SHOOT 2 preparation and reflection

...
do a separate post for each major shoot OR tweak the title slightly
...

Set out each shoot post as follows (BUT use the post to gather notes/materials, tidy it up later)

PREPARATION

Key points on what I/we did to prepare:

COSTUME, HAIR, MAKE-UP: 

don't leave it at they turned up in whatever they happened to be wearing that day!!! the 3 D's of Media!!!

Be very clear on how YOU sought to CONTROL the look of each character - also very important detail for Eval Q1 especially. Reiterate wherever you can (same for locations, set etc) any influences from research. Did you use anyone outside your group/yourself for hair or make-up - if so, make sure you plan to film you DIRECTING this. 

A mix of video + Ppt might be helpful for this

CALL SHEET, SHOTLISTS: 

Really simple: if you created these (you're meant to), embed them. You'll want evidence from the shoot that you used these, and that the cast had copies of call sheets so they were prepared for what was coming. The call sheet is an extension of the basic shotlist: it contains notes for anything you need to think about that for that shot (including script fragments). You should literally number and CALL OUT each shot (or sequence of takes), and score it off as you go.

SCRIPT/SCREENPLAY, REHEARSAL, DIRECTION: 

did your cast have access to your complete screenplay BEFORE main shooting began? Even if remotely, did you give them instruction on what you were after from their character portrayal? Did you rehearse (direct) them, especially in body language + line delivery? This helps shoots go much more smoothly.

Did you explain to cast about the principles of re-takes: keep talking to a minimum in between shots to enable the director to be heard; reset (return) quickly to the same position for further takes, taking care with continuity elements. Did you explain that filming is usually not done in the sequence of the action? Did you actually explain that you will be doing multiple takes of the same actions?!

LOCATIONS, PROPS, SET DRESSING: 

what impact did you have on the 'set' (what did you add, take away, move/change)? Any particular points on framing (to avoid showing something), sound or lighting? Again, think about any influences from your research to make clear. Ppt freeze frames with bullets of tweaks made (with before + after shots) can be useful - FCPX titles can be used to even better effect for this.

LOGISTICS, H+S: 

How did you organise travel there, including for cast? Any H+S issues to go through? Did you get any image release forms needed signed and digitally stored for safekeeping? Did you need to provide catering? Any issue with weather - when will you check? What equipment is to be taken/used? Is checking for battery, SD (etc) planned?

THE SHOOT

An overview of what happened.

RUSHES

sample footage from the shoot, very basic editing

PRODUCING + DIRECTING: BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Quite simply: EVIDENCE all the things you did to exert creative control over what was happening: directing camera work, cast, costume, set dressing; using the call sheet, going over H+S, getting image release forms, checking on travel arrangements + timings (producing)

REFLECTIONS ON THE SHOOT

Assessing what you did ... and what you didn't do. And what comes next.

CAST PERFORMANCE + COSTUME; PREFERRED READING: 

To what extent do you think your creative vision has been achieved? What aspect/s might need re-working - whether that's re-scripting/idea tweak or re-shoot ... or, at worst, re-casting? As ever, be specific: the 3 D's...

CREATIVITY; ACTS OF GOD?: 

Did anything impinge on your plans? 

There are few things worse than students using excuses to rationalise for failure to carry out plans, but sometimes it is appropriate to note things like unexpected weather changes, or cast members cutting their hair off (I've known this to happen!).

If anything of the sort happened hopefully you'll evidence some creative thinking - plan B, C ... Z; thinking on your feet and adapting.

The creative side of it also includes spontaneous extra shots/framing, script changes etc.

SUMMARY: WHAT NOW?: 

Taking the above into consideration, are you declaring the planned shoot a provisional success, with no obvious need (pending my scrutiny!) that you can see for changes to your script/idea/shots?

Or, are there some specific aspects to change/re-shoot? Did you fail to complete shooting in the time that the cast was available (or daylight hours)?

As ever, be precise - including proposed date of (A) specific script/idea/shots tweaks being finalised and blogged on and/or (B) specific additional shoot required

SHOOT 1 preparation and reflection...

...
do a separate post for each major shoot OR tweak the title slightly
...

Set out each shoot post as follows (BUT use the post to gather notes/materials, tidy it up later)

PREPARATION

Key points on what I/we did to prepare:

COSTUME, HAIR, MAKE-UP: 

don't leave it at they turned up in whatever they happened to be wearing that day!!! the 3 D's of Media!!!

Be very clear on how YOU sought to CONTROL the look of each character - also very important detail for Eval Q1 especially. Reiterate wherever you can (same for locations, set etc) any influences from research. Did you use anyone outside your group/yourself for hair or make-up - if so, make sure you plan to film you DIRECTING this. 

A mix of video + Ppt might be helpful for this

CALL SHEET, SHOTLISTS: 

Really simple: if you created these (you're meant to), embed them. You'll want evidence from the shoot that you used these, and that the cast had copies of call sheets so they were prepared for what was coming. The call sheet is an extension of the basic shotlist: it contains notes for anything you need to think about that for that shot (including script fragments). You should literally number and CALL OUT each shot (or sequence of takes), and score it off as you go.

SCRIPT/SCREENPLAY, REHEARSAL, DIRECTION: 

did your cast have access to your complete screenplay BEFORE main shooting began? Even if remotely, did you give them instruction on what you were after from their character portrayal? Did you rehearse (direct) them, especially in body language + line delivery? This helps shoots go much more smoothly.

Did you explain to cast about the principles of re-takes: keep talking to a minimum in between shots to enable the director to be heard; reset (return) quickly to the same position for further takes, taking care with continuity elements. Did you explain that filming is usually not done in the sequence of the action? Did you actually explain that you will be doing multiple takes of the same actions?!

LOCATIONS, PROPS, SET DRESSING: 

what impact did you have on the 'set' (what did you add, take away, move/change)? Any particular points on framing (to avoid showing something), sound or lighting? Again, think about any influences from your research to make clear. Ppt freeze frames with bullets of tweaks made (with before + after shots) can be useful - FCPX titles can be used to even better effect for this.

LOGISTICS, H+S: 

How did you organise travel there, including for cast? Any H+S issues to go through? Did you get any image release forms needed signed and digitally stored for safekeeping? Did you need to provide catering? Any issue with weather - when will you check? What equipment is to be taken/used? Is checking for battery, SD (etc) planned?

THE SHOOT

An overview of what happened.

RUSHES

sample footage from the shoot, very basic editing

PRODUCING + DIRECTING: BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Quite simply: EVIDENCE all the things you did to exert creative control over what was happening: directing camera work, cast, costume, set dressing; using the call sheet, going over H+S, getting image release forms, checking on travel arrangements + timings (producing)

REFLECTIONS ON THE SHOOT

Assessing what you did ... and what you didn't do. And what comes next.

CAST PERFORMANCE + COSTUME; PREFERRED READING: 

To what extent do you think your creative vision has been achieved? What aspect/s might need re-working - whether that's re-scripting/idea tweak or re-shoot ... or, at worst, re-casting? As ever, be specific: the 3 D's...

CREATIVITY; ACTS OF GOD?: 

Did anything impinge on your plans? 

There are few things worse than students using excuses to rationalise for failure to carry out plans, but sometimes it is appropriate to note things like unexpected weather changes, or cast members cutting their hair off (I've known this to happen!).

If anything of the sort happened hopefully you'll evidence some creative thinking - plan B, C ... Z; thinking on your feet and adapting.

The creative side of it also includes spontaneous extra shots/framing, script changes etc.

SUMMARY: WHAT NOW?: 

Taking the above into consideration, are you declaring the planned shoot a provisional success, with no obvious need (pending my scrutiny!) that you can see for changes to your script/idea/shots?

Or, are there some specific aspects to change/re-shoot? Did you fail to complete shooting in the time that the cast was available (or daylight hours)?

As ever, be precise - including proposed date of (A) specific script/idea/shots tweaks being finalised and blogged on and/or (B) specific additional shoot required

PRE-PRODUCTION OVERVIEW incl screenplay, shotlist, storyboard or animatic

There are a range of evidenced steps expected for your Media coursework. There is more detail on some of these within the SHOOT posts - and obvious overlap, but this is where you SUM UP your impressive pre-production work...

CASTING, CHARACTERS, REHEARSAL/DIRECTING

You need to carefully and meticulously (the 3 D's...) denote each significant character. What are you trying to connote and how? How does this relate to your research? 

Video and/or Ppt with plentiful illustration is vital.

Outline your ideal look/vision, then show who you've cast and in what ways you're planning to control their look to create the character you desire for a successful encoding of a preferred reading.

Are your cast expected to magically understand what is in your head? Evidence how you directed them to give them guidance on what to do. Actual rehearsal footage would be great - that can include Zoom (etc) recordings.

LOCATIONS, MISE-EN-SCENE, HEALTH AND SAFETY

What locations did you consider? Why these? Is there any link to your research findings? What factors were involved in your final choices?

Be very clear, with very clear evidence, of anything you've done to 'set dress' - basically, control the mise-en-scene to help steer audiences towards your preferred reading. Were you organised enough to gather props in good time? Were you ambitious enough to ask multiple sources to find these ... or did you look no further than what is already in your house?!

Did you review each shoot for health + safety concerns, summarising these + what cast/crew needed to be aware of + avoid doing? That currently must include covid considerations. (2023 - no longer necessary BUT see below)

Consider any possible risk (simplest: create a table: FACTOR > RISKS > ACTIONS where actions are mostly briefing cast/crew):

> use of public transport (crossing roads: observe general road safety protocols)

> shooting outdoors (traffic: crew at either end of roadways to alert to incoming traffic)

> catering (allergies, check that epipen or equivalent is there)

> action sequences (tripping, falling; director etc needs to advise on any steps, cracks etc that may cause loss of footing)

> equipment (falling on cast, crew: check tripods are stable, factoring in any wind issues; cameras with neckstrap for handheld)

> transmissable infections (covid, flu etc; check with cast/crew before meeting that none have such health issues, wear masks where deemed appropriate + take care with what is handled/washing hands)

EQUIPMENT + LOGISTICS

What equipment have you used?

How did you transport it ... and how did you arrange for/check/confirm/help with cast travel (+any catering)? Was social media a key part of that? If so, share some non-sweary samples!

Did you get signed release forms for image rights?

STORYBOARD

Students generally assume this should be done very early.

Not really.

Wait until you've completed 1 or more sample scenes + are confident that your idea works.

However, you really should DRAFT this WITHOUT DRAWINGS as a simple shotlist (not shots to shoot: shots/takes as they'd appear on screen in the edited final cut).

Then complete a storyboard with 'drawings'. You're not marked on fabulous drawing: the denotation of:

- shot framing (ECU to ELS) + angle

- shot movement (pan, tilt, track etc)

- focus

- audio, including script lines

- notable mise-en-scene

Stick-men and rough shapes are fine; use WORDS as much as pictures.

In the film industry there are varying approaches to this. A complete storyboard is usually a requirement to get funding in the 1st place ... but will almost never accurately reflect the final cut, with editing itself a powerfully creative phase generally somewhat out of the hands of the director.

Hitchcock was perhaps the only director of the modern cinema form (say, 1960s onwards) that would generally reflect his very specific storyboard in his final cut. Ken Loach is a fellow auteur who takes a different approach: he goes in with no script, never mind a storyboard (and so struggles to get funding in the UK as a result, usually relying on France and other Euro nations).

You can find many alternative templates online (here's one from me) or make your own.

SCREENPLAY

This may well go through several versions; only embed the final version BUT hyperlink the earlier versions AND provide a simple text summary of key changes.

The format is really, really simple - the guide below should tell you all you need to know, especially page 4. Your cast should be given a copy of this as early as possible so they can see what their character is meant to be like, and have a chance to think about body language, look and interacting with other characters - they may be able to pass on some helpful ideas as a result.

Narrative and screenplays with sample screenplay and guide from DB3igs

ANIMATIC

This is definitely not expected.

But it is very helpful for you + your cast.

Its basically using each frame from a storyboard + relating (with a VO + titles as you go, if needed above the denotation already in the storyboard) how the narrative will flow onscreen in the final planned edit. This particularly helps to give a sense of sound (and for trying out titles too). You can scan/photograph your storyboard sheets to do this.

CALL SHEETS/SHOT LISTS

This tends to be poorly done as students often fail to grasp at AS how much time it saves them in properly preparing for a shoot.

Basically, if you haven't very specifically planned your shots you will waste a lot of time trying to figure out what to do while out on a shoot - wasting the valuable time of your cast.

A shot list is the simplest way to do this: literally a list of shots to film, using whatever detail you want.

A call sheet ensures that key detail is included: any script lines; what kit/costume/props/cast are needed. On a film set the cast and crew get a copy of that day's call sheets each morning so they can see where and when they'll be needed and can prepare for what they've got to do.

Here's a sample template - again, tweak as you wish.

Call sheet film template from DB3igs