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Unit 4 pre-production

The pre-production stage is where all planning for the creation of content occurs. At this stage, you will create documents such as scripts, storyboards, shot lists, moodboard and a call sheet. This stage lays down all the groundwork for the rest of the production process.

Task 1 : Definition   

Purpose & Process

Prior to the cameras rolling, pre-production enables organisation. It lets the producer to plan out everything they will need for their film, estimate costs, determine what equipment will be required, and determine how the movie will appear and sound.

The primary distinction between pre-production and production is that pre-production entails the setup and planning of the project, whereas production itself entails recording and being present in the moment.

Task 2 : types

                                         Finance

Finance refers to how you plan to pay for the film's production and post-production phases. This includes finding funding to cover the costs of hiring actors, crew members, equipment, and other expenses. When it comes to finances, you also need to consider how much money you will make from the project. This might affect how much you spend on the project itself as well as how many people or businesses you decide to fund your project since they would like a share of the profits.​

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                                           Time

Finding out when and for how long things you need to utilise are free, putting this information in a timeline so you can understand when you may use these things together, etc., and scheduling is a crucial component of the pre-production phase. Timing can also affect your finances because most products you use have a set amount of time they must be paid for. 

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                                        Facilities

In the production phase, when you have a cast and crew, you would typically supply areas/facilities needed for daily conveniences. These include things like toilets, locations where people can obtain food, etc. You also need to provide people with rooms where they can sleep. You'll probably need to purchase a warehouse if you're using green screen or just need a set for anything that doesn't require you to travel for filming. Additionally, you would need to purchase or rent offices for your post-production crew. Facilities can be expensive.

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                                        Location

When planning a production, you must think about the locations you want to use, their availability, and whether or not they permit filming there. You must also consider the location's accessibility and if you can transport all of your crew members and equipment there. You need to consider whether there will be any restrictions on what you can use there. There may also be hazards at the area, such as unstable ground.

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                                     Personnel

Personnel include all the individuals you employ who contribute to the creation of the media product, such as performers, camera operators, technical crew, editors, etc. 

                                      Materials

Materials include all the tools you utilise to create the final media product, such as costumes, soundtrack, and animatics. 

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                         Codes of practice and legislation

A professional association's code of practise and laws sets out ethical standards for things like how you should treat and care for your employees as well as what you should display in your products and if it is appropriate for particular groups to see.

Task 3 : Example

Task 4 : sectors

LAA: core assessment

Budget Breakdown

Format:

 The format for this template would be utilised as the structure for a budget breakdown because it may be used to compute overall costs and classify particular expenses. It looks like a grid table because it displays a grid with several sections, which is excellent because it compares the budget's pricing.

Function:

The function of the budget breakdown during pre-production is to determine the budget for the movie. By doing this, it is possible to prevent overspending and produce an agreement that will be beneficial to the film company.

Depending on how successful the film is expected to be, the budget may change. For example, successful franchises like the Avengers or films set in unique locations like the mountains or the ocean, would likely have a higher budget.

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Purpose:

The purpose of the budget breakdown is to ensure that a movie has a budget that is appropriate for how well the directors anticipate it will perform at the box office.

Risk Assessment

Format:

The format for the risk assessment would likewise be in a grid with sections that describe a potential risk during production and the likelihood that it would occur during the shot, and solutions to prevent it.

Function:

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The function of the risk assessment is for the filmmakers to identify any potential risks to the cast and crew and devise measures to mitigate those risks. This is done to keep the making of a movie as secure and dependable as feasible. For instance, the actors could be wounded during a stunt because the set isn't safe enough, unsecured wiring could cause the crew to collapse, lighting equipment could fall on the cast and crew, etc.

Purpose:

The purpose of the risk assessment strives to ensure that production is safe for the cast and crew because safeguards have been put in place to guarantee their safety and the orderly operation of everything.

My personal work:

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Shooting Schedule

Format:

The format of shooting schedule will be presented as a document with a table listing the days and times that the filming will be taking place and the locations.

Function:

The function of the shooting schedule during pre-production is to coordinate the time and locations for the filming so that the cast and crew will be present at the appropriate places and times. Everyone involved will feel more at ease as a result of knowing where they are supposed to be and when they are supposed to arrive at the set.

purpose:

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The purpose of the shooting schedule during pre-production is to coordinate the time and locations for the filming so that the cast and crew will be present at the appropriate places and times. Everyone involved will feel more at ease as a result of knowing where they are supposed to be and when they are supposed to arrive at the set.

My personal work:

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Call Sheets

Format:

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The format of the call sheet would be formatted as a table of sections with information like the location, cast call times (what time you need to be at work), and the shooting schedule.

Function:

The function of the call sheet is to let the cast and crew know what they will be doing on the day of shooting, including location information, scenes that must be shot that day, crew member phone numbers, etc. All parties involved will be made aware of their respective responsibilities as a result of this.

Purpose:

The purpose of the call sheet serves to ensure everyone engaged in the production is at ease by outlining every important detail on what will occur on each shooting day and what the cast and crew must undertake. This is helpful in production since it allows employees from various departments to arrive on the set or location knowing exactly what they will be doing on the day of filming.

Shot List

Format:

The format of a shot list is a document divided into sections that describe the scene, shot, and categories of camera angles and framing used during production.

Function: 

The functions of a shot list's purpose is to assist directors in deciding how a scene will look. This includes the scene number, shot number, character summary, camera position, movement, and equipment, as well as the setting and framing.

Purpose:

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A shot list's purpose is to make production simpler by providing all the details on how a scene is intended to be filmed along with a brief description that will aid filmmakers in identifying the mood of the movie and ensuring that the scene is captured as accurately as it was planned out in pre-production.

My personal work:

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Storyboard

Format:

A storyboards format is the shape of a rectangle or square, where you can depict the mise-en-scene and action of what the characters do in the scene. They represent how a scene will appear in the finished product and provide a visual representation of each shot in the shot list.

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Similar to a shot list, a storyboard has a section where you can describe the camera positioning, special effects, and length of the shot. You can draw arrows outside the box to indicate where you want the camera to go.

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Function:

A storyboards function is assisting the actors and crew in understanding the action, facial expressions, gestures, camera framing, etc, that are taking place in the scene. Because the filmmakers can see what the characters are intended to accomplish in the scene, it's essentially a simpler version of the shot list.

Purpose:

A storyboards purpose is used to direct filmmakers during the production process. It serves as a kind of road map for filmmakers as to how a movie should be made, making the entire production process simpler for everyone.

My personal work:

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Mock Ups/Layouts

Format:

An outline of the proposed idea would be presented in the form of a mock up or layout, which is similar to a storyboard.

Function:

The function of a mockup serves mainly the purpose of assisting the filmmakers in obtaining a solid final design of the characters in the scene for the storyboard. This is efficient since creating a good design may take some time, therefore the filmmakers would want mockups as a means of work in progress.

Purpose:

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The purpose of the mockups and layouts is to provide the filmmakers a chance to correct errors in the rough draught so that they can produce a good version that will demonstrate their progress with the mockups and layouts.

Location Recce

Format:

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A table with a picture of the place and information about the amenities nearby would be the format of a location recce. It is also designed to give the cast and crew as much information as possible about the location they will film in, such as neighbouring restaurants.

Function: 

A location recce's function is to help the cast and crew become comfortable with the setting where they will be filming. The team can assess the location's suitability with its assistance. Filmmakers benefit from this as they will know where to set up camera, lighting, rigging, and other production equipment.

Purpose:

The purpose of the location recce is to confirm that the pre-production location is appropriate for the cast and crew to shoot their scenes. This might be because they followed rules of conduct and laws by requesting permission to shoot from the owner of the area.

My personal work:

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Equipment Booking

Format:

The format of the equipment booking would be a table with sections where you can mark the equipment you need for production. It often how equipment booking is done since it makes it easier to determine how much money will be spent on the various pieces of equipment needed for filming.

Function:

The function of equipment booking is essentially to create a list of how many assets you will require for the film production. This aids in budgeting because it keeps the price of the equipment in check and prevents a movie studio from overspending on equipment that they might not actually need.

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Purpose:

The purpose of equipment booking is to assist film studios in determining the appropriate quantity of equipment they require to shoot with so that their budget stays within reason.

My personal work:

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Script

Format:

The format of a script would be a list of directions for the camera, the character, and the dialogue of the characters in the scene.

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Function:

A script's function is to express the fundamental idea of video production in textual form, and it offers a preset preview of how the scene will seem in the finished result. The actors would receive it in advance to assist them to be ready for the scene according to the script.

Purpose:

The script's purpose is to provide guidance to performers on how to depict characters in a movie accurately. In order to deliver a more compelling and convincing acting performance, it also helps the performers to prepare what they need to say.

My personal work:

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Sound Log

Format:

Format of the sound log would essentially be a piece of paper or, alternatively, a digital document created by the sound producer to record each file as it was being recorded.

Function:

A sound log's function is to provide a list of the kinds of sounds that will be used in the scene so that the audience may hear them.

Purpose:

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The purpose of sound logs is to assist sound mixers in selecting the appropriate sound for the movie so that it matches the visuals in the scene as closely as possible.

Video Log

Format:

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The format of the video log is organised as a table of video's shots and takes. Depending on how many takes it took to film a scene, this pre-production document may be the longest of all the techniques.

Function:

A video log's function is to document all the film takes, retakes, and the length of the scene's shot. Filmmakers would have to comment on the shot and decide if it was perfect or if it needed to be improved before the scene could be reshot.

Purpose:

A video log sheets purpose is used by filmmakers so they can see what was said about each shot that was taken. Since the crew will leave comments about each take and the shot it concerns, it may even help editors decide which captured footage will be included in the finished product. This is efficient since it will simplify post-production for the movie editors.

My personal work:

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LAB-C: core assessment

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The location recce is a pre-production document that provides background information regarding the shooting area. A few pictures of the location would make up the format of this document. The location's address, the website's contact information, access to the site, the accessibility of the location, the availability of energy, the workspace, the restrooms, the parking spots, and the locations for food and beverages. Because the information in the pre-production document was clear and simple to read, I believe it was done to a high degree.

The purpose of this pre-production document is to provide the film's cast with information about the lines of speech they will be hearing. This paper would also include cues as to which character should speak at what moment. NVC guidelines, appropriate facial expressions during conversation. In addition to character names. Because the writing was colour coded to denote what was what and to make it easier to read, I believe i produced this to a high standard.

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The shot list is a pre-production document that is created before any sort of production, e.g. This entails the planning of shots using the shot list number and shot number formats. The kind of camera technology that would be employed during a production, or the shot type. The length of the shot, or how long it would last. Additionally, a shot description is utilised to set the scene for what will be seen in the shot. I believe that the shot list I created during the pre-production phase of the short film I am making was finished to a high standard because I was able to translate the originally discussed portion of my part of the short story (resolution) into the format of a shot list with various shot types and an indication of the type of shot angling that was going to be used, to align well with what was happening during the scene. I would say that creating this pre-production document was a little difficult because I had to rely somewhat on my ideas and imagination to figure out what kind of shot and angling would be best for each part of the part I was tasked with creating. These thoughts and ideas may have differed from the kind of angling and shots used during the actual production of the short film.

A document created during the pre-production phase of filmmaking is the risk assessment. This document's stated purpose is to record all potential risks that might be encountered while filming. This document incorporates the Areas of Concern, which is designed to describe anything going on in the neighbourhood that might be cause for concern. The potential danger that might endanger the team while they are filming.  The risk factor is used to rank the likelihood of an event from High to Low. The steps that may be taken to lessen the danger of the hazard, which would show potential remedies for the hazard mentioned. After discussing the probable hazards' remedies, there will be further discussion of risk levels ranging from High to Low. I believe that the risk assessment I made for the day of filming was finished to a high degree because I was able to present probable dangers and remedies towards the day of filming that were in line with the type of site that we filmed in. I would argue that writing this paper was not very difficult because dangers are not as difficult to find when it comes to recording with a variety of equipment and how the weather affects it. Also the location wasn't very dangerous at all.

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A pre-production document called an equipment booking is used to reserve specific pieces of equipment to make sure they are available when you need them. This pre-production document would have the following structure: a list of various filming tools, together with instructions on whether they were to be unloaded in the morning or in the afternoon. Additionally, it should be mentioned if the machinery is loaded in the morning AM or the afternoon PM. It would be indicated by a tick in the corresponding column. Since it is simple and quick to complete, I believe this paper was produced to a high standard cause it wasn't very hard to complete.

A planning tool used to estimate the time schedule for recording is the shooting schedule. This pre-production sheet is formatted according to the number of shots and amount of shooting. The shot was either reshot or not, depending on your preference. Also it would show date of the shoot, the day that the photos were taken, time spent on the shoot day , time estimates for the beginning and end, estimation of the day's shooting total and the shooting location. This document, in my opinion, was finished to a high standard because i also found this easy to complete.

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LAD: core assessment

Evaluation

My planning documents were made with the cast, crew, and story in mind. I had to make sure that every document was clear enough for the cast and crew to understand while also assisting in the creation of the story and characters for my short film. I was assigned the resolution.

 

The shot list was the first document I created; it was one of the most crucial during the shoot and included more than 13 shots. The number of shots that had to be taken during filming made it crucial to ensure that the actors and crew were aware of everything that was going on at all times. For this reason, I divided the shots in the shot list into sectors according to where they were taken on the set. Due to the location we had reserved filming our short film, we were on a strict timetable, therefore this really increased efficiency.

 

The script was yet another document that came in very handy while filming. The project had to last between 8 and 10 minutes, so there would be a lot of discussion for the actors. In order to prepare everyone for the shoot, I sent the script to the cast and crew two days prior to the shoot. While this helped a little bit to familiarise everyone with their lines and the dialogue needed for each scene, it would have been much more beneficial if they had been given it a week in advance because they would have been much more comfortable saying their lines and it would have saved more time not constantly taking the same shots.

 

I had to even make a location recce once I had chosen the area which is crucial. During pre-production and filming, it was essential that the actors and crew were aware of all the services offered at the selected location and were secure. The location also provided contact information. The contact information was also vital because it ensured that everyone was aware of the location and how to get from it to any facilities they required.

 

It was necessary to take the chosen filming location and the character outfits into consideration while developing the risk assessment. I choose a posh mansion as the shooting location since it provided the short film a contemporary feel. But since there weren't really any risks or threats at this area, I was able to do the risk assessment quickly. As a result, the risk factors were reduced, the cast and crew's safety was guaranteed, and the shoot went without any problems.

 

The video and sound log was also very helpful throughout post-production as well. When picking which shots to use during editing, the video log was quite helpful. This made it easier for me to decide which videos to use for my short film and which ones to ignore, which meant i was necessary i made video and sound log.

 

 The sound log identified every audio secondary resource that I downloaded from sites with no copyright restrictions. In order to comply with all copyright regulations, I had to make sure the audio files were unprotected. Because it provided the audience with an audible aspect of the visual content, the audio was also highly helpful in post-production editing.

 

Having an equipment booking sheet was key during the shoot because filming equipment may be fairly pricey. Since the off-site location was far from where i was based, forgetting equipment posed a significant challenge. I made sure to keep track of all the equipment utilised during the shoot and to gather any reserved equipment at the conclusion of the shoot in order to ensure that this issue was averted. It would have been very challenging to keep track of all the equipment utilised during shooting without the document.

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