internet filmmaker's faq

To answer this question, the easiest answer I can give is to shoot all the scenes that happen in one location, all at once. It doesn't make sense to have to keep returning to a location every few scenes. (Not to mention that your relationship with the owners of the location can become extremely strained unless you’re forking out a boat load of money).

The first thing you have to realize is that setting up a shooting schedule can be extremely complex; However, as with everything else, this gets easier with time and experience. The assumption that there are a certain number of pages that you should shoot per day is bogus. The shoot time is determined by a number of factors, the main ones being budget and location time. If you only have a day to shoot your scenes, then you may have to make sacrifices or find a new location.

The key is to use your time wisely. If you have a location that has granted you a certain time period for your shoot, then you would want to get the shot list set for that particular location. Make sure that when you get permission (and as a rule, always get permission), that you are as honest as possible with the location's owner. Too many productions have been shut down because the owner was told three hours and the shoot was not going as planned and ended up going over. Only bad stuff can come of this. Give yourself plenty of room for errors and delays. It is better to finish ahead of schedule than go drastically over. But also be aware that it is a balance, you don't want to lose a location because you told the owner it would take all day to shoot a simple two person dinner scene. Use your best judgment and be realistic.

For Exterior locations, always be prepared for weather and outside factors (i.e. passers by, animals, and changes in terrain). Weather is an ever looming issue that has plagued film sets since the beginning, just be prepared. As far as the outside factors, locations can change, drastically sometimes, between the time you scouted the location and the time you start shooting. Be aware of this and have a backup schedule.

As far as the shot list itself, first you have to assess whether the scene is going to need to be choreographed. Do you want the actors to hit specific marks? If you do, then you need to rehearse that with your actors. Once you have rehearsed the scene and your actors have their marks then you can move on to the actual shoot. Generally you would begin with a master shot (A shot that encompasses the majority of the action within the frame). Then you would work your way closer to each subject, shooting the medium, over the shoulder shots. Then you would begin moving in for your close-ups. This allows you to wrap your actors first so that you can shoot the "cut aways" (Shots that usually do not involve your actors). Now that is the basics, as always, it depends on the shots and on the availability of actors, crew and locations. Remember that it is not uncommon to adjust your shot list to accommodate the other factors within the scheduling process.

There are some great scheduling programs out there like, "Gorilla: Scheduling" or "Movie Magic's EP Scheduling" but they are usually expensive. With a little more work and patience, you can get what you need from an Excel spreadsheet. Microsoft Project is also not bad to use and is somewhat cheaper.

Also, remember, if you are hiring union crew and actors, be aware of the regulations regarding work time. There are strict guidelines that regulate the hours worked. Be aware of the laws and regulations and try to rationalize the easiest possible route towards your goal.

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