Pre Production Process Planning the film: premise/treatment, screenplay, storyboard, character bios, breakdown sheets, production design Pre-Production Notebook

 Worth 35% of final grade

 Produce in groups

 Due week 10 in COGN 21 Section in one three-ring Notebook

 Provide a Buckley Waiver The Premise/Pitch Find a textual inspiration through an academic essay or book (not from this course). With the members of your group, create a premise for a short film that explores the themes of this essay or responds to them. It should be an cinematic interpretation and not simply a narration of the essay/article. Get approval on your premise from your TA. The Treatment The treatment is a document that expands upon your premise to sketch out the film/media project. It should include:  a brief statement of the goal or message.  short Character descriptions  a brief description of each scene; indicating location and what takes place, but not the actual dialog (save that for the script).

Character Bios Write up short biographies for each of the characters in your film. These should help you to work with your group in giving the characters depth throughout the script writing process, and be a tool for communicating your intentions to casting director, costume designers, actors and other production crew. Production Design Provide materials demonstrating the production design of the film (the look):

You might include:  Images of costumes  Pictures of actors, or people  Drawings / photos of sets and locations  Swatches of color The Screenplay In section begin to write the screenplay for this film. Use proper screenplay style and technique (see the example linked to the online syllabus). The screenplay should not exceed 6 pages. Final version due by end of section Week Nine. Screenplay Format: Slugline The Scene Heading, or Slugline, are flush left in ALL CAPS. It is used every time you change location, and set the scene in the reader's mind. Include whether the scenes takes place indoors (INT.) or outdoors (EXT.); the location: BEDROOM, KITCHEN, at the PARK, inside a CAR; and lastly it might include the time of day - NIGHT, DAY, DUSK, DAWN. Screenplay Format: Action

The action runs from left to right margin, the full width of the text on the page, the same as the Scene Heading. Text is single- spaced and in mixed case.

Use the active voice (a window slams shut) not the passive voice (a window is slammed shut). Always write in PRESENT TENSE, not the past.

When you introduce a speaking character for the first time, put the name in all caps. Screenplay Format: Dialog

Character’s names are in all caps and centered.

What they say is indented 2.5 inches from left.

Attitude, verbal direction or action direction for the character who is speaking is put in parenthesis below the character’s name and indented 3 inches. Parentheticals should be short and only used when necessary. This is where you would indicate if the dialog is off screen or voice over as well. Breakdown Sheets Create breakdown sheets for every scene in your film (or the significant scenes that you are covering in your script). These sheets are tools for planning what will be employed in the shoot. Costumes, props, sets, actors, etc. Storyboards Draw storyboards demonstrating how the script will move to the screen.

Storyboards demonstrate: order of shots, composition, camera movement, sound