Studied by 22 people
A complete study guide
What is a story?
A story is a depiction of a journey. In a story we follow a character or a series of characters on a journey as they pursue something and are up against certain obstacles.
What are the Four Core Elements of Narrative Film
PROTAGONIST - Who is the central character?
GOAL - What do they want?
OBSTACLE - What stands in their way?
STAKES - What happens if they don’t get it?
What are the 3 Basic Types of Conflict?
person vs person
person vs nature
person vs self
What is a logline?
A Logline is a one to two sentence description that gives a taste of what the film will be about. A good logline is usually made up of the following.
Includes:
Your main character. \n The obstacle standing in the way of their goal. \n A twist that makes your story unique or creates intrigue.
What do you cast for?
Cast for emotional resonance more than appearance.
What are the elements of a location?
When/Where does our story take place?
Is it in the past, present, or future?
Is it a real place or an imagined place?
Is the setting in juxtaposition to the story, or is it in support?
What do you think about when you chose sound stage or on location?
Lighting- Windows in a real location means the lighting is constantly changing throughout the day.
Sound- Stages are sound proof, the real world is not
Staging- Actors, equipment, HMU room, Dressing rooms
Parking- Stages have a parking lot
Production Design/ Fly Away Walls- Many more options exist for shooting on a sound stage.
What do you consider when Location Scouting?
Angles/ Depth- Are there areas that could be interesting to shoot and have unique
blocking opportunities?
Sound- Is this a noisy location? Are we next to the band room?
Lighting - Is there shade? Where will the sun be when we shoot? What direction do the
windows face and how will that affect sunlight coming in?
Foot Traffic - Is this spot busy?
Practical - Are we near bathrooms or water?
Hazards - Safety concerns like traffic
Bathrooms- Where is the crew bathroom?
Power Outlets- Are there enough outlets and what circuit are they one?
Parking- Where will cast and crew park? Is there free parking? Is it close by?
What is Mise-En-Sene? What elements create Mise-En-Sene?
“putting on stage” - its everything in the frame
sets
costumes
props
color
actor blocking
shot composition/Framing
What is Coverage?
Getting all the shots you need for the edit that tells a scene/story is called coverage.
What is a Shot?
Every time the camera changes position or lens and films something new- it is a new shot.
What are the tools for planning coverage?
storyboard
create an overhead map
shot list
What is an Overhead Map? What is it used for?
The overhead plan is a map of the actor’s blocking, location, and camera placement. Overheads are created simultaneously with your shot list to visualize the placement and movement of the camera(s) and actors within each scene.
What is a Shot List?
A shot list is a detailed list of every camera shot that needs to be captured in a scene of your film. It outlines specifics of each shot and determines the shooting order.
What are the elements of a Shot List?
1. Scene Number \n 2. Shot Number (in order of shooting) \n 3. Shot Size/Type \n 4. Shot Angle \n 5. Movement \n 6. Lens \n 7. Location \n 8. INT / EXT \n 9. Day /Night \n 10. Sound \n 11. Shot Description
What is a Storyboard? What info does it include?
A storyboard is a series of drawings, each done in the same size frame, ordered from left to right. They indicate each image that we see in a movie scene. It is drawn as if we are watching the final film.
Includes:
Scene Number
Image Number
Shot Size/Type:
Shot Description
Camera Movement
Blocking
What is Shot Size?
The size of the subject in frame
What determines a Shot Type?
Framing (who & what is included in the frame)
Height & Angle (relationship of the camera to the subject)
Focus (what objects in the frame are in focus)
What is Framing?
Who or what’s included in the frame?
Ex:
Single, Two Shot, OTS, POV
What are Height & Angles?
Overhead, High Angle, Eye Level, Low Angle, Ground Level, Dutch Angle
What are types of Focus?
Shallow, Deep, Rack Focus, Zooms, Zolly
What is a Script Breakdown?
It’s a document telling you what is needed for each scene of your film.
Includes:
Cast
Extras
Props
Costumes
Makeup & Hair
Sound Effects
Special Equipment
Set
Special Personnel
Animals
Vehicles
Stunts
What are some scheduling rules?
12 Hour Day (or pay penalty)
12 Hour “Turn Around”
Call Time (ready to work)
6 Hour Meal Break (or meal penalty)
Lunch begins 30 minutes after the last person gets their food (always account for at least 45 minutes)
Tail lights at end time (driving away)
How do you create a Shooting Schedule?
Your shooting schedule will reflect the schedule for each shoot day.
What details to include on your schedule:
Title, Schedule date, Script # and date
Time (by the clock)
Scene number
Estimated shooting time
Scene length on the page (by eighths)
Interior (INT.) or Exterior (EXT.)
Time of day (e.g., DAY or NIGHT)
The setting (set) in the script
The real location
A brief description of the scene
Actors in the scene
Include a key that links actor names to #
Notes: if something affects scheduling
Who is considered above the line?
Involved long before production
Director
Producer
Screenwriter
Principal Cast
Casting Director
Who is considered below the line?
Primarily work once production begins
Assistant Director (AD Dept)
Director of Photography (Camera Dept)
Production Designer (Art Dept)
Costume Designer (Costume Dept)
Production Sound Mixer (Sound Dept)
Script Supervisor
Explain small crew organization or small crew chain of command
What is the set order of operations?
Safety Meeting (AD runs this meeting)
Director blocks out scene with actors, while crew stages equipment
Once the blocking is set, BLOCKING REHEARSAL (for the crew)
Once blocking is shown to crew, these things happen simultaneously:
AC’s set up camera
Gaffer, Key Grip, and Grip team set up lights
Production Designer and crew prepare the set
Actors- Go to Costume, then Hair & Makeup
When these are all done, SET REHEARSAL (can happen before every shot)
Start Filming (follow Filming Order of Operations)
Either “Go Again” or “Moving On” after each shot
What are the filming order of operations?
AD- “Quiet on set”
AD- “Picture’s up”
(2nd AC gets in front of the camera with the slate open)
AD- “Roll Sound”
Sound Mixer - “Sound speeding”
AD- “Roll camera”
1st AC- “Rolling” (or speeding)
2nd AC- Calls the shot & take numbers, “mark”, claps the clapper shut, then
leaves frame
DP says “SET” when they’re ready and camera is focused
Director (when ready) “ACTION”
No other stops until Director says “Cut” or “Reset”
How do you name a shot? How do you say it on a Slate?
On Slate
Film Name, Shot Name, Take #
Shots are named by scene # and then add letters as you progress in shots.
Ex:
1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, IE
Use the military alphabet. You say 1 Alpha, 1 Bravo, etc.
What are the expectations on set?
Be Punctual
Keep Working
Phones should be put away
Be Courteous: Absolutely NO room for tempers or rudeness,
however stressful it gets!)
Collaboration is the key to any film. Be a team player.
Follow the Chain Of Command
Let the AD know where you are if you leave for any reason (10-1)
Wear Appropriate Clothing
Don’t touch equipment that you are not in charge of
Departments should save their comments until the end of the take
Let the director and actor finish their work.
Only the director says CUT. (This includes the actors).
Only the director gives notes to the actors.
Do not comment on the actor’s performance or how the director handles the scene during the shoot.
What does “camera moves” mean? (set etiquette)
AC shouts whenever they are moving the camera
What does “crossing” mean? (set etiquette)
anybody shouts when they cross in front of a camera frame
What does “points” mean? (set etiquette)
shout every time you are moving large set pieces or equipment (especially to warn people you are coming around a corner)
What does “last looks” mean? (set etiquette)
is the call for HMU to come in and give final touch ups before the camera rolls, usually shouted by AD, when asked by director
How do you prepare for & conduct auditions?
Character Breakdown (to post either online or at appropriate locations)
Sides (posted online with the character breakdown)
Water (if in person)
Someone to read (not you)
Someone to run the camera (not you)
Conversation with the actor (get to know the person a little)
Always make an adjustment ("as if..." is a good one)
An improv with your reader (ask them to act something out like the characters)
What is a character breakdown? What info does it tell?
A character breakdown is the list of all the roles in your film that have speaking parts and ample screen time.
The character’s full name
The commitment level of the role* (i.e. lead, supporting, cameo)
The character’s age*
Basic personality & physical traits (if important)
Relationship to other characters in the story
General Story arc
Things to keep in mind:
Be specific in describing the role, not the actor.
If there are any non-conventional requirements, it is important that this information be included in the breakdown.
What info does a casting call give?
Production Type (student film, short film) Project Length (2 day shoot)
Production Location
Production Dates
Director
Producer
Production Title
Union / Non-Union Status
Audition
Location
Compensation- be specific, even if it is unpaid
Dates and Times of Film Auditions
Dates and Times of Callbacks
Synopsis of project
Character breakdowns
Define the director and actor relationship.
Only the director talks to the actor on set
Vulnerability- taking aside for notes
Collaborators- not boss and employee
The good captain of the ship
What makes a performance good?
Believable circumstances
Believable expression of lines & movement
Believable emotions
ULTIMATELY, do you believe this is happening right now ?
What are the Director’s tools for working with actors?
Script Analysis- your understanding of the script
Performance Adjustments- asking an actor to try something different
When are the opportunities to develop and work with Actors?
Rehearsals- This is where script analysis is discussed
On Set- No room for discussion, only concise adjustments
What does a script analysis tell you?
The World:
What is the era? The political or socio economic circumstances for the characters in the story? What is the history between characters in a scene? What do they know about each other? If the world is not real, what are the rules of the world.
Scene Objectives:
Each actor in a scene has an objective, something they want to accomplish in that scene. Think: Why is this scene in the story? This objective is always an actionable verb. Each actor usually only has one objective in each scene.
Tactics:
Throughout the scene each actor will try different things to get the objective that they are trying to accomplish. These are their tactics. They will usually try several different tactics within a scene to accomplish their one scene objective.
How do you communicate with Actors on set?
Adjustments
Concise
Collaborative “Let’s Try,” “I’d like to see,” “What if we try.”
Actionable and active Verbs (ask them to “DO” something)
What do you avoid when communicating with actors?
AVOID Results Oriented Directing
