Staging a fight scene is an undertaking all its own. But once the vision is realized, incredible preparation and planning goes into filming action scenes. Your entire shooting schedule could be affected by these fight scenes and what they demand. There are hidden elements that could prove to be a nightmare in the scheduling process.… Continue reading Breaking Down and Scheduling the Epic Black Panther Fight Scene
Music videos aren’t always easy to plan. It can be a challenge to translate the poetry in the music to screen. But music videos are like mini films, and they all start with a treatment.A producer’s or director’s experience in writing a treatment is invaluable. Treatments can plan and plot the visuals in detail needed… Continue reading How to Break Down A Music Video Treatment When Short on Details
W ith more than one billion people actively using Facebook, it’s hard to justify not using Facebook video ads as a platform to reach consumers and expand brand awareness. Using Facebook video ads increases the value of your marketing by scores. But how often do you scroll through Facebook and immediately move on when a video… Continue reading How and Why To Make Facebook Video Ads That Work
Managing travel for a film production can be a messy process. It calls for a high level of organization and a workflow that can scale to meet all production sizes and budgets. We’ve created a list of 9 ways to better book flights for your film crew.Continue reading Travel Hacks for Your Next Production
If you want to know how to make a successful short film, stop and consider a few words on fiscal responsibility. Even if you have an award winning short film script, and a short film budget some features would drool over, you could see it all fall apart. This is why knowing about every financial… Continue reading Fiscal Responsibility on a Short Film (with FREE Petty Cash Template)
You’ve got some money in the bank, some time on your calendar, and a great short film idea to produce. You’re ready to start making a short film. Now what? If you’ve read our overview of short film pre-production, you already know not to jump too far ahead. Much as you might be tempted to hire… Continue reading Making a Short Film: Pre Production Workflow Step-by-Step
Making a visually stunning film is no easy feat. The goal of a production designer is to immerse you in the world they have created. That’s the magic of production design, creating the world you see and making you believe the unbelievable. But what does a production designer do exactly? Creating the worlds that leave us… Continue reading What Does a Production Designer Do? A Crash Course with Examples
Everyone has an opinion about your script. In the rewrite stage, you or your producer will find things that don’t work. Many of these things will be your babies. These are the scenes, or lines of dialogue, even vague ideas, that you should move to the boneyard. “The Boneyard” is a place to put the… Continue reading Tales From The Boneyard: Knowing Where the Scenes Are Buried
In every script, there are elements that can go unseen. Sometimes even hiding in plain sight. If overlooked for too long, this misstep could affect your scheduling and budget. Hidden elements can make a huge impact on your bottom line and schedule. It is the producer’s job to find these elements before they become a surprise… Continue reading How to Properly Identify Cast When Breaking Down a Script
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Assistant Directors (the 1st AD) are one of the most valuable crew members on any production. Your 1st AD is responsible for on-set communication, department coordination, maintaining the shooting schedule, conflict resolution, and safety. Continue reading 13 Ways You Can Become a Better 1st AD
Successfully running a film set requires very specific leadership skills. Vince Duque, 1st Assistant Director to projects like “House” and “Battle Creek” shares 11 Leadership Principles he learned in the US Marine Corp at West Point, and how they can be repurposed as core filmmaking tips for directors and line producers to become more effective… Continue reading 11 Ways to Become a Better Producer or Director on Set
Production is not for the faint of heart. Long hours, physical strain, and emotional exhaustion are part of the job. Stress can bring out the worst in people, and when you have to work with difficult talent and crew on set, a production can can go south quickly.Continue reading 3 Ways To Work With Difficult… Continue reading 3 Ways To Work With Difficult Talent and Crew On Set
Signing film contracts may feel like a formality on smaller productions, a Crew Deal Memo, Producer/Director Contract or Talent Release has real meaning. It is a legally binding employment agreement and should be drafted and signed with care. Here are some best practices to guide you through the process.Continue reading 4 Things To Consider Before… Continue reading 4 Things To Consider Before Signing a Film Contract
Whether you’re looking to hire locals when shooting out of town, or searching for “hungrier” crew who are willing to exchange experience for a pay cut, Facebook Groups are a great place to start.Continue reading Find Production Crew with Facebook
Background talent has been a staple of the movie industry since the early days of filmmaking. The need for background continues today on sets in Hollywood. But now, union rates and minimum wage laws means that it’s costly to use a cast of thousands, even when the project calls for just that. But producer’s on… Continue reading Tales From the Trenches: An Insider’s Hack to Casting Background Talent
So you’re financed and ready for pre production. But with so many steps in the film production cycle (casting, shot listing, insurance), how do you get organized? Where do you start? Never fear. Pre production is a linear process. You just need to check off the boxes in the right order. In today’s post I’ll detail… Continue reading How to Make a Short Film: 3 Proven Steps to Master Pre Production
There are dozens of filmmaking techniques that require special consideration. From tracking shots to dutch angles, each of these cinematic gems helps to tell a story in a creative way. Each technique also comes with its own set of rules and logistics. One such technique that has evolved over time is Day for Night. There are… Continue reading Helpful Tips on How To Schedule a Day For Night Scene
