Learning Aim D: Pre-production EVALUATION

By completing this evaluation, I have assessed the importance and the effects of each element of pre-production so that other small-scale companies can explore the importance of thoroughly doing each element and be inspired to do the same.  

Evaluation 

Throughout the pre-production stage, I have completed all the major components needed to plan my short film. There are 3 elements of the pre-production stage, including creative, logistics, and finance. I believe I have managed and planned all these aspects efficiently and I have been organised while completing these tasks to ensure that it is clear and understandable- increasing my chances of my production runs smoothly and therefore is hopefully successful. 

Finance 

One section of pre-production planning was to plan and organise the financial aspect of my short film. First, I had to research to find different sources of finance used in the film industry and decide on which would best suit my film. I decided on self-funding as I thought it would be the most reliable- and for a small-scale production I probably wouldn’t have received anything from other sources. I created a document where I assessed all the different possible sources of funding, finding the pros and cons of each. I then created a budget, which included all the things that I would need to cover during filming. My actual budget for my short film is £0 so I needed to work out a way where I keep my costs as low as possible during the filming process.  

Below is my evidence of my research for different finance and funding options. 

As you can see, my example compared to the industry example have similarities- firstly, it has a very similar layout- starting off with the actual item that will need money to be spent on it, I then state how many days I’ll be needing each bit of equipment for, or how long and for how many people I’ll need to provide for, for example in terms of catering and accommodation. I then state an estimated cost for each item as well as a total estimate cost, much like the industry example. Another element I included in my budget plan to make it to an industry standard was organising each item into above the line budgets and below the line budgets.  By organising my budget like this, I’m hoping that my short film production will be able to adhere to the budget as best as possible, to maximise it, and get the best possible outcome for my film. Without doing this, it could make it, so I go over-budget, which makes it a possibility that I can run out of money or spend too much money on one element and not leaving enough for another- leaving my production unorganised and at risk of failing. 

 

Creative 

Another section of pre-production planning was to plan and organise the creative side of my short film. This is important as it ties up all my ideas and helps visualise my short film. In my opinion, this part is the most important part of my pre-production, as without the creative planning, we can’t plan out logistics or finance without knowing the concept of the film. This side of pre-production planning mainly consists of scripting and storyboarding but also includes small details like researching films for the genre’s codes and conventions. ` The script of the film is a fundamental part of pre-production, because it tells the cast what they’re saying, while also allowing us to figure out what kind of setting we would need to set and the cast that the script would suit. It also pieces the film together and makes the storyline clear. 

While planning my creative elements, I thought it was essential to brainstorm ideas. Getting a variety of ideas early on allows me to decide which idea I think is best for me but not keeping my options closed, giving me the most successful chance possible. After having narrowed my ideas down to my one idea, I researched films from the same genre and noted down the key codes and conventions so that my short film can follow suit- for example with stereotypical characters and camera angles typical of the thriller genre. If I hadn’t had done this, there was a risk of me not following typical conventions of my genre, and the film wouldn’t have come out as I would have hoped.  

Logistics  

As you can see above, my script uses a similar font to the industry standard. This font is clear, so that my cast and crew can read it, avoiding the risk of them reading words wrong. The layout is also similar, with the lines being spaced out, and the editing directions being in bold to separate them from dialogue to avoid confusion. 

By having this script, it makes my storyline clearer and gives it structure for everybody to follow Without a script, it will not only be more difficult to come up with the dialogue, but it also makes it more time consuming, as the crew need to come up with the lines while trying to shoot, while the cast have to learn it. Overall, without making a script, the shooting of my film could run over its scheduled date, pushing back its release date. The other part of my pre-production planning was to plan and organise the logistics side of my short film. This is important as it allows the process of making my film to be smooth and ensure that what I want to do can happen. It is document/ contract based and is a lot to do with safety, permissions and schedules.  

One document I completed well was my risk assessment. I thought of as many risks as possible and put them into a table. I then thought, with each risk, of who/what was at risk, the level of risk it proposed, and measures that could be taken to reduce the risk. I added a good amount of detail, although adding cast/crews contact information in case something was to happen would have made it even better because it adds more precautions to my risk assessment. These details are however available on my ‘cast and crew’ document as well as the cast release forms. Having a risk assessment means that my cast and crew are safer on set, while also avoiding any legal problems. I set out the risk assessment like an industry standard one, to make it as clear and organised as possible to help me evaluate the risks. I could have improved this by colour coding the risk levels- red for high risk, amber for medium risk, and green for minimal risk. Without a risk assessment, there’s an increased risk of accidents happening- this can set back production back if cast/crew members get injured and are unable to shoot, or any equipment gets damaged and it consumes time by needing replacing, by having one, I’m minimising the chance of this happening, keeping my cast and crew safe, and increasing my chances of my production falling behind.