Since film and television crews are filled with up to hundreds of technicians working 12-hour days, it is essential that a crew's production supervisor oversees the quality of film/TV work and that the crew stays on schedule. He usually works directly with the director as well as with the studio production heads.
Production supervisors on film/TV sets generally work alongside the camera operators and make sure the camera picks up all of the basic elements of the film director's vision. The production supervisor achieves this goal by checking that the light levels are set correctly and that the proper film stock is being used.
The production supervisor establishes a good working relationship with a film or TV's vendors. These vendors, or outside TV/film suppliers, fulfill the movie or TV show's food requirements, props and special effects used on the set.
The production supervisor must ensure that the reshoots during production are successful. These reshoots are sometimes created without the director on the set, so it is up to the production supervisor to handle some of the directing duties as well.
When a show uses songs from groups such as The Beatles or Led Zeppelin, the production supervisor must make sure the rights are bought properly, ensuring that the producers do not face legal action when the product is released.