What does a picture car coordinator do, and how do you brief one?

On a big production, one person or department looks after every vehicle that appears on camera. In the UK the job goes by several names: picture car coordinator, picture vehicle coordinator, action vehicle coordinator. The role is the same whatever it's called. If you're a producer, production manager or art director working out whether you need one, and how to work with one, this guide is for you.

A picture car is any vehicle that appears on screen, from the hero car the lead drives to the parked cars that make a street believable. Specialist vehicles such as police cars, vans, buses and cabs are often called action vehicles. If you want the distinction in detail, read picture cars vs action vehicles.

• Breaks down the script. They go through every scene and list each vehicle: what it is, who owns it in the story, which scenes it's in, and what it has to do.
• Casts the cars. They work with the director, production designer and costume team to choose vehicles that suit the character, period and palette, and propose options with photos.
• Sources and books. They find the cars from owners, collectors, clubs and specialist suppliers, agree terms and confirm availability for every shooting day.
• Plans continuity. If a hero car appears across weeks of filming, they make sure it, or an identical double, is available for every block and looks the same each time.
• Handles logistics. That covers transport, low loaders, drivers, standby, storage between days and call times, so cars arrive in the order the scene needs.
• Prepares the cars. They arrange livery, signage, number plates for screen, ageing or cleaning, working closely with the art department.
• Runs the cars on set. They position cars, move them between set-ups, keep owners informed and deal with problems before they hold up the day.

It depends on scale. A feature or a long-running series with dozens of vehicles, stunts or period streets usually benefits from a dedicated picture vehicle department. A commercial with one hero car, a music video or a photoshoot rarely needs one. What it needs is someone who can find the right car fast and handle the owner and logistics. That's where a picture car hire agency like CarSeen fits, sourcing vehicles for film productions of every size. We source the cars and coordinate them to set, and on larger jobs we work alongside your coordinator or art department.

The quality of the cars you get depends on the quality of the brief. A good one covers:

1. The story. Who drives the car, what kind of person they are and what the car should say about them. "A struggling 1970s family" and "a 1970s bank manager" need very different cars.
2. Period and place. The exact year if you have it, and the region. Cars date a scene to within a few years, and some areas had different vehicles from others.
3. Usage, scene by scene. Featured and driven by cast, driven by the owner, towed on a low loader, static in shot or background only. This affects everything from insurance to which cars are even possible.
4. Look. Colours to use or avoid, condition (showroom or lived-in), and any links to costume or production design.
5. Numbers. How many hero cars, how many background vehicles, and any specialist vehicles such as police cars, cabs, vans or buses.
6. Schedule and locations. Shoot dates, call times, how many days each car is needed, where the locations are and any access limits.
7. Constraints. Left- or right-hand drive, any brands to avoid for clearance reasons, and anything already agreed with a manufacturer.
8. Budget guidance. A range helps the coordinator find realistic options rather than ideal ones you can't afford.

Expect a shortlist with photos for each vehicle, practical notes (drive side, transport needs, what the owner allows) and a quote that sets out the cost factors. For a breakdown of what affects the price, see how much it costs to hire a car for a film shoot. Once you've chosen, the coordinator confirms availability with owners and builds the logistics plan for the shoot days.

Earlier is better. Ideally, the picture vehicle department, or your picture car agency, sees the script during early prep, before locations are locked. Some cars only fit certain streets, and some scenes are easier to stage with a different car. A coordinator who knows the vehicle list early can flag rare cars, long lead times and anything that needs building or modifying while there's still time to adjust.

The picture vehicle department sits between several others. The production designer and art director shape the look of each car, and the costume team makes sure it suits the character's wardrobe. The locations team checks access and parking, and the assistant directors build the cars into the schedule. On action sequences, the stunt coordinator and the grips who rig cameras to cars are involved too. A clear brief from the producer at the start keeps all of these conversations in step.

• Briefing late. Rare cars and matching groups take time to find. The earlier the brief, the more options you'll have.
• Not saying how the car will be used. A car that's perfect parked may not be insured or suitable for cast driving.
• Forgetting the background. Period streets need many ordinary cars, not just the hero. See background vehicles for film.
• Ignoring continuity. If a car appears in several blocks, say so up front so owners can commit to every date.