SCRIPT TO SCREEN - PRE PRODUCTION UPDATE

After speaking to Alix and Sara from my course (because I was confused as to what I should do for the day of production) for advise wether to do a shot list or storyboard I was overwhelmed because

I have never done a shot list in my life and I am not a good drawer for a story board ! 

So Sara showed me an example of her storyboard. I still wasn't convinced about what to do because I wanted to shot the whole 10 minutes and to draw a storey board would take 10 months, but I tried.

And I failed ...

"Okay" I said to Sara, " how do you do a shot list?" 

"Well, you need to visualise what you want to see as an audience then write down the shots" she replied.

Okay, this is going to take a large glass of wine and my old school note pad and pencil.

The following Friday night when all in my house was ready to relax I took out my pencil, pad and script  and started to create my visual, something remarkable happened that night, as I started to write the whole film came into place i could stop !

I then went on and did my production schedule, I looked at some examples on line and made my own template on word as I also did with my call sheet.

There was some shots that I didn't get but in edit I really should of, it was times that was my downfall because I had an actor not turn up and one of my lead cast members had to leave early the next day.

To create the call sheet I looked at examples on google images, I then used Microsoft word processor to create the text boxes that I wanted.

I have seen many call sheets before but mostly I think they are done on Exel spreadsheets (my class mates said the same) but being new to the technical side of things working with word was more straight forward for me but it did take 2 hours to create which i think that is along time, so for the next unit I am going to learn an easier was to format documents. 

I also learned the importance of contact numbers on the call sheets because I was on set on another project and could not get in contact with the director so I had to call the production assistant (this was because I was lost) so very important.

When Simon said to me "Good call sheet but where is the production schedule?"

"Um, yeah ill get straight on that"

NEVER underestimate the power of a production schedule, this is key.

Alix my assistant director was in charge, one the day, to keep track of my times along side with my shot list, I really thought that I could have it all under control but being on the camera and setting up takes time and time goes very fast when you are on set.

This is very good practise to stay within a deadline something that is key for a future in TV/Film production. 

Final thoughts?

I enjoyed the pre-production stage and learned so much (I know now what producers have been banging on about for years) I have learned that once all the paperwork (Script, casting, storyboard, shot list, call sheet and production schedule) is complete everything can fall into place, cant it?