austin film society production Checklist
Below is a bullet-pointed loose collection of notes taken from the production classes at Austin Studios, Austin Public, and Troublemaker Studios under the Austin Film Societies Creative Careers Program.
PRE-PRODUCTION
Script Lock:
Danny Mcbride, Seth Rogan, & Rough House picture gangs will routinely do 70-80 re-writes on a script.
Inspire, Elevate, Educate
Script reading necessary to get feedback.
Character Names help create a world ala Rocky.
Ask “Where does this scene come from?” (Edgar Wright)
Beat sheets for characters (Beat-sheet calculator app)
Write in actors name and then change it before handing to others.
Scripts aren’t written they are re-written (Scorsese)
Narration in scripts not for plot but for commentary (Scorsese)
It’s ok for audience to be ahead of you (Cameron)
Create Tension by slowly crossing narratives (Cameron)
Don’t believe in villains, everyone has a reason
Re-writes to only a select few (Lee)
Nobody taking unsolicited scripts (CAA) {Legal issue}
Development: Following the guidelines of the original Tycoon of Hollywood Irving Thalberg who started his career running studio’s in his 20’s. In order to go through the development process with speed he’d have his scribes create a 1-paragraph synopsis on a film (which would be used for marketing as well if the movie got selected). If the idea was of intrigue he’d have them flesh out the characters & story in a 3-paragraph/ 1-page document. From here he’d give the green like for a 20-page treatment that would preclude the full script. Short: 1 paragraph synopsis. Medium: 3-paragraphs.Long: 20-pages Script: 60-100 pages, script format.
Shorter better aim for film 100min max
Research
Consume all films in Genre (Adam Mckay & Edgar Wright)
Read relevant books in sub-genre
Interviews with people who have that job/life (Mann & Edgar)
Storyboard:
Speilberg heavy on storyboards, scorsese does the whole film on post it notes in hotel rooms, edgar wright/sean pegg need it, and Hitchock says the storyboard is the movie.
Storyboard will also inform daily shot lists which are based on time at location which thusly will impact the cost as a large hidden fee is craft services (food) which will have to be present each day.
Edgar Wright System:
Always get last shot first (Polanski) so you know where movie is going.
6-months (Cameron)
Create a shoot lookbook, storyboard, movies, animatics. But also ask what their process is.
Key Scenes or Frames
Casting: Inspired castings
Judd Apatow approach. If actor stands out, cast them in role and adjust it. For “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” the role of the rival boyfriend was written for a british aristocrat until russel brand came in for his audition and charmed his way into movie. Instead of forcing Russell Brand into a writer, they altered it for the actor. All roles should fit actor, not other way around.
Ask them who do they want to play, then say “No, play (whomever you want)”. Scorsese
Look for natural comedy in way people read lines.
Go up to people after shows and say “hey I’m cory, I made a movie, I’m making another one and I think you should be in it.
Casting 85-90% of movie. (Scorsese)
Meet with them, spend time with them, talk with them, and then have them meet with other actors. Don’t settle for close enough or second best.
Rent space for auditions.
Casting directors brings a range of people to you and see who you connect with.
Work with actors who all agree to make the same movie. (Scorsese)
Seek out non actors for authenticity. Have to come from that world. Go to those restaurants and cast and look. Mix actors and non actors.
Actors that inhabit their roles (Find poster, look, manner, and language)
Casting like the GM of Sports team (Lee)
Cast on chemistry as well as audition. (Lee)
Casting Director fills out the cast. Shows you people you’ve never heard of.
Bad Cast + Bad Character = Bad movie. (Lee)
Bring them back 3-4 times, they ain’t doing anything else (Lee)
Hiring looks for brains, energy, and integrity. (Iger & Buffet)
$100/day good rate for most actors low budget. (Duplass)
Locations
Figure out parking & Food. Healthy food and fun food. Create an area for them to do makeup and hangout. Have a movie playing, offer video games.
Camera Test Location Scout
Choose location midday that you really arent gonna use but it’s near the best restaurant so you can have great lunch (French)
Audio
Planes?
Fridge?
AC?
Traffic?
People?
Echo?
Lighting
Sun?
Power: Outlets
Bathroom: Clean and close.
Wardrobe/Costume Department/Costume Design:
look out how people lionize the superhero wardrobes of being “right” vs “wrong”. Guy ritchie clothes & glasses
More color palette so characters can progress and also not wear the same color. Each character has a color, background actors in bland colors to tell them apart. Each character has his own color so you can track them in action scenes. Tribal colors for groups as well. (Edgar Wright)
Actors input into what they should wear. Hardly about character but vanity equals confidence so if it’s not far of kilter let it be.
Costume should come from character, always get actors input.
Extras on set (Atmosphere) Clothes should look lived in, not new.
Where would characters shop?
Synacky principle: Character boiled down to a piece of wardrobe
Funding
We are a family, this is colab. Hope to be on your christmas card list
Don’t compare to films that flopped.
Pitch yourself and movie.
Don’t say influenced by bad movies
Keep pitch succinct and streamlines.
Raise money for edit too
Kickstar, GoFundMe, IndieGoGo
Make it clear you know what you’re doing & it needs to be made.
Strategy only as good as your ability to communicate it (IGER)
Create. Market. Distribute.
Build package to low budget producers. Logic behind it all.
Funding pitches: We are a family, this is a colob. Don’t compare to movies
Selling point, poster, & tagline.
Product Placement
Sell international rights
Edgar Wright: Write script > storyboard on script scene ideas > storyboard on notepad > every frame on proper storyboard pages (side margin with notes) > hand them to storyboard artist and develop into full frame > Film phone books > master file on ipad > (animatics if possible for key scenes to music etc.) > Print those out on big board daily to show shots needed > Meet with editor & crew before filming and “watch” entire film in storyboard film
Crew
Casting Director: Sends options of people
Producer:
PA
Gopher/Runner
Location Scout
Production Designer:
Production Manager: Handles on set-admin
Assistant Director: Get people in spots
Cameraman:
D/P: Cinematographer
Audio: Noise Boyz
Boom Mic
A1
A2
Lighting: Grib guy, may need a buddy.
Hair & Makeup
Costume Designer
Editor
Sound Design
Music/Composer/Soundtrack
Audition Crew (DP & Editor). What have they done? Is it similar? Have them read script and tell you how they see film. How would they do it? Hire all who have more experience then you. Don’t hire off a reel, do it off of some length project.
Music
Get music cleared before filming.
Score created before movie (Scorsese & Villeneuve)
Create theme to play on set (Vilinueve & Edgar Wright)
Camera Settings:
Frame Rate: 24fps for filmic, 30 for television.
Aspect Ratio: Wide for spectacle, more narrow down to earth like goodfellas.
Rehearsals:
2-3 weeks. Can do a Linklater retreat type thing or just get lines, stunts, and blocking down.
30-45min per scene rehearsal
“Don’t act like them be like them”
Improv it to look for other ideas
Read film aloud!
Make part of deal actor needs to be there for rehearsals.
Go for a bit of improv and if you have to keep telling an actor what they would or would not say to this character (status) then a matter of recasting.
Rehearse hell out of it (Cameron)
Willing to re-write scene based on rehearsal (Cameron)
Do cameraman rehearsals as well. (Edgar Wright)
Make sure everyone making the same movie.
ETC
Network at the peer level, don’t go knocking on doors of those 8-levels above you.
SHOOT
Day 1
1st day 1st take: Hardest shot and the hardest day to set the tone. Do a long take so that whole crew starts working together.
Best to shoot a little bit before schedule as well during camera test that you may be able to use in film.
Watch movies before first day to be in similar headspace and understand inspiration (Send to actors for their characters)
Gather crew before first shot on first day for a little pep talk right before hardest scene.
Dont spend to much time on first set. Lumet would turn over (move on) after first hour on first day to show he meant business.
Directors job is to make sure everybody making same movie. Actor could be great but must do it in encouraging way to go new direction so tone matches if it’s off.
Play music to signal the scene is about to start. Also play theme on set (Scorsese)
Hard shots first
Actors:
Know fears of actors and techniques to overcome those.
Actors need room to explore. Let them know it’s ok to fail. (it’s ok to fail if you want another take just ask me)
Ask actor how they’d like to shoot it for hard choices.
Be cautious of overworking people when they’re not on camera.
Enough rope for performance for actor
D/P:
Something sacred & important about the way you introduce each character (Cameron)
Need light? Shoot in parking lot or near car dealership
Have actors move into beautiful lighting (Scorsese)
Always shoot the lady first at night
Coverage:
20-26 shots a night
Cameron did 117 setups in a day. No retakes just got it from every angle.
One take, full coverage ideal
Terminator shot in 14-days. Reshoots of an extra week were done with 5-people.
2-takes (if the actors are great, why aren’t you?)
As many takes as it needs (Kubrick, Fincher, Cruise)
Dual-cameras/Two-Camera setup. Cameron had as many as 7-camera rolling to capture every angle to avoid continuity issues and less takes.
Don’t waste time on insert shots with actors present.
Explore and Experiment: Get a lot of coverage.
3 cameras for action comedy. A wide shot, long lense shot, 3rd one operated by DP doing crazy stuff
Shooting more coverage allows for a changing of pace in the movie. Can make it go slower or faster.
Use wheelchair for a shot
Not much to say here, other than shoot a TON of material when you have the chance. It’s easier to edit down than to add extra shooting days.
Logistics:
Figure out parking
Hair & Makeup person in the mornings.
“Fun” waiting area for crew to eat, play video games, watch movies that are in the theme, etc. Also private areas
Figure out the bathroom/private room.
Fill up box truck for gear
Crew:
Edit during
(Spielberg: allows for reshoots)
Operate off storyboards
Ask actors/light/audio/etc what order of shooting work best for you
Director:
Feign collaboration if don’t know what to do “What you think we should do”
Have parties to watch the dailies
Hire a social director; making sure the vibe is high & frescas are needed? Glue Guy. PA.
Tricks:
Water truck to wet down night streets (Michael Mann)
Invite local journalists to set on big days
Behind the scenes featurette (Making of, interviews, etc.)
Questions:
Is there anything else you want to do in this scene?
How do you feel about ____?
What do you think ___ (Character) would do?
POST PRODUCTION
Re-Shoots
Re-shoots (based on audience reactions) ala Adam McKay/Soderberg
Heavy on reshoots seems to be a core theme for great directors as what this means on principle is an openness to feedback and constructive criticism. Also allows to see flow of movie.
(based on edits done during shoot)
“Funny” closed captioning (Half-way in be like that stupid bitch or some other inside joke for CC)
Editing
Get top editor & pro sound designer-mixer. Sound design examples for the mixer are helpful, steal sounds from other movies but use sound with intention.
Cut on a whip.
Editing: Fast edits to emphasize action.
Adobe Premiere Pro
Edit during the film to show actors, crew, allow for reshoots, and to become economical with time. (Del Toro, Speilberg)
Editing 2.0
Assembly (during shoot; Spielberg)
Rough Cut (show to trusted advisors)
Fine Cut (Story Lock)
Audiencology (Focus Group)
Sound
Audiencology (Target Market)
Color
Final (Export, QC Distribution)
Sound
Music
To comment on events of scene
Sound Design
Make both visual & Sonic Jokes
Sound mix takes 5-days
Doesn’t have to have a proper score (Scorsese)
Background sound a character of movie. (Listen to the Taxi Drive scene of Deniro doing “You talking to me?” there is a bunch of street sounds)
Noise room to do dubbing
Screenings
1st screening always for yourself (should feel sick watching it). Don’t let financiers or the system see the movie until it’s good or they will lose faith and as they don’t know the process. Screening important “Do they Understand ' movie. (Solo, Friends/Colabs, Pro’s, Audience, Studio, Final Cut)
Vegas good melting pot away from press to test a broad market of random individuals.
Advanced screening Q&A
Private > Trusted Confidants > Target Market > Studio > Broad Audience
Packaging
Poster
Edgar Wright Baby Driver (Before Film)
Trailor
Robert Rodriguez (Before film for fundraising)
Strong posters help sell as will good trailer and scene for showcase (even in funding. Sell a movie before it starts.
Extra
Release movie in Spanish. Dub movie in AI?
Bonus Features: Making of, Directors Commentary, Commentary
Blooper reel (Jackie Chan)
Distribution
Follow Guidelines from someone who has done it before.
Ensure it can be viewed on phones.
