Over the next two weeks we will be finalising our pre-production and starting our filming. Here's a great video on low-budget filmmaking from our friend D4Darius on YouTube:
The four aspects of pre-production are as follows:
Script
As we began last week, you need a good script for your TV drama extract. You'll find guidance for writing your script in this blogpost.
Shot list
Write a shot list containing EVERY shot you plan to film for your TV drama AND additional shots to create flexibility when editing. These additional shots are often close-ups, cutaways, alternative angles or similar. I advise using a simple table on Microsoft Word to set out your shot list - you can find an example here for a student film shot list. It makes sense to write your shot list by scene or location rather than a huge list of every shot in the extract in chronological order.
Mise-en-scene
What iconography or mise-en-scene are you including to ensure your audience understands your drama as science fiction / fantasy? Plan your cast, costume, make-up, props, lighting and setting. This can be simply completed using your blog or Microsoft Word - the key aspect is to have planned all the critical details. Remember the mise-en-scene mnemonic: CLAMPS.
Shooting schedule
Plan a shooting schedule for your filming over the next two weeks. Include when, where, who is required and what shots you will complete at each time/location. Again, this can be on Word or Excel or you could simply use your blog. The most important thing is that you've planned it!
Script
As we began last week, you need a good script for your TV drama extract. You'll find guidance for writing your script in this blogpost.
Shot list
Write a shot list containing EVERY shot you plan to film for your TV drama AND additional shots to create flexibility when editing. These additional shots are often close-ups, cutaways, alternative angles or similar. I advise using a simple table on Microsoft Word to set out your shot list - you can find an example here for a student film shot list. It makes sense to write your shot list by scene or location rather than a huge list of every shot in the extract in chronological order.
Mise-en-scene
What iconography or mise-en-scene are you including to ensure your audience understands your drama as science fiction / fantasy? Plan your cast, costume, make-up, props, lighting and setting. This can be simply completed using your blog or Microsoft Word - the key aspect is to have planned all the critical details. Remember the mise-en-scene mnemonic: CLAMPS.
Shooting schedule
Plan a shooting schedule for your filming over the next two weeks. Include when, where, who is required and what shots you will complete at each time/location. Again, this can be on Word or Excel or you could simply use your blog. The most important thing is that you've planned it!
