Complete Guide to Film and Digital Production: The People and the Process

Now available in an updated, 2nd edition,The Complete Guide to Film and Digital Production: The People and The Process, 2/e,discusses the entire production process for film and digital media, and provides you with a comprehensive view of production in the field, at live events, for mobile content and for animation.  This book covers all aspects of the production process and readers learn the nuts and bolts of film and digital production from pre-production through delivery. This edition will make your production experience more marketable to an ever-expanding and converging industry.

Preface xxv PART I PREP AND PRODUCTION CHAPTER ONE The Producer's Job Pre-Production Production Post-Production Line Producer Pre-Production Production Post-Production and Wrap ASSOCIATE PRODUCER ASSISTANT TO THE PRODUCER Qualities of a Good Assistant ACQUIRING THE SCRIPT WORKING WITH WRITERS WORKING WITH FIRST TIME DIRECTORS PRODUCING IN THE FIELD PRODUCING LIVE EVENTS PRODUCING DOCUMENTARY PRODUCING MOBILE CONTENT PRODUCING ANIMATION DISTRIBUTION SUMMARY CHAPTER TWO Script Breakdown and Scheduling SCHEDULING A FILM: A STEP-BY-STEP OVERVIEW THE SCRIPT BREAKDOWN Electronically-Scheduling Software By Hand WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS? Speaking Cast (Underline in Red) Extras/Atmosphere (Underline in Green) Silent Bits (Underline in Yellow) Props (Underline in Lime) and Set Dressing (Underline in Purple) Wardrobe (Circle the Item) Makeup (Mark with an Asterisk) Stunts (Underline in Orange) Special Effects (Underline in Blue) Sound Effects (Underline in Brown) Special Equipment (Draw a Box around the Action) Vehicles and Animals/Livestock (Underline in Pink) Music (Underline in Aqua) OTHER CATEGORIES Animal Handler Greenery Security Additional Labor Optical Effects/CGI or Visual Effects Miscellaneous Notes A NOTE ON CONTINUITY BREAKING THE SCRIPT INTO "EIGHTHS" THE BREAKDOWN SHEET THE STRIP OR PRODUCTION BOARD CREATING A SCHEDULE SCHEDULING PARAMETERS Geography Set Cast Members Day/Night EXT/INT Sequence Children Time of Year/Climate Special Effects and Stunts Second Camera/Second Unit Special Equipment PUTTING THE SCHEDULE TOGETHER SCHEDULES TO PRINT Shooting Schedule Production Schedule One-Liner Day-out-of-Days UPDATING YOUR SCHEDULE Revision Colors SUMMARY CHAPTER Three The Budget BUDGETING SOFTWARE BUDGET STRUCTURE Above-the-Line Below-the-Line (Production) Post-Production Total Other STARTING TO WRITE A BUDGET Budgeting with Software Packages Spreadsheet Budgeting PADDING THE BUDGET The Contingency FRINGE BENEFITS Taxes Payroll Fees Employee Benefits UNION VERSUS NON-UNION BECOMING SIGNATORY LOCAL VERSUS DISTANT BUDGET DISBURSEMENT AND TRACKING Disbursing Funds Disbursement Forms MANAGING THE BUDGET GOOD BUDGETING VERSUS BAD BUDGETING BUDGET LINE ITEMS SUMMARY CHAPTER four The Production Team and Staff UNIT PRODUCTION MANAGER Pre-Production Production Post-Production and Wrap Qualities of a Good UPM PRODUCTION OFFICE COORDINATOR Pre-Production Production Wrap Qualities of a Good POC LOCAL PRODUCTION COORDINATOR ASSISTANT PRODUCTION OFFICE COORDINATOR Pre-Production Production Wrap Qualities of a Good APOC TRAVEL/MOVEMENT OFFICE PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS RECEPTIONIST Qualities of Good PAs and Production Receptionists HEAD ACCOUNTANT FIRST ASSISTANT ACCOUNTANT, SECOND ASSISTANT ACCOUNTANT, AND ACCOUNTING APPRENTICE Qualities of a Good Accounting Staff TECHNICAL ADVISOR SCRIPT SUPERVISOR Pre-Production Production Wrap Qualities of a Good Script Supervisor SAFETY OFFICER/MANAGER Qualities of a Good Safety Manager PRODUCT PLACEMENT SUMMARY CHAPTER Five The Production Office THE PRODUCTION OFFICE Blocks of Rooms Ample Office Space Proximity to Restaurants and Shops Proximity to Airport Room Service Nicer Rooms for Stars Refrigerators Parking Proximity to Locations Laundry Service SETTING UP THE OFFICE Assigning Offices Making the Office Operational RUNNING THE PRODUCTION OFFICE THE MEET-AND-GREET THE WRAP PARTY WRAPPING OUT THE PRODUCTION OFFICE PRODUCTION LISTS SUMMARY CHAPTER six The Director's Team and nd Unit DIRECTOR Pre-Production Production Post-Production FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Pre-Production Production Qualities of a Good st AD THE FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR-DIRECTOR RELATIONSHIP What the st AD Wants from the Director PRODUCTION MEETINGS The Concept Meeting The Big Production Meeting SECOND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Pre-Production Production A Note on Directing Extras Qualities of a Good nd AD WALKIE-TALKIE ETIQUETTE SECOND SECOND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND/OR DGA TRAINEE Pre-Production Production SET PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS Pre-Production Production Qualities of a Good nd nd's, DGA Trainees and Set PA's DIRECTOR'S ASSISTANT CHOREOGRAPHER DIALOGUE COACH/DIALECT COACH STORYBOARD ARTIST SET OPERATIONS Importance of Calling Rolling and Cut At the End of the Day CLOSED SET SET PROTOCOL THE SET BOX AD PAPERWORK The Call Sheet The Production Report Second Unit DIRECTOR UNIT PRODUCTION MANAGER OR PRODUCTION OFFICE COORDINATOR FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR LOCATIONS CAMERA SOUND OTHER UNITS OPERATIONS EQUIPMENT PAPERWORK SUMMARY CHAPTER SEVEN Casting, Actors, Extras, and Stunt People CASTING DEPARTMENT CASTING DIRECTOR Pre-Production LOCAL CASTING DIRECTOR EXTRAS CASTING CASTING ASSISTANTS HOW TO RUN A CASTING SESSION SCREEN TESTS REHEARSALS AND TRAINING FITTINGS WORKING WITH MINORS Tutors Working with Parents WORKING WITH ANIMALS THE TAFT-HARTLEY CATEGORIES OF ACTORS Leads Supporting Roles Extras Silent Bits and Special Ability Stand-Ins DAY PLAYERS VERSUS WEEKLY PLAYERS STUNTS STUNT COORDINATOR Pre-Production Production Wrap STUNTPERSON HOW A STUNT COULD WORK: A CAR ROLL SUMMARY CHAPTER EIGHT The Art Department PRODUCTION DESIGNER Pre-Production Production Wrap ART DIRECTOR Pre-Production Production Wrap SET DECORATOR Pre-Production Production Wrap LEAD MAN AND SWING GANG ART DEPARTMENT COORDINATOR SET DESIGNER SET DRESSER PROPS Pre-Production Production Wrap ILLUSTRATOR DRAFTSPERSON ASSISTANT PROPS ART DEPARTMENT PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS ASSISTANT TO PRODUCTION DESIGNER AND ART DIRECTOR CONSTRUCTION COORDINATOR CONSTRUCTION FOREMAN CONSTRUCTION LABORers STANDBY PAINTER STANDBY GREENSPERSON OPERATIONS SUMMARY CHAPTER NINE The Camera Department DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Pre-Production Production Wrap CAMERA OPERATOR Production FIRST ASSISTANT CAMERAPERSON SECOND ASSISTANT CAMERAPERSON CLAPPER AND LOADER CAMERA PRODUCTION ASSISTANT VIDEO ASSIST STEADICAM OPERATOR SPECIAL OPERATORS THE CAMERA PACKAGE OPERATIONS STOCK PROCESSING AND PRINTING DAILIES BEHIND-THE-SCENES FOR DVD TESTS SUMMARY CHAPTER TEN Grip and Electric GAFFER Pre-Production Production Wrap BEST BOY ELECTRIC ELECTRICIANS/ELECTRICS GENERATOR OPERATOR RIGGING CREW KEY GRIP Pre-Production Production Wrap BEST BOY GRIP COMPANY GRIPS DOLLY GRIP CRANE OPERATOR OPERATIONS FOR GRIP AND ELECTRIC THE GRIP PACKAGE THE LIGHTING PACKAGE LAYING DOLLY TRACK TRUCK WRAP SUMMARY CHAPTER ELEVEN The Sound Department SOUND MIXER Pre-Production Production BOOM OPERATOR CABLE PULLER/PERSON SOUND PRODUCTION ASSISTANT THE SOUND PACKAGE OPERATIONS PLAYBACK SUMMARY CHAPTER TWELVE Special Effects and Visual Effects SPECIAL EFFECTS Creature Design Creature Manufacturer Modelers Miniatures Remote Vehicles Miniature Pyrotechnics Matte Painting Traveling Matte Full-Scale Physical Effects Weather Effects SPECIAL EFFECTS COORDINATOR OPERATIONS ON SET VISUAL EFFECTS VISUAL EFFECTS PRODUCER OPERATIONS SUMMARY CHAPTER THIRTEEN The Wardrobe Department COSTUME DESIGNER Pre-Production Production Wrap WARDROBE SUPERVISOR Pre-Production Production Wrap MEN'S COSTUMER/WOMEN'S COSTUMER SEAMSTRESS WARDROBE PRODUCTION ASSISTANT ASSISTANT TO THE COSTUME DESIGNER OPERATIONS OTHER ISSUES SUMMARY CHAPTER FOURTEEN Makeup and Hair KEY MAKEUP Pre-Production Production Wrap OTHER MAKEUP PERSONNEL KEY HAIR Pre-Production Production Wrap ASSISTANT HAIR/ADDITIONAL HAIR/EXTRA HAIR OPERATIONS QUALITIES OF A GOOD MAKEUP AND HAIR TEAM SUMMARY CHAPTER FIFTEEN Locations LOCATION MANAGER Pre-Production Production Wrap ASSISTANT LOCATION MANAGER LOCATION PRODUCTION ASSISTANT LOCATION SCOUT-THE PERSON LOCATION SCOUT-THE EVENT Location Considerations THE TECHNICAL SCOUT Location Determinations on a Tech Scout MAPS LOCATION SERVICES SHOOTING ON LOCATION VERSUS IN STUDIO FACILITIES Advantages of Shooting on Location Disadvantages of Shooting on Location Advantages of Shooting