PRODUCTION PROTOCOL |
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PRE-PRODUCTION |
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| Screenwriter | Write the script. Use this template. |
| Producer | On your server partition, create a project folder. Inside, create the following subfolders: audio, documentation, video, and project. Inside the "audio" folder, create the following subfolders: dialogue, music, and sound effects. Inside the "documentation" folder, create the following subfolders: BTS, paperwork, and promotional. |
| Director | Analyze the script, identifying its peak of intensity. Articulate this climax as some significant visual change (examples might include: a camera move, an editing pace variation, or a rack focus). Plan your film using the storyboard form or the Storyboarder app. Secure the professor's written approval before shooting. |
| Director | Cast the film. Do not use members of your filmmaking crew as actors. Each actor must sign a personal release before shooting commences. Give the completed personal releases to your producer for upload to the project's "documentation" subfolder. |
| Producer | Secure access to the set with location releases signed before shooting begins. |
| Lighting | Make tentative lighting plots. |
| Audio, Camera, & Lighting | Submit individual reserve lists of equipment to your producer. Before your shoot, test any equipment with which you are not familiar. Bookmark or download necessary operations manuals. |
| Producer | Submit a single reserve list of equipment to lab aides in the equipment loan office. Schedule the equipment's pick-up and return with your crew members. Test the equipment for proper function before you leave the building with it. |
PRODUCTION |
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| Director | Specify camera placement based on approved storyboard. |
| Lighting | Set lights. Refine lighting plots. |
| Camera | Configure the camera to record HD 1080p video at 23.976 frames per second with a shutter speed of approximately 1/60 sec. |
| Camera | White balance (after corrective/conversion gels but before additive/designer colors have been applied) at each new camera position. |
| Camera | Check focus before each take at the lens's maximum focal length. Disable the camera's automatic focus feature. |
| Audio | Configure recorder for dual rec mode at 48 kHz/24 bit with average dialogue levels at -12dbFS. Set levels in rehearsal with actors. Record 1 minute of room tone. Report the room tone file number to the producer for inclusion in the footage log. |
| Camera | Disable the camera's automatic iris feature. Shoot multiple takes at no fewer than three bracketed f-stops. ISO speeds under 1200 are recommended for low grain. |
| Director | "Quiet on the Set" "Roll 'em" |
| Camera | Begin recording HD 1080p video at 23.976 frames per second with a shutter speed of approximately 1/60 sec. "Rolling" |
| Audio | Begin recording dialogue in dual rec mode at 48 kHz/24 bit with average dialogue levels at -12dbFS. "Speed" |
| Director | "Marker" Director claps visibly in camera frame so dual-system audio can be synchronized in post-production. |
| Director | 10-second head with clean entrance. "Action." |
| Audio | Record dialogue, keeping boom mics as close to the edge of the frame as possible without appearing in the shot. |
| Director | 10-second tail with clean exit. "Cut" "Camera Report" |
| Camera & Audio | Accurately report the file number of each take to the producer for inclusion in the footage log. |
| Director | Coach actors, paying particular attention to (1) clearly pronounced, adequately projected lines and (2) consistent performances. For the sake of continuity editing, the entire action of the scene must be recorded in every take from each camera position. The entire action of the scene must be recorded in every take from each camera position. The entire action of the scene must be recorded in every take from each camera position. Shoot multiple takes from each camera position at different focal lengths (long, medium, and close-up) and f-stops (bracketing). |
| Camera | Shoot multiple takes from each camera position at different focal lengths (long, medium, and close-up) and f-stops (bracketing). |
| Producer | Maintain an accurate footage log, entering audio and video file numbers (as well as ISO speeds and f-stops) after each take. |
POST-PRODUCTION |
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| Camera | Within 12 hours of the shoot, upload video footage to the project's "video" subfolder. |
| Audio | Within 12 hours of the shoot, upload audio recordings to the project's "audio" subfolder. |
| Director | Within 12 hours of the shoot, upload the revised storyboard to the project's "documentation" subfolder. |
| Producer & Director | Within 12 hours of the shoot, review the footage together, rating each take (0 = low; 3 = high) in the appropriate footage log column. Upload the footage log to the project's "documentation" subfolder. |
| Lighting | Upload lighting plots to the project's "documentation" subfolder. |
| Producer | Upload personal and location releases to the project's "documentation" subfolder. |
| Producer & Director | Co-author a brief essay, accounting for deviations from the storyboard. Upload the essay to the project's "documentation" subfolder. |
| Producer | Collect all the documentation into a single .pdf binder. Upload the binder to the project's "documentation" subfolder. Submit a copy of the binder to the appropriate D2L Assignment folder. |
| Editor | Create an Adobe Premiere project with the following bins: sequences, video, audio, graphics, merged footage, effects, and music. |
| Editor | Create a sequence with the following nomenclature: YYMMDD followed by the most recent version letter, a space, and the editor's three initials, like this: 200406a bdf. Create a new sequence for each work session. Make sure the sequence settings conform to the footage settings. |
| Editor | Begin the first sequence with bars and tone, slate, and universal leader as specified here. |
| Audio | Synchronize and merge audio and video files. Camera mic should be in sequence audio tracks 1&2. Upload the resulting files to the project's "merged footage" bin. |
| Producer | Use Adobe Premier's Legacy Title tool to create end credits as specified here. |
| Audio | Upload three pieces of mood-appropriate, royalty-free music to this project's music subfolder on the server partition. |
| Editor | Produce an assembly cut of the film based on the film's storyboard. |
| Editor | Solicit feedback, then produce a rough cut of the film. |
| Editor | Solicit feedback, then produce a final cut (visual lock) of the film which includes an opening title card and the Producer's end credits. |
| Editor | Checkerboard audio clips by character. Add 4-frame fades to the beginning and ending of dialogue clips. |
| Editor | Improve the recorded audio as necessary, using Adobe Premiere's Essential Audio panel. Dialogue levels should register between -12dbFS and -6dbFS. |
| Editor | Add roomtone to camouflage absolute silence in the dialogue track. |
| Editor | Import music from the music subfolder in the project folder on your server partition. Backtime the music so it ends (not fades) when the credits conclude. Cumulative audio levels should not exceed -4dbFS. |
| Editor | Export two final versions of the film using Adobe Media Encoder: a full-resolution screener which includes the leader and a Vimeo copy which does not. The name of your file should be the name of the most recent sequence. Submit one copy of the screener to a designated D2L assignment folder. Upload the Vimeo copy to your Vimeo account. Store copies of both versions on the server in the project's designated subfolder. |