Senior Studio Media Production Documentation

Document every last piece of paperwork associated with your production. The best way to do this is to create an on-line document that can be edited by the key players and can be kept up to date. This is a way to share information with your instructors, key creative personnel, and your entire crew. This includes everyone in the creative process, increasing their investment in the project and their performance on set. Online posting also creates a centralized back-up of all paperwork that is accessible to all crew members with internet access.

Different crew members should be responsible for the posting of different documents (see the list below). The producer and director should make sure that individual crew members post the documents they are responsible for, and should follow up with crew members if they have not posted their paperwork. Students not familiar with the on-line syatem need to get familiar asap. Do not wait till a document is finalized to post it. Simply post the most recent version, and when there is a newer version, modify or delete the attachment of the old version and attach the new version to the existing posting. Note the date and version number in the text of the posting.

What to document/post: Each Discussion Board should minimally include, but is not limited to posting the following:

Script: Posted by Writer or Director Most recent draft only. Keep at top of discussion board.

Production Timeline or Calendar: Posted by Producer A complete list of start and stop dates for all preproduction and post-production tasks to be completed. Should also include target dates for the posting of all materials. Most recent version only. Keep at top of discussion board.

Crew List: Posted by UPM (Unit Production Manager, responsible for admin duties on ) or Producer Complete list with crew positions plus e-mail and phone contact information. Most recent version only. Keep at top of discussion board.

Shooting Schedule: Posted by AD (assistant director) or UPM Include and day out of days. Most recent version only. Keep at top of discussion board.

Budget: Posted by Line Producer (responsible for what happens on set) If the Producer and Director consider this confidential, this is the one item which is optional to post. Most recent draft only. Keep at top of discussion board.

Director’s Prep: Posted by Director Director’s Analysis of Script: interpretation of the essential emotional content of the movie, character arc, and theme. Scene by Scene Breakdown: includes each scene’s essential emotional content, place in the story, the objectives of the characters in the scene, and a beat by beat analysis of the scene.

Character Analysis: explanation of what is known about each character from the script including super-objectives as well imaginative interpretation of the character’s background and outside life as is relevant to their actions in the script. Please see the Director’s Prep document for more details

Casting Information: Posted by Casting Director or Director Include Casting Breakdown, complete text of casting notice, and link to casting pages. Add Headshots of actor’s cast once locked.

Location Information: Posted by Location Manager Include Location Breakdown, complete list of locations and alternate locations. Add location photos and location agreements once locked. Add directions and maps to each locations prior to shooting. Add before and after photos of locations after shooting.

Visual Reference: Posted by Director, Cinematographer, and/or Production Designer Should include stills or frames from existing movies that are examples of the intended color, lighting, framing, and production design style for each scene in the film. Post as a single document by pasting the illustrations into a Word documents and adding textual explanations, however

Camera, Lighting, and Production Design Visual Reference documents may be posted as individual documents.

Storyboards: Posted by Director, Cinematographer, or Artist Numbering system used in should correspond to Shot list. Include overhead diagrams once locations are locked.

Pre-production Line Script: Posted by Director Script with planned coverage notated via standard line scripting.

Shot List: Posted by Director List all shots planned first in scene order and then in daily and shot-by-shot shooting order.

Cinematography Notes: Posted by Cinematographer Description of general visual approach plus scene by scene visual approach and key moments in the film (may be somewhat redundant to visual reference). Also include technical information on film stock and equipment to be used, rental list, purchase list, and notes to telecine colorist.

Production Design Notes: Posted by Production Designer Notes on general set, prop, and costume design approach includes plans, design sketches, and color samples. Also include prop and costume shopping list.

Editing Notes: Posted by Editor Editors analysis of key moments in the film includes a Coverage and Cutaways Request List. Post early and revise after reviewing the storyboards, line script, and shot lists.

Sound Design Notes: Posted by Sound Designer or Sound Supervisor. Post before you shoot! Description of the general sound design approach plus a list of additional dialogue and sound effects for the Sound Recordist to get during the production.

Call Sheets: Posted by AD or Second AD Each day’s call sheet should be posted by at least the day before the shoot.

Production Reports: Posted by UPM or Production Controller Each day’s should be posted at the end of each day’s shoot. Must include a crew sign-in.

Talent releases: Posted by UPM or AD Releases and SAG paperwork for all actors and extras on screen in the production. Should be posted immediately after the completion of production.

Sound Reports: Posted by Sound Recordist Each day’s Sound Report should be posted at the end of each day’s shoot.

Camera Reports: Posted by First or Second AC Each day’s Camera Report should be posted at the end of each day’s shoot.

Script Supervisor’s report: Posted by Include actual line script, notes, diagrams, and photos. Should be posted immediately after the completion of production.

Production Stills: Posted by Still Photographer All production stills pasted into a Word document, posted immediately after the completion of production.

Post schedule: Posted by Post Production Supervisor Rough cut, fine cut, picture lock. Editor. Editing style

Stages of Post Sound 1. Picture lock 2. Spotting Session 3. Transfer from Avid to Pro Tools (picture and OMF) 4. Dialogue Edit 5. ADR 6. Backgrounds 7. Sound Effects Editing 8. Foley 9. Place and Edit the Music 10. Pre-Mix 11. Final Mix 12. Lay-Back

Sound edit Style, references

Music Cut to composer. Temp tracks. Musicians

Delivery Format