Checklist before you hit the red button

8salacious9

8salacious9

So I was wondering what is your checklist before you shoot.

So for video for example :

1. Framing
2. Exposure
3. White balance

Etc

Audio

1. Gain level
2. Mic check
3. Boom positioning etc

I just want to make a checklist for some beginners so it would be good to see what others do.
 
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Here's the one we've used for years:

Y.A.F.I.:Underground - Camera Side Checklist

Actors and Director:
-This is all done on the set with the DP and crew taking notes...they will use this to set up the shot
-Readthrough
-Block

DP and Crew:
-Use stand-ins/PA's while the director goes over the scene with the actors
-Props
-Lights
-Framing
-Adjust Focus
-Adjust Polarizer (yes, even indoors I use them)
-Check for glare from the lights
-Check frame for extraneous contents (mic stands, exposed logos, people's feet)

All Together Now:
-Adjust Exposure
-Check Focus
-Check Sound Level
-Recheck Focus
-Quiet Please!
-Rolling sound (if separate)
-Announce shot for audio
-Rolling Cameras
-Slate
-Background!
-Action!
--... (listen for sounds other than what the actors are supposed to be making)
-Cut!
-Lather
-Rinse
-Repeat
 
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For doco or videography work, perhaps 'run n gun' situations, you'd be looking to expose by eye, often with zebra or false colour. You're probably focussing by eye, and just getting what you can. Most important is WB, exposure and focus, as well as audio if you're running single system.

From a narrative perspective, it can be very different. It can also depend on the way the Director and I like to work. Sometimes the Director likes to run through the blocking before I light, often I'll have at least base lighting done when I see the blocking and I can tweak for their action and the shot. My Focus Puller will lay marks (or not, if he's not using them), and will have already set up the camera for me. I generally light to a stop, and so I've got my light meter around with me. I'll set the stop on the camera and have a look and will have already asked for any filters. After that, we run through t he scenes a couple of times so I can get the specific framing and then it's time to shoot. Often my Focus Puller will even press record for me. It's the Focus Puller's job to be doing the quadruple-checking, not the DPs ;)
 
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wow thats really good, i think you lot are lucky enough to have that many people with you, for my film theres gonna be me on camera.. then one other person for sound..

i could probably get one more person in but gonna be difficult, i guess the level of professionalism really shows off as you have bigger teams etc..

i shall start making these into lists.

for me heres what i would do with my 2 man team..

me:
- check actors positioning
- check framing
- check focus
- adjust white balance and exposure
- check my frame rate incase i left it on something else
- check story board
Sound man:
- get boom just out of frame
- adjust levels and settings
- record background noise
- prepare to record

me:

- Shout Rolling......ACTION, dont have a clapperboard but tempted by an ipad app that has one

watch actors with evil eye on camera

re-do scene with camera in different angle...

the perks of a 2 man team with one camera :)
 
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knightly said:
Here's the one we've used for years:

Y.A.F.I.:Underground - Camera Side Checklist

Actors and Director:
-This is all done on the set with the DP and crew taking notes...they will use this to set up the shot
-Readthrough
-Block

DP and Crew:
-Use stand-ins/PA's while the director goes over the scene with the actors
-Props
-Lights
-Framing
-Adjust Focus
-Adjust Polarizer (yes, even indoors I use them)
-Check for glare from the lights
-Check frame for extraneous contents (mic stands, exposed logos, people's feet)

All Together Now:
-Adjust Exposure
-Check Focus
-Check Sound Level
-Recheck Focus
-Quiet Please!
-Rolling sound (if separate)
-Announce shot for audio
-Rolling Cameras
-Slate
-Background!
-Action!
--... (listen for sounds other than what the actors are supposed to be making)
-Cut!
-Lather
-Rinse
-Repeat
Click to expand...

This is good. Thanks, I'm going to use it.
 
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We built this up slowly as we continued to make the same mistakes over and over... then printed it out and laminated it and taped it to the tripod leg. Problems went away.
 
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Iv come across another problem, hygiene, seems some are unaware they may pong a bit, on the days of shooting I'm thinking of requiring all actors to take a wash at my house on each day of shooting (2 days) and I have 4 actors.. Trying to think of a subtle way to express it even though its only one individual that whiffs a bit...
 
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