Advice on production of 25 minute short

S

Steamthrower

Hello folks.

I was a member here years ago but dropped off my attendance. You guys are pretty helpful so maybe you can give me some tips on what to expect for my newest project.

Some background on me. I'm a visual effects guy with about two years experience in the field. At the moment I'm a working at a local TV station, but in the past I've done some VFX work for some small studios and done a fair amount of broadcast shorts and graphics. I'm taking classes both here in Arkansas and out in LA in order to obtain my degree. Right now I'm in the final stages of pre-production of a short that we're wanting to film this fall.

And, some background on the project. So far everything has gone very well. The scripting has gone well. Funding has been accounted for. We have approximately half a dozen crew, plus talent lined up. We've got the use of an extensive equipment base...dollies, jibs, professional HD cameras, steadicams, light kits, audio system, the works. I'm confident in the skills of the crew.

Basically...everything is perfect! Except it's not going to be, and this is where you guys come in. This is my largest project yet, and I am naturally extremely concerned about it. I'm a perfectionist and a realist, so I'm not expecting total smoothness. So basically...what will go wrong?

The film is an approximately 25m action short, set in a post apocalyptic Midwestern small town. More drama than action. We've got about 6 VFX shots, but since that's my area of expertise it's the least of my worries.

What problems should I expect? What all-round good advice do you veterans have?

Thanks,
Gil
 
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The key to any successful project is preproduction.

Okay, you've got the script. How about the shooting script and storyboards? You've got "approximately half a dozen crew, plus talent lined up". Have/will you involve them extensively in the preproduction process?

I don't mean to be didactic or condescending, but your job is to be the leader. You need to have a very clear vision of what you want to accomplish and then be able to communicate it precisely with your talent and crew. Have lots of table discussions, walk-through/talk-throughs, etc. to keep them involved and interested. You need to work out your budget thoroughly from pre- through post and have a small reserve budget (and a plan "B") to handle the emergencies that always come up no matter how carefully you plan. Make sure that you take good care of your talent and crew; happy people work harder and hang in there longer. Also, make sure that all of your paperwork is in order - contracts, permits, releases, etc.
 
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Agree with Alcove, no such thing as too much pre-production. Plan for every possible contingency, make checklists and review them. Every prop, every costume, every piece of gear, assemble a grip kit with stuff like a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, 3 prong to 2 prong plug adapters, police tape, gaffer tape, etc... make another checklist and check it off, review the schedule again to make sure each day has enough, but not too much, etc..., etc...

I also agree you are the leader. It is YOUR sheer force of will that will drive it forward when the going gets tough. Prepare yourself mentally for it.
 
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This kinda goes along with what alcove and gonzo said, but I personally would double and triple check your safety measures if you are doing action. Even on things as simple as running, there are a lot of ways for people to end up hurt... You've probably thought of any obvious dangers, but I would also think about any non-obvious even completely unlike dangers and prepare for those as well. Like, an alien spaceship almost certainly won't drop a cow on your lead's head, but if they do gosh darn you'll be ready.
 
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Thanks guys, a lot of good advice.

@H.Z., there will definitely be a couple of scenes with some action. Running through industrial junkyards, which isn't exactly what mothers advise their young children to do. A few brief gunfights, though those will mostly be eye candy and not real stunt work. I'll definitely keep that in mind, though. One of the crew is CPR certified, so I suppose that + first aid kit + common sense is about all I can do for such a small framed project.

@Alcove, you're right on as well. Planning's the most boring part of it all, but it's essential. I've been getting a lot of positive feedback from those involved with it so far, so things are going pretty smoothly. The script is just about set in concrete, but the storyboards are a WIP. I truly doubt we are going to be able to storyboard each and every shot...time and scope limitations and all.

@Gonzo, that's where a project always seems to get messed up. No matter how long a list of items I have, I'll always forget something. With my luck I'll have the gels and the gaffer tape and the pizza, but will forget the Firestore and the DV tapes. That's life.


Now for a question in a different direction. We've pretty much nailed down the feel of the movie, and have gone out and shot some test scenes to get it down right. We're going to shoot for a documentary feel, with a lot of handheld camera moves, but balanced with some locked down and jib/dolly mounts. Not Cloverfield/Blair Witch at all...more like Children of Men or The Office if you get my vibe. This is going to be a hard one to pull off, but I think we can do it.

As far as color grading goes (cliched but essential) I was originally going to solely color it in Apple Color, or Shake. That's just because I'm a software guy and have had the experience. But I'm wanting to approach this in a completely different way. There is an extended flashback to pre-apocalypse times, in which everything is happy and cheery.

I'm wanting to use physical filters to achieve different looks instead of purely software fixes. What would your recommendations or brainstorms be for an amber-hued, hot and glowy feel? I've got about 30 different filters directly on hand, everything from standard ND to filters that make blood fluoresce under UV light.
 
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Things always go wrong.

The best thing I suggest besides what the others have said is get a great AD.

When problems come up, you need to know how to quickly solve them or get around them, and a good AD will be able to help you with that.

Do as much pre-prod. as you can, and hope for the best, then solve the rest.

as for the gel question, I'm not a gaffer or DP, so I wont be able to give you the best answer.
 
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Steamthrower said:
I truly doubt we are going to be able to storyboard each and every shot...time and scope limitations and all.
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You don't have to storyboard every last detail like the scenes between two characters talking in a bar booth, but storyboarding all of the action scenes is a must. These are the most complex, time consuming and expensive shots of your project. Instead of explaining them to everyone they look at the storyboard and - pardon the puns - says "OH! I see!"; everyone is now on the same page.
 
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