Production Processes Exam 1A

Executive Producer

• Secures funding, works with studio

• Profit Participation and/or “Figurehead”

• Might have creative control/Fine cut

• Hires Director, screenwriter

Producer

• Hires, salaries, budget, oversees casting, locations, contracts

• Sees film through from development to exhibition

• On set; administration

• Creative Control, Hire/fire power

Assistant Director (AD)

• schedules all the shoots based on location, cast availability, climate, money, etc. [stripboard]

• Confers with every department about needs

• Runs the “set”

• Makes schedules, keeps track of times (Shoot time, times script, schedule times)

• Call cadence

Line Producer & Unit Production Manager

• Line Producer builds the budget, Unit Production Manager executes the budget

• Line Prod in the office, UPM on the set (?)

• Executive logistical problem-solving on set

• Works under the Producer, scheduling and budgeting oversight

What does the Line Producer do?

Build the budget

What does the Unit Production Manager do?

Execute the budget

Assistant Producer & Associate Produce

• Equal tasks and effort, not as much author as Producer

• Any task given to them

• Sound control and go-fers (go-fer = doing whatever is asked of them)

2nd AD

• Direct extras, background and atmosphere

• ‘walks’ talent to and from set, or assigns a set PA

• Takes care of SAG forms, signatures, paperwork

2nd 2nd AD

• ‘Lockdown’ of set on perimeter. Manages P.A.’s.

• Managing set PAs; preparing call sheets, production reports.

• Assist 1st and 2nd AD with support

Director

• Has ‘ultimate’ creative control in best situation

• Might write/help co-write

• Casts principals, rehearses

• Interprets script. Works with talent

• Blocking performance, rehearsals to find best situation for actor and camera

• Works with DP on coverage, storyboards. ‘Executes’ vision on the set

• Maintains a general ‘authorship’

Director of Photography (DP)

• Selects digital or film gauge, stock, camera, all optics, color tonal range, processing

• On set, primary responsibility is lighting, working with gaffer

• Determinations on coverage and movement; focal length and f-stop

• Confers with director, production designer early about visual goal

• Often participates with lab work and color/image determinations.

• Directs the crew

Camera Operator

• Takes direction, but is behind camera for moveme

1st AC

• Focus pulling. Measures distances from camera plane to actor’s temple at each ‘position’. Sets marks, rehearses focus.

• Sets f-stops; changes out lens and filtration; turns on camera.

• Checks equipment before filming

2nd AC

• Marks/Claps the slate

• Shot logs. Assists 1st AC.

• Assists with T-marks and focus points.

Loader

• Handling all film stock. Downloads magazines, tapes and labels. Loads mags

Intern (Camera Department)

• Transports film to/from set

Digital Imaging Technician (DIT)

• Image quality control, on-set color correction, media management, computer workflows.

• Data transfers to editors; image processing; color decision list (CDL); look-up tables (LUTs)

• Works with DP

Production Designer (Art Department)

• Responsible for ‘anything in the frame’: locations, set design, color, textiles, materials, ‘world’.

• Conceptualizes set designs and initial props,

• Collaborates with D and DP

Art Director

• Gets things built, oversees materials, labor and construction

Production Sound Mixer

• Department head. In charge of recording best possible on-camera dialogue.

• Location scouts, surveys areas, determines needs for sound dampening.

• Controls environment. Monitors sound. Records and keeps shot log

• just off set, strives to avoid need for ADR.

Boom Opperator

• Head microphonist. Builds mics and wireless. Wires actors

Cable Person or Utility

• Hauls equipment (mixer owns), set-up wireless receivers, cables.

• Monitors lighting set-ups to alert to rehearsal. Brings cables in and off set. Solves problem

Gaffer

• Head electrician. Directs the choice and placement of lights after conferring with DP. Knows proper exposure needs, ratios, safe and sufficient power.

Best (Boy) Gaffer

• The 2nd. Assures proper lights are secured and transported to set. Rigs lights. Distributes power

Electricians

• Power and lights. Might monitor generator, replace bulbs

Key Grip

• Dolly Grip. Moves camera for set-ups, dolly moves for shots with rehearsal

Grip (Best directs)

• Sets-up c-stands and places all diffusion, nets, flags in front of lights. Cuts lights

• Rigs everything. Secure lights, elevate camera on platforms, set-up ‘trans’ or background images, scaffolding

Writing Advice

• Start thinking stories early, like jotting down ideas today. You begin with the script, then visualize, cast, location, etc. Start the process now. Creative partners come later. Have something to pitch

Continuity

• The process of maintaining a believable environment that feels consistent and uninterrupted throughout the scene

• The structuring and maintaining of believable spatial and temporal relationships within a scene, and to present the illusion of uninterrupted, consistent, and coherent action and space

• What you want in the edit

Coverage

• The variety of angles and multiple takes required to fully “cover” a scene for ample editing options of an effective scene

• What to shoot

PLUS

• scene length, shot #, structure, blocking

PLUS PLUS

• Art, cinematography, mise-en-scene, sound theory, performance, direction, behavior, screen direction, composition, camera movement, etc.

What is the difference between PLUS and PLUS PLUS?

PLUS is what is literally happening in the scene (the what) while plus plus is the technical work inside of the scene (the how)

What are marks?

Physical indicators that mark where something should go

What is Blocking?

Staging

What is a Process Shot?

A studio technique that combines live-action foreground performance with a separately filmed or created background image or set design. Think Green Screen

What is the master scene technique?

Filming the master shot, then Simple Sequence (like LS-MS-CU) and inserts (cut-ins and cutaways). Follows overlap technique (stretching time by repeating actions) and matching action (repetition of an action across takes for continuity)

What is Reverse-on-the-Line?

When the camera films someone 180 degrees flipped from where it was previously filming them

What is Depth of Framing?

Having someone stand farther away from a background to create the illusion of depth on the camera

What is the rule of thirds?

Having a subject be on one of the thirds when filming to create a more interesting shot

What is Cheating?

Having something move in between shots to get better framing while still maintaining believability

What is a Beat?

Moments of change/reaction/pause within a scene

What are the key characteristics of a Beat?

Pacing and Rhythm, Micro-Action, Moment of Change and Building Stakes

What are BLRTS?

Blocking, Lighting, Rehearse, Tweaking, Shooting

What are some common characteristics of scenes?

• Not complete stories; these do not need to establish and develop ultra- dimensional characters and complications

• Conflicts and solutions are apparent, but not severe.

• a sense of establishing place (and time).

• main character(s)

• an opponent

• steps to solve, or simply tension.

• a change in situation

• An ending

What is Piecemealing?

Recording only the bare minimum. The opposite of the overlap technique

What is the overlap technique

Stretching time by repeating actions across multiple shots

What is the 30 degree rule/The General Rule?

Whenever the Camera moves, it has to be at least 30 degrees

What is a Simple Sequence?

A series of shots (like CU, ECU, FS, and MS) edited together