Major Production: Are We Ready? Producer Research

In the final days towards the filming, I've decided to look up some extra further research and inspiration into producing to get me fully prepared and inspired. I thought it would be nice to see how everyone works on set together, and see the film come to life.

I decided to look at the making of Wolverine as it's an extremely action packed film - and although we are working on a drama, it would be great to see how all the team pull together to create such an amazing fast paced film.

It's really inspiring to see all the different equipment they have which makes the film come to life in such a way, it's so different from what we are all used to filming with and seeing all the passion from the director, actors and crew makes me really excited to want to get further into the industry.

I found some extra tips and hints on how to become prepared for the shoot. Below, I have written the tips, along with where I am up to in terms of production before we begin shooting. With some extra time before we film, it will allow me to make sure I am ready and not forgetting anything important!

Keep a Positive Attitude. Lack of experience makes it difficult for beginning filmmakers to assess their day-to-day preproduction progress. There are so many elements (cast, crew, locations) that have to fall into place that you might sometimes doubt that so many tasks could possibly be accomplished by the shoot date; perhaps you have one part still uncast, there is no sound mixer, and the key location has not yet been secured. Don’t panic.

Living with uncertainty is part of the process. Professionals understand that things can come together at the last moment. A positive attitude is as important as efficiency and organization. The producer situates himself at the middle of all the activity and keeps the production team focused. He must inspire confidence that all the elements will come together in time, no matter what the obstacles.

Vic and I have been supporting each other throughout the story idea, script process, and planning for the shoot. We will both make sure we're okay if any of us needs the other for a little extra support! 

Allow Enough Time for Preproduction. How long should it take to prepare a short script for production? Answering this question is difficult because much depends on the experience of the creative team and the complexity of the script. A story set in one room with two characters is easier to preproduce than one demanding 10 different and unique locations. However, any short project can seem overwhelming to the first-time filmmaker.

Aside from the time spent securing the financing, a workable formula is to allow one week of preproduction for each day of principal photography. This step might take less time or more, based on script complexity and the director’s experience. In the end, you will do it in the time that is available.

Set a Preproduction Schedule. Use your shoot date as the final target. Create deadlines for securing cast, crew, and locations, and strive to follow them.
Thankfully, everything came together in the end (pre production wise at least!) and we have finally found the best character for Lucy possible - Georgina Leigh Patrick. I've worked with her before and she is very strong actress and versatile in what she can do. We also secured the theatre which is something I was concerned about, but i'm definitely 100 % happy with it.

Email and text messaging are efficient ways of communicating with cast and crew. Alerting them about a change of time or venue of your next production meeting can be handled in seconds. In addition, Cloud-based systems such as Google and Dropbox can also be utilized for crew members to communicate and collaborate remotely.

I have made sure that I have been always communicating with the cast, no matter how small the role. I have double checked everyones costumes and checked that everyone understands the call sheets. Vic and I met up with Thea, Saoirsa and Jillian (Saoirsa's mum) a few times to make sure everyone was comfortable and knew what we was doing. This also allowed us to get to know Saoirsa a little more which will make everything run much more smooth. 

Never Assume Anything. Double- and triple-check everything. If the producer assumes that the location manager has checked the electric supply of an apartment location, chances are only 50–50 that he did. Do you want to take that chance?

I have made sure to check things that are appropriate to our production with all the people who work at the location, and I have been given a code for the door as Alison won't be in as early as we are. I am confident that everything location wise is planned out and i'm happy that i've had constant communication with all the owners.

Remember that All Things Change. The process of preproduction is an evolution. The script, schedule, and budget will go through many changes before they are finalized, sometimes right up to the shooting date. The essential caveat is that once shooting begins, changes cease and you must concentrate on fulfilling the script, schedule, and budget.

Stay Healthy. Putting together all the ingredients needed to create a film or video can be exciting but stressful, especially if you’re doing this for the first time. The daily stress makes demands on the body. You want to be healthy when you are in production. This means taking care of yourself during preproduction and staying at your peak. You cannot slow down production because of a cold or postpone it because of the flu.

Source: http://www.masteringfilm.com/how-to-run-an-efficient-feature-film-production-meeting/

I'm really looking forward to filming and I've tried to make sure I am fully planned out and have everyone on board to help out.