Preparing for your shoot

AGENDA:

• Shot sheets
• Call Sheets
• Project and Time Management 

Preparing for the shoot, watch this movie!

SHOT SHEETS
See handouts with examples of shot sheets.

Please read the following excellent article about preparing for a production shoot.
This article is authored by Valentina Valentini, and follows a number of indie filmmakers, including Robert Ballo, Senior Lecturer at USCs Schools of Cinematic Arts.

As individuals please respond to the following questions in a google doc to share with me at shsmap2013@gmail.com (and with your team mates):

1. “With shot lists, it’s a creative give and take as to what each person feels they need in order to cover the scene effectively to tell the story,” explains Ballo. What do you think you personally need in order to execute a shot within a scene? Are you the kind of person that needs organization and likes working from lists in an organized manner? Are you someone who likes to work more creatively open-ended? Do you fall somewhere in between the two extremes?
2. “It’s about having the shot list ready with probably a little more than you need, and then it’s about being confident and flexible enough to deviate from that,” says Ballo. What benefit might a detailed shotlist provide? What is the risk if your team follows the shot list to strictly and does not allow for creative flexibility along the way?
3. How well do you think you know your script? Do you feel that you can visualize the story in your head, in a scene by scene fashion, or not?
4. Like Ballo, Liford believes that being prepared is key. “I usually always know what I need and want going into it,” he adds. “I think it’s a good idea to go into it all with a solid plan, because that gives you room to experiment.” Do you agree with Liford? Do you believe that as a student of film still learning the ropes that being overly prepared is beneficial?
5. What is your interpretation of Mollner's description of the Scorsese or Kubrick school of filmmaking? What is Mollner really saying? It appears he says he doesn't use floor plans, but he spends much time with the script to establish visual images in his head. What does his shot list consist of, or become, rather than just a 'list of shots'? Do you feel experienced enough to approach a project in this manner?

------Once finished with the self-analysis, discuss as a group differences you may have with each other over style. Do some members like organization, while other members may prefer a more free-style approach  with lots of flexibility? How will you reconcile your different approaches to project development? 

Read this linked article for a quick and simple explanation of blocking a shot. Discuss blocking your shots with your group. This requires you to determine shot type, camera angle, position and movement of actors, lighting, and stage set up with props. Take your most complex shot within a scene and discuss how you will block and stage the shot within your group. Be prepared to discuss your ideas with Mrs. L.

CALL SHEETS 
Look at these samples. 
Lost
James Bond
Roswell (Fox Television)
Template

Call sheets are an essential part of professional productions, Film, TV, Commercial, Music Videos etc. Based on looking at the example call sheets answer the following within your groups:

1. How do you think a Call Sheet benefits productions, both large and small? 
2. How is a call sheet different than a Shot List?
3. Discuss with your group if a call sheet would help you manage your production or not? List one way in which you might find a call sheet useful, you can use a provided sticky for idea collection and sharing.

SCHEDULE

Google App-watch demonstration. Director should start to fill out and finalize Thur, end of class. Share with group and teacher (shsmap2013@gmail.com).

Assignments due Thursday April 18th, end of period

1. Final script shared with me (shsmap2013@gmail.com)
2. Shot sheet-defining scenes, shot within scene, cam angle, movement, notes/comments (For our purposes, include location and actors in shot sheet if you do not intend to use a call sheet. If using a call sheet, you can put locations and actors in the call)
3. Storyboard panels for specific scenes
4. Call sheet-consider whether useful for your production. Create at least 1 call sheet, simple format, for some important aspect of your movie. (This could be the scene with inciting incident,  as example).
5. Schedule of production backward planning from Fishbowl. Include:

• Planning
• Production (all production shoots-break this down into as much detail as possible, listing all shoots required)
• Research, sourcing material to be used in movie
• Editing
• Effects or Animation (if needed)
• Audio editing
• Integration of audio
• Final Render
• Assign roles and dates work will be done.
• Identify days that are light and days that are heavier in terms of workload. What can be done on lighter days to keep the project moving forward.
• Every class period needs an assignment for each student in your group. If you cannot do this, there are too many people in your group.
• Assign dependencies (as in, editing is dependent upon what, what must the editor have to perform that job?)

Story Pitch Cont., peer/self evaluation

Agenda:

1. Form Groups
2. Select Story Pitch to use
3. Plot your story in the way Vince Gilligan's writers team would do it (completed and checked off by end of period)
4. Analyze your plot in terms of Truby's Seven Keys below (google doc, upload in the Story Pitch Folder on the Google Drive, end of period)
5. Fill in team chart on google drive linked here
6. Open your google drive-locate the Google App called Smartsheet and add it to your Google Drive Create options
7. Scripts must be complete when you return from Spring Break. You will upload final scripts the Monday you return from break. On Monday we will learn Smartsheet and you will create a schedule for film development from production through post production, and preparation for Smash'n!
8. Ample time will be given in class for planning and editing. The assumption is that most shooting will be done outside of class time. When you return I will have a schedule posted for days you will use class time for making your movie. Between now and the end of the year you will also be watching movies, analyzing story, production, post-production technique. You will also be learning project management skills you can apply to future projects in all classes. 
9. No Cel Phones, no working on homework. 

Let's take a look at Script Structure by looking at this informative website

You will fill out a story board, such as Vince Gilligan's writers use for Breaking Bad. This board will provide a structure for your story and act as a visual outline. Remember this is a written board (this is not a drawn storyboard). You will begin with teaser or hook, include 3 acts, inciting incident that starts the main conflict, escalate conflict, resolution, descending conflict. Remember as you are plotting your story, how do we get the character's backstory? How do we come to identify and empathize with your character? When do we feel concern for your character? When do we first meet the obstacle or antagonist? Once you have your structure, you can focus on making scenes that are memorable, full of impact. You can also dive into your character's motivations, external and internal, exposing them scene by scene through the story arc.

Truby's Seven Key as analyzed in House by Mark McBride:

1. Weakness and need: a hero with a weakness (think of TV’s House…his bum leg, his arrogance, his social dysfunction) and a need (House needs to know he can love and be loved) 2. Desire: the backbone of the story that drives the hero (House must solve the case and prove his intellect)…notice that the desire, the want, isn’t the same as the “need”
3. Opponent: this character, often the antagonist, must go against the protagonist by wanting the same thing (House has a lot of different opponents–Foreman, the hospital rules, the patient who lies, even the disease)
4. Plan: heroes who want something need a plan of action (House figuring out how to beat the disease)
5. Battle: when the story boils to a crisis (House arguing with the other doctors, the patient almost dying….cut to commercial!!!)
6. Self-revelation: here the hero realizes what he wanted wasn’t what he needed…..I want to say this again, The hero wants something (with House, e.g., to prove reason trumps love) but he realizes that what he wanted wasn’t what he needs (cue alone time with dramatic music, House looking somber)
7. New equilibrium: with the new knowledge the world changes for the character (House sometimes doesn’t change, but he has,–e.g., he stops taking vicodin or reaches out to Wilson in an act of friendship)

(from: The Seven Key Steps of Story Structure)


Resources:
Syd Field
Blake Snyder-Save the Cat (Awesome site about screenplays, scriptwriting)
Peter Dunne-Emotional Structure
Drew Yanno-Constructing the ending

(Completed):

1. Pitch stories
2. Peer review of 4 pitches using document comments, use the 5 prompts below for each review. You will review each person at your table and one other script you find interesting or great that you want to give input to. You must peer review those at your table + 1
• Does the logline give you enough information about the story in terms of who the hero is, the hero's goal, and finally an overview or understanding of the conflict? (More than yes / no - if it does, describe your understanding of the conflict)
• Do you connect with the protagonist in terms of the kind of character proposed, the internal and external motivation, other? Why?
• Is the conflict presented universal in nature? Do you think you will be able to empathize with the emotions presented in the film as a result of the conflict? Will you care, or not? If not, why?
• Is the history presented at this point with clarity-do we know time and location? Site the time/location of the story?
• Is there any book, movie, television show, or short that has gone before with success that has influenced or inspired this work? Does it remind you of anything?
3. Nominate 3 stories to fund as you act as a producer - give votes to Mrs. L. We will discuss the qualities seen in the 3 top voted for pitches.
4. Write reflectively about the strength of your story- what are your next steps? Do you find a team to help you envision it? Do you scrap it and start over? Do you see modifications you should make? Please download the linked sheet and then upload back to the Story Pitch Folder.

Story Pitch & Character

Please upload all pitches here

Please answer the blog response question below:

With regards to character motivation and goals, there are the character's internal goals that may be included in the plot backstory. But the character also has an external goal.  In the case of breaking bad, the character's internal goals are driven by the fact that he has cancer, is cash-poor and needs a quick way to provide for the long term financial security of his family. His external every day goal however is much different. These goals transform this character from a standup guy with morals and values to compromising his values for the sake of his family.

Select a character from a book, play, movie or tv show and describe the internal and external goals that drive the main character. Do these goals transform the character over time?


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Story Pitch Feedback:
1. Clear logline that includes hero (protagonist), goal and obstacle.
2. Backstory gives the audience an idea of the hero's life up until the beginning of the conflict.
3. Character is well presented, we understand hero's internal and external goals and how these goals may transform the character as the character faces challenges within the overall plot.
4. Conflict is presented with clarity.

Loglines, Pitch

Please download this file to read and follow in class today.

Please download this file to write loglines today

Planning for last project

1. What do you think it takes to make a good movie?

2. How do you think you will write your script? Watch

2. How important is it that the final movie reflects the original idea or plan? Watch

3. How can you prepare best for your movie, once you have a script? Watch 

3. The writing process and previsualization Watch (or read)

4. What do you think you can do to best direct your movie? Watch 

Private reflection/exit ticket:

1. What is your goal for the final map project of the year? (Ex. could include, 'I want to make a keeper movie for my portfolio', 'I have a certain story that I want to tell', 'I want to find a story to tell and create it', 'I want to win at SmashN', 'I want to prove something to myself, and that is...', 'I want to use this project as a prelude to making a movie for college entrance, as a way to practice making a good movie that turns out as I expect'

Please write your response and hand in to Mrs. L

NOTE: Please bring the camera you plan to use for production tomorrow to class for practice and time to gain mastery of production skills. If you need to get a camera from the library please do so, or bring your camera from home. You will be given time to gain more mastery over your production process.

Film School Application Movies (Students accepted, USC or NYU)
NYU Tisch/USC
USC
Chapman
Chapman
Chapman
Chapman 
Chapman
Chapman (rejected)
Chapman (rejected)

Chapman: Visual Storytelling Assignment
Look at Chapman FTV 130; Intro to Visual Storytelling

Gump Reflections

As students of media, language and history, please reflect on the following questions in a google doc and share with me at shsmap2013@gmail.com.

This should be at least a 2 page response.

1. What can you learn from Forrest Gump about the relationship between history and story in this stellar movie?
2. This movie has some interesting symbolism? What might the box of chocolates represent, or the feather, or the people sitting with him at the bus stop? Can you think of other symbolism in the movie?
3. What do you think the production crew responsible for filming the movie had to take into consideration during the shoot in particular for the scenes involving Lt. Dan without legs, Forrest meeting Pres. Kennedy, and Forrest on the Dick Cavett show with John Lennon?
4. What can you learn about camera movement, angle and depth of field from the movie?
5. What challenges would you have if you had to shoot an actor over green screen to composite into historical footage for use in your movie? What might be the steps? (take an educated guess).
6. What are the emotional highs and lows of the movie?  (name at least 3). 
7. Do you think this movie script followed a 3 act structure, or does the script break the 3 act structure? If it breaks the rule, what then is the structure of the script?
8. Why does the audience stay with this movie? What about it hooks the viewer and keeps the viewer tuned in wanting more?

Monday-DSLR, and camera settings

Please watch this movie and look at the camera note link below. Watch the movie, and answer the camera notes at the same time, the questions in the notes follow the movie. About half way through the camera notes, you will be asked to look at the camera you will use to identify ways to make the best possible video in terms of quality and style.

Camera notes-click here

Practice shooting:

Demonstrate a good shallow/narrow depth of field by:

1. Place the subject or actor against an interesting background, but one that you intend to defocus (or blur out- blur can go from slightly blurred or defocused to achieving a Bokeh look which produces magical looking almost soft bubbles in the background - very desirable, not always possible to achieve)
2. On your camera go into aperture priority mode (A), or Portrait mode if your camera has a portrait setting
3. Chose a large aperture for your aperture setting (remember, the small number is the larger opening, so F1.4-F3.5, these are letting lots of light into your camera, opening the lens). With so much light though, you risk over exposure-so we'll discuss that next. You also may experience more out of focus shots, so it is advisable to stablize your camera on a tripod, or something stable, rest against a tree, etc. If you shake just a little, you risk an out of focus image.
4. The exposure triad include aperture, shutter and ISO. Now we'll look at ISO. As aperture controls the amount of light the lens allows onto the sensor, the shutter controls the speed at which the shutter is released. Shutter speed also is a great way to achieve certain effects, such as motion and zoom blurs and the like. Shutter at high speed is also used to freeze things such as drops of water from a fountain, etc. So first, set your ISO to about 100. Remember, you can always increase ISO, but for now take it down.
5. Now Shutter-start with setting shutter to twice your frame rate as instructed in your video. If you are shooting at 24fps, then set shutter to 48, and so forth.
6. Now back up from your actor, further away (don't go over a cliff), and now zoom your lens into desirable compositional framing. Have your actor display some kind of emotion. 
7. NOW - without any mic attached to your dslr, have your actor say something (4 score and 20 years ago, for the lack of anything better). Now move up 1/2 distance to your actor, and again, record with audio. Finally, move up within a couple feet of your actor-record audio. This can be used to test the audio on your camera and see what issues you will run into with audio. For those of you with DSLRs, identify the sound input options. Can you use a boom mic if desired?

Deliverable:
Log and Transfer your series of tests
1. Depth of field shot trying to achieve cinematic film quality (24fps), with shallow depth of field (20-30 sec in length, 1080p) Simple shot, talking head is fine
2. Same shot, but with 3 different audio takes demonstrating audio quality at various distances from actor.
3. 1 experiment you have performed on this video to better understand the color correction filters in either FCE, FCP, Premiere. Be experimental, see what they do, what improvements would you like to make?
4. Taking the most inaudible of your files, using the editor of your choice, increase the volume while monitoring for introduction of noise. Increase gain, normalize and let's also look at hum reduction. This is a good time to play with those audio filters.

Upload for to the videostorage server by Thursday, end of class so we can share results.