess information isn't just about looking after the director, it's also about looking after yourself.

Of course, the director is a grown-up, but:

- Whether he's in therapy or not

- Whether or not he knows how to deal with pressure

➤ It's out of his control

What is in your control is filtering out the excess information.

Even the calmest director can freak out if bombarded with details that don't matter at the time.

Be the filter. It's not about hiding information, it's about organising the mess before it gets to him.

- Got a problem at lunch? Take it up with production.

- Costume ripped? Call the person who can sort it out and let the director know when you have a solution.

- Does the shot need to be changed for lighting? First create options with the photo and then calmly throw them in the director's ear, offer the options and breathe.

Less stress on the director → faster shots → better set flow.

Also:

- Understand how your director works: there are people who need to verbalise, there are people who need silence.

- Listen actively. Sometimes a director just needs someone who understands what they're trying to do.

How ADHD comes into this equation:

- We already have a head that works with 27 tabs open and 13 notifications flashing.

- The last person who needs an emotional information bomb is... you.

So yes: calm down.

- Listen to the problem, breathe, process.

- Organise before passing it on.

- Deliver a digestible version of reality.

This protects you from collapsing along with the director and helps keep the set functional.

Golden rule for those with ADHD: If you're the calmest person on the set, everything is under control.

And there's more:

- Directors can ALSO have ADHD, anxiety, or be exhausted.

- You won't solve their lives, but you can:

◦ Create a safe environment.

Be the bridge between chaos and action.

Redirect focus when they run away ("What's the point of this shot anyway?")

The AD is not the director's shadow, but an emotional and practical umbrella. The more security you provide, the more creative freedom the director has. If you organise yourself and regulate your energy, the whole set will thank you (and so will your ADHD).

7. The AD sees everything

You have to have some idea of what's going on in all the departments.

During my degree, I did a bit of everything:

- Get general experience

- Understand the ins and outs of each function

- Learn to communicate better with each team

- Know what can and can't delay a day's work

The set is intense for everyone. Each department has its own challenges, and the more you know about them, the better you'll be able to anticipate problems and resolve issues before they turn into tragedies.

Now add that to ADHD:

When you have ADHD, the tendency is to focus too much on one thing and forget the rest.

If you get bogged down in art problems, you might forget that the sound is already at the door waiting for silence. Or you get caught up in production delays and forget to check that the light is ready for the shot. Hyper-focus can make you seem absent from the rest of the set.

That's why knowing the departments well acts as a compass.

You don't need to be a camera expert or know how to operate a boom, but you do need to understand it:

• How long, more or less, does it take to set up a light?

• That costumes need proofing and adjustments before the day on set

• That artwork is always rushed because everything depends on it being ready before the camera.

• That make-up needs time and concentration

• That direct sound doesn't work miracles with people shouting behind the camera

• That production has 30 unread messages and is still sorting out lunch

  
  

The AD's job is to make all this talk without it becoming shouting.

Being respectful of other people's demands makes them respect yours too.

ADHD can make you feel like you're always missing out on something.

And it's all good.

The AD's job isn't to control everything, it's to get the departments talking. Respectfully, clearly, and with enough mental organisation not to turn the set into chaos.

If you have ADHD, active listening is your best ally. Instead of trying to remember everything yourself, listen more. Ask questions. Be present. Create real references: go on a set day with the artwork, listen to what the sound needs, talk to the make-up artist.

It all becomes a mental map. And the more maps you have, the less ADHD makes you feel lost.

Spoiler: the set will always squeeze you. But if you train your attention with empathy, curiosity and practice, ADHD becomes a tool, not an obstacle.

8. The Ideal AD Profile (in my opinion)

A mixture of:

◦ Cockroach blood

◦ Psychologist's empathy

The set is marvellous, but there's stress and adrenaline all the time.

Dealing with it in a practical and empathetic way is the key to less headaches for everyone.

Do you have to be Buddha incarnate to be an AD?

No, but it's interesting to see how you cope in pressurised situations where you have to make quick and assertive decisions, being responsible for the logistics of a project and team where there's usually a lot of money involved. 

During the pre-shoot it's much more relaxed, you have time to organise everything and correct mistakes, but on set it's the litmus test of everything you've done, how you deal with the successes, but also the mistakes, both yours and those of the rest of the team: 

Mistake by the 1st Assistant Director (you):

Bad planning - You had to change the OD at the last minute and you had a headache when you did it, so:

You miscalculated the shooting time for a complex scene, thinking you could shoot it in 2 hours, but it actually took twice as long. The result: the set was late, the atmosphere was tense and the day ended without completing the schedule.

And now?

Inside I would be devastated and would probably take that moment to my next therapy session. But then I'd recalculate the day right there with the team, taking out a less important scene if necessary, and try to fit it in or adapt it to another day. And in the evening, I'd probably update the manual with "another lesson learnt the hard way".

2. Mistake by the 2nd Assistant Director:

Cast no call - The production department is overloaded and has asked you to help with the supporting actors, as you're also overloaded you've delegated it to your 2nd AD, but this is the first time he's handled this responsibility, so:

He forgot to tell a supporting actor about the arrival time. The whole crew is ready to shoot... and the actor is still at home in his pyjamas, thinking it wasn't until the next day.

And now?

I'd try not to get too angry with the 2nd AD since I was the one who delegated this job to him, I'd probably sit down with him afterwards and give him some tips so it wouldn't happen again. As for the problem itself, I'd send a message pretending to be calm (why would you freak out if everyone else is already freaking out?), like "Hi, what's up? Just confirming your call for today at 10am", together with production I'd find the quickest way possible for someone to pick him up, I'd also talk to the director about how we can move that scene forward, if we can do some shots without him, even if that means adapting the decoupage (while internally I'd be shouting about the whole process). After that, I'd review ALL the calls for the day and add another post-it to the planner with "confirm with cast 24h before"

3. Director's mistake:

Eternal indecision - Since the pre-shoot the director has been insecure about this scene, he hasn't liked any of the alternatives he's come up with, but you'd think he'd be fine now, but:

The director starts changing the shooting plan at short notice, he wants to test new things on set without telling anyone beforehand, and each shot takes forever to happen. The crew becomes demotivated and the logistics go down the drain.

And now?

I'd go up to the director with a smile like, "Shall we go along for the ride?" and try to find a viable solution without blowing up the schedule. And I'd do something like positive education: Do you want to film shot 2 or try a new shot?

4. Production error:

Wrong van, wrong place - This is the first time that the production assistant has been put in charge of transport logistics, he's very insecure and ends up eating bollocks:

Production sent the van to the previous location (or even to another state, yes, it happens!). Half the crew was late, equipment arrived late, and the set was in chaos before it even started.

And now?

I'd take a deep breath, open WhatsApp, and start the set firefighter mode: "where are you?", "anyone with a car available?", "can we start something in the meantime?". I'd try to bring forward as many possibilities as possible, if that didn't work, I'd accept the chaos, try to predict some logistical options but without getting too attached to them because I don't know when the van will arrive and when it did I'd actually think of some logistics (as quickly as possible and based on the predictions I'd made) and put them into practice.

5. Actor error:

Text? What text? - This actor is not used to the routine of a film set, he has already shown insecurities and some difficulties in memorising a text in a non-linear way:

The actor arrives on set without having memorised the scene of the day. He asks to rehearse 15 minutes before filming, but ends up taking almost an hour, and even wants to change lines in the middle of the shoot.

And now?

Let him bang his head against the wall when he gets home, for now I'd offer him a coffee/tea/water, help him get through the text quickly and reorganise the order of the scenes to save time. As well as talking to the director and photo to see what else we can adapt so that the scene is good and the actor can speak his lines.

6. Figuration error:

Disappeared - You're going to record in a very small town that doesn't have an extras company, so you start asking random people if they want to do extras, at the time everyone agrees and is super excited, but:

Of the 10 extras for a crowd scene, only 3 turned up. No warning, no excuse. A compromised scene, the camera improvising and the poor AD almost having a fit.

And now?

I'd call the art team, ask if the technicians or anyone else on the team would be willing to play an extra and I'd do whatever I could with what I had. I'd also talk to the photographer and director to try to adapt the shot to make it look like there are more people in the scene. Then I'd think: "I'm going to write a note in the manual: never trust figuration 100 per cent. Always take plan B. AND C. AND D."

All these mistakes can happen, remember that the team is made up of humans (at least for now), so dealing with mistakes is part of being an AD. 

What about ADHD in all this chaos?

If you have ADHD, you may have read this block of situations and thought: "screw it". Or maybe you identified with the adrenaline rush, the unforeseen events and dealing with ten things at once. The truth is: the film set can be a challenging environment for those with ADHD, but it can also be a place where certain neurodivergent characteristics come to the fore.

Strengths that can become allies on set:

- Quick and creative thinking to solve problems on the spot

- Ability to improvise with available resources

- High energy and physical/mental stamina (under adrenaline)

- Sensitivity and empathy to deal with other people's mistakes (and your own too)

But beware: too much stimuli, noise, pressure for quick decisions and a lack of predictability can also trigger anxiety, disorganisation and decision-making paralysis, common symptoms in those with ADHD, so going to therapy and recognising your limits is also important when choosing an area on a film set.

What can help in practice:

• Manualise processes and create checklists for key stages (such as "confirm cast 24 hours in advance")

• Delegate tasks clearly and supervise gently

• Use visual systems (post-its, planners, boards) to organise yourself

• Accept that mistakes will happen, and that you will learn from them

• Have a plan B (and C and D) for everything

• And above all: practise "psychologist empathy" with yourself.

  
  

Being ADHD doesn't mean being disorganised, irresponsible or incapable. It means finding ways to deal with your functioning and putting together a structure that helps you flourish even (and especially) in chaos.

Finishing...

If you've got this far, congratulations! Either you've ADHD, or you're trying to do an OD... or all of the above, and if so, I hug you tight!

This manual isn't definitive, it doesn't have a magic formula and it doesn't claim to be the most technical in the world. It's just an honest exchange from someone who's been through the wringer, who's cried hiding in the bathroom on set, but who's also laughed watching everything work out, even after so much chaos.

Being an AD with ADHD means understanding that perfection doesn't exist, but preparation and empathy save the day. And that good OD doesn't solve everything, but it's half the battle (and perhaps the only battle we have on some days).

I hope this material helps you, if only to make you think: "OK, it's not just me."

With love,

Dara Oliver

AD with ADHD, and (almost always) up to date OD