Connor's Film Blog

What surprised me the most from the pre-production presentation is the amount of detail and planning that goes into the pre production.  Two questions I have is how do I write a script? And how many people generally work on each part of the pre-production process? I learned how to write a log line in this unit. Pre-production is very important because it makes the production process a lot smoother and faster, and you won't forget anything when you're making the film, because you have it all written down.

A shot list is a list of all the shots in the film you are creating. It is very important because it sets a basis for all of the shots needed in the movie being made. With this basis, you won't forget to shoot some shots, or do the wrong type of shots. The shot list should be a must for anyone creating a movie because it saves time and time is money.

Storyboards are so important for planning your film because it is putting a visual aspect to the script, and will better describe a shot, without writing it all out. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, well if that's true then drawing a scene in a storyboard will save you a thousand words on your script. A simple drawing makes it a lot easier to show exactly what you want in a shot, making it easier for you when you are on set and explaining to people how you want the shot to look.

In the first act, all the basics are introduced; setting, conflict, characters, etc. This is what sets up for what is going to happen later on in the story. The second act is based on the characters realizing what they must to in order to solve the conflict. Sometimes a subplot, or a minor story under the main one is introduced. This can give the viewers more understanding of what exactly is going on. The third act has the final confrontation and resolution of the conflict. After the conflict is solved, the loose ends are tied up and the story starts to decline, then finishing.

An outline is the basic notes for a film that the writer makes and will have bullet points, which he would elaborate on a little sometimes. A synopsis is a short, one paragraph/page summary of the film/concept. A treatment is an in depth story telling of the film you are making, it can be like the script and has the full story told.

Be concise with your pitch. Be very clear on what the plot and tone are. Also discuss how character is. Connect with your audience, for example, you should be smiling when you talk so you can communicate to your audience that they should be smiling also. Pitching is basically speed painting, where you have to paint an image inside the listener's head so they can understand your vision.

To make a great pitch, you need to leave the listener in suspense and not knowing what the result of the outcome is, to keep the pitch short so you don't run out of time but you have all the essential details, and make sure you are ready to answer any question that comes at you with a concise response.