Moving Images, Understanding Media

320 Moving Images: Making Movies, Understanding Media

Project: Putting the Production Puzzle Together

If for the writing exercise for Chapter 7, you wrote a screenplay that involves

more than three speaking actors and three or more locations, you are now

ready to turn that script into a motion picture. You will work with a producer/

assistant director to create and use production schedules. You will collaborate

with a crew to pre-produce and shoot your fi lm using art direction, sound

design, and more advanced cinematography.

All member of the collaborative team should have begun their work for this

production with this chapter’s writing exercise. Now is the time to put those

plans into action, whether for organizational purposes or for the visual and

audio qualities of the motion picture.

A. Pre-production – For this shoot, you should have completed your

pre-production as a result of the work from this chapter’s writing

exercise. Th e assistant director/producer compiles this work and

uses it to coordinate the work of the shoot and to make sure the

lines of communication are eff ective. Th e following elements are

recommended for the shoot:

1. Production Design – If appropriate for this project, props,
   costumes, and other location work have been initiated by the
   director and prepared by an art director, as per Writing 8.


2. Cinematography – A visual plan for the movie has been
   created by the cinematographer according to this chapter’s
   writing exercise. It is recommended to use at least three of the
   following elements: a form of dolly or steadycam-type device;
   manipulation of light with refl ective surfaces, diff users, or
   shading; manual focus, including focus pull if appropriate;
   handling of interior lighting to achieve proper exposure and
   avoid high levels of video noise.


3. Sound – It is recommended to record production audio with
   a boom microphone or high-quality audio source outside of
   the camera.


4. Scheduling and Logistics – Assistant director/producer will
   establish a set of deadlines for the project:
   a. Casting and rehearsal
   b. Secure locations
   c. Schedule exact dates and times of shoot—confi rm with
   collaborators
   d. Set deadlines for assembly, rough cut, fi ne cut, and fi nal
   cut
   B. Production – As you have seen throughout this book and in
   this chapter, the quality of fi nal product depends greatly on the
   eff ectiveness of the collaborative work. Each crew member has a
   distinct role to fulfi ll for this project. Establishing these roles clearly,

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