Book description
Producing and Directing the Short Film and Video, Fifth Edition is the definitive book on the subject for the serious film student or beginning filmmaker. Its unique two-fold approach looks at filmmaking from the perspectives of both the producer and director, and clearly explains how their separate roles must work together to create a successful short film or video. Through extensive examples from award-winning shorts and insightful interviews, you will learn about common challenges the filmmakers encountered during each step of filmmaking process—from preproduction to production, postproduction, and distribution—and the techniques they used to overcome them.
In celebrating this book’s twentieth anniversary, this edition has been updated to include:
- Two all-new, in-depth cases studies of esteemed short films—Memory Lane and the Academy Award-winning God of Love
- A revised chapter progression that reinforces the significance of the actor - director relationship
- Interviews with the filmmakers integrated alongside the text, as well as new images and behind-the-scenes coverage of production processes
- Revamped sections on current financing strategies, postproduction workflows, and the wide variety of distribution platforms now available to filmmakers
- A "Where are They Now" appendix featuring updates on the original filmmakers covered in the first edition
- An expanded companion website (www.focalpress.com/cw/rea) containing useful forms and information on distributors, grants and financing sources, film and video festivals, film schools, internet sources for short works, and professional associations
Table of contents
- Cover
- Half Title
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Table of Contents
- Preface: Fifth Edition
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Timeline
-
part I Preproduction
-
1 Script
- THE CREATIVE PRODUCER
- Developing the Script
- Animation
- Do Your Homework
- What Is a Script?
- Workshop Your Idea
- Basic Guidelines for the Short Form
- Adaptation
- True Stories and Events
- Legalities
- Collaboration
- How Do Scripts Affect Budgets?
- DIRECTOR
- Supervising or Performing Rewrites
- Working with the Writer
- Director as Storyteller
- Developing a Web Presence
- KEY POINTS
- 2 Finance
-
3 Breakdowns
- PRODUCER
- Breaking Down the Script
- Production Book
- Proper Script Format
- Breaking Down the Script
- The Digital Producer
- DIRECTOR
- Developing a Shooting Plan
-
Director Breakdowns
- Know the Script
- Know the Theme
- Develop a History for the Main Characters
- Know What Each Character Wants in the Story
- Break Down Each Scene into Dramatic Beats
- Determine a Visual Style for the Story
- Study the Locations and Rehearse the Actors
- Settle on Pacing and Tone
- Workshop Ideas on Video
- Create Floor Plans and Storyboards
- Make a Shot List
- Animation
- The Final Word
- KEY POINTS
-
4 Schedule
- PRODUCER (AS PRODUCTION MANAGER)
- Building a Stripboard
- General Guidelines
- Fixed Dates
- Beginning the Schedule
- Creating the Schedule
- The First Day
- Making the Day
- Shooting during Preproduction
- Locking the Schedule
- Call Sheet
- Scheduling Documentaries
- Student Scheduling Tips
- Web Presence for the Project
- DIRECTOR
- Determining the Visual Plan
- Coverage = Time = Schedule = Budget
- Contingency Plans for Overages
- Things Change
- KEY POINTS
-
5 Budget
- DIRECTOR
- Shooting for the Moon
- PRODUCER
- Creating a Budget
- Script and Budget
- Who Creates the Budget?
- The Budget Form
- Above-the-Line Costs
- Below-the-Line Costs
- Postproduction
- Postproduction Finish Digital
- Beginning the Budget
- The Budget Process
- Information Is Power
- Learn by Doing
- Student Budgets
- KEY POINTS
- 6 Crew
-
7 Actors
- Casting
- PRODUCER
- The Casting Process
- Casting Director
- The Basic Casting Steps
- Added Benefits of Casting
- DIRECTOR
- Auditions
- Types of Auditions
- Audition Guidelines
- Casting the Documentary
- PRODUCER
- Rehearsal Schedule
- DIRECTOR
- Rehearsals
- Special Situations
- Rehearsing with Children
- Communicating on the Set
- Interviews
- KEY POINTS
- 8 Location
-
9 Art Direction
- DIRECTOR
- Production Design
- Architect of Illusion
- Creating a Look
- How to Define the “Look”
- Defining the Space with Visual Ideas
- Communication with the Director of Photography
- Basic Decisions
- Breakdowns: Listen to the Script
- Camera Tests
- PRODUCER
- Assembling the Team
- The Art Department
- Images Can Tell a Story
- Responsibilities of the Art Department
- Animation
- The Producer’s Role
- Final Walk-Through
- KEY POINTS
-
10 Camera
- DIRECTOR
- Collaborate
- Keeping Up with Technology
- Do Your Homework
- Style
- Listen to the Material
- Documentary
- Introduce the Camera during Preproduction
- Consult with the Director of Photography
- Responsibilities of the Director of Photography
- Film Stock
- The Camera as Storyteller
- Coverage = Shot List
- Type of Shot (Traditional Coverage)
- The Shot
- Camera Movement
- Shoot with Editing in Mind
- Lighting Style
- Broadcast Quality
- Tricks
- Film
- Other Equipment
- Technical Considerations
- Video
- The Video Format
- Frame and Sensor Size
- Progressive and Interlace Scanning
- Interlace Factor
- The Frame Rate
- George Lucas and 24p
- How Color Is Recorded
- What Do You Call a Format?
- The Evolution of Video Formats
- Digital Cinema Formats
- PRODUCER
- Support
- KEY POINTS
-
11 Sound
- DIRECTOR
- Recording Clean Tracks
- Why Getting Good Sound Is So Important
- The Sound Team
- The Equipment
- Preproduction Planning
- Responsibilities of the Sound Team
- Approaches to Recording Sound
- Variables for Placing Microphones
- Recording Concerns
- Digital Video Sound
- Additional Sound Information on the Web Site
- PRODUCER
- Controlling the Environment
- Equipment Needs for the Shoot
- How Big a Sound Package and Crew Do You Need?
- Low to High Budget
- KEY POINTS
-
1 Script
-
part II Production
-
12 On Set
- Art on Set
- Final Walk-Through
- Set Procedures
- DIRECTOR ON SET
- Inspires
- Directing Actors
- The Director as Audience
- Acting Styles
- Types of Characters
- Staging for Camera
- Digital Assistant
- Dailies
- Tips for Directing
- PRODUCER ON SET
- Guidelines
- Keeping Track of the Art Department
- Cover Sets
- Wrapping Up
- Set Protocols
- Set Etiquette
- The Process
- A Typical Day
- Camera Moves
- Script Supervision
- Continuity
- Slates
- Action! Cut!
- KEY POINTS
- Art
- Director
-
12 On Set
-
part III Postproduction
-
13 Pix Postproduction
- DIRECTOR
- The “Final Draft”
- The Director as Editor
- The Editor
- Screening the Dailies (Working with an Editor)
- Shaping the Story
- Screening for Story
- Refining the Story
- Delivering to the Sound Designer/Sound Effects Editor
- Digital Basics
- Digital Compression
- Working with Digital Data
- Basic Workflow of a Nonlinear Editing System
- Editing Sequences
- Special Digital Video Effects
- Animation
- Technical Considerations When Editing Film on Video
- PRODUCER
- Advise
- What You Want from a System?
- Editing Room
- Postproduction Schedule
- Finding an Editor
- The Editor Speaks
- Stepping Back and Looking Ahead
- KEY POINTS
-
14 Sound Postproduction
- DIRECTOR
-
Sound Design
- Some History
- What Is Sound Design?
- Respect for Sound
- How We Perceive Sound Versus Picture
- Sound Equals Space
- Sound Expands the Frame
- What Is a Soundtrack?
- The Design of Sound
- Do You Need a Sound Designer?
- Post Flow Options
- Projects Shot on Digital Video
- Projects Shot on Film
- The Digital Audio Workstation
- Creating the Soundtrack
- Refining the Narration
- Sound Effects Tracks
- The Impact of Music
- Different Formats
- PRODUCER
- Supervising Postproduction
- … And Distributors
- The Moral
- KEY POINTS
- 15 Finishing/Online/Laboratory
- 16 Distribution/Exhibition
-
13 Pix Postproduction
- Appendix A Script Sample
- Appendix B Safety Issues
-
Appendix C Music Clearance and Insurance
- Music Rights
-
Insurance
- Comprehensive Liability
- Miscellaneous Equipment
- Third-Party Property Damage Liability
- Errors and Omissions
- Cast Insurance
- Negative Film and Digital Videotape
- Faulty Stock, Camera, and Processing
- Props, Sets, and Wardrobe
- Extra Expense
- Workers’ Compensation
- Hired, Loaned, or Donated Auto Liability
- Hired, Loaned, or Donated Auto Physical Damage
- Guild/Union Travel Accident
- Office Contents
- Animal Mortality
- Appendix D A Short History of the Short Film
- Appendix E Genres
- Appendix F Screening List
- Appendix G Film and Media Programs
- Appendix H Where Are They Now?
- Glossary
- Bibliography/Software/Internet
- Index
Product information
- Title: Producing and Directing the Short Film and Video, 5th Edition
- Author(s):
- Release date: March 2015
- Publisher(s): Routledge
- ISBN: 9781317908746
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