Transitions " Research"
Vision Mood Board
Although I am the producer, it was helpful to create a mood board of how I felt the show should look visually. Above are some images for the mood and tone of BrotherLidge.
Role and impact of our proposed production
At the start of pre-production, I wanted to get a feel of how my characters where so I planned on doing some screen tests to show who they were.
Unfortunately, I could not get all together because of the virus so I tried a new approach, this was to get them to do a self video and send it to me, I wanted to ask various characters even if they weren't going to be in the main scene in which we were filming, this was so I could build my vision on what I had written.
The impact that it would have on the production would be substantial as I would be able to see what works and what doesn't work.
Whilst I was off I also did a re-write of the first episode of 'BrotherLidge' and I sent out to a few of the cast of which I wanted to have a part, I asked them to record certain parts of the script and send it into me.
What will this do to contribute towards my goal
I have a big ambition to get my screenplay made for Television, and without sounding arrogant, I am making steps to fulfill this dream, so having my cast sending over screen tests, it will contribute toward my package in which I can submit before my executive producers.
Casting
Why Now?
There have been many films that represent black people reflecting on racial content, I wrote and want to produce a series that is about equal standards and not using predictable narratives, there is a gap in the market for such a show as this, and with a lot of outside interest, I hope to go far with this project outside of the university.
Screen Test
Why do I need to screen-test my actors?
An audition screen test serves two functions. It allows the higher-ups in a movie or TV production to weed through potential candidates until they find the perfect actor for a role. It allows actors to display their talent and training, and introduce themselves to potential employers (Locsin, 2020)
For BrotherLidge it was important for me to see the potential of the cast that I had in mind for the role, I sent out a message to the actors for them to get me over an audition tape, with the sides attached to the email.
As we are in lockdown the cast couldn't get together but that is not important for a screen test as it is merely to see the potential cast and as a producer, it in ables me to see the chemistry between them.
After they sent the tapes I learned that this method works very well, as it can be done from home which means it keeps the cost down, as there is no need to pay out for a venue to do a casting and it doesn't cost the actors anything in travel expenses.
In reality, I would have to get my chosen cast together but I made a creative decision that I would cast people who are already familiar with each other, this enabled me to see the chemistry between them, this method worked, and gave me the confidence that they would work well together.
Casting Challenges
Before the sides were sent out I had a conversation with the cast, as I needed to get across what accents and tone they should perform in. The main challenge was getting the Irish accent down, I did not realize there are different dialects so I watched a youtube video on the different accents to decide what my female characters would sound like.
A Guide to Irish Accents
( A Guide to Irish Accents, 2015)
From this video, I decided that the accent from Dublin sounded like the accent I was going for however when I look at the back story of my characters they are Catholics and Dublin are mainly protestants, I had to research search this so I could have the accuracy, I read an article in the Irish times (Nolan, 2017) which helped me understand the conflict of religion, if facts are not accurate there can be a backlash effect from critics.
So the way that I worked out the change for the accent was to re-write some facts about the character, so they actually travel around on caravan sites.
This made the scene more interesting as well visually because I added a sketch in, introducing another character.
The other challenges I got were due to sound, when I received the test shoots there was feedback from the two male characters, however as it was a test shoot it worked for what it intended to do.
Film Extra's
Many of the Rates Have Increased This is undoubtedly good news for members of Uni-versal Extras because you’ll now be earning more. The basic day rate is going up to £90.87 for a standard day, with £113.58 for a standard night and £56.79 for a shift call. Over time, travel and holiday pay rates have also increased. (Universal extras, 2019)
For clarification and to work out some budget breakdown as to how much extras would be, I looked at the FAA (Film Artist Association) document.
It showed me that extra cost can be accrued in production with stunts or having lines. I got a breakdown of the cost to help me understand the budget.
Looking at the costs I can now speak to the director to determine how many extras are required and if they have any special requirements for the scene we are producing, and when I create the schedule I will be able to break down the cost for day/night rate.
Some artists will be willing to work for just travel expenses with the opportunity to get a copy of the film for there showreel, but on bigger budget films or tv shows, there is a standard rate if the casting director goes the route of an extras agency.
Budget
Budgeting will generally occur before production is commissioned or during the commissioning process. The process requires a considerable amount of expertise and the importance of an accurate budget cannot be underestimated. An under-budgeted production is in trouble from day one!
In television, the budget is usually prepared by the Producer, the Line Producer/PM, or someone with the relevant expertise. Feature films are sometimes budgeted by the Production Accountant (The production guild, 2020)
To understand how much budget I would need in the 'Real-world' to shoot the scene, I asked a production company to create an expenditure form, I sent them an email and asked how much a pilot episode would be:
BrotherLidge Pilot Budget Breakdown
From this information, I am able to work out how much one scene would be, looking at the location actors' fees, Equipment, and crew, then I can send over the budget to the director to enable him to make technical choices on what equipment he can acquire within this budget.
This template also gives me an idea for locations and costings (see locations) but having a look at the original budget breakdown, one of my locations has changed, I will no longer need the house as I am now going to use a caravan which is less expensive on a day rate.
It took a week for the production company to read the first episode and come up with the figures for the budget.
The breakdown will be on the 'Make' Blog post.
I also researched what paperwork a producer needs to have in place for production, I downloaded some templates from the production guild, templates are always good to use when first starting.
These include:
I looked at the UK Film Location website to get a sense of what it could offer, I search for caravans but there were limited locations to film, so for the caravan location, it will be best to call the caravan sites or look at the traveling community sites and social media.
Costs are yet to be determined as prices are not available online but I can put in estimates from looking at other shows cost.
Picking the right Director
Choosing a director for BrotherLidge took some thinking, as this is the first time that I would have picked the role as producer, it was set out when this unit started that I would be a director, however, producing is something that I want to learn more about, as I have many scripts that can be made during my time as a student.
To get knowledge about how to make my decisions and tips on how producers pick a director I read up online about it.
'To use a music analogy, finding the right director to collaborate with is just like finding the right bandmate. You need to work with someone who you respect, can tolerate for months on end, and who you trust immensely. It isn’t enough to just work with a director because they have some clout and you think they can open some doors for you with regards to talent, financing, or otherwise
The vision of the producer should be big picture-oriented. Above and beyond production and post, they need to be able to see the path to success with the film – including distribution, marketing, and countless other elements. When too much emphasis is placed on trying to do the director’s job for them, ultimately everyone loses' (Kroll, 2015)
Ethan was my first choice as a director as (stated above) he is someone who I can work with on a professional level and he gets the job done, he also has an artistic flair and is professional on set.
Ethan's communication skills are excellent and his knowledge of Television and Film goes beyond mine.
Call Sheets
For the call sheet template I looked up examples from my UCA and I compared them to call sheets on 'real productions) and also researched tips on creating a call sheet from the BBC Academy:
A call sheet is vital for a production team. It contains everything the cast and crew need to know for filming and it’s the production coordinator’s (PC) duty to get it right. It’s a daunting task, but Dragons’ Den PC Anika MacDonald says applying a few basic principles will make your call sheets simple and effective.
Vital information
The entire production team may need to refer to it at some point during production, so it’s important to keep your call sheet short, sweet and to the point.
Think about the cast and crew’s requirements and you’ll have a starting point – they’ll usually be looking through it when they want to find information quickly so only include essential information.
Be accurate
This is the one-stop-shop for the whole team, so information such as call times, phone numbers, and names have to be accurate. Be prepared to make changes though, as the call sheet will probably be amended during production as timings and team members change.
Keep it confidential
Don’t forget who’ll have access to the call sheet. It’s a confidential production document that includes the production team’s contact details, so mark that clearly right at the top. Never include the phone numbers of the talent – a major no-no for any PC.
Keep it clear
Make sure your call sheet has a clear structure and layout. When people are looking for information quickly, they won’t want to trawl through page after page. If you keep the layout clear and user-friendly it makes production much smoother.
My Template
Following the advice from the BBC Academy, I was able to compile my own template for my call sheet, it is simply laid out, is readable, I can edit online and take out sensitive parts and i can re-use this template for other parts of the production if needed.
Production schedules
To realize my template for a schedule I had a look at a PDF from the BBC webpage.
It is easily laid out and states all the details needed for the shoot.
The director or production assistant is usually responsible for scheduling as they are the ones that break down the script into day/night and organize the risk assessments, but on this occasion, for research purposes, I put together my own version of the schedule to send out to my crew, I did this by using pages and copying from the BBC template.
I found this very useful and again like the call sheet I can edit when need to.
My Production Schedule template
All templates will be used on the 'Make' Blog post.
Bibliography.
A guide to Irish accents (2020) [user-generated content online] Facts. 11 March 2015 At: https://youtu.be/ee_N3g4ORLk (Accessed 10 May 2020)
BBC Academy. (2016) Tips: Writing a call sheet. At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/en/articles/art20141119153633570
Locsin, A. (2020) What is an audition screen test. At: https://work.chron.com/audition-screen-test-20801.html (Accessed on 10 May 2020)
Kroll, N. (2015) What Producers need to understand about working with directors. At: https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/what-all-producers-need-to-understand-about-working-with-directors/ (Accessed on 11 May 2020)
Nolan, P. (2017) 'Two Tribes: A divided Northan Ireland.' The Irish Time [online] At: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/two-tribes-a-divided-northern-ireland-1.3030921 (Accessed on 11 May 2020)
The production guild. (2020) Production accounting know-how: An online best practice guild to film & TV accounting, business & legal: Budgeting and scheduling. At: http://productionguildaccounting.com/development-and-pre-production/budgeting-and-scheduling/ (Accessed 11 May 2020)
Universal Extras. (2019) The FAA is going up. At: https://www.universalextras.co.uk/extras/extras-blog/faa-going/#.XsYm3xNKhBw (Accessed 21 May 2020)
Although I am the producer, it was helpful to create a mood board of how I felt the show should look visually. Above are some images for the mood and tone of BrotherLidge.
Role and impact of our proposed production
At the start of pre-production, I wanted to get a feel of how my characters where so I planned on doing some screen tests to show who they were.
Unfortunately, I could not get all together because of the virus so I tried a new approach, this was to get them to do a self video and send it to me, I wanted to ask various characters even if they weren't going to be in the main scene in which we were filming, this was so I could build my vision on what I had written.
The impact that it would have on the production would be substantial as I would be able to see what works and what doesn't work.
Whilst I was off I also did a re-write of the first episode of 'BrotherLidge' and I sent out to a few of the cast of which I wanted to have a part, I asked them to record certain parts of the script and send it into me.
What will this do to contribute towards my goal
I have a big ambition to get my screenplay made for Television, and without sounding arrogant, I am making steps to fulfill this dream, so having my cast sending over screen tests, it will contribute toward my package in which I can submit before my executive producers.
Casting
Why Now?
There have been many films that represent black people reflecting on racial content, I wrote and want to produce a series that is about equal standards and not using predictable narratives, there is a gap in the market for such a show as this, and with a lot of outside interest, I hope to go far with this project outside of the university.
Screen Test
Why do I need to screen-test my actors?
An audition screen test serves two functions. It allows the higher-ups in a movie or TV production to weed through potential candidates until they find the perfect actor for a role. It allows actors to display their talent and training, and introduce themselves to potential employers (Locsin, 2020)
For BrotherLidge it was important for me to see the potential of the cast that I had in mind for the role, I sent out a message to the actors for them to get me over an audition tape, with the sides attached to the email.
As we are in lockdown the cast couldn't get together but that is not important for a screen test as it is merely to see the potential cast and as a producer, it in ables me to see the chemistry between them.
After they sent the tapes I learned that this method works very well, as it can be done from home which means it keeps the cost down, as there is no need to pay out for a venue to do a casting and it doesn't cost the actors anything in travel expenses.
In reality, I would have to get my chosen cast together but I made a creative decision that I would cast people who are already familiar with each other, this enabled me to see the chemistry between them, this method worked, and gave me the confidence that they would work well together.
BrotherLidge Screen Test
Casting Challenges
Before the sides were sent out I had a conversation with the cast, as I needed to get across what accents and tone they should perform in. The main challenge was getting the Irish accent down, I did not realize there are different dialects so I watched a youtube video on the different accents to decide what my female characters would sound like.
A Guide to Irish Accents
From this video, I decided that the accent from Dublin sounded like the accent I was going for however when I look at the back story of my characters they are Catholics and Dublin are mainly protestants, I had to research search this so I could have the accuracy, I read an article in the Irish times (Nolan, 2017) which helped me understand the conflict of religion, if facts are not accurate there can be a backlash effect from critics.
So the way that I worked out the change for the accent was to re-write some facts about the character, so they actually travel around on caravan sites.
This made the scene more interesting as well visually because I added a sketch in, introducing another character.
The other challenges I got were due to sound, when I received the test shoots there was feedback from the two male characters, however as it was a test shoot it worked for what it intended to do.
Film Extra's
Many of the Rates Have Increased This is undoubtedly good news for members of Uni-versal Extras because you’ll now be earning more. The basic day rate is going up to £90.87 for a standard day, with £113.58 for a standard night and £56.79 for a shift call. Over time, travel and holiday pay rates have also increased. (Universal extras, 2019)
For clarification and to work out some budget breakdown as to how much extras would be, I looked at the FAA (Film Artist Association) document.
It showed me that extra cost can be accrued in production with stunts or having lines. I got a breakdown of the cost to help me understand the budget.
Looking at the costs I can now speak to the director to determine how many extras are required and if they have any special requirements for the scene we are producing, and when I create the schedule I will be able to break down the cost for day/night rate.
Some artists will be willing to work for just travel expenses with the opportunity to get a copy of the film for there showreel, but on bigger budget films or tv shows, there is a standard rate if the casting director goes the route of an extras agency.
Budget
Budgeting will generally occur before production is commissioned or during the commissioning process. The process requires a considerable amount of expertise and the importance of an accurate budget cannot be underestimated. An under-budgeted production is in trouble from day one!
In television, the budget is usually prepared by the Producer, the Line Producer/PM, or someone with the relevant expertise. Feature films are sometimes budgeted by the Production Accountant (The production guild, 2020)
To understand how much budget I would need in the 'Real-world' to shoot the scene, I asked a production company to create an expenditure form, I sent them an email and asked how much a pilot episode would be:
BrotherLidge Pilot Budget Breakdown
 |
| The names on the document have been blacked out due to data protection. |
From this information, I am able to work out how much one scene would be, looking at the location actors' fees, Equipment, and crew, then I can send over the budget to the director to enable him to make technical choices on what equipment he can acquire within this budget.
This template also gives me an idea for locations and costings (see locations) but having a look at the original budget breakdown, one of my locations has changed, I will no longer need the house as I am now going to use a caravan which is less expensive on a day rate.
It took a week for the production company to read the first episode and come up with the figures for the budget.
The breakdown will be on the 'Make' Blog post.
I also researched what paperwork a producer needs to have in place for production, I downloaded some templates from the production guild, templates are always good to use when first starting.
These include:
- New Production start-up checklist
- Crew letter
- Production Close Letter
More paperwork is needed for production but as this is on a smaller scale these templates will be useful for using on this unit because it is a non-realistic production in this case.
Locations
When looking for locations and costs, I found the sites to be very vague on costings, as these companies (at the moment) are no longer replying to emails due to a halt in the industry, I came to the conclusion that it depends on negotiation. Location companies like to know all the details of a shoot:
- What is it?
- How long is it?
- How much your budget is?
To be a producer you must be able to negotiate and keep the cost down, which also requires excellent communication skills, the producer is in charge of expenses and in the 'real-world' a location scout would have to liaise with the producer about all costing of a location.
In past productions I have managed to get all of my locations for free, I have made sure that I am in constant communications with the owner of the locations, via email - I have learned that everything that is done in production needs to have a paper trail, it is vital that all aspects are covered for legal purposes, a phone call initially is good practice because both parties are able to sense the tone and determine what the working relationship will be like.
I have found that just by having a conversation at the beginning of negotiations, I can use this as an opportunity for the recipient to get to know my personality and vice-versa.
Example House Location.
 |
| Fig. 1. UK Film Location. London. Unloved Victorian Semi for Filming 2020 |
 |
| Fig. 2. UK Film Location. London. Unloved Victorian Semi for Filming 2020 |
 |
| Fig. 3. UK Film Location. London. Unloved Victorian Semi for Filming 2020 |
I looked at the UK Film Location website to get a sense of what it could offer, I search for caravans but there were limited locations to film, so for the caravan location, it will be best to call the caravan sites or look at the traveling community sites and social media.
Costs are yet to be determined as prices are not available online but I can put in estimates from looking at other shows cost.
Picking the right Director
Choosing a director for BrotherLidge took some thinking, as this is the first time that I would have picked the role as producer, it was set out when this unit started that I would be a director, however, producing is something that I want to learn more about, as I have many scripts that can be made during my time as a student.
To get knowledge about how to make my decisions and tips on how producers pick a director I read up online about it.
'To use a music analogy, finding the right director to collaborate with is just like finding the right bandmate. You need to work with someone who you respect, can tolerate for months on end, and who you trust immensely. It isn’t enough to just work with a director because they have some clout and you think they can open some doors for you with regards to talent, financing, or otherwise
The vision of the producer should be big picture-oriented. Above and beyond production and post, they need to be able to see the path to success with the film – including distribution, marketing, and countless other elements. When too much emphasis is placed on trying to do the director’s job for them, ultimately everyone loses' (Kroll, 2015)
Ethan was my first choice as a director as (stated above) he is someone who I can work with on a professional level and he gets the job done, he also has an artistic flair and is professional on set.
Ethan's communication skills are excellent and his knowledge of Television and Film goes beyond mine.
Call Sheets
For the call sheet template I looked up examples from my UCA and I compared them to call sheets on 'real productions) and also researched tips on creating a call sheet from the BBC Academy:
A call sheet is vital for a production team. It contains everything the cast and crew need to know for filming and it’s the production coordinator’s (PC) duty to get it right. It’s a daunting task, but Dragons’ Den PC Anika MacDonald says applying a few basic principles will make your call sheets simple and effective.
Vital information
The entire production team may need to refer to it at some point during production, so it’s important to keep your call sheet short, sweet and to the point.
Think about the cast and crew’s requirements and you’ll have a starting point – they’ll usually be looking through it when they want to find information quickly so only include essential information.
Be accurate
This is the one-stop-shop for the whole team, so information such as call times, phone numbers, and names have to be accurate. Be prepared to make changes though, as the call sheet will probably be amended during production as timings and team members change.
Keep it confidential
Don’t forget who’ll have access to the call sheet. It’s a confidential production document that includes the production team’s contact details, so mark that clearly right at the top. Never include the phone numbers of the talent – a major no-no for any PC.
Keep it clear
Make sure your call sheet has a clear structure and layout. When people are looking for information quickly, they won’t want to trawl through page after page. If you keep the layout clear and user-friendly it makes production much smoother.
My Template
Following the advice from the BBC Academy, I was able to compile my own template for my call sheet, it is simply laid out, is readable, I can edit online and take out sensitive parts and i can re-use this template for other parts of the production if needed.
Production schedules
To realize my template for a schedule I had a look at a PDF from the BBC webpage.
 |
| Fig. 3. BBC Production schedule template Example 2020 |
It is easily laid out and states all the details needed for the shoot.
The director or production assistant is usually responsible for scheduling as they are the ones that break down the script into day/night and organize the risk assessments, but on this occasion, for research purposes, I put together my own version of the schedule to send out to my crew, I did this by using pages and copying from the BBC template.
I found this very useful and again like the call sheet I can edit when need to.
My Production Schedule template
All templates will be used on the 'Make' Blog post.
Bibliography.
A guide to Irish accents (2020) [user-generated content online] Facts. 11 March 2015 At: https://youtu.be/ee_N3g4ORLk (Accessed 10 May 2020)
BBC Academy. (2016) Tips: Writing a call sheet. At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/en/articles/art20141119153633570
Locsin, A. (2020) What is an audition screen test. At: https://work.chron.com/audition-screen-test-20801.html (Accessed on 10 May 2020)
Kroll, N. (2015) What Producers need to understand about working with directors. At: https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/what-all-producers-need-to-understand-about-working-with-directors/ (Accessed on 11 May 2020)
Nolan, P. (2017) 'Two Tribes: A divided Northan Ireland.' The Irish Time [online] At: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/two-tribes-a-divided-northern-ireland-1.3030921 (Accessed on 11 May 2020)
The production guild. (2020) Production accounting know-how: An online best practice guild to film & TV accounting, business & legal: Budgeting and scheduling. At: http://productionguildaccounting.com/development-and-pre-production/budgeting-and-scheduling/ (Accessed 11 May 2020)
Universal Extras. (2019) The FAA is going up. At: https://www.universalextras.co.uk/extras/extras-blog/faa-going/#.XsYm3xNKhBw (Accessed 21 May 2020)
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