Thread by @JamesOmokwe

(PRODUCTION THREAD) This is for someone on the TL.
Here is a little thing i do during every production
Key steps is to look at the the following.

Divide the planning process into three

Pre production
Filming - Production
Post production

Pre production

Story.
Define the characters. The Hero and the villian etc. What are the themes...what story are you trying to tell. I would usually get a few writers in the room to banter. I could either camp them in my house or a hotel or have them come a few days.

Story ideas are discussed, some ideas are thrown out while others are kept. You eventually get a basic idea (somewhat detailed) of the story you want to tell. In the real world the workshop costs money and the writers would usually have a fee that you would pay.

The writers will be sent off to develop a full blown scrip.

Budget.
It doesnt have to be the second thing to do. Most times budgets are pre derermined. Big corporations hand you a budget from the get. You would usually work your way from the budget to other aspects of your planning process.

You want to determine how much the production will cost.

You may want to first look at your script or your almost detailed story) a couple of questions to ask

1) Cast strength
2) No of locations
3) Props....(building or buying)
4) Costumes (making or buying)
5) Sets (building or renting)

6) Make up (regular or sfx...cost of purchase of materials)

I call these the arty side to the production. Then you may want to figure out a second group of questions...

1) Crew strength. Usually you would sit with a director to find out the following
1a - how many Cameras will he be using and what kind? Whats the rental cost?
1b) which DOP does he work with - The DOP will talk camera and lenses, follow focus and other Camera gear including...

...rental prices
1c) which Gaffer does he work with - The Gaffer will discuss light with both DOP and Director and also rental prices

We can now decide who else we would want to hire on the crew. Here is a standard list including you the producer....

A) Head writer - if applicable
Writers
Story Editor
B)Producers
Producer
Line producer
Associate producer -
Production Manager
Scheduler
Production coordinator
Production assistants
Runners
C) Technical
DOP
Camera operator
Camera Assistants
Gaffer

Electrician
DIT
And Grip

B) Art
Production Designer
Art Director
Assistant Art director
Set coordinator
Set dressers
Carpenters
Props handler
Props assistant
Costume handler
Costume assistants
Tailor
Make up department
Make up assistants
Hair
SFX make up

E) Other
Set drivers
Medical
Security
Casting Director

You may want to think of the following also
2) Food.
3) logistics
4) Insurance (Very important)
5) Accomodation (Highly reccomended)

You also have to think ahead interms of post production which comprises of the following

6) Editing
7) Colour correction
8) Sound design
9) Music score
10) ADR - if applicable
11) Final mix

So now your budget is streamlined into these elements. Put them on an excel sheet with the following headlines

1) Personnel - Name of cast, crew or equipment
2) Unit price - whats their day rate or month tate
4) No of units needed- how many of their kind do you need?

5) Period of engagement
6) Total amount

After this process, you may then start to Hire your crew....Build a team. It is best that there are more experienced people in leadership positions than green horns. For instance you absolutely can not out a first time film maker as a head of any department.

Prep
Now that you have a team, Its time to prep. You have the script now. You and the team do what is called a script break down.

The Casting director knows who he is looking for interms of actors and how many he needs
The costume, props, hair and make up, production design, they all know what they need to achieve to make the script become a reality.

As the producer, once you have been commissioned or you have the money to start your process, start to engage your team. Everyone goes out to build, rent, purchase etc. You then need to set a date for filming. Please note that all negotiations, conversations and putchased...

...must have been done before that date.

The date you have chosen has arrived. Its time to shoot. Before then, the line producer, the production manager and the scheduler have determined the following

1) How many scenes to be shot per day
2) Whats the weekly target
3) How many hours of filming daily

These are the main questions. Others include
A) How many sets are the crew shooting across and what is availability like?
B) wheather conditions for the week
And so many more.

These have to be monitored daily. When scenes are dropped, alternative arrangments must be made immediately for pick ups. One thing to remember is that time equals money. The more time you waste, the more money you spend.

Post production.
After the film is done, it lands in the hands of the editor. As the producer your job is the get the director to sit in with Post pro. Editing is primarily where the film is made. Guide the editor with the story telling.

Post production.
After the film is done, it lands in the hands of the editor. As the producer your job is the get the director to sit in with Post pro. Editing is primarily where the film is made. Guide the editor with the story telling.

Once a first cut is done and sent in for review, everyone must be certain that all changes must be made and resent so that a final "Offline" cut can be locked down. (Offline refers to an edit sequence without music, colour correction, graphics and sound design)

The locked down offline cut will then be transferred to the ADR and then the sound design team. Then it goes to the music score team. The final mix personnel mixes all the sound for the film and returns the complete file back to the editor who color corrects and exports...

"ONLINE VERSION"
This is 99% of the finished product. It goes through another review and when everyone makes their final corrections, An opening title sequence and a closing credits sequence can be made.

Now your film is 100 percent done and ready for public viewing.

Thanks for reading. You can always hit me up and ask me questions about production or contribute to my thread. Have a wonderful morning.

Lol @ nicely. Yup. If it looks too advanced, no fear.