Basic Program for a 1-Day Shoot
(Excerpt from The Digital Mini Mogul Manual)


This program is intended to give the Producer I/T experience shooting a scene from a feature screenplay and doing it in as professional of a manner as experience and material will allow.

The crew configuration used here is a simplistic version of the configuration you will use for your feature films.

A dialogue scene consisting of no more than two actors is recommended as an initial exercise. Don't try to get too fancy too fast. After mastery of a 1-Day Shoot with these simple parameters, the number of actors, locations and other elements can be escalated (as is done in the 2-3 Day Shoot and the 6-Day Shoot). One can never be too good at shooting a basic scene between two people.

And in fact the 1-Day Shoot should be used as a practice workshop. You can truncate the crew to even 4 or 5 and use the basic 1/2 day production workshop organization found in the Mini.

Granted, this program is general and should not be construed to be exact. Also, many of these steps occur simultaneously.


Here's the Circle Board for a 1-Day Shoot.


Producer I/T writes or receives about ten pages of script written in standard format.


Producer holds the posts of Director and Production Manager (so when these posts are referred to in this program, it's the Producer who handles them).


Producer recruits an Assistant who's first and on going job is to collect the names and phone numbers of the people who want to get in on the production as PAs or other posts.


Producer, acting as Production Manager, breaks down and analyzes the script to determine what actors, location, props and wardrobe will be needed.


A budget is prepared.


Director interviews and casts the actors.


The Director gets started on securing the location to film in.


When the Location has been found, Producer has them sign a standard Location Release.


The Production Manager asks the Director to make recommendations as to who he would like to have for Cameraman (Director of Photography/Operator):


From the list recommended by the Director, the Production Manager signs a Director of Photography\Operator ("DP" hereafter) that is okay and within the budget.


The Production Manager asks the DP to recommend the following:

a) Gaffer/Grip


b) Assistant Cameraman/Recordist


c) Boomman (Boomperson)



The Producer has his Assistant suggest and recruit extra Production Assistants (PAs), who will generally assist and stand by incase someone must be replaced. The Producer's Assistant supervises any additional PAs for the Producer, when they are not actively helping the Producer. The Producer may assign PAs to help whoever needs extra help at his or her sole discretion. PA Pool is hereby formed with the following:


Food Caterer is lined up. Never have the crew and talent leave for lunch if there is much to get done. Bring a good healthy meal on the set.


The Producer's Assistant finalizes the crew and enters the names and phone numbers onto a "Staff & Crew" list which is distributed to all concerned.


Assistant calls all Talent, Staff and Crew to determine when each is available and when each is NOT available.


With the availability data, the Producer determines the shooting day. Individuals that are not free must be immediately replaced by someone else if it is found that the majority of the others are available on a given day.


Once the Producer finalizes the exact shooting schedule, a "Call Sheet" is prepared. Producer's Assistant calls everyone and informs them when they should show up and where at least two weeks in advance. Each person confirms his availability. A copy of the Call sheet and this Program is sent to each talent, staff and crew immediately as written confirmation and to let them know the general sequence of events.


Any talent, staff or crew that are not available are replaced by someone in the PA pool. If no one qualified the producer finds someone.


The Production Manager arranges for any insurance on the equipment to be in order.


The Production Manager arranges for the pick-up and return of all the equipment.


Everyone arrives on the set at their designated times and the scene or scenes are shot.


Footage is screened.


Producer hires an Editor and the footage is edited.


Production Manager arranges for any payments that are due.


The finished scene is screened for all interested talent, crew, friends and associates at a wrap party.


PRODUCTION COMPANY DATA:

Production Title

Production No.

Producer I/T

Production Manager

First Assistant Director


Email

Phone

Mobil Phone


Today's Date

Notes:











© 1989, 1999 by James R. Jaeger II All Rights Reserved