Pre Production ... before your start filming

So you've come up with your idea, your film has a theme to follow, you've decided on your style and you know who your audience is. What's next?

Script
Whatever type of film you are producing it is likely that there will be some degree of script work involved especially if you are creating a drama where actors or characters talk. When writing a script it is important to remember the following points:

• Structure
  Make sure you have a concise beginning, middle and an end. 
• Characters
  To ensure your audience engages with your drama it is vital to have good solid characters who create interest and curiosity. What type of people are in your film and more importantly why are they in your film? Your characters have to provoke interest from your audience and need to be relevant to the plot.
• Dialogue
  Think about what your characters are going to say and how they will say it. How do your characters interact, how do their different personalities come over? It is also important to remember that your characters won't always need to speak to communicate; body language can communicate far more. In real life people don't talk all the time or explain everything they are doing. So as well as writing the dialogue you will need to script where and how your actors should move throughout their scenes.

To find out more tips and hints for writing the perfect script download David Griffith's First Rights Guidelines and A Crash Course in Screenwriting from the download section to the right of this page.

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Storyboard
A storyboard is a plan of your film that looks a bit like a comic strip. Using drawings, photographs and notes storyboards help you to imagine and plan how your finished film will look on screen. They are a great way to remember and relay information about the content of your film. They help to save a lot of time as the group will be clearer about the films aims from the start. When creating your storyboard you might want to visit the locations you plan to use to help you decide how you want your shots to look.

If you would like to find out more about creating storyboards check out the links to the right of this page.

Scheduling
Prepare an overall schedule and stick to it as much as possible, that way your film will come in on time and on budget so get organised. A schedule is a plan of what will happen during each stage of your production process. As well as your overall schedule you will also need to prepare a daily shooting schedule in advance of any filming. This will help you pin down the locations and group your scenes together in the order they will be filmed.

When organising your schedule remember that some things might not always go to plan. You main actor or presenter might be ill, the weather could be lousy or you may have problems with your equipment. Always build in extra time or flexibility to your schedule to ensure unexpected events don't hamper your film.

To keep your cast and crew informed of what is going on create daily "call sheets". This will make sure everyone knows what is going to happen during the next days shoot, where it will be and what is expected of each member of the team. It's also handy to include everyone's contact details too.

Art of Scheduling - Helpful link to the right

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Cast & Crew
During pre production you will need to cast your actors, assign your crew and rehearse your scenes before filming takes place. Keep everyone fully informed of the film's progress and any changes that occur. It is vital to make sure everyone is working in the same direction and this can only be achieved through good communication. For more information click on the "Cast & Crew" section on the navigation bar.

Filming Equipment
Make sure the equipment you will be using is available when you need it and book it in advance. A list of what equipment you need can be found in the Production section.

Costumes, Props and Make-Up
Plan and source your costumes, props and make-up as early as possible. Think about each character individually and make a list of what they will need. Be organised and know where each item of your equipment is at all times to avoid a panic on the day of the shoot.

Locations
Identify the locations you would like to use and make sure you organise written permission well in advance. If you would like to shoot part of your film in or around a building or a piece of private ground you will need to establish who owns it and arrange formal consent to film there. If you are planning to film in public spaces you need to inform the police and local authority.

Picking Locations - Helpful Link - to the right

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Music, Film Clips & Images
Arrange copyright clearance for any pre-recorded music you would like to use as well as other people's film clips and images. If you use a song from your favourite band, even if you sing it yourself, you need proper permission or you will be in breach of copyright laws. For more information see our Post Production section or watch the Four Docs film on staying legal.

See our helpful video.

Contributor's Release
You must make sure that you obtain a signed release form from everyone who appears in the film be it your friend, your mum or your next door neighbour. This is a form that people sign to say that they are happy for you to use their image in your film. If you do not obtain this they can refuse to let you show your work so it is best to organise these in advance. You can download a standard form from our useful document section to the right.

Insurance
You will need to ensure that your group has adequate insurance cover before you start any filming. If you are part of a youth group check that the policy covers outside activities and that you are protected whilst travelling too. Call your insurance company and let them know what you are planning.

In order to use equipment from the Filmbank your group must be able to demonstrate that it holds a new for old insurance policy which covers the full value of our equipment for all types of damage, inside and outside. Please ask us for more details.

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Legalities
It your group's responsibility to make sure your production is filmed sensibly and avoids any legal pitfalls later on. In the eyes of the law, ignorance is no excuse so do your homework in advance. The following important issues are covered in detail at Four Docs: copyright, defamation, contempt, criminality, fairness, harm, commercial and health. There is also information on the legal issues surrounding children and filmmaking including supervision and parental consent.

For more information follow the links on the right.

Keep to the Budget
Make sure you keep an eye on your budget and know how much money is being spent at all times. It's a good idea to have an accurate written tally of how much is being spent on each individual process and keep all your receipts. For more information on budgeting, see the navigation bar to the left.

Pre-Production now covered ... you're ready to move onto the production stage.

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