We’ll be looking at pre-production from a variety of angles. You’ll be finding tips, check lists, docs and procedures that will help you make the jump from amateur to pre-professional (forgive the pun) video production.
In the pre-production phase, you lay down your organization system which will allow you to survive the production madness.
What you need most urgently:
- A storyboard
- A date for shooting
- A budget envelope
I will treat the storyboard and budget separately and in more detail. But here a quick rundown of why these elements are so important:
Your storyboard is the basis of every shoot and tells you
- What you need in the shot (actors, props, etc.)
- What material you need to shoot it
- What order you will shoot in
- and many more things we’ll discuss later.
The date of your shoot seems a trivial detail if you’re not on a deadline, but that’s the trap. Without a date, it’ll be difficult to get crew and material of course. But more importantly, a date will focus your producer mind on the many things you need to do to be ready. If you have the luxury to be able to set a date yourself, take the time to investigate on how long it will take you to do each of the preparatory items on your list. If you have a clear deadline, do a retro-planning (more on this on a different post).
The budget envelope is your antagonist. The storyboard almost always promises an Oscar-winning film. Your budget envelope will bring you back to reality. It is of utmost importance to get a clear idea of how much you want to/can spend. You will need to negotiate with the director on what’s going to be absolutely necessary and what can come off the material/shooting list.
No Comments Yet
No comments yet.
Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI
Leave a comment
