Planning a plan on how to properly plan

[pepper jack]

Well I wrote a blog post on my website talking about how I am planning now on how to properly plan for my upcoming films. Here is the link for it, I will copy paste the main parts for it into here but just in case you wanna check it out. http://clickityclow.com/blogposts/planning-a-plan-on-how-to-properly-plan/

I want to get your guys thoughts on my 'plan' and maybe if there's anything else I can do in addition to the things I line out. I want to be as efficient as possible when it comes to the time I put into my films.

I want to basically know exactly what my film will look like before we even go out and shoot. I don’t know if I am at the point of story boards and what not but at least having a realistic picture in my mind of what my film will really look like. I’m thinking my workflow will be something along the lines of this (keep in mind this is only for the planning stages): Write down small ideas I get while roaming around every day. Brainstorm upon those little ideas with writing partner or by myself and expand upon them. Figure out how those expanded ideas would really translate onto the screen, which I can do by figuring out realistic locations that will be used for those ideas and go scout them intensively. The point would be to really get a picture of how the script or ideas will translate, probably even take out a camera with me and take pictures and what not. Finally I’ll write out a rough script and then upgrade that to a formatted screenplay. Then once shooting is actually getting closer and realistic for that script, I’ll write out an actual lighting and shooting script to help out shooting to be more efficient.

A couple things I’ve hated while filming are feeling like things are dragging on and that I’m wasting people’s time. Luckily they have all been small projects so even if we were inefficient it really only cost us a few hours over a span of a couple days. Also I want to have a realistic idea of what my film will look like before it’s shot because when I finish editing I am sometimes disappointed. Maybe disappointed isn’t the best word but it doesn't exactly fit the vision I had. Which isn’t bad, hell I feel happy just actually getting something out there that has some quality to it but I want to know exactly what I’m getting into before I start.

 

[Zensteve]

I don’t know if I am at the point of story boards and what not but at least having a realistic picture in my mind of what my film will really look like

Storyboards & animatics aren't there for you, so much. It's the dept heads (and everyone else) who can't see inside your brain who benefit the most.

things I’ve hated while filming are feeling like things are dragging on and that I’m wasting people’s time

Quality takes time, my friend.

Also, I think SonnyBoo sums it up quite nicely:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7Rq4EPkLCI

 

[AudioPostExpert]

I want to basically know exactly what my film will look like before we even go out and shoot. I don’t know if I am at the point of story boards and what not but at least having a realistic picture in my mind of what my film will really look like.

I take it you're planning on making a silent film?

G

 

[pepper jack]

Storyboards & animatics aren't there for you, so much. It's the dept heads (and everyone else) who can't see inside your brain who benefit the most.

Yeah right now my crew is so small that it isn't necessary, basically only have one guy doing sound stuff and another guy working the camera. As well as the main two of us that write and direct the whole thing and we are both involved in the whole writing process and what not. Still would probably be good practice.

And APE, I do not plan on only making silent films hahaha.. What do you suggest to do for planning out sound? When I am out location scouting, as I am picturing the whole thing should I think of sounds while doing it, then write it down? I don't really know what else I can do to plan out sounds too much.

 

[AudioPostExpert]

What do you suggest to do for planning out sound? When I am out location scouting, as I am picturing the whole thing should I think of sounds while doing it, then write it down? I don't really know what else I can do to plan out sounds too much.

There are two aspects to consider when planning for sound: The technical aspect of recording clean dialogue, can the air con and electrical appliances be turned off while filming, is the location near a flight path or other source of noise which could render your production dialogue unusable? The other aspect of sound is the artistic side, how you are going to plan for and use sound design as a story telling tool. This aspect is covered in quite a bit of detail in the thread The Principles of Sound Design and continues with an IndieTalk member's example in HOMEWORK: Principles of Sound Design.

G

 

[pepper jack]

Yeah I've seen your thread around and really been wanting to go through the whole thing from start to finish. I haven't really had the time or dedication lately though. I will get to it before my next project though

 

[Sweetie]

Having a plan in place isn't as handy if you don't have a way to communicate those ideas in the most efficient form possible.

If it is all inside your hear, then everyone on set will be waiting for you to issue orders instead of them already doing their job, having being able to be prepared, making sure the right equipment, cast and crew are present.

Film making is a team effort. If you do it as a one man show, it is fine to have it in your head. When you bring others in, you really need to collaborate with them. You need to help them help capture your vision. This is partially why pre production is so important.

 

[rayw]

In reading over your blog post I note the frequency with which you seek to have absolute control.

"I want to basically know exactly what my film will look like before we even go out and shoot.
... at least having a realistic picture in my mind of what my film will really look like.
... The point would be to really get a picture of how the script or ideas will translate,
... Then once shooting is actually getting closer and realistic for that script, I’ll write out an actual lighting and shooting script to help out shooting to be more efficient.
I want to have a realistic idea of what my film will look like before it’s shot because when I finish editing I am sometimes disappointed. Maybe disappointed isn’t the best word but it doesn’t exactly fit the vision I had.
... but I want to know exactly what I’m getting into before I start.'​

You might wanna consider finding that acceptable compromise position between making "exactly" the film you have in your mind and making the film with available resources - short of being a complete POS.

Read post #14: http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?t=44510
This Creep Creepersin character just simply doesn't givadam about what he's shooting.
He's getting it done - BUT - it looks like cr@p.
What's better? A. to have a great film never made, or B. to have a bunch of cr@ppy films made?
I'll shoot for a compromise between the two.

Make your life simple.
You're not gonna get anything exactly like you planned.

Ever watch the DVD extras about deleted scenes?
<rhetorical> What are those? Things that were scripted, producer approved for funding, shot, edited AND STILL NEVER MADE IT TO THE RELEASE!

Chill.
You'll live longer.

 

[AudioPostExpert]

To echo in a sense what rayw has said: In my experience directors never have an exact vision of what the finish product will be! They may have an exact vision of particular aspects, like the lighting or acting, music or sound for particular scenes and a good or very good idea of how these elements and the scenes will combine in the finished product but they don't know exactly what it will look/sound like. In practise film is both a collaborative and an evolutionary endeavour!

Most good directors treat production not as the phase where the film is made but as the phase in which the raw ingredients are collected. It's in post production where the film is actually made, where the right amounts of the ingredients are mixed in the right order and the cake is baked! What follows from this approach to filmmaking is the consideration of providing raw ingredients which allow options during editing (both picture and sound).

G

 

[pepper jack]

You might wanna consider finding that acceptable compromise position between making "exactly" the film you have in your mind and making the film with available resources - short of being a complete POS.

Yeah you're definitely right and I agree with you, I think in my blog I made it seem as if I wanted to have a picture and make it exactly that. What I really want is to be able to plan according to the available resources I have, like you suggested finding that compromise. Because what I've found before is I'd have my plan/script and we would go out to shoot and I'd come back and edit and it's completely different from what I thought. So I want to be able to go out and get an idea and plan better so that at the end I get what I am expecting to a certain degree. I don't think anything will ever be exactly as I picture but I'd like to get a better idea beforehand.

APE I like that analogy, it does really help me picture the whole scheme of things a bit better. Pre-production is like making the recipe, Production is getting all the ingredients from the recipe together, then finally the Editing is baking the cake.

 

[dlevanchuk]

Because what I've found before is I'd have my plan/script and we would go out to shoot and I'd come back and edit and it's completely different from what I thought.

And thats the reason why big studio movies spend so much money - to have a TOTAL and ABSOLUTE control over everything.