Film Pre-ProductionBy: Marija Djikic

Pre-Production

Most film workers consider pre-production as the most important step in film production. Time and money must be spared.

Generally, the producer is responsible for assembling the production team. The director is the individual who will have overall creative control and therefore, much of the pre-production period revolves around him. He is the unifying intelligence.

Director must be one of the first people the producer hires. However, it is not only the quality of the director, cast and crew that determines whether a film will be properly financed. The quality of the script is also an important element of a successful film.

Pre-Production Steps

1.Make a Production Schedule: -Block out dates for all your shoots. Aim to leave at least 3 weeks for careful

editing. -Take notes and be realistic about scheduling2. Crew up: -The more you are able to delegate specific jobs to specific people, the more

you’ll be able to focus on directing and getting the performances you want out of your actors.

-Personnel involved in pre-production: 1)The production manager 4)The production accountant 2)The location scout 5)The unit and location

managers 3)The transport manager 6)Production runners and

assistants

3. Visualize your project’s ‘Look’: -As you move further from the written script to thinking about your piece on

screen, think broadly about what kind of color palette, mood and tone you want your piece to have.

4. Find and secure locations:

-Once you want to shoot locations, always bring a still camera -Take notes about the available light in the location so as the size of the

location. Ask a lot of questions about the location like availability, any possible limitations etc…

-Once this is done, post location photos to the class blog. 5. Casting

-Bad actors are often the downfall of the student films. Contact various kinds of theaters, adult acting classes, putting up layers on streets…

-Make a form for people to fill out (contact info, experience etc…) -After the first reading, always give some suggestion-once the actor is

chosen. 6. Production Design (questions to ask yourself):

1)What is the film’s theme? 3) What kind of props go with the set? 2)What is its mood progression? 4) What kind of location should each

sequence have?

7. Prepare costumes, props, set dressing 8. Make a Floor-plan / lighting plot for each location -Sketch a simple one, mark camera positions ( ‘A’ should be the

widest shot since it uses the most lighting).

9. Break down your shooting script: -Number each scene in your script -Design each shot as CAM A/B/C -Give each bracket a shot description -Make sure to leave lots of generous action overlap so you have

editing options -A great exercise is to analyze a dialogue scene in a feature film-

watch the scene, make a floor plan and try to figure out how to draw all the camera position into the floor plan.

10. Make a storyboard 11. Make a shooting schedule

The Director’s role

The director’s vision shapes the look and feel of a film. He or she is the creative force that pulls a film together. Actors, cinematographers, writers, and editors orbit around the director like planets around the Sun..

When a director is done reading the script, they ask themselves some key questions. What is the main idea or theme of the screenplay? What does the story say about the human condition in general? How will the script translate to the visual language of the screen? And many more…

A good script is the foundation of a good film, but even the best one may need to be developed or molded to work well on the big screen- which is the job of director. Director must work with either the writer or producer on the script issued.

Whatever the route from script to screen is, the director plays an important role in shaping the way the story is told

The Director’s view

The people director works with, both the actors and the crew who will make things work behind the scenes, are crucial to the film’s success. The film’s producer usually hires the crew, but the director will have input into crucial hires such as lead actors.

A production designer is responsible for the believability of a film’s scenery and sets. The production designer also works closely with the art director and set decorator, making certain all the visual details are accurate and the style and period of the film reflect your wishes.

The cinematographer, or director of photography, helps to translate your vision to film, scene by scene, planning shots and supervising camera operators.

The actors you choose will bring your story to life. Your casting decisions will be based on such factors as availability and whether or not an actor is suitable for lead or ensemble acting , as well as on a healthy dose of intuition.

Assembling the Cast and Crew

After months, or even years, the final script is set and the film goes into pre-production.

Once shooting begins, you’ll need to continue to communicate your vision of the film to the actors and crew. You’ll also need to be able to improvise on the set and troubleshoot if necessary.

Once the shooting is over, hundreds of thousands of feet of film need to be assembled into a coherent story. Days or weeks of shooting result in only a few minutes of screen time.. The film’s producers may decide to cut certain scenes or use a different film clip for a certain effect. Editing is a collaborative process, the final step in the difficult work of bringing your vision to life.

Your stature as a director determines how much say you have in determining what version of the film is released to the public. Occasionally, a director dislikes the final cut and decides not to be listed in credits. If this happens, the credits list Alan Smithee as the director. Alan Smithee is not a real person, but an alias used as a substitute when a director refuses to be linked to a film.

Filming and Post-production