Pre-Production Requirements

Pre-Production Requirements

The are many different factors that go into making a movie and they all have an equal level of importance. 

1. The Requirements of a Moving Image Production

 Financing 

Financing is a massive part of film production or for any media outlet. Actors, cameramen and the rest of the crew must all be paid to work on the film as well as paying for studios, locations, costumes, props and the set design. There are two different types of financing in the media industry: public and private. Public financing refers to a form of funding in which companies that are in the public eye help towards the payment of making the film. This can be anything from a patron or the National Lottery. This is very different to private funding which entails the creator of the film financing it or getting the interest of investors. Public funding can be difficult to use sometimes due to the expectation of creating what the people helping with the funding want to make instead of what the director or writer wants to make or down to the possibility of chance being very small. However, a problem with private funding is that the creator could simply not be able to afford to make the movie or possible investors may not like the idea proposed. 

Timescales 

One of the many reasons why timing is so important to the pre-production process of a film production is because of the possibility of actors or crew members having other commitments such as different films or tv shows. This means that filming must take place when every necessary party can be present. There could be times when not all of the actors who are needed for a scene can be there, meaning that some sort of timescale must be put into place so that everybody can be where they need be during the time that they are supposed to be. This can also be applied to the crew members such as costume designers and makeup artists to name a couple. This is because they, alongside the cast, may also have other commitments similar to them. Timing is also incredibly important because if anything is to overrun and end up behind schedule, it could have a big impact on the budget as equipment may need to be hired for longer as well as locations and actors and crew members will be working longer hours and this can result in them needing to be paid more. 

Facilities 

A lot of facilities are need for the pre-production process of a film. Cameras are probably the most important piece of equipment because without them nothing can be recorded. Microphones are also important so that any audio that is recorded on set can be heard during the post-production process. However, most of the sounds are recorded separately to the dialogue and added in during editing so that they can be heard more clearly in the final product. This means that multiple different kinds of microphones may be needed to make sure that each sound is recorded to a high standard. Another piece of equipment that is important for film production are lights. Highkey and lowkey lighting are factors which are commonly used to decipher the genre of the film. Lights are also used due to natural lighting being more difficult as it cannot be controlled. Because of this issue with natural lighting, scenes that are planned to be shot in highkey lighting could look lowkey, giving the film a different feel to what was originally written.   

Locations 

Locations are very important as every digital media production needs a place to film. This means that location scouting must be done to find the best places. Once writers and the director of a movie know what scenery is required throughout the film, the location scouts go out to try to meet those requests that cannot be shot in a studio. Locations are required because a place to film is essential as every story needs a place in which it happens. However, locations can come with many limitations such as distance. This is a huge factor because if the location is too far away, actors and crew members could have difficulty getting to it. This ties with another issue which the pre production process faces when looking for the perfect location and that is the weather. Weather and distance go hand in hand because if it is or has been raining or snowing or if there is some frost on the ground, getting to a set location can become even harder as roads can get very slippery making it harder from them to be driven on. The roads can also become closed due to bad weather conditions but also because of any road works that could be taking place. This means that alternate routes to the location would have to be found, giving the possibility of the production falling behind schedule. The weather can impact in a different way as well as the production cannot be filmed if it is raining and a bright and sunny day is required for the particular scene for example. The costs of different locations will vary from place to place, impacting the budget set for the movie. Some locations may have to be cut from the film due to issues with financing as they may not be affordable alongside the rest of the pre production. The access of each location can come down to the weather conditions as they can affect it by making it too wet, cold, hot or snowy depending on the day. Another issue with the access of a location is the permission. Permission may not be granted to use the location selected by the owner of it, raising some problems as filming cannot go ahead without the permission to use whichever location that has been selected.  

2. The Formats of a Pre-Production Process 

Personnel 

Many different people make up what is known as media personnel. Examples of this include extras who are used in the background of different shots, and stunt doubles to do dangerous stunts in place of the original actors who are casted. Stunt doubles are important because they will be professionals at the things that they may have to do whereas the original actor hired is more likely to become injured and extras are important because they may be a necessary part of a scene. The stunt doubles who may be required will need to have the understanding of any risks or dangers that could happen when shooting the scene. This ties in with the fact that any crew member hired will need to have the skills or qualifications needed for the role in which they have been allocated. Another example of this could be the makeup artists or hairstylists. Those two roles are vital within the industry due to being a big part of the mise en scene and they require the beauty skills if not a qualification. Advisors must also be there in order to assist so that everything runs smoothly. 

Additional Materials 

The additional materials needed during the pre-production process will actually be used more frequently during the production and post-production processes. These materials include costumes, props, scripts, and storyboards as well as whatever could be needed for folly sound. Everything needs to be found and made before the production of the film so that it is easier to control. Costumes are one of the most important parts of film production because they the clothes that the actors will wear. They are needed to be thought out during the pre production process as the actors need to know what they should be wearing as they cannot wear their normal clothes because the costumes help portray the character. Clothing can give a sense of what a character may be interested in or even if they are a hero or a villain. An example of this would be that wearing darker colours could connote a villain or even the movie genre. The props are another additional material that must be thought out during the pre production process. This is because a prop could have some significance in the scene and said prop must be attained so that shooting the scenes in which it is needed for will be able to take place smoothly. Another reason why props need to be considered before filming is so that the actors are aware of what they will have to work with. There is also a possibility of an actor having to hold or move a prop within a scene. This means that the props must also be written in the script which is made during this time. The script is used during the production process however must be written beforehand. This is an incredibly important feature as a script contains the storyline, scene and page numbers and the lines which the actors need to say. Although things can be changed during filming such as a character’s line, the story usually remains the same, meaning that the script does have to be followed. Storyboards are also a very important additional material because they give a basis of the story that the director is trying to tell. They are followed very closely when writing the script and they are usually used to give a visual before filming starts.  

Codes of Practice and Regulations 

Film productions are always required to follow regulations and codes of practice. Risk assessments are a large part of this as health and safety regulations are one of the most important things. Any dangers must be acknowledged, written and carefully stored in order to keep the production as safe as possible. Without documenting risks, injuries can occur. This is a vital piece of paperwork to be taken out in all media productions as it limits the risk of actors and crew members getting hurt. These assessments are especially important if stunt doubles are required in scenes. Stunt doubles are put in place to perform dangerous acts, so the risk assessments that are carried out are vital to make sure that they are as safe as possible.  

Another code of practice that must be followed is the copyright clearance. If you are using work that isn’t yours to be a part of the project such as music, the owner’s permission must be granted similarly to different locations. If permission from the copyright owner is not given, this can result in work having to be taken down and legal action could possibly take place, meaning that this is also an important piece of paperwork. 

PACT (The Producers Alliance of Cinema and Television) is an organisation that supports film, TV and radio content in the UK. They offer legal advice to their members in order to help them comply with codes of practice and regulations of the media industry. 

The Proposal 

The proposal is very important because they explain the main things that would get producers and investors interested in any ideas for a film. They are usually very brief and explain they key information such as the story, characters and the target audience. The story is an important thing to mention in the proposal because explaining its’ concept allows investors to gain an understanding of what the idea is about and it helps them decide whether or not they would like to invest. Explaining the characters relates to explaining the story and gives similar outcomes involving the investors. Stories cannot take place without characters so the fact they are mentioned within the proposal is vital. When explaining the characters, information such as their personality and how that is portrayed helps explain the story in more detail within a short space of time. Explaining the target audience in the proposal allows investors to see whether or not the idea is suitable for the people it is aimed at. For example, having a violent story or one that may use strong language will not be suitable for young children. Mentioning all of these key things can also help further any ideas using an investor’s input.  

Scripting: Master Scene Script 

The master scene script relates closely to the proposal as it is to show producers and investors. It gives a basic idea of the dialogue that the actors would say if the film gets made. The format of this is very standard, it shows the dialogue that will be said by the actors and a description of the storyline. There is usually also some description of what is wanted to happen in the scenes on this script. Within this style of script, the story is the most important part. This means that the technical information such as the camera angles and the editing transitions are very limited. This script helps producers and investors somewhat visualise the story that has been created. The master scene script is set in three sections: scene headings, narrative description and dialogue blocks. A scene heading is known in the industry as a slugline which is made of three parts. These three parts include whether the filming would take place in the inside or outside, what time of day it would be recorded and what location it would be in. These three parts are always capitalised and interior or exterior filming is usually abbreviated into “EXT.” and “INT.” and the time of day is usually limited to “DAY” and “NIGHT”. The narrative in this script is written visually, so that the possible investors can see the story unfold. However, in this form of script, how the characters feel is not recorded. This means that the producers and investors must rely on the actions that take place in the script to come to a conclusion. 

Scripting: Shooting Script 

Shooting scripts are used during the production of the movie as they contain scene numbers, camera angles and editing transitions. They are different to the master scripts because of where they are used and because they are written in more detail and they are not used to propose the idea to possible investors. These scripts are formatted to the requests of the director, so a lot more information is added to theses in comparison to the master scene scripts. Shooting scripts are not used to show investors due to them being somewhat difficult to read. The camera angles and techniques are added into this script to help the crew on set so that they are aware of where they need to be. Scene numbers are added to this script and they are usually printed onto coloured paper.  

Storyboarding 

Storyboards use a picture format as a way to visualise the scenes and camera shots that are written on the script. They can also help prevent problems that could not be seen by the writers and directors when initially writing the film. They also are very useful as they help give a clearer understanding of what is written in the scripts and what props are needed to be seen on camera. This is extremely important as they help to get the final result that the creators hope for and it helps to estimate the cost of the production. They also help visualise where everything needs to be within the scene.  

Shooting Schedules 

A shooting schedule is created using the shooting script and storyboards. It is a plan of everything to happen on different days of filming. Shooting schedules focus on hours to film throughout the day unlike the normal schedule which focuses on how many days there are to get the footage. They make the day more efficient as they allow full coverage of the scene and they also allow mistakes to be made. These schedules also organise the shooting in the most logical way. This allows for the shooting to be done in a smooth, timely manner. 

Other Paperwork 

Risk assessments are a piece of extra paperwork that may need to be completed during pre-production. These could be necessary for most genres of film because injuries can occur depending on what is written in the scripts. These assessments allow the people working on the film to understand what could possibly go wrong during production. Another form of paperwork is a location release form. These are contracts that are used for permission to record on private property. Without these any private locations that are required for filming cannot be used. Alongside these are the location scouting templates which are for any information about different places to film. There is a lot for the location scouts to consider when at work, meaning that these templates are helpful to them as they can make notes to see which location would be best. This is also helpful for the directors as the templates make it easier for them to choose a final location. Sound templates are also important. They are used to see where sound may be used. These will give the sound designers a clear understanding of what they may need to create for the film. Copyright clearances are another important piece of paperwork due to using work by other creators sometimes causing problems. These clearances allow the works to be used without any issues arising. 

3. The Functions of Pre-Production 

All of the functions of the pre-production process are necessary due to the possibility of ideas changing. Props, costumes and set design to name a few could be replaced during the changing of the ideas to accommodate them. This also applies to locations as they can change as well, allowing deliberation in order to make the film something that the director is happy with. When the scripts are written, they can have multiple drafts. This is because of how many times an idea or story can change. Script editors also play a vital role in the pre-production process as they can help the director and writers notice and understand if anything is wrong with the story which leads to the amount of drafts a script has. Multiple writers are also commonly used on projects in the television and film industry. This is another way that the director can see if there is anything wrong with the script and if anything needs to be changed. Visual ideas such as props and costumes may also change depending on any script changes that may occur. Some costumes or props or the set design may be slightly altered or changed completely to accommodate the script. Some locations may also change, this can vary from the amount of time that they are written in to being completely discounted as the ideas change. This process allows analysis and collaboration, giving an understanding of the good and bad within each idea. 

4. The Purpose of Pre-Production 

The main purpose of pre-production is to make sure that everything is organised for the production and post-production processes. Doing all of this planning beforehand reduces the chance of too many things going wrong and it allows time to get the financing and equipment together, vitally helping to get the ideas made into digital media. It also allows the sharing of information between the cast and crew, bringing everybody together with a clear knowledge of what needs to be done in order to make the production and editing successful. Pre-production gives efficiency to the work required after it, making that work easier for the people involved. Digital media is greatly influenced by its target audience, meaning that the crew must comply to the regulations of the BBFC. Pre-production is the process that allows this to happen these regulations depend on what is written. It is a very effective way to help the director visualise what has been written. This process is also very important because it controls the codes of practice and regulations as well as any legal issues that may arise.