Producer to Producer (by Maureen A. Ryan): Study Guide

How long is the process from first idea/concept to final distribution for a feature?

Two-Five years

Rights

Short for "copyright" - the right to copy.

Exclusive Rights

You own the rights to a work, exclusively.

Non-Exclusive Rights

You share the rights to a work with someone else.

"In Perpetuity"

When rights that last forever.

Option

To hold the rights to a work for a temporary amount of time (i.e. one year), until you can further develop your budget and ideas.

World-Wide Rights

Rights that allow you to distribute your work theatrically (domestic and foreign), on TV/cable (domestic and foreign), online, in festivals, on cell phones, etc...

Life Rights

The rights to the details of a private person's life that are not in the public domain.

Film Festival Rights

These types of rights can often be free to almost free. Students and Indie filmmakers use these rights more than other types of producers.

Future Technology Rights

These rights allow you to "future proof" your ability to exploit your film, such as rights for "media known and unknown" in a contract.

Table Read

Also known as a staged reading; when a producer gathers up his best actors, organizes rehearsals and then a live reading for colleagues and trusted friends to observe and give critiques,

Script Doctor

An experienced screenwriter who is brought in to rewrite parts of a screenplay such as dialogue, pacing, or any other aspects.

Pitch

(An addition to the project proposal; designed to verbally engage, and excite, the person listening to your project.) It is a distillation of the key elements of your project and it is expressed orally.

Pre-sales

Refers to when you sell certain rights to your film before you produce it as a way of funding the film.

Sales Agents

People who specialize in selling right to films.

Deliverables

The list of documents, masters, and other media that need to be delivered to a distributor or broadcaster when a film is bought.

Script Breakdown

A process that allows you to list all the characters, locations, props, special effects (SFX), costumes, etc... required by your film's script.

Assistant Director (AD)

The crew person who creates the shooting schedule for the production.

Extras

(Also known as Background Actors) are the people who are in the background of a scene and do not have any script lines or specific action that requires them to take direction from the film director.

Pick-Up Day

A day when you work with reduced crew and usually no actors.

Company Move

Requires everyone to pack up the equipment into vans and trucks, drive to the next location, unload, and set up the equipment again.

Weather Contingency

Having extra time in the schedule in case an exterior scene is pushed for weather.

Cover Set

A separate location where we can shoot on short notice in case we need to switch - a good way to counter balance a weather contingency.

Top Sheet

Page One of a Budget: contains the contact details, lists the shooting format, number and types of locations, and the number of shooting days.

Middle Section (of a budget)

This section of the budget contains the subtotals for each of the sections later in the budget, as well as the line items for the insurance fee(s), production fee, and other contractual fees.

Bottom Section (of a budget)

This section of a budget is for the "Comments/Assumptions" - a place to state what assumptions the budget is based on (i.e. a union or non-union crew, what is included or not, etc).

Estimated Columns (of a budget)

When creating a budget, only enter information in these columns (as opposed to the Actual column: used once you start to spend money).

Fringes

The word used for the total amount of federal tax, state tax, city tax, unemployment tax, social security tax, Medicaid tax, union pension charges, and payroll fees that need to be computed and paid for each employee on your production.

Most Favored Nation

A legal term used to describe the universal pay rate that each corresponding labor rank is paid.

How often do you have to feed your crew?

Every six hours.

Cash Flow Schedule

Created to match your estimated budget: states when you are going to need certain amounts of money to cover the specific costs tied to the prep.

Working Budget

A budget created after the Estimated Budget with new, more accurate numbers: created once you start to finalize locations and equipment rentals.

Pad

This refers to areas or line items in the budget that you know you have overestimated and you can go to if you need to pay additional costs in other areas.

Contingency

A line item on the top sheet that is usually set at 10% of the total budget that is added just in case things go over budget.

Budget Actualization

Occurs when you enter each paid or payable invice into the budget in the Actual column.

Points

Usually divided between the Producer and Investor(s); two different "pots" of investment within the ownership structure.

Pari Passu

Latin for "of equal step," signifying that each entity is paid back with the same rights as every other entity (usually after the Investor and Producer Points have been divided/paid).

First Position

The SAG agreements put the union actors in _____________ to be paid.

In-Kind Donation

Goods or services, not money, donated to the production - some fiscal sponsors accept these and give a donor tax deduction for an amount equal to what they gave you.

Attaching an Actor

Something you do during the casting and development stage of your film in order to give the principal characters' a face and to possibly attract more investors.

Pay-or-Play Deal

When you agree to pay your stars a certain fee, regardless of whether or not the film gets made.

Casting Breakdown Sheet

A list of each role and a brief description of age, gender, ethnicity, and physical attributes of each one.

Headshot

An 8x10 photograph of an actor, with a resume usually attached to the other side of the photo.

Callbacks

Second Auditions where you can see the actor work more in-depth with the material, allowing for more interaction between director and actor.

"Sides"

The term used for a portion or scene from the film's screenplay that is copied and given to the actors before they audition for the role.

Open Calls

Anyone can show up and be auditioned in these...

Signatory

A Company or individual who signs the contract and agrees to all the conditions of the contract for all of their productions during the contract period.

Taft Hartley waiver

(Based on the Taft-Harltey Labor Act of 1947); allows the producer to petition to the union to use a specific person who has not yet joined the union to work on a union film.

Production Triangle

If you want your film to be Good and Fast, it won't be Cheap. If you want it to be Fast and Cheap, it won't be any Good. If you want it to be Good and Cheap, it will not be Fast.

Storyboards

Drawings that illustrate the director's shot list in the narrative order of the film.

Demo Reels

Something you should obtain for all key department heads - director of photography, assistant director, production designer, costume designer, and sound.

Lock Script

When you can no longer make major changes to a script (outside of dialogue).

Production Book

The "Bible" for the film; contains the contact info (names, phone numbers, email addresses) for the cast and crew, the schedule, vendor information, and driving directions.

12-9 Weeks Before Principal Photography

Obtain demo reals, create a shot list and storyboard, scout locations and studio space, final script revisions, purchase domain name and create a website for the film, and begin to create the Production Book.

8 Weeks Before Principal Photography

Fill out the SAG application/paperwork and submit to SAG, place ads for cast and/or hire a casting director to begin auditions, hire key department heads, finalize and lock all locations, lock script, purchase production cell phones, obtain insurance package quotes, and test the workflow for the film/video format(s) you are considering for the production.

7 Weeks Before Principal Photography

Hold auditions for all roles, have the DP generate tentative camera, lighting, and grip for the production, negotiate location fees, find out about what permits you will need, production designer creates props list and set designs, and begin shopping for props on props list.

6 Weeks Before Principal Photography

Hold Callbacks, begin hiring for crew positions, begin signing location deal memos and release forms, finalize bond with SAG and any other completion bonds (if necessary), and create the first draft of the Production Book.

5 Weeks Before Principal Photography

Hire cast and negotiate with agents, put out equipment lists to vendors for bids, get bids for studio rentals, go over wardrobe budget estimate with costume designer, go over production design/props budget estimate with production designer, and hire a still photographer and/or videographer to create set publicity photos, or a press kit.

4 Weeks Before Principal Photography

Sign/finalize SAG contract paperwork, star actor rehearsals, sign cast deal memos, obtain caterer bids, hire assistant cameramen, begin wardrobe purchases/rentals, pick a studio/facility, pick equipment vendors, and the assistant director creates the first draft of the production schedule.

3 Weeks Before Principal Photography

Sign crew deal memos, finalize equipment deals and details, obtain insurance certificates for locations and equipment send the certificates to holders, obtain location permits, hire transportation vehicles, pick caterer or figure out how to feed the crew, do tech scout, coordinate extras casting

2 Weeks Before Principal Photography

Send off credit card authorization to vendors for equipment, props, and costumes.

1 Week Before Principal Photography

Buy craft services/supplies, finalize the Production Book, copy final scripts, have final preproduction meeting with key department heads, create transportation personnel lists, and "work out who's-doing-what lists"...

Final Week Countdown

Create pick-up/run lists and finalize call times and directions for 1st day of shooting, and give out to all cast/crew.

Green Room

Holding area for actors.

Hold/Confirmation Protocol

Reserving studios, equipment, and locations all work on a hold, confirm, and challenge system.

Tech Scout

When the director, producer, and department heads go to each location and work out all the logistics for each shoot day.

Co-Op and Condo Boards or Associations

These run the management of the buildings and uphold the buildings' rules and regulations.

Liability

Another word for "things that you and the production are responsible for, legally."

Idiot Check

When you go around a location (every nook and cranny) looking for any equipment or materials that have been left behind.

Wet Down

Watering down a street; requires that you ope a hydrant to water access.

Run Through

When the location manager or producer goes through a location with the location owner at the beginning of the shoot day (or the day before).