Pre-Production

The value of pre-prod. ”Give me an hour to chop down a tree and I will spend the first hour sharpening the axe." (Abraham Lincoln) When you consider how much time is spent on set recording a movie, an huge proportion more is spent preparing for those shoots, and then of course polishing them afterward.

Overview We know it’s not the most exciting aspect of film- making! But being able to effectively produce your own work will result in better quality of output. We are going to look at the key aspects of communicating and documenting pre-production: –Communication –Documentation Script Shot List Storyboard Call Sheet Risk Assessment OTHER –Recce –Lists

Communication Faulty communication is the single major cause of film projects failing to get out of the planning phase. (The second is budget constraints, but that’s a whole different kettle of fish!) Communication of ideas involves: 1.Thought - information exists in the mind of the sender 2.Encoding - a message is sent in some way 3.Decoding - the message is interpreted Content (language) and context (paralanguage) are the elements received and decoded.

Communication Things to remember when pre-producing: Your communication is only valid if everyone is constantly and consistently updated on the latest detail. Delay can be fatal. Nothing is so simple that it cannot be misunderstood. (Freeman Teague Jr.) If you try and make something idiot proof, someone will make a better idiot! Never assume understanding - actively pursue. Be clear, concise and simple wherever possible. When you know something, say what you know. When you don’t know something, say you don’t know. That is knowledge. (Confucius) - ie. Honesty! Employ every means at your disposal to communicate effectively: –Keep a single channel of communication for pre-production –Utilise free, collaborative technologies, such as wikis, blogs, mailing lists and conference calls.

Documentation - Scripting Scripting is one of the least problematic areas when filmmaking - most everyone realises that to complete a film you will need a script. This script is usually the starting point for information transfer, as it contains: Dialogue Limited set/technical direction. Most of the key detail of your (or your client’s) artistic vision is not contained in a script, and as much as you can disseminate into other documents that convey this information will save time explaining this on set.

Documentation - Shot List The shot list itemises exactly which shots you are hoping to capture when on set. A simple enough concept, it is often overlooked as the key piece of documentation it is - a checklist! It can remind you at a glance what you have captured already, what you intend to capture, and the logistics of that shot (eg. Shot types). Look at the example: Download the template here.here

Documentation - Storyboards Storyboards give a visual representation and reminder of the shot you want to capture This helps the cast and crew visualise not only how you intended the shot to be, but how it was to look in context of the shots before and after. You don’t have to be good at drawing, just at conveying the essence of the shot; and if that has to be with stick figures, so be it! Look at the example. Download the template here.here

Documentation - Call Sheet The call sheet is possibly one of the most valuable pieces of documentation when maintaining lines of communication with your cast and crew, as it presents: –A single repository for detail –A resource everyone can rely on in case of confusion It records: –All dates/times –The contact names/numbers of everyone involved –The addresses and postcodes of all locations/sets –Detail on creative/technical direction and liks to other documents. –Guidance for cast/crew given prior knowledge of situation. Download the template here.here

Documentation - Risk Assessment It is becoming more and more crucial that for every shoot undertaken, a risk assessment form is filled out, both for the sake of general Health and Safety and for insurance reasons. The risk assessment identifies: –Severity of risk –Likelihood of risk and calculates the risk factor, which may or may not have to be actioned, depending on rating. For the safety of all involved, TeamTV is considering making risk assessments mandatory for all projects (for insurance purposes). Download the template here.here

Documentation - Other - Recce Recce - short for Reconnaissance –A visit to a location/check of a set prior to principal photography that clarifies key points of knowledge needed for filming sessions. Can be worked into the general call sheet for everyone’s convenience. Lists –What else could we possibly list that would make life easier for everyone involved? Details of Recce visits that may be useful Props Costumes Makeup detail Visual/special effects considerations

Comments Comments? Questions?

Meeting 2 of Q2 will be… Pre-production workshops…