Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Three stages of Production

The Three Production Phases
The production process is commonly broken down into preproduction, production, and postproduction, which some people roughly characterize as "before, during, and after."    
The Preproduction Phase
There is a saying in TV production:
 The most important phase of production is preproduction.

The importance of this is often more fully appreciated after things get pretty well messed up during a production and the production people look back and wish they had paid attention to this from the start.
In preproduction the basic ideas and approaches of the production are developed and set in motion. It is in this phase that the production can be set on a proper course or misdirected (messed up) to such an extent that no amount of time, talent, or editing expertise can save it.    
The Prime Directive
"Trekkies" know that Star Trek (remember Star Trek?) has its prime directive. So does TV production:
Hit the target audience. 
In order for the program to be successful, you must keep in mind throughout each production phase the needs, interests, and general background of the target audience (the audience your production is designed to reach).
 In order for your program to have value and a lasting effect, it must in some wayaffect the audience emotionally.
This assumes both knowledge of the prime directive and the target audience, and it ends up being a key to your professional success.

More on that later.
During preproduction, not only are key talent and production members selected, but all the major elements are planned. Since things such as scene design, lighting, and audio are interrelated, they must be carefully coordinated in a series of production meetings.
Once all the basic elements are in place, rehearsals can start.
A simple on-location segment may involve only a quick check of talent positions so that camera moves, audio, and lighting can be checked.
A complex dramatic production may require many days of rehearsals. These generally start with a table reading or dry rehearsal where the talent along with key production personnel sit around a table and read through the script. Often, script changes take place at this point.
Finally, there's a dress rehearsal. Here, the talent dresses in the appropriate wardrobe, and all production elements are in place. This is the final opportunity for production personnel to solve whatever production problems remain.  
The Production Phase
The production phase is where everything comes together (we can hope) in a kind of final performance.
Productions can be broadcast live or recorded. With the exception of news shows, sports remotes, and some special-event broadcasts, productions are typically recorded for later broadcast or distribution.
Recording the show or program segment provides an opportunity to fix problems by either making changes during the editing phase or stopping the recording and redoing a segment.    
And, Finally, the Postproduction Phase
Tasks, such as striking (taking down) sets, dismantling and packing equipment, handling final financial obligations, and evaluating the effect of the program, are part of the postproduction phase.
Even though postproduction includes all of these after-the-production jobs, most people associate postproduction with editing.
As computer-controlled editing techniques and postproduction ▲visual effects (VFX) have become more sophisticated, editing has gone far beyond the original concept of simply joining segments in a desired order. Editing is now a major focus of production creativity.
Armed with the latest digital effects, the editing phase can add much in the way of razzmatazz to a production. In fact, it's pretty easy to become enthralled with the special effect capabilities of your equipment.


Posted by at No comments:

Sunday, August 21, 2016

Television Production 2

Principles of Script Writing:

You'd think script-writing was complicated.  It isn't.  But first, this is what you don’t need to know:
  1. Anything your friends tell you about your script
  2. Anything an agent tells you about your script
  3. Anything similar being written by someone else which you’ve been advised to emulate
  4. Anything you might read in a book about script-writing
  5. Anything you don't know how to write
  6. Anything that doesn’t propel you out of bed in the morning
What you do need to feel, however, is:
  1. You don’t care if your script never made, it’s a beautiful story, beautifully told
  2. Only you can tell it this way
  3. You’ll always cherish the version of yourself it made you become
  4. You want to do another one immediately afterwards
  5. Strangers love it when they read it
  6. You’ll smile to yourself when summarizing the story
  7. Strangers stare at you with baited breath while you tell them the story
  8. You feel genuinely moved by the story, each time you tell it
That is what a good script feels like.
So, what are the SIX PRINCIPLES FOR WRITING A GOOD SCRIPT?
  1. Never write a script without knowing who your characters are in depth and caring about them all
  2. Never write sloppily about any of these characters
  3. Always have your characters be affected by one another’s deeds and words
  4. Always have more than one truth operating between people at any one time
  5. Always remember that people rarely get what they want but often get what they’ve earned
  6. Always tell the truth about your characters

Storyboard:

Storyboards are graphic organizers in the form of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence.

The storyboarding process, in the form it is known today, was developed at the Walt Disney Studio during the early 1930s, after several years of similar processes being in use at Walt Disney and other animation studios.

Benefits of storyboard

One advantage of using storyboards is that it allows (in film and business) the user to experiment with changes in the storyline to evoke stronger reaction or interest. Flashbacks, for instance, are often the result of sorting storyboards out of chronological order to help build suspense and interest.
The process of visual thinking and planning allows a group of people to brainstorm together, placing their ideas on storyboards and then arranging the storyboards on the wall. This fosters more ideas and generates consensus inside the group.

Create a storyboard

Storyboards for films are created in a multiple step process. They can be created by hand drawing or digitally on the computer.
If drawing by hand, the first step is to create or download a storyboard template. These look much like a blank comic strip, with space for comments and dialogue. Then sketch a "thumbnail" storyboard. Some directors sketch thumbnails directly in the script margins. These storyboards get their name because they are rough sketches not bigger than a thumbnail. For some motion pictures, thumbnail storyboards are sufficient.
However, some filmmakers rely heavily on the storyboarding process. If a director or producer wishes, more detailed and elaborate storyboard images are created. These can be created by professional storyboard artists by hand on paper or digitally by using 2D storyboarding programs. Some software applications even supply a stable of storyboard-specific images making it possible to quickly create shots which express the director's intent for the story. These boards tend to contain more detailed information than thumbnail storyboards and convey more of the mood for the scene. These are then presented to the project's cinematographer who achieves the director's vision.
Finally, if needed, 3D storyboards are created (called 'technical previsualization'). The advantage of 3D storyboards is they show exactly what the film camera will see using the lenses the film camera will use. The disadvantage of 3D is the amount of time it takes to build and construct the shots. 3D storyboards can be constructed using 3D animation programs or digital puppets within 3D programs. Some programs have a collection of low resolution 3D figures which can aid in the process. Some 3D applications allow cinematographers to create "technical" storyboards which are optically-correct shots and frames.
While technical storyboards can be helpful, optically-correct storyboards may limit the director's creativity. In classic motion pictures such as Orson Welles' Citizen Kane and Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest, the director created storyboards that were initially thought by cinematographers as to be impossible to film[citation needed]. Such innovative and dramatic shots had "impossible" depth of field and angles where there was "no room for the camera" - at least not until creative solutions were found to achieve the ground-breaking shots that the director had envisioned.

Screenplay :

A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. Here, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated. A play for television is known as a teleplay.

Format and style of Screenplay

The format is structured in a way that one page usually equates to one minute of screen time. In a "shooting script", each scene is numbered, and technical direction may be given. In a "spec" or a "draft" in various stages of development, the scenes are not numbered, and technical direction is at a minimum. The standard font for a screenplay is 12 point, 10 pitchCourier.
The major components are action and dialogue. The "action" is written in the present tense. The "dialogue" are the lines the characters speak. Unique to the screenplay (as opposed to a stage play) is the use of slug lines.
The format consists of two aspects:
  1. The interplay between typeface/font, line spacing and type area, from which the standard of one page of text per one minute of screen time is derived. Unlike in the United States where letter size and Courier 12 point are mandatory, Europe uniformly uses A4 as the standard paper size format (but without a uniform font requirement).
  2. The tab settings of the scene elements (dialogue, scenes headings, transitions, parentheticals, etc.), which constitute the screenplay's layout.
The style consists of a grammar that is specific to screenplays. This grammar also consists of two aspects:
  1. A prose that is manifestation-oriented, i.e. focuses largely on what is audible and what is visible on screen. This prose may only supply interpretations and explanation (deviate from the manifestation-oriented prose) if clarity would otherwise be adversely affected.
  2. Codified notation of certain technical or dramatic elements, such as scene transitions, changes in narrative perspective, sound effects, emphasis of dramatically relevant objects and characters speaking from outside a scene.

Dialogue Writing:

Writing dialogue — realistic dialogue, anyway — does not come easily to everyone. Done well, dialogue advances the story and fleshes out the characters while providing a break from straight exposition.
However, just as realistic dialogue is one of the most powerful tools at a writer's disposal, nothing pulls the reader out of a story faster than bad dialogue. It takes time to develop a good ear, but noting these simple rules and obvious pitfalls can make a huge difference.

1. Listen to How People Talk.

Having a sense of natural speech patterns is essential to good dialogue. Start to pay attention to the expressions that people use and the music of everyday conversation. This exercise asks you to do this more formally, but generally speaking it's helpful to develop your ear by paying attention to the way people talk.

2. Not Exactly like Real Speech.

But dialogue should read like real speech. How do you accomplish that? Alfred Hitchcock said that a good story was "life, with the dull parts taken out." This very much applies to dialogue. A transcription of a conversation would be completely boring to read. Edit out the filler words and unessential dialogue — that is, the dialogue that doesn't contribute to the plot in some way.

3. Don't Provide Too Much Info at Once.

It should not be obvious to the reader that they're being fed important facts. Let the story unfold naturally. You don't have to tell the reader everything up front, and you can trust him or her to remember details from earlier in the story.

4. Break Up Dialogue with Action.

Remind your reader that your characters are physical human beings by grounding their dialogue in the physical world. Physical details also help break up the words on the page: long periods of dialogue are easier for the reader's eye when broken up by description. (And vice versa, for that matter.) See the link above for examples of how this can work.

5. Don't Overdo Dialogue Tags.

Veering too much beyond "he said/she said" only draws attention to the tags — and you want the reader's attention centered on your brilliant dialogue, not your ability to think of synonyms for "said."

6. Stereotypes, Profanity, and Slang.

Be aware of falling back on stereotypes, and use profanity and slang sparingly. All of these risk distracting or alienating your reader. Anything that takes the reader out of the fictional world you're working so hard to create is not your friend. Read some examples of how to achieve the tone you want without stereotypes, profanity, and slang.

7. Read Widely.

Pay attention to why things work or don't work. Where are you taken out of the story's action? Where did you stop believing in a character? Or, alternatively, when did the character really jump off the page, and how did dialogue help accomplish that? You can start reading like a writer with the link above, or pick up an anthology and start your own list of writers to learn from.

8. Punctuate Dialogue Correctly.

The rules for punctuating dialogue can be confusing: many writers need help getting them right in the beginning. Take some time to learn the basics. A reader should get lost in your prose — not feel lost trying to follow your dialogue.

Costume selection:

The Costume Department is responsible for the design, fitting, hire, purchase, manufacture, continuity and care of all costume items on feature films. The term 'Costume' refers to the clothes that the Actors wear, and these differ enormously from production to production, ranging from contemporary urban fashion to period ball-gowns, and even wetsuits.
The Costume Department is also responsible for jewellery, footwear, corsetry, hosiery, millinery and sometimes wig-work. Costume is integral in defining the overall 'look' of the film. It provides the audience with information about the period, culture and society the Actors inhabit and, on a more subtle level, the underlying themes of the film itself.

Locations in film:

A filming location is a place where some or all of a film or television series is produced, in addition to or instead of using sets constructed on a movie studiobacklot or soundstage. For example, the television series 24 is filmed primarily on location except for some scenes which are always filmed on the same sets.
Onlocation is a term used to describe the filming on such a real site. The term is often mistakenly believed to mean that the production is being filmed on the actual location in which its story is set, but this is not necessarily the case.
Pros and Cons in Locations:
Location filming has several advantages over filming on a studio set:
  • It can be cheaper than constructing large sets
  • The illusion of reality can be stronger - it is hard to replicate real-world wear-and-tear, and architectural details
  • It sometimes allows the use of cheaper non-union labor or to bypass a work stoppage in the US. Canadian locations such as Vancouver and Toronto are known for this.
  • It sometimes allows "frozen" currency to be used. The 1968 movie Kelly's Heroeswas filmed in Yugoslavia using profits that had been made on movie exhibitions in that country but couldn't be exported.
Its disadvantages include:
  • A lack of control over the environment - passing aircraft, traffic, pedestrians, bad weather, city regulations, etc.
  • Finding a real-world location which exactly matches the requirements of the script
  • Members of the audience may be familiar with a real-world location used to double as a fictional location (such as Rumble in the Bronx inexplicably showing the mountains outside Vancouver in the background of an urban Bronx-set scene)
  • Taking a whole film crew to film on location can be extremely expensive
Location filming can provide significant economic development benefit to an area because local cast and crew use facilities such as catering and accommodation.

Blue Matte (Chroma Key):

Chroma key compositing (or chroma keying) is a technique for compositing (layering) two images together. A color range in the top layer is made transparent, revealing another image behind. The chroma keying technique is commonly used in video production and post-production. This technique is also referred to as color keying, color-separation overlay (CSO; primarily by the BBC), greenscreen, and bluescreen. It is commonly used for weather forecast broadcasts, wherein the news presenter appears to be standing in front of a large map during live televisionnewscasts, but in a television studio it is actually a large blue or green background. The meteorologist stands in front of a bluescreen, and then different weather maps are added on those parts in the image where the color is blue. If the meteorologist wears blue clothes, his clothes will be replaced with the background video. This also works for greenscreens, since blue and green are considered the colors least like skin tone.[3] This technique is also used in the entertainment industry, for example for special effects. Software is available today, such as Pinnacle Studio, which makes it possible and relatively easy for the average home computer user, to create videos using the Chromakey function and greenscreeens.

Posted by at No comments:

Television Production

Types of electronic broadcasting:

Historically, there have been several different types of electronic media broadcasting:

Production Standards:

There are 3 main analog video standards in use around the world.
PAL (Phase Alternating Line)
NTSC (National Television System Committee)
SECAM (Sequential Color with Memory)
Each standard is incompatible with the other two. Also, the equipment that demodulates the signal must be formatted for that signal.
Generally NTSC is used in North America, most of the countries in South America and Japan. PAL is the format for the UK and most European countries except France and parts of Eastern Europe which use SECAM. For example, a recording made in the France could not be played on an American VCR.
If you view video tapes that are from outside of the United States, or send videos abroad, you must first convert the tape to or from the foreign television standard.

Director:

A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic aspects, while guiding the technical crew and actors.

Responsibilities

Directors are responsible for overseeing creative aspects of a film under the film producer. They often develop the vision for a film and carry the vision out, deciding how the film should look, in other words they make their vision come to life. They are responsible for turning the script into a sequence of shots. They also direct what tone it should have and what an audience should gain from the cinematic experience. Film directors are responsible for deciding camera angles, lens effects and lighting with the help of the cinematographer, and set design with the production designer. They will often take part in hiring key crew members. They coordinate the actors' moves, or blocking, and also may be involved in the writing, financing, and editing of a film.
The director works closely with the cast and crew to shape the film. Some like to conduct rigorous rehearsals in preproduction while others do so before each scene. In either case, this process is essential as it tells the director as well as other key members of the crew (director of photography, stuntchoreographer, hair stylist, etc.), how the actors are going to play the scene, which enables them to make any necessary adjustments. Directors often use storyboards to illustrate sequences and concepts, and a director's viewfinder to set up camera angles.
The director also plays a key role in post-production. He or she works with the editor to ensure that the emotions of the scene and the close ups, mid shots and wide or long shots appropriately reflect which character is driving the narrative. The director also advises on the (color) grading of the final images, adding warmth or frigidity to the composition of the shots to reflect the emotional subtext of the character or environment. The director will sometimes participate in the sound mix and musical composition of the film.

Art director:

The art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design. The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games.

Art director general role:

Various artists may create or develop specific parts of an art piece or scene; but it is the charge of a sole art director to unify the vision. In particular, the art director is in charge of the overall visual appearance and how it communicates visually, stimulates moods, contrasts features, and psychologically appeals to a target audience. The art director makes decisions about visual elements used, what artistic style to use, and when to use motion.
One of the most difficult problems that art directors face is to translate desired moods, messages, concepts, and underdeveloped ideas into imagery. During the brainstorming process, art directors, coworkers, and clients are engaged in imagining what the finished piece or scene might look like. At times, an art director is ultimately responsible for solidifying the vision of the collective imagination while resolving conflicting agendas and inconsistencies between the various individual inputs.

In film

An art director, in the hierarchical structure of a film art department, works directly below the production designer, in collaboration with the set decorator, and above the set designers. A large part of their duties include the administrative aspects of the art department. They are responsible for assigning tasks to personnel such as The Art Department Coordinator, and the Leadman, keeping track of the art department budget and scheduling (i.e. Prep/Wrap Schedule, as well as overall quality control. They are often also a liaison to other departments; especially the construction, Special FX, Property, Transportation (graphics) department, and Locations Dept. The Art Director also attends all Production Meetings and Tech Scouts in order to provide information to the Set Designers in preparation for all Departments to have a visual floorplan of each location visited. In the past, the art director title was used to denote the head of the art department (hence the Academy Award for Best Art Direction). On the movie Gone with the Wind, David O. Selznick felt that William Cameron Menzies had such a significant role in the look of the film, that the title Art Director was not sufficient, and so he gave Menzies the title of Production Designer.[2] The title has become more common, and now Production Designer is commonly used as the title for the head of the Art Department, although the title actually implies control over every visual aspect of a film, including costumes.

Floor Management:

A floor manager is responsible for managing the studio floor - that is, where the cameras, sets and talent operate. He or she is the link between the studio and the control room (where the director and other technical staff operate).
Is also the assistant to the director and production staff during the rehearsal and broadcast period and needs to be able to adapt to the needs of each production
The responsibilities are diverse:
• Distributes all the various bits of information pertaining to the production • Checks that the floor is clear and safe for the performance required • Checks that any scenery or set piece is ready to be used as required • Turns on the appropriate lights • Gives announcements to staff and audience • Helps to maintain the set quiet and in order • Calls cues to begin the action • Prompts talents as required • Reminds talents about scheduled interviews, set changes or changes to the schedule • insures that people are where they need to be at the appropriate time, prompting when talents are off-book and need a line, takes line notes and calls breaks when appropriate • Places and removes all tape from the stage’s floor • Unlocks or locks set's doors

Production management:

Production is generally not considered a department as such, but rather as a series of functional groups. These include the front office staff such as the Production Manager, the Production Coordinator, and their assistants; the accounting staff; the various Assistant Directors; and sometimes the Locations Manager and their assistants. The Director is considered to be a separate entity, not within the departmental structure.
·      Producer
A Film Producer creates the conditions for making movies. The Producer initiates, coordinates, supervises, and controls matters such as raising funding, hiring key personnel, and arranging for distributors. The producer is involved throughout all phases of the film making process from development to completion of a project.
·      Executive Producer
An Executive Producer (EP) is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making process, but who is still responsible for the overall production. Typically an executive producer handles business and legal issues.
·      Line Producer
The Line Producer is the liaison between the Studio or Producer and the Production Manager.
·      Production Manager
The Production Manager supervises the physical aspects of the production (not the creative aspects) including personnel, technology, budget, and scheduling. It is the Production Manager's responsibility to make sure the filming stays on schedule and within its budget. The PM also helps manage the day-to-day budget by managing operating costs such as salaries, production costs, and everyday equipment rental costs. The PM often works under the supervision of a Line Producer and directly supervises the Production Coordinator.
·      Unit Manager
The Unit Manager fulfills the same role as the production manager but for secondary "unit" shooting. In some functional structures, the Unit Manager subsumes the role of the Transport Coordinator.
The Production Coordinator is the information nexus of the production, responsible for organizing all the logistics from hiring crew, renting equipment, and booking talent. The PC is an integral part of film production.
·      Post-production Supervisor
Post-production Supervisors are responsible for the post-production process, during which they maintain clarity of information and good channels of communication between the Producer, Editor, Supervising Sound Editor, the Facilities Companies (such as film labs, CGI studios and Negative Cutters) and the Production Accountant. Although this is not a creative role, it is pivotal in ensuring that the film's post-production budget is manageable and achievable, and that all deadlines are met. Because large amounts of money are involved, and most of a film's budget is spent during production, the post-production period can often be difficult and challenging.
·      Production Assistant
Production Assistants, referred to as PAs, assist in the production office or in various departments with general tasks, such as assisting the First Assistant Director with set operations.
·      Screenwriter
The Screenwriter, or Scriptwriter, may pitch a finished script to potential Producers, or may write a script under contract to a Producer. A Writer may be involved, to varied degrees, with creative aspects of production.
·      Script Supervisor
Also known as the continuity person, the Script Supervisor keeps track of what parts of the script have been filmed and makes notes of any deviations between what was actually filmed and what appeared in the script. They make notes on every shot, and keep track of props, blocking, and other details to ensure continuity from shot to shot and scene to scene. The Script Supervisor's notes are given to the Editor to expedite the editing process. The Script Supervisor works very closely with the Director on set.
·      Stunt Coordinator
Where the film requires a stunt, and involves the use of stunt performers, the Stunt Coordinator will arrange the casting and performance of the stunt, working closely with the Director.
·      Casting Director
The Casting Director chooses the Actors for the characters of the film. This usually involves by inviting potential Actors to read an excerpt from the script for an audition.

Budget Preparation:

Film budgeting refers to the process by which a line producer, unit production manager or filmmaker prepares a budget for a film production. This document, which could be over 150 pages long, is used to secure financing for the film and lead to pre-production and production of the film. Multiple drafts of the budget may be required to whittle down costs. A budget is typically divided into four sections: above the line (filmmaking) (creative talent), below the line (filmmaking) (direct production costs), post-production (editing, visual effects, etc), and other (insurance, completion bond, etc).

Elements in Budget Preparation:


  • Story rights: The right to produce a film based on a play, novel, video game or as a remake or sequel can cost anything from a couple of thousand (Leaving Las Vegas) to over $10 million (the video game Halo). An original screenplay by a Writers Guild of America member costs from a minimum of around $50,000 (Quentin Tarantino'sTrue Romance) to $5 million (M. Night Shyamalan'sUnbreakable).
  • Screenplay:An A-list screenwriter can be paid $1 million to write the first three drafts of a script, with a further $1 to $2 million sole credit bonus. Once the story has been agreed upon and the script locked, script doctors may be called upon to revise the final draft at $100,000 to $200,000 a week. Recently, Columbia Pictures has been offering the best screenwriters 2 percent of the gross profits (after the production and marketing budget has been deducted). Typically the development of a script consumes 5 percent of a film's budget.
  • Producers:Film producers and executive producers are often well-paid, with a top producer earning a seven-figure salary upfront as well as bonuses and a share of the profits. (Often a producer will be given 40 percent of the net profits). For Spider-Man, producer Laura Ziskin is estimated to have been paid over $30 million.
  • Director: The DGA minimum is about $14,000 a week, for a minimum of ten weeks' work. An A-list film director can command $5 to $10 million a film. Traditionally, a director's salary is about 7 percent of the final budget.
  • Cast:An A-list actor can ask for anything from $10 million to $30 million, plus $3 million in perks (trailer, entourage, etc.) and 10-20 percent of the gross profits. The rest of the cast, by comparison, can often come out much worse with many being paid the Screen Actors Guild minimum (as low as $100/day on an Ultra-Low Budget film). Sometimes an actor will accept a minimal fee in exchange for a more lucrative share of the profits. Union extras are paid around $130 per day (plus extra for overtime or if they provide their own wardrobe) but on a low-budget film non-union extras are paid less, sometimes nothing at all.
  • Production costs: The cost of actually shooting the film including sets, wardrobe, location filming, hotels and transportation. The most prestigious productions will often employ the most successful, and therefore most expensive, crew, with the director of photography usually the highest paid at about $500,000 to $1 million. Shooting costs could easily amount to $500,000 a day for 100 days.
  • Visual effects: Employing a hundred employees of Industrial Light and Magic for over a year can turn a big-budget film into a mega-budget film. Computer-generated imagery (CGI) work in post-production can be expensive; such work on The Hulk is estimated to have cost $100 million.
  • Music: The top film composers can ask for a seven-figure salary to compose an hour or so of original film score.
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)