How To - Media Production (Pre-Production)

Owned by Erika Snell
Nov 03, 2023
7 min read

Step 1: Treatment (Create a Story)

  • Treatments are used in the film industry for writers to pitch their story ideas without writing a full script (would take too much time, especially if idea is going to be rejected)

    • Typically, treatments include the title, a summarized story arc, key characters, and the themes/tones of the would-be film

  • In practice: Write out the basic plot or story of your film, 2-3 paragraphs

    • Write any and all ideas down

    • Utilize writing exercises where you don’t lift your pen or stop typing and write stream of consciousness

    • Try writing a few of these and see which one is best

Step 2: Outline (Expand on Story)

  • With a complete treatment, begin writing an outline (similar to planning out a research paper)

  • Write how the story begins, how it ends, and the steps along the way

  • Include backstory of the characters, settings, and concepts that will be explored

    • Be sure to think of/find realistic locations to film

  • Recommend using bullet points because you may shift around what happens when   

Step 3: Script (Visualize the Story)

  • With a complete outline, begin writing a script

  • Scripts feature the details such as the locations, time of day, dialogue, character movement, and everything else that you SEE and HEAR on screen

  • You do not include backstory (if the scene involves someone crying, you don’t need to explain in the script why they are crying)

  • FadeIn is a free script building software that is easy to use

  • Main points of reference within a script:

    • Scene Heading - describes where the scene is taking place - starts with INT. or EXT. [is the scene inside (INT-interior) or outside (EXT-exterior)], followed by the location and the time of day

      • EX: INT. UCLA CLASSROOM MORNING

    • Action - describes what occurs throughout the scene such as character movements and interactions

      • EX: The classroom is filled with students chatting at their seats when the professor walks in from the door at the back of the classroom. The students continue chatting as the professor walks to the front of the room and begins to set up their lecture material at the podium.

    • Character - the name or description of the character that will be saying some form of dialogue

      • EX: THE PROFESSOR

    • Parenthetical - direction on how a particular line of dialogue or action is delivered by a character

      • EX: (speaking softly while clicking through slides on computer)

    • Dialogue - whatever is being spoken by a character or heard as voiceover during the scene

      • EX: Alright class, let’s begin!

  • Even if the story doesn’t require a lot of dialogue, a script is still very useful to understand the flow of action and where everything is taking place

  • In the film world, one page of a script typically translates to one minute of film (not always true, but can help gage how long a script should be)

  • Typically, every time there is a new Scene Heading (as in a new setting), this would count as a new scene

Step 4: Shot List 

  • With a complete script, create a list of the different shots/camera movements that will be shown on camera

  • Types of Shots

    • Based on Shot Size

      • Extreme wide shot - used mainly to establish the setting and the characters placed in it, fairly far away from the camera

      • Wide shot - shows the full length of any featured characters from the feet to the top of the head and is used to show a character in relation to their immediate surroundings

      • Medium shot - shows about ½ - ⅔ of a character’s body, knees or waist to top of head

        • MWS (medium wide shot) and MCU (medium close up) also exist and are the in between for the other shots

      • Close up - focused on a character’s face, shoulders to top of head

      • Extreme close up - when an object, item or body part fills the frame

    • Based on Angle/Framing

      • High angle - camera angled to look down toward the subject

      • Low angle - camera angled to look up toward the subject

      • Overhead - camera is directly above the subject pointing down

      • POV - two versions of this angle: the implied and the literal

        • implied POV is when a character looks in a direction, then you show what they’re looking at

        • literal POV is when the camera is in place of the subject and you are literally seeing what they’re seeing

      • Over the Shoulder (OTS) - framing the camera so that you’re looking over the shoulder of one character to another

      • Breaking the Fourth Wall - when the character looks directly into the camera as if looking and/or talking directly to the audience watching

    • Based on Movement

      • Pan - camera angle is changing horizontally (left and right)

      • Tilt - camera angle is changing vertically (up and down)

      • Dolly - camera is placed on a dolly and moves towards or away from the subject

      • Tracking - camera tracks along with the subject, used during “walk and talk” scenes

      • Crane or Boom - movement of the camera when placed on a crane or boom arm

      • Pedestal - moving the camera up or down relative to a subject (different from tilting because the camera is physically moved up or down rather than changing the angle up or down)

  • EX of a Shot List: A person walks up the stairs and opens a door

    • Shot 1 (S1) - Wide shot of building with set of stairs in front of it, a person appears from off camera and starts walking up the stairs

    • S2 - Close up of the top step and shoes as the person reaches the top of the stairs and pauses

    • S3 - Medium shot from person’s left, PAN and follow as person continues to walk forward toward door

    • S4 - Medium shot from inside the building and person fills up the screen as they open the door

  • List the shots in order of the script by first breaking up the script into scenes and then shots from there

    • If scene one will have six different shots, list them 1A-1F

    • If scene five will have three different shots, list them 5A-5C

  • This step truly takes the most time because there are so many ways to film something → does make the actual filming process faster when shot list is fully thought out

    • Visualize what needs to be captured and the best/most interesting angles to show it

    • It helps to go to the space where the filming will take place

      • For example, make sure there aren’t objects that would cause issues such as mirrors and/or windows that the camera could be reflected onto

  • Also make note of any additional sounds that are needed

    • EX: the sound of a car honking

      • Don’t necessarily need to record the audio of the car honking while filming that scene

      • Best to record different sounds separately, more flexibility when editing

Step 5: Storyboard (Visual Shot List)

  • With a complete Shot List, bring it to life by storyboarding it

  • Take each individual shot and draw up a little representation of what the shot will look like, can include the short description below it or dialogue that will be said

    • Don’t need to be artists!!

    • Play around with dimension and space

  • Explore where the subject is placed in the frame, how close or far they are from the camera, and if there will be any motion with the camera 

    • Indicate these movements with arrows around the picture pointing in the direction you want the camera to move

Step 6: Different Roles (for smaller productions)

  • Director - person who overlooks all aspects of production process and directs each individual to ensure everyone is on the same page

  • Director of Photography (DP)/Camera Operator - person who decided what each shot will look like and controls the camera

    • Typically, this would be two different people but in smaller productions they can be put together

  • Sound Mixer - person who is in control of the microphones and recording of any other types of sound

  • Lighting Designer - person who sets lights to serve the subject well or finds best angles within space to use what natural light is there

  • Continuity Supervisor/Scripty - person who ensures what is being filmed matches the script and takes notes throughout filming to assist the editor in post-production

  • Slate - person who indicates the shot and take for each scene filmed on a whiteboard and also assists with video and audio synchronization for post-production

  • In the real world, roles are not interchangeable but in school, try out different ones!

Step 7: Prep and Schedule!!!

  • Coordinate with group members and set a schedule

  • Block out script by scene and decide when to film each scene

  • Shoot in the order that is most convenient

    • If the scene requires sunlight, shoot outdoor scenes first

    • If two scenes take place close together then shoot those together

      • EX: if scenes 1 and 5 all take place in the same location then film them at the same time

  • Always block out more time than is necessary

    • There are always things that can’t be controlled like noise from construction or people walking by

  • If filming over multiple days, take a picture of the setting/character to ensure that things look the same (they wear the same clothes, have the same hairstyle, etc.)

o   Make a note of which scenes they are for

  • Ensure all production equipment is ready before first scheduled filming day

    • Battery for camera is charged

    • Batteries for microphones are ready

    • Script, Shot List, and Storyboard are printed out

    • Any lighting equipment is set

    • Tripod and adapter plate are set

  • Most importantly: ALWAYS PLAN TO BRING SNACKS AND WATER!!!

    • Crafties (craft services) is notoriously the most important portion of a film crew because food keeps people happy

    • Discuss dietary needs

    • BTW, Oreos are vegan