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Solutioneers.net proudly presents: The Director's Template !

Template Overview Film Scheduling

16/35 Cine-Protractor
The Director's Template is a great tool for saving time and money on set. If you can
Storyboarding save 5 minutes an hour, over a 12 hour day you have save 1 HOUR. Another
important aspect of time saving is careful scheduling. From this you determine your
Scale & Rulers budgeting of time, money, people and resources. Scheduling is traditionally done by
the Production Manager or the First Assistant Director in Pre-production. This is a very
180° Axis Tool quick primer for Film Scheduling to help you understand the process.
Formulas
The basic process is to:
Other features

Template in action 1. Read the Script.

2. Mark up your Script.
Shot Design
3. Prepare a Script Breakdown.
Lens Selection 4. Prepare your Production Board.
Floorplans 5. Schedule your Shooting.
Filmmaking Notes
6. Get approvals from all involved.
Film Exercises 7. Budget your time and money.
Film Studies
Filmmakers 1. Reading the Script:
Our Future
You should first read the script so you have an appreciation for the storyline and a
DIY Projects good feel for the action.
Preproduction Skills
Free Scriptruler 2. Marking up the Script:
Production Forms
Top Film Links -Better to Underline rather than highlight for photocopying purposes.
-Colour code the elements of the script THEN complete the Breakdown
Sheets.
-Use pencils on Breakdown sheets for ease of change.
ONLY $26.95
Colour Coding and Marking System:
CAST (RED): Speaking Parts
EXTRAS (YELLOW): Silent Bits
EXTRAS (GREEN): Atmosphere
Solutioneers STUNTS (ORANGE): Stunts
Creativity SPECIAL EFFECTS (BLUE): Special Effects
Charles Dickens SOUND EFFECTS (BROWN): Sound Effects
Solutioneering VEHICLES (PINK): Vehicles/Animals
Personal PROPS (PURPLE): Props
(WARDROBE) (CIRCLED)
MAKE UP & HAIR: Asterix*****
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Box Around Special Equipment-Put in Production
Notes

3. Script Breakdown
Muybridge Horse 24fps
Script Breakdowns are done in preparation of Scheduling. Basically information from
each scene is recorded on a separate page. There are computer programs that do
this now and can transfer information from Script Breakdown directly into the
Scheduling formats and Callsheets. However, you can still do this yourself, either by
computer or manually. Always go through each scene one at a time, rather than
element by element.

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Standard Breakdown Pages are:

YELLOW: Exterior Day

WHITE: Interior Day
GREEN: Exterior Night
BLUE: Interior Night

You can make your own Breakdown Stationary easily. HEADER Information required
include:

1. Date you prepared Breakdown Sheets.

2. Production Name (also Company Name and Vital Info)
3. Scene Number- Added scenes can be 59A for example.
4. Scene Name: Nickname describing Scene "Bridge Attack"
5. Description of Main Action. Keep as brief but concise as possible.
6. Breakdown Page Number (Should be same as scene numbers.
7. INT or EXT: Interior or Exterior. Can be circled.
8. DAY or NIGHT: Can be circled.
9. Page Count. Divided into eighths of a page. Each eighth is about an
inch.

Main Categories in the Production Sheets include:

10. CAST: SPEAKING. Note the age if it is a Child.

11. EXTRAS: Silent. Anyone who performs an action.
12. EXTRAS: Atmosphere. Rough estimate of how many and what type.
13. STUNTS: May want to add Stunt Coordinator. Stunts can be simple
too.
14. SPECIAL EFFECTS: All elements, Practical sinks, etc.
15. SOUND EFFECTS/MUSIC: Anything that must be recorded or
pre-recorded.
16. VEHICLES/ANIMALS: Picture Cars or Atmosphere, Animals and
Wranglers.
17. PROPS: Any essential props.
18. WARDROBE: Note if you need extras of this.
19. MAKE-UP/HAIR: Especially specialty makeup-aging, etc.
20. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Zoom lenses, lighting, etc.
21. PRODUCTION NOTES: Various elements or Questions.

4. Production Boarding
Traditionally a Production Board is made using Stripboards. With a Stripboard you
can quickly see all of the Scene Elements quickly so you can determine which
scheduling is the most appropriate. This is often done now using a Specialty Program
like MOVIE MAGIC but can easily be done quickly using a Computer SPREADSHEET
Program, or even a conventional Word Processing Program using Tabs to separate
the lines. (You can also use a SPREADSHEET to prepare your budget. Each scene
can be colour coded in conjunction with the breakdown sheets.

Each VERTICAL Strip should include:

SCENE NUMBER
Breakdown Page Number
Page Count
Scene Name
LOCATION and Number
DAY/NIGHT
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR
CHARACTER NAMES with a Number
EXTRAS along with amount (E11)
SPECIAL NOTES: Vehicles (V),
Music (M), Special Equipment (SE)
Animals (A)

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5. Scheduling:
From this STRIPBOARD you can work out a reasonable, cost efficient schedule.
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED. In terms of priorities these are GENERALLY:

1. SEASONAL CONSIDERATIONS: Less light in winter, Snow, etc.

2. LOCATIONS: Don't want to move unless necessary.
3. CAST MEMBERS: Try to have them for as little time as possible.
4. DAY/NIGHT Shooting: Require 10-12 hour turnaround. Put Nightshoots
together.
5. EXT/INT: Shoot Exteriors First so you can have rain cover if weather is
lousy.
6. SEQUENCE: As much as possible to help actors, also tech
considerations.
7. CHILD ACTORS: Hours and conditions are very strict.
8. TIME PERIOD CHANGES: May require extensive makeup, set and
wardrobe changes.
9. WEATHER: Things move slower when it is cold.
10. SPECIAL EFFECTS/STUNTS: May require alot of additional
Preparation.
11. SECOND UNIT/CAMERA: May save time having second camera or 2nd
Unit.
12. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Availability/Cost of Special Equipment like
Helicopters.
13. LOCATION GEOGRAPHY: May want to make as few moves as
possible.
14. MISCELLANEOUS: May have special reasons for shooting in a
strange way.

Here is a potential scheduling for a film of the Sherlock Holmes story "A SCANDAL IN
BOHEMIA". Note that because Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler have disguises in
certain scenes, they are marked with an asterix if they are in scenes in disguise. You
might want to practice breaking down and scheduling a favourite play or film or story.

A Scandal in Bohemia Schedule:

A Scandal in
Bohemia
221B Productions
SCENE NUMBER 3 6 8 XX 2 5 11 XX 9 1 XX 4 10 7 XX
Breakdown Pg. 3 6 8 XX 2 5 11 XX 9 1 XX 4 10 7 XX
Page Count 1.2 2.0 1.3 XX 3.3 2.7 1.5 XX 1.6 8.1 XX 1.3 2.2 1.2 XX
DAY/NITE D N N XX D D D XX D N XX D D N XX
INT/EXT E E E XX I I I XX I I XX I I I XX
LOCATION # 2 2 5 XX 1 1 1 XX 1 1 XX 3 4 4 XX
Sherlock
* * * XX * 1 1 XX 1 1 XX * 1 * XX
HOLMES 1
Dr. WATSON 2 . 2 2 XX 2 2 2 XX 2 2 XX . 2 2 XX
Irene ADLER 3 3 3 . XX . . . XX . . XX 3 . 3 XX
KING of Bohemia
. . . XX . . . XX 4 4 XX . 4 . XX
4
Godfrey
5 . . XX . . . XX . . XX 5 . . XX
NORTON 5
PRIEST
* 6 6 XX * * * XX * * XX * * 6 XX
(S.Holmes) 6
GROOM
7 * * XX 7 * * XX * * XX 7 * * XX
(S.Holmes) 7
MARRIAGE
. . . XX . . . XX . . XX 8 . . XX
Priest 8

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Irene's
HOUSEKEEPER 9 9 . XX . . . XX . . XX . 9 9 XX
9
YOUTH (Irene)
. . 10 XX . . . XX . . XX * . * XX .
10
CABBIES (2) 11 11 . . XX . . . XX . . XX 11 . . XX
LOUNGERS (14)
. 12 . XX . . . XX . . XX . . 12 .
12

6.ScheduleApproval:

Once you have a Scene Setup you are happy with, you can then determine your
SHOOTING SCHEDULE. Place a Space (XX) between each day of shooting to
separate that on your Board, and two for weekends. Factors for this include:

DIRECTOR: How quickly does she work? Does she stay on schedule? How long does
he like to work?

CINEMATOGRAPHER: How quickly does he work? How long does he take to light?
To turn around?

CONCURRENT ACTIVITIES: Can anything be done concurrently? Set Dressing, 2nd

Unt. Location scouting, etc.

On the basis of all of this you have your Shooting Schedule. Show it to all involved.
Make sure the Director and Cinematographer believe it is feasible. Ask yourself alot of
What ifs and don't feel the Shooting Schedule should be kept in stone.

7. Budgeting:
Knowing how many Shooting Days and other parameters will help you with your
Budgeting.

Useful Tip
Being organized means you can devote
more time to other creative work.
Alfred Hitchcock
Dialogue should simply be a sound among
other sounds, just something that comes
out of the mouths of people whose eyes tell
the story in visual terms.

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