Summer 2018

Kristina Peterson

No Detail Is Too Small

BY BECCA NADLER

Whether on a blockbuster Marvel film set or a smaller character-driven drama, 2nd AD Kristina Peterson traffics in minutiae. "I always call the job of being the 2nd AD 'chasing down the rabbit hole,'" she says, "because you have to keep looking for the smaller and smaller details as much as you possibly can."

Peterson's experience with splitting logistical hairs even garnered her an invitation to join the AD team as a Second 2nd for Avengers: Infinity War, which filmed in her home base of Atlanta. "I'm really glad because I got to be a part of history," she says. "It was very cool. I was brought in to essentially run first team because first team was massive, and they wanted someone with a lot of experience.

Working with the 2nd AD, transportation and location departments and even a knowledgeable PA, Peterson strategized the layout of the first team base camp trailers. "It was challenging because pretty much every actor warranted a very large trailer and sometimes their own hair, makeup and costumes teams," she explains. "When you have superheroes, some of them take 45 minutes to get dressed because that's how long it takes to get into that suit."


(Photo: Audra Melton)

At Work With

Short profiles of Guild members in all categories sharing their experiences at work.

More from this issue
The latest DGA Quarterly features a focus on television, including a DGA Interview with director Dan Attias, articles about crime comedies, late night talk shows, the documentary series American Masters, a Shot to Remember featuring Big Little Lies director Jean-Marc Vallée, and more!