Property masters work closely with the production designer and the director to create the film’s look and feel. In films with tobacco, that includes acquiring and keeping track of branded packs, loose cigarettes or cigars, counter displays, posters and billboards, vending machines, lighters, even matches and ashtrays.

While systematic product placement worked at many levels of the industry, tobacco industry documents show that product placement agencies paid property masters cash bounties for snapshots of their client’s tobacco brands on the set. Cartons of cigarettes were routinely handed out to prop masters to promote use of particular brands in Hollywood films.

Today, if cigarettes — branded or unbranded — show up on screen, the film’s property master keeps track of them. If the property master doesn’t decide what brands appear, who does?