What advice would you give someone planning to shoot a short scene in 1.5 months?

What advice would you give someone planning to shoot a short scene in 5 weeks?

What areas would you tell them to focus on the most? The script? The camera work? the hands on stuff? What should be nailed before moving on?

How many hours each day (of planning, etc) would you say is a must if they wanted this scene to look as good as possible?
 
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You should focus on... everything.
Don't leave anything to chance. You need to know how everything will work. Anything that can go wrong, will.

There isn't really any answer one can give here, unless you're asking about a workflow?

In which case, that changes project to project.

If it were me, I'd want the script to be pretty close to locked in. I'd make sure I had all my locations locked in, and that everything planned for those locations could work. Then I'd start finding cast and crew. Personally, I like to have a fair bit of time with all personal so we get to know eachother. Do read-throughs with the actors to see if any small things need to be tweaked. Simultaneously, you're talking with your DoP, sound folk, set designers, etc. Figuring out how exactly you'll shoot it. Sound folk should go through with you, so they can voice any concerns they have about how sound will be recorded (and processed in post) - maybe they'll have suggestions to make things a little more interesting from a sound design perspective (though ideally, you'd have talked to sound people in the script development stage, so you'd have that incorporated already). It all kind of happens at once, for me at least. In an ideal world, when everyone gets on set, they should know exactly what they're doing, what order things will happen in, how long it'll take, etc. Because they'll be so well prepared.
 
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Thanks, yeah I pretty much need a good work flow. Me and my brother are writing the scene, doing the camera angles and directing it. We plan on hiring a sound guy and a lighting guy.

The script is 75% done (might need to replace some dialogue lines). So right now I'm investing my time watching the TV show that I want this scene to look like the most. Just to absorb their camera techniques and movement.

I really want to have this scene shot in 5 weeks so if you have any tips on how to invest my time wisely each day that would be great because I dont think I'm investing enough right now. (right now I plan on having the script and storyboard finalized 1 week from now.
 
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What areas would you focus on the most?

As a filmmaker, you should focus most on YOUR TEAM. They're the ones who will bring your vision to light. Give them what they need to accomplish their jobs and get out of their way and let them do their jobs.

I really want to have this scene shot in 5 weeks so if you have any tips on how to invest my time wisely

Get a great First AD. Do what they tell you to do, and when.

All the answers change depending on what you're trying to accomplish and where you are in your experience, what you do, what you can do etc. etc.
 
Its going to be a 5 minute scene in a graveyard (fake tombstones, fog). There will be 2 locations.

The final crew I plan on having is:

me and my brother as director, camera guy, script writer and camera angles.
cousin as grip
lighting guy off craigslist
sound guy off craigslist
2 actors

I dont think I'll have a first AD but maybe I can get some guy I used to make videos with to be the guy that does the business stuff (talking to people for locations, permits etc because I suck at it and might get owned).
 
I would focus on a lot of the areas you aren't thinking about.

Do you have power? A generator? You going to have the lighting guy do the fog machine?

Obviously, it starts with a script. A good script. Make that, then revise it until you're really happy.

Then bounce the script off a director friend, and see how he would storyboard/shoot it. You might get some different ideas.

Then make your shooting script the way you want the story told, and have your actors start learning their lines and the feelings you want them to convey. Break down your shooting script into angles, A/B cameras, closeups, lighting, etc. This will help you figure out what else you might need, such as props or effects.

You would also really benefit from a sound designer... that's not the sound guy who is capturing the actors, but the guy that's adding in all the effects and making the overall picture feel like you want it to, even if your eyes were closed while it was playing.

Get a good editor, too. That's the one that really makes things come together.
 
maybe I can get some guy I used to make videos with to be the guy that does the business stuff (talking to people for locations, permits etc because I suck at it and might get owned).
Getting a permit isn't like buying a used car – you cannot
“get owned”. It isn't a negotiation. You fill out the paperwork,
you prove you have met all the requirements, you pay the fee.

You may not even need a permit. so the only way you "might
get owned" is if you don't do your research. My advice to a
someone planning to shoot a short is to stop watching the TV
show they want the scene to look like and make sure all the
logistics are in place.
 
Ok I started listing the priorities that need to be done asap. So far I have location and actors. The actors will probably be from 14 - 18. I'm going to need one of them to run and falldown and pulled back with a rope (around the feet). Will I need a stunt person for the falling down? Thx
 
You will want a film release signed by both 14 yo actor and a parent. As far as falling, no idea. Often you can do something from angles that make it clear what happened, but hide the lack of impact.
 
How old are you, Nick?

I'm sure much of your concern is because you live in a very different
world than I did when I was starting out. Ahh, the stuff we did making
movies. Never a thought of stunt people when we shot fight scenes,
jumped off a 20ft pier into the ocean, rolled down 50ft embankments,
yanked kids off bicycles with ropes, pretended to get hit by cars...

All from the ages of 13 to 23/24.

Is the actor comfortable falling down? Then let him fall down. Is the actor
comfortable with you dragging him by the feet for a few feet? Then drag
him. If he's not, then don't do it.

Do you need a permit for the location?
 
I just turned 23 (I went to a film school for game design when I was 18, I had to take a "foundation" course first and at the end of the course I decided learn film making instead of game design. I never took their real film course, I just had an introduction to film making). I was way more worried about the technical skills of making the scene look good but I didn't realize that organizing everything was half of it.

I just did research on the filming in parks in this city (I temporarily just moved to Vancouver, BC last month)

and it looks like I can get the permits and licenses to film in a park in 2 weeks.

The first part of the script is supposed to be a graveyard. I need to dig a hole so I'm planning on paying someone out of the city to use their property and building the set with fake tombstones, a fog machine and maybe a fence in the background.
 
What I'd suggest is to get on to some other productions. Volunteer as a PA to work beside a producer in Pre Production. Then as a Producers assistant during production. You'll learn a lot of what you need to know from someone elses experience, instead of learning from the world of hard knocks on your own dime.
 
I made a list of priorities and put them in 2 categories, I'm going to try to fit them in a schedule, if you guys can think of any more to add, thx.

Technical

-Script (Needs to flow smoothly).
-Storyboards (Need best angles and movement possible).
-Practice camera work and equipment setup (Go through shot list and storyboards, get proper framing/distance)
-Practice rehearsing scene and stunts (falling down, dragged with rope, digging and removing trunk, moving bushes).
-Practice the basic angles
-Plan for practicing the more technical angles.
-Practice the technical angles.



Production

-Locations (Pay someone to use property, permits for park (need 3 weeks notice).
-Actors (Need time to memorize script, need their availability/sign releases).
-Lighting (lighting for night, moonlight, generator).
-Sound (needs to check location).
-Set/props (tombstones, fog machine, need to contact vancouverproprental).
-Equipment (gimbal, black magic, need proper tripod).


Extras

-Need extra batteries, memory cards.
-Need extension cords.
-Need to rent van.
 
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What I'd suggest is to get on to some other productions. Volunteer as a PA to work beside a producer in Pre Production. Then as a Producers assistant during production. You'll learn a lot of what you need to know from someone elses experience, instead of learning from the world of hard knocks on your own dime.

yeah that is a good idea. Me and my brother have had this scene idea for 4 or 5 years now so we want to finally give it a shot and see how it goes.
 
Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Get as much experience as you can prior.

The script is critical. Most movies fail because the scripts are weak.

Do lots of prep work, storyboard. Have the locations/sets checked out for visuals, sound issues etc. Take lots of test video and audio shots.
 
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