Scene 34 says "Danny slides the envelope across the table." That one line leaves the prop master with a list of questions. What does the envelope look like? Is there something inside, and does the camera see it? Does Danny open it in scene 36, and does it need to tear the same way on every take? How many will get destroyed? The prop master answers those before the first shoot day, for every object in the script.
Breaking down the script
Prop work starts with the script breakdown. The prop master reads for anything an actor touches, carries, eats, reads, or uses, and lists it by scene. A hand prop might be a phone, a cigarette, or a coffee cup. A hero prop is the one that gets a close-up or matters to the story, like a specific ring or a letter the audience reads. Food is props too, and so are badges, wallets, IDs, and anything with a printed label.
For each prop, the prop master decides with the production designer and director what it looks like, then buys, rents, or has it made. Hero props often need multiples: a hero version for close-ups, stunt versions in rubber or breakaway material, and backups in case one breaks. A glass bottle that shatters on take one needs a stack of replacements from the special effects or breakaway supplier.
A practical example of the arithmetic. Scene 52 has a character drink from a wine glass and throw it. The director wants coverage from four angles and expects two takes each. That's eight throws, so the prop master orders ten breakaway glasses to cover a bad take or two, plus a real glass for the close-up of the pour.
Showing props to the director
Before shooting, the prop master sets up a prop meeting or table where the director sees options: three versions of the envelope, two watches, a few phone models. Anything with a real brand or label goes through clearance or gets swapped. The prop master brings photos to the production designer for anything they can't show in person.
On set
The prop master or assistant is on set for every setup. A shooting day with a 6:30 AM call:
| Time | Prop department |
|---|---|
| 6:00 AM | Prop truck opens. Assistant preps the day's props by scene in labeled bins |
| 6:45 AM | Prop master shows the actors their props before the blocking rehearsal |
| 7:00 AM | Rehearsal. Prop master notes which hand the actor uses and when the cup gets set down |
| 7:45 AM | First take. Props reset between takes to the same starting positions |
| 12:30 PM | Lunch. Food props are swapped out with fresh ones for continuity |
| 2:00 PM | Scene with a prop firearm. Safety meeting, armorer present, checks per the production's firearms policy |
| 7:00 PM | Wrap. Hero props locked up, everything checked in against the day's list |
Continuity is shared with the script supervisor, who notes when an actor picks something up. The prop department is the one resetting it.
Weapons and safety
When a script includes firearms, prop weapons, or blanks, the prop master works with the production's safety plan. The Industry-Wide Labor-Management Safety Committee publishes Safety Bulletin 1 on firearms, blanks, and dummy rounds and Bulletin 2 on prohibitions and special restrictions on live ammunition. Those bulletins are recommendations, and productions, studios, and states may require more. Many shows hire a dedicated armorer. Whoever handles them, the prop department should be able to say who had each weapon at every point in the day, and a safety meeting comes before any weapon is used.
The prop box and budget
Almost every prop master charges a box rental. The box is a rolling kit built over years: tools, glues, tape, common small props like pens and lighters, first aid for props, and a work cart. It's paid as a weekly rental written into the deal memo, with an inventory, and doesn't carry payroll fringes. Rented props from prop houses and purchased props go into the property account (2800 in Storiara's generated chart), not into the box rental.
Local 44 pay
Property masters in Los Angeles are covered by IATSE Local 44. The Local 44 schedule it posts for theatrical motion pictures over $15 million, covering August 4, 2024 to August 2, 2025, lists the property master at $60.59 an hour as a daily hire and a weekly guarantee of $3,647.80. That weekly figure is 54 hours: 40 straight plus 14 at time and a half at a $59.80 base (61 paid hours times $59.80). The 2024 Basic Agreement raised minimums 4% in 2025 and 3.5% in 2026, compounding, so the current year's minimum is higher. Low budget and new media shows use lower tiers.
In New York, prop crews are generally part of IATSE Local 52.
Becoming a prop master
The usual path runs through the prop department: prop assistant, then assistant prop master, then prop master on smaller shows. For Local 44, the membership page lists 30 days of union work registered with Contract Services as the first requirement, followed by placement on the Industry Experience Roster.
Prop lists and Storiara
A prop list by scene, with columns for quantity, source, cost, and continuity notes, is the prop master's core document. The prop list template follows that format. Storiara's Assets module generates a prop and wardrobe list from the script, links each item to where it appears, and adds photo, availability, and cost fields, which gives the prop master a draft breakdown to correct instead of a blank page.