The Dos and Don'ts of Successful Filmmaking

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Patrick Winters

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781000482706
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Film Direction & Production

Mistakes are easy to make, but often difficult to undo. The greater the knowledge and experience a filmmaker has, the fewer mistakes are made by them. This introductory-level guide to filmmaking teaches effective preproduction, production and postproduction with a focus on many of the common mistakes made and how to avoid them.

Filled with practical advice and information on the process of successfully making a film, Patrick Winters guides you through the whole process from preproduction to postproduction, teaching how to plan a shoot, accomplish that shoot and then follow the steps needed to edit and mix your film, highlighting key considerations and potential pitfalls to avoid along the way. The book covers everything from getting your story production ready, securing funding and budgeting appropriately, casting actors, assigning crew members, developing production design, shooting efficiently and effectively, technical and aesthetic camera and lighting choices, sound considerations, picture and sound editing and mixing, to the final stages of distribution and exhibition. Drawing on Winters' years of filmmaking and teaching experience, this book provides you with all the technical and aesthetic knowledge required to make a film, highlights common mistakes to avoid, and explains where to put your time and money into where it shows, resulting in a successfully made film that will stand out from the crowd.

A combination of what to do and what not to do, this is ideal for introductory-level filmmaking students, as well as independents just starting out.The online support material includes deal memo templates, walkie-talkie lingo, camera and sound reports, first AD roll call, distribution and exhibition and additional information on booming.

Production

7DIRECTING

DOI: 10.4324/9780429352133-9

1. Introduction
2. Concept Book or Look Book
3. Concept Art
4. Storyboards
5. Shot List
6. Location Scouting or Reconnaissance (Recce)
7. Casting
8. Table Read
9. Rehearsals
10. Blocking
11. Directing Approaches
12. Acting Styles
13. Working with Actors
14. Doing Business
15. Fights & Intimacy
16. Working with the Producer
17. Working with the First Assistant Director (1ST AD)
18. Working With the Crew
19. Working with the Director of Photography (DP)
20. Working with the Production Designer
21. Working with the Editor
22. Tips

Introduction

Mistake

I’ve been in a few plays, so I know how a director works with actors.

A director will typically work at least 10 to 16 hours a day, every day, for the entire shoot. They will be in communication with the different department heads as needed to keep the production plan on time and on budget. After production is done for the day, they usually meet with the editor to go through the dailies and determine which shots to use in the edit. The director then heads home or back to their room and reviews the shooting plan for the next day in order to be prepared.

The director will make thousands of decisions. Those decisions will be based on their vision of the film and the message they want the film to convey. Below are many of the tools that help a director achieve their film. Using these tools and learning how to work with the cast and crew will make the process easier and better.

The director will select a production designer, a cinematographer, the editor, the cast, the color of the walls and even what color and style the main character’s hair will be. It is a job that requires more than just working with actors.

As the director, it is your vision that the crew and cast are trying to create. When a take ends, everyone on the set is waiting to see if you got what you wanted. Let the crew and cast know that you appreciate them and make work a joy. Filmmaking is work, but it can be fun work if the director sets that mood on set.

The two most important aspects of production are planning and communications. The more planning there is, the faster and smoother the production will go. The better the communication, the better the crew and cast will know what to expect and how to act. Not being well organized and lacking plans will lead to stress for everyone and a difficult shoot.

Four great tools that help with planning and communication are the storyboards, shot list, concept artwork and a concept book.

Concept Book or Look Book

I learned about using a concept book from Robert Sarkies, director of Deano and Nige’s Best Last Day Ever (2012). Rob did a one-day seminar with my film students and one of the things he showed us was his concept book or also called a look book. He had found images online, downloaded and printed them, then along with cut-out images from magazines, he created a notebook that could be viewed by other crew members, so they could get insight into his vision for each scene.

A concept book can have images that may convey such things as the emotions or mood of a scene, a particular look for wardrobe, makeup and hair, and a visual sense of production design for each scene. These can be used as a reference for creating the concept art.

A variation of the concept book is the mood board or book. This is a digital or paper collage of images and text that convey the director’s ideas about locations, characters, color swatches, wardrobe, makeup, emotions and any other visual element.

Concept Art

This is artwork relating to the various scenes and locations in the film. The artist will create either 2D or 3D highly detailed images, which are mostly sets, wardrobe and makeup, and characters, that will be used as a guide for the production design and for the VFX (visual effects) team to use as a reference for what to create.

The director is able to use these images to communicate with the visual artists, production designer, cinematographer, costume designer and many other members of the teams that are responsible for the “look” of the film.

Storyboards

Figure 7.1 Storyboard example (by Teresa Winters)

Mistake

I don’t needs storyboards. I’ve got the whole movie playing in my head. I won’t forget any shots.

Storyboards are a great way of pre-visualizing how each scene might progress shot by shot during production. They are essentially a shot list with visuals showing camera action and actor movements. Having storyboards can help the director convey to other crew members how a given scene may be shot. They will also help prevent the director from forgetting a critical shot.

Storyboards can be hand drawings, photographs, sketches or simple images from storyboard software.

Storyboards are produced in the aspect ratio that the film will be shot in. The storyboards often include scene number, camera movements, sound effects and music, aspect ratio, lens choices, shot types, special effects instructions, framing and other technical details. It is also valuable to include any important props along with a sense of location. The boards may include some dialogue for reference purposes. Ideally, there is information on what is happening in the scene. For example, Emma is breaking up with Nathan. The single most important element in a storyboard is the actors.

Some directors will draw their own storyboards, while some others will have an artist create them and others do not like to use storyboards at all. For a director to rely only on their memory for each shot is a very risky plan.

If you take all of the storyboard images and edit them together in a non-linear editing system timeline and add some sound effects and music to them, you will have an “animatic.” You can even add some “scratch” or temporary dialogue to it to bring it to life. It is not a necessary step in planning a production, but can be very useful. It is fairly common in animation production.

Shot List

While storyboards are a visual form of production preparation, a shot list is a more technical written list of shots for each scene. The list may include camera angle, framing and movement, and anything else that may be important for a given shot or scene. The shot list can be done shot by shot or it can have just the shots that require special planning like a scene with special effects or special camera movements.

A director can create a shot list that replicates how the scene plays out in their head. In order to create the shot list, it can help to connect with the emotional state of the characters in each scene. By being aware of the characters’ emotions and the intent of the scene a director can get a sense of how best to shoot that scene.

Location Scouting or Reconnaissance (Recce)

Mistake

I did a location search on my phone’s map app. I found the exact location I want to use.

Always know your locations. The best way to do that is to go to them. Do not rely on some map application to inform you about a location. You need to do reconnaissance at the actual location. Being at the location will let you know how the sun crosses the sky, especially if it is an exterior scene. Knowing where the sun is at any given time will allow you to schedule the shoot in a manner that takes advantage of the sun. Being at the location allows you to design the shots. You will know where to place the camera and the actors. You will also know if there is a fire station, airport or construction site making lots of noise nearby.

You can take stills or video of the location and the best camera angles. These can be a reference for the director of photography. Ideally, you will include the DP in your recces.

Basic Recce Checklist

• Contact the owner or legal manager of a location to acquire rights to shoot there.
• Discuss fees and film credit, if any required.
• Exchange contact information with the representative.
• Meet a representative of the location on the morning of the shoot.
• Confirm availability for shoot dates and reconfirm a couple of days before.
• Create a map with directions for the cast and crew.
• Check for electrical circuit breaker location, unless a generator is being used.
• Check for vehicle parking at the location, unless a shuttle is being used.
• Check for availability of toilets or rent a porta-potty or multi-toilet trailer.
• Determine if traffic control is needed by police, security or production assistants.
• Acquire required permits for the location, traffic, pyrotechnics, weapons, etc.
• Check for safety hazards and determine the location of the nearest hospital.
• Check for sound issues such as, traffic, aircraft, schools, fans, background music, appliances, construction, etc.
• Determine if food is available or are catering or takeout meals required.
• Arrange accommodation nearby, which is ideally for one person per room.
• Select an area for departments to set up or stage near the set.

Casting

The director needs to feel confident that the actors hired will be able to portray the characters well. Sometimes they may choose an actor because they fit the part and the audience will immediately accept them in their role. Other times the director may cast against type, which may give a spin on a character. For example, what would it be like if comedy actor John Krasinski from The Office played Ebenezer Scrooge? It might work if the story were told as a comedy. The actor must fit the role in order to be convincing. One way to make sure an actor fits the role is to do a table read.

Table Read

A table read or read-through is when the entire cast read through the script out loud as their character. The director and writer are there to work with the actors to finalize the script and develop the characters. Depending on the type of production it is, there may be a need for the cinematographer or some other creative crew member to be there too.

Usually everyone sits around a large conference table or in a circle in a large room. There are often paper scripts for everyone, pens, pencils and highlighters, as well as snacks to help keep up the energy. Having everyone together and playing their parts can help gel the cast. It also allows the director and writer to see if there needs to be any changes in the script, such as combining scenes, eliminating scenes or rewriting them.

Rehearsals

Mistake

Rehearsing is for stage plays and people who don’t know what they are doing. I want the actors to be fresh. It’s good to keep them on edge.

Some directors always rehearse even for only a few days, while others do not rehearse at all. The ones who do not rehearse often do a couple of takes to see what the actors are bringing to the scene. They believe that this somewhat impromptu approach will create a more realistic performance. The ones who rehearse like to know what to expect from the performers in a given scene. They can then collaborate with the actor to tweak the nuances of...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgments & Credits
• Preproduction
• Production
• Postproduction
• Glossary
• Index