The Power Filmmaking Kit

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2 The Power Filmmaking Kit Make Your Professional Movie on a Next-to-Nothing Budget Jason J. Tomaric AMSTERDAM BOSTON HEIDELBERG LONDON NEW YORK OXFORD PARIS SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO SINGAPORE SYDNEY TOKYO Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier

3 Acquisitions Editor: Elinor Actipis Associate Acquisitions Editor: Michele Cronin Publishing Services Manager: George Morrison Project Manager: Mónica González de Mendoza Assistant Editor: Robin Weston Marketing Manager: Rebecca Pease Cover Design: Joanne Blank Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier 30 Corporate Drive, Suite 400, Burlington, MA 01803, USA Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP, UK Copyright 2008, Jason J. Tomaric. Published by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier s Science & Technology Rights Department in Oxford, UK: phone: (+44) , fax: (+44) , permissions@ elsevier.co.uk. You may also complete your request online via the Elsevier homepage ( by selecting Customer Support and then Obtaining Permissions. Recognizing the importance of preserving what has been written, Elsevier prints its books on acid-free paper whenever possible. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Tomaric, Jason. The power filmmaking kit : make your professional movie on a next-to-nothing budget / Jason Tomaric. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Motion pictures Production and direction. 2. Low budget motion pictures. I. Title. PN P7T dc British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN: For information on all Focal Press publications visit our website at Printed in the United States of America Working together to grow libraries in developing countries

4 UNIT 1 DEVELOPMENT 1 Timeline 1 Chapter 1: The Script 3 Introduction 3 Writing Your Own Script 4 Developing the Idea 4 Setting up Your Space 7 Developing a Premise 7 Step 1: Fiction or Nonfiction 7 Step 2: Genre 8 Step 3: Format 8 Step 4: Plot Type 10 Optioning Material 10 Working with a Writer 11 Story Structure 12 The A Plot 12 Act 1 12 Act 2 13 Turning Point 14 Act 3 14 Subplots 15 The gasp moments 16 Writing a script 16 Title 18 Theme 18 Logline 18 Treatment 18 Outline 19 Script 20 Creating Characters 21 iii

5 Box: Making Original Characters 22 Activities 23 Formatting Guidelines 23 Tips for Writing Successfully 27 Box: Resources for Writers 29 Writing on a Budget 30 Rewrites 31 Protecting Your Script 32 Optioning a script 32 UNIT 2 PREPRODUCTION 34 Timeline 34 Chapter 2: Preproduction 37 Introduction 37 Setting Up an Office 39 Legal Consultations 39 Release Forms 40 Books 41 Box: Preproduction 41 iv Chapter 3: Budgeting 43 Introduction 43 Raising Money 43 Box: Business Formulas 44 Budgeting 45 Cast and Crew 49 The Business Plan 50 Forming a Company 52 Managing the Budget 54 Budget Categories 55 Chapter 4: Scheduling 61 Introduction 61 Step 1: Lining the Script 62 Step 2: Scene Breakdown Sheets 62 Step 3: Determine the Number of Shooting Days 64 Step 4: Making the Daily Schedule 68 Step 5: Finalizing the Schedule 73 Step 6: During Production 73 Contact List 73 Call Sheets 73

6 Chapter 5: Insurance 77 Introduction 77 Insurance Types 77 General Liability Insurance 77 Cast Insurance 78 Film and Video Tape Insurance 78 Equipment Insurance 78 Worker s Compensation 78 Errors and Omissions Insurance 78 What Do You Really Need? 79 Certificate of Insurance 81 Chapter 6: Locations 83 Introduction 83 Finding Locations 83 Location scouting tips 86 Box: Information and Advice for Shooting in London 87 Locations to avoid 89 Securing a Location 89 Community Relations 93 Permits 93 Working in a community 93 Activity 97 Filmmakers code of conduct 97 Film Commissions 98 During Production 102 v Chapter 7: Auditioning Actors 105 Introduction 105 Finding an Audition Space 106 Attracting Actors to the Audition 106 Box: Casting Resources 107 Working with Casting Agencies 109 How to Conduct an Audition 109 The first audition 109 Monologs 113 The second audition 113 The third audition 114 Box: Audition Warning Signs 115 Activity 116 After the Auditions 116

7 vi Chapter 8: The Crew 121 Introduction 121 Crew Positions 121 The Producers 122 The Production Department 122 The Director of Photography (DP) and the Camera Crew 124 The Grip Department 126 The Electric Department 127 The Art Department 128 The Prop Department 129 The Hair and Makeup Department 129 The Wardrobe Department 129 The Audio Department 130 The Stunts/Special Effects Department 130 The Transportation Department 130 Postproduction 131 How to Hire the Crew 131 Crew Structures 131 The Ultrasmall Crew Structure 133 The Basic Crew Structure 135 Finding Qualified Crew Members 135 Paying Crew Members 138 Money 138 Deferred Payment 139 Credit 139 Box: Contracts and Deal Memos 142 Crew Wages 142 Chapter 9: Unions and Guilds 145 Introduction 145 Screen Actors Guild 147 Student film agreement 148 Short-film agreement 148 Ultra-low-budget agreement 148 Modified low-budget agreement 148 Low-budget agreement 149 Diversity casting incentives 149 Background actor incentive 149 Writers Guild of America 150 Writers Guild Low-Budget Contract 150 IATSE (International Alliance of the Theatrical Stage Employees) 151 Directors Guild of America 152 Box: Guild and Union Contact Information 153

8 Chapter 10: Equipment 155 Introduction 155 Cameras 156 Video vs Film 156 Shooting Film 157 Film Formats 157 Buying Film 160 Film Workflow 162 Traditional postproduction 162 Digital postproduction Digital postproduction mm color production lab costs mm color production lab costs 165 Box: Benefits and Drawbacks of Shooting Film 166 Shooting Video 166 Standard Definition : 3 Aspect Ratio Interlaced Frames 168 Box: Benefits and Drawbacks of Shooting Video 168 High Definition p 169 Box: Television standards i/p 171 Camcorder Purchasing Tips 171 Camera Support 172 Lighting 175 Tungsten 176 Fluorescent 176 HMI 177 Soft boxes 177 Light Kits 178 Lighting Support 178 Gels 179 Diffusion 179 Microphones 180 What Do You Really Need? 180 Low-Budget Alternatives 181 Approaching a Rental Facility 182 Box: Vendor Contact Information 183 vii Chapter 11: Production Design 187 Introduction 187 Props 189

9 Wardrobe 190 Building Sets 192 Set Dressing 194 Creating a Time Period 196 UNIT 3 PRODUCTION 200 Timeline 200 Chapter 12: Production 203 Introduction 203 Box: Getting Ready for Production 203 A Day on Set 204 Sample Production Schedule 208 Box: Order of On-Set Commands 209 Safety 210 Organization of Shots 211 viii Chapter 13: Acting 213 Introduction 213 Tips for the Director 213 Activities 215 Tips for the Actor 216 Box: Subtext 219 Acting Techniques 220 The Stanislavsky System 220 The Meisner Technique 221 The Chekhov Technique 222 Backstory 222 Chapter 14: Directing 225 Introduction 225 Directing during Preproduction 226 Reading the Script 226 Determining Coverage 227 Storyboarding 229 Rehearsing Actors 232 Rehearsal 1 Understanding the Story 232 Rehearsal 2 Creating the Characters 237 After the Second Rehearsal 238 Rehearsal 3 Scene Specifics 238 Overrehearsing 239 Exercises during Rehearsals 240

10 Working with the Crew during Preproduction 240 Activities 242 Directing during Production 242 Blocking the Scene 243 Directing Actors 244 Directing the Subtext 246 Directing Extras 247 Balancing Acting with the Technical Tools 249 Directing the Crew 249 Directing the Camera 251 Directing Problems 253 Directing during Postproduction 254 Chapter 15: Cinematography 257 Introduction 257 Working with a Director of Photography 257 Shooting Styles 259 Dogme Cinema Verité 259 Polished 260 The roving camera 260 The Camera 260 Choosing the Lens 261 Prime Lenses 261 Zoom Lenses 261 The Five Rings of Power 262 Ring 1 Focus 262 Pulling Focus 263 Ring 2 Focal Length 265 Ring 3 The Iris: Exposure 266 Ring 4 Macro Focus 267 Ring 5 Back Focus 268 Lens Care 268 Camera Settings 269 Shutter Speed 269 Gain 270 White Balance 270 Box: Color Temperatures 271 Working with the Frame 273 Aspect Ratios 273 Letterbox 273 Pan and Scan 273 Rules of Composition 273 Shot Types 278 ix