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PRE-PRODUCTION TEMPLATES.
Not all of these will always be relevant for every project. However, the vast majority always will. If you complete them to a high standard, and actually use them when you’re on set, your project will run a lot more smoothly and you’re easily entering Merit and Distinction territory.

STORYBOARD

Note: You could do a storyboard on the computer or on paper. There is no rule as to how detailed you make it, or how much you fit onto one page. Make it work for you.

SHOT LIST

Note: a shot list visually lays out all of the shots you need to film, and is useful because it’s a quick way to see what you need to cover. As you film each shot, you should cross it off, so that you can easily see what you still need to film.

RECCE

Note: the point of doing a recce is to consider locations before you start filming, to think about whether it’s right for your film. It has to look good and be practical – where will the crew eat lunch, for example? The recce form shows that you have thought about all of these things and are a good way for everyone to know what to expect.

FLOORPLAN

Note: Floorplans don’t need a template as they change with each location. This is a birds’ eye view of the location, visualising the key elements such as light and camera placement, windows and doors. It allows you to think about where things will be placed in advance, which saves time on the day.

CALL SHEET

Note: a call sheet is one of the most important documents you have. It tells everyone what is being filmed, where, and when. Without this info, a production could fall to pieces, so it’s important for it to be handed out to everyone with plenty of notice, and for it to be checked and checked again, to make sure there are no mistakes. A typo could cause chaos!

CONTACT LISTS

Note: it might seem unnecessary, but what happens if you suddenly need someone’s phone number and you’ve only been messaging them on Twitter? The contact list ensures that you have phone and email info for all of your cast and crew. You can edit this template and change the names to fit the roles in your own production.

LOG SHEET

Note: A log sheet is filled in after each take. Making notes about whether a take was good or not is helpful for the edit later on, and also helps you to track continuity (making sure things stay the same in different takes). Most films have a separate person editing who might not have been on set, so it saves a huge amount of time for them to easily be able to see which takes were the best.

RISK ASSESSMENT

Note: Risk Assessments are the most time consuming but arguably, most important piece of pre-production paperwork. The reason for this is that they are a legal requirement, and without one, you could end up in a lot of trouble. If someone (yourself, a member of your crew or even a member of the general public) injures themselves on your film set, who is to blame? Well, unfortunately, the answer is you. A risk assessment covers you from very real risk, and should be with you at all times. It shows that you have considered the risks, done all you can to remove them, and have decided it is still safe to film.

PERMISSIONS

A note on permissions: you need permissions for everything. Even if you think you don’t, you probably do. This is to cover you in case anything goes wrong, and it’s not something you should avoid, as failure to follow these processes can result in serious consequences in the real and college world. Some examples of things you need permission for include:
-Permission from everyone who appears in your film to be recorded
-Special permission from the local council to film children
-Permission to use music or footage which you did not create
-Permission to use a location
-Permission to hire equipment
-Permission to see another company’s logo or brand in your film
-Permission to film the public
-Permission to film on private property
-Permission from the emergency services if doing anything dangerous

SCRIPT

Note: We will be looking at scripts a lot more in Week 4, but you should sign up to Celtx.com, which is a free website where you can create scripts for free. This will help you to format your script correctly so that it looks professional.