Major Project: Production Meeting & Research

Production meetings are an important part of the preparation for production and shouldn't be overlooked. They enable everyone to be sure on their roles, and listen to any ideas anyone may have - as well as letting the crew know more about the story so they can have an idea of the tone and style. 
Vic and I wanted to get together with our crew to make sure everyone know what they was doing so we arranged a meeting at our house. Prior to this, I wanted to do a little research to see if there was anything extra we should be discussing with the crew. I found http://www.masteringfilm.com/how-to-run-an-efficient-feature-film-production-meeting/ which had a full list of helpful advice which I have written below.

• Schedule regular production meetings and stick to them. Don’t rely on ad hoc gatherings to keep everyone informed. Events happen too fast and plans change too often for everyone to be kept abreast via casual chats. Keep in constant touch with the key creative staff. Learn to work in a nonlinear fashion. It is a juggling game. The production team needs to work on many things at the same time.

We had been emailing back and forth production schedules, however Mastering Film mentioned that you should be keeping everything formal, therefore this is another reason why we should have meetings, so no one can miss and email or forget to reply to anything. 

• Production meetings are opportunities to brainstorm ideas and to solve problems. The key to running an effective production meeting is to be organized and to stick to the agenda. Maximize the time you spend with the crew. Respect all points of view, but don’t linger too long on one issue with the whole crew present. Deal with a particularly thorny issue later with only the appropriate crew members. You might have to set up smaller meetings with individual department heads—art, camera, sound, wardrobe, props, hair, and makeup—to deal with specific issues in their respective areas.

Here are some additional suggestions:

• Hold the production meeting at the same time and place each week.
• Have refreshments available.
• Before the meeting, make sure everyone has a copy of the script.
• Set a time limit for the meeting.
• Publish and hand out a written agenda if possible.
• Moderate the meeting, keeping everyone focused on one topic at a time.
• Deal with one department at a time.
• At the end of the meeting, summarize the points of agreement.
• Assign tasks to appropriate crew members.
• Set an agenda for the next meeting.
• Distribute follow-up notes of decisions made (via email).

Throughout the meeting there was Vic and I, Chris, Patricia and Lawrence. Vic and I made sure to have production schedules printed so the crew knew the initial dates (whilst I was working on call sheets) and we had a few copies of the script printed ready for the crew. 

We made sure to follow the suggestions that I researched such as going through each topic one at a time and not getting too confused in what we was talking about. We also went through each persons role along with what additional tasks they may need to do and how they would be working, ie. if the cameraman would be working on a tripod or not, and if the sound technician would be working from a boom all day or not. Patricia's role was also especially crucial to talk about. She would be Vic's assistant on the day, along with helping me out with anything I need. We have runners ready so she shouldn't have to help with too much however she will be doing the clapper board for Vic, along with saying what shot we are on (to enable us to sync the clip and sound together) and making sure everyone is quiet on set. Patricia will also be there to look after the extras on the day we have the ball scene and audience scene as the theatre is quite small and we need someone to be making sure they are quiet when needed, but also available when we need them. 

The meeting went really well, we first went through the entire story and let everyone ask questions and know what it was about. They all know the theme and tone and feel confident. Next, we went over everyones roles, everyone was pretty confident, however, Chris is our back up camera man as he is most confident doing camera rather than sound.

Finally, prior to the filming we asked everyone to bring along their schedules for the month we was filming, this would help us to decided if everyone was definitely available for filming. Everyone said they was available however we had a couple of maybes with Lawrence, which needs to be sorted soon! 

The next step for our team is to receive more paperwork (call sheets) and make sure everyone is up to date all the time and knows whats going on. 

Major Project: Producer Research

As a low budget independent producer - I will be taking on other roles from different department which means I need to make sure I am fully prepared and organised. Producers have the overall control over the film and must work closely with everyone involved to ensure a great product is created. The producer does not only work before the film in pre production by bringing all the creative people together (cinematographer, director and production designer) they also are on set in production, and in post production work closely with the director and editor.

Source: http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/757_producer

What is the actual role of a producer?

Producer – Oversees all financial, legal and scheduling of a film production from development through filming to release and marketing. Producers command the primary credit for any theatrical release.

I looked on a ''How To Become a Movie Producer Guide'' on TomCruise.com which provided some very helpful research. I have discussed below the research given as well as how it has helped me develop the aspects of our production and what ideas it has given me. 

The first step, was the find the story, script or idea to turn into the movie - however this part is already been done and it is still being worked on to make sure the script is already for production.

Locating financing to meet the production budget for the film: Another absolutely crucial part of the producer’s job. This is where the financial wizardry of many of today’s producers come into play: you can’t make a movie without the money to pay for all the highly skilled people involved. From buying the screenplay to marketing and advertising the film, it all takes money. In some situations, producers may finance the production themselves or use whatever wealth at their disposal to secure loans for the production.

Budget is something extremely important and something which I want to make sure isn't overlooked. It's definitely true that the advertising and promotion also should be included on the budget. I currently have paid around £90 for the publishing for the website which lasts a year. This ensures that we have more storage on the website, along with the .com domain to make it look more professional. It also lets us have extra help and support if needed along with some additional features on the website. I have begun to also create a budget list which will help me know how much money we are spending, and how much we will have left to pay the actors. It's a very long process as we are still buying the props, however i'm sure it will be done. We did try to receive funding from Indiegogo and Kickstarter however it didn't work too well. Therefore Vic and I are putting in the money ourselves and we are luckily getting help from my dad who will be funding the project too. Our average budget right now is £700 - £1,000 (max) however it may go up depending on prices for a large prop, or could go down depending on location and cast prices. 

Finding the creative team to make the movie: For the major producers of a Hollywood movie, this normally means the key players on the production including the director and star actors. The producer often secures financing based on commitments from negotiations with these partners for a film shoot, so pieces of this step may come before the previous. Much of the other creative team are hired either through the director or producers further down the hierarchy of the production.

I've thought a lot about our team for the project, and originally it was going to be Chris Sarmiento on sound and Lawrence Sedgwick as DOP. However, after a few test shots we have decided Chris would be more suitable on camera than sound as that's his strong point, and also Lawrence isn't available for filming every date so Sam Babington will be sound operator, this is much more suitable for everyone. Patricia Dixon will be the production assistant and i'm confident she will do well in this, we've already discussed with her numerous times about what her job will entail and she knows the project and story well. Vic and I are happy with the team and I'm excited to be working along side them. 

Managing schedule and expenses during the shoot: Depending on the difficulty of the shoot or the environment, costs can quickly escalate during production. It’s up to the producer to keep the creative team on task and moving forward as quickly as possible in order to keep expenses down. However,  producers also have to balance costs with the quality of the finished product. Here lies the source of conflict on many movie shoots – what to keep and what to get rid of and when to just move on.

This Vic and I have discussed any additional costs we may need. I have thought about any costs that may occur incase we have to reshoot. If worse comes to worse we would have to re pay for cast travel expense and also for the location. I will leave some money spare from the budget for this incase we need it. 

Keeping post production on schedule and under budget: Just as they manage the schedule and budgets on location, producers stay in partnership with directors, editors and visual effects artists to keep post production running smoothly. While post production isn’t under the same pressures of location filming by nature, it has increasingly become an area of film production where costs skyrocket. Careful planning in pre-production may mitigate costs and time crunch in these latter stages.

A post production schedule was something I hadn't thought about, however it's definitely a tip I shall be getting straight to. In the post production schedule I can include dates which Vic can edit to (discussing with him to make sure its realistic). I could also make weeks for specific things such as sound, colour grading, music, foley. This will help us to be more organised and to push for a quicker edit. 

Marketing and promotion of the film: A producer often worked with a studio or distributor on how to best promote and market a film. This includes everything from the posters found in a movie theater lobby to commercials to a film’s website. The producer gives input to all these facets of making sure audiences know about the film and want to go see it.

I will be creating a poster for our film, along with a short trailer to promote our film.

The tips I found are useful in making sure I am doing all the right steps from production to post production. I found the post production tip especially helpful and it will definitely help us to stay on track.

Source: http://www.tomcruise.com/blog/2010/11/05/how-to-become-movie-producer-guide/

Major Project: Research and Final Budget

After a long time planning the Major Project, and a lot of changes being made in regards to location, I have decided to update and change the budget and make a more clear plan in what the money is going to be spent on. Previously, I had made a plan, however, hadn't specifically concluded how much would be spent on cast and food. It would be extremely helpful and wise to calculate this now so I can work out further how much money I have to spend and if there is any left over or not enough.

Here is the budget I did last year.

Props List 1

Looking back, it's an extremely rough budget without any proper prices. My main priority was PROPS and LOCATION as this would be taking up most of the budget. However, after doing further researched I have found that I should be taking everything else, even small things, into consideration as it all adds up and will effect the overall amount that we have left over. As it's just myself and Vic in the group the money we put in MUST be spent wisely, we cannot afford to waste anything which is why I want to create an average of the money spent and see how much everything will cost when getting final costs on props and locations.

I watched a lot of videos on how producers budget money carefully, and a speaker on AMC YouTube channel discussed a lot on how producers must carefully think if they can actually create the film after creating the budget. It made me think a lot about creating a very accurate budget so that if I am confident with what we've got, there won't be any little surprises that are charged at the end and make the budget increase.

I began further researching into large and small film budgets to see further information on what is actually the main priority in calculations. When looking at these I found that in the real world, producers focus on the salary on everyone involved and the cost of the equipment and editing as this is such a huge importance - especially if a film is very special effect heavy.

Due to our crew being able to help us out for free and the equipment already being either our own or loaned out from the University - i'm confident in being able to not calculate any money spent on crew and equipment. The composers who we have are working for the experience and are not being paid. However, my main importance to begin calculating now is set design, hair and makeup, cast and props.




A huge part of the money which is spent on props is being spent on a cloth which will act as a backdrop for the theatre stage scene and masquerade ball scene. The cost for this has been worked out at £151.20 including VAT and courier costs due to it being so heavy and having to be carried on a palette.


Another cost which I was able to find for £5 per hour is the auditorium at The Avenue Theatre. After months and months of being told all theatres cost £300 - £500 per day, I began looking further and further out, and finally found The Avenue Theatre in Sittingbourne, which would cost us £90 per day. I originally calculated myself and Vic's train fair being £5 with a railcard, and didn't consider the amount of props we would need. Luckily, we are able to get a lift there in a car with crew and pay for travel which will be around £7 per day.

Another cost which I was quite unfamiliar with was paying for mileage for our actors - as someone who doesn't drive, I just assumed we'd pay for however much petrol they would pay for, however, I began realising this isn't accurate at all and did some research into a mileage calculator. I decided to have a chat with the cast who are driving and agree on how much to pay them per mile which I would then add into the contract and update them on. Doing this really helped to narrow down costs which has helped a lot in the budget. I also researched train times and costs for filming dates and checked with the actors on prices which should be an accurate price. One cast member had pre booked her train as it was discounted at £5 trains so I was able to write an accurate amount for that as well.

Below, I have updated the budget and written an estimate in which I thought we would pay. Luckily, we aren't much over the amount and we should be able to either lower the prices or add a little more money into the budget.

As a producer, I have realised that small things which make a huge different to the visuals - such as set design, can become very expensive and I should of researched more into it further in the pre production stage. I have learnt through doing the budget and managing the money that EVERYTHING must be thoroughly researched.

It definitely helps to look further around areas outside of your comfort zone to get a better and cheaper location which is still a great location to film!

Here is the current updated budget!

StringsBUDGET

Major Project: Set Design

Set design is an important aspect of our project, which definitely shouldn't be overlooked. I have been thinking a lot about the style of back drop / back cloth that we can have for the scene whether it be a 3D style set or a simple back cloth that will be hung up. 

The scene is based around a masquerade ball, and the two are arguing just outside of the ball, so ideally I would like something which looks like a ball, but has a door so they look like they are stood outside it, or a backdrop like the picture to the right which looks like it is 'outside' of the ballroom so none would be there.

I did some research into palace, ballrooms, and masquerade ball style back cloths and found some imagery below which is used in pantomimes such as Cinderella and other theatre productions. A few of them are back cloths which are tied up onto a pole, whilst others have 3D aspects to them which pieces of cardboard which brings it more to life. I really like the 3D aspects of the productions, however, i'm not sure we would be able to get it in time and also if it would fit in our budget. 

I have began to look into some theatre hire websites and companies to see if there was any back cloths and/or cardboard pieces that we could hire or get made and see the prices of them.

• http://www.3dcreations.co.uk
• http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/props-hire-store

I also looked onto Propit (http://www.propit.co.uk/#) however, they didn't have many large set pieces and when contacting them, they told me that most the props are hired by the week which meant the price would go up very high as we only want it for a couple of days.

I have begun to focus my search more towards just a back cloths as the sets I was finding didn't fit with what I wanted. I found on various sites very high rental prices which are way above our budget and finally found Qdos Entertainment, a company which specialises in all things theatre production and they have been very helpful! I accepted that most companies lowest prices was around £100 - 150 for a few days to a week of hire, and began looking for the best backcloth I could find.

I found the backdrop PALACE which looks perfect on the photograph for what we want! Admittedly, the lighting helps so much and they have obviously added things to it, however, after a long search it was the best one I could find and I really like it. I decided to contact Annabelle and ask more information such as the size and the price. Due to there being a lot of bookings for the cloths, I decided to book it for a few days in advance, as they won't send us it any earlier than our booking day and I want to make sure it gets here on time. Although this may cost more it's definitely worth it instead of it not arriving!

Annabelle was very helpful and after a few conversations and information I have all the paperwork and have signed an agreement. The only issue is that due to the theatre not being a HUGE theatre, the cloth is 40ft by 20ft which means we will have to pull the bars up really high and tuck some of the cloth in. I asked Alison and she gave me the measurements for the stage so that we have a rough idea of how much will have left over.

Here is an image of the back cloth we have chosen which is called 'PALACE'

Another important aspect of our set design is the masquerade ball scene. Originally, I wanted a separate backcloth for the scene, however, I think it will be too expensive for our budget and there are other ways around dressing it up. I want to either use the same back cloth or use the theatre lights to light up the background. Also, i've bought some balloons, party poppers, ribbon and a small helium canister so that we can decorate the scene more and make it more party like. The extras will be wearing ball gowns and masks so hopefully everything should fit together nicely!

Major Project: Independant Producer Research

As my role as producer this year, I have lots of things to consider in my further preparation for the film shoot. It's extremely important that I do enough research into the role before taking our film into production.

Looking into independent film producers, I found Tim Barrow. Tim is an actor, writer and independent film producer. Tim made 'The Inheritance' a film directed by Charles Belleville which was a no budget film and was nominated for Best UK Feature at Raindance Film Festival. I think it's important to look into independent producers to see how they create films with what they have, yet still a professional film.

During an interview Tim mentioned some tips which he thinks are important for producers.

• Celebrate your limitations. 

Work with what you have, throughout Tim's film he filmed in Scotland, because that's were both the director and he grew up.

''It’s crucial to understand the kind of film you have, the level you’re working at and how you can maximise your strengths within those parameters.''

• Films take blood, sweat, tears and time.

Tim had a £5,000 budget for his film, and still managed to have a cast, crew and script which was filmed in 11 days. He mentioned that no one got paid but everyone was fed throughout. 

• Find brilliant actors.

Cast actors who have film star quality, who prove fascinating to watch onscreen. The Inheritance was driven from the beginning by discussions between the actors which I turned into the script. 

Actors are the difference between making a great film and a bad one. Making sure to find a great script can entice the actors in on such a low budget film.

''Actors are ephemeral, dynamic, creative beings and the good ones are hungry. If you can satisfy their hunger with a great part, then you stand a chance of turning a decent story into a great film.''

• Publicise

Tell everyone about everything. Use websites, twitter, Facebook, blogs and newsletters to spread the word and constantly update people about what you are doing.

Have a range of great photos for publicity. 

We promoted all our news to the likes of Raindance and Scottish Screen who published in their newsletters. These newsletters reach their target audience and build up a presence for independent films. People start to look for your latest news. 

Tim's tips have been helpful, and I will definitely be considering ways to publicise further updates on our Twitter Facebook and website. It's also interesting to see that he didn't pay any actors, but only fed them which is interesting. Currently, i'm struggling with one character to re cast, due to commitment issues, however, I will hopefully be able to offer other things apart from payment which will ensure I have a cast who is dedicated yet still fits in the budget as Tim did.

Source: http://www.raindance.co.uk/site/index.php?id=477,5457,0,0,1,0

Major Project: Script Changes! + Research

As i've been going over my script, I wanted to make sure that everything was to a great standard before filming - does the script make sense? Can I change anything? Is everything too obvious? These are the questions going through my mind, so I began some research into some extra ways I can create a great suspenseful script without giving too much away.

Develop Your Characters

• The reader will not be thrilled by the action if he or she does not care about the characters and what happens to them. If the hero is in trouble and the villain is closing in, readers will not feel the suspense if they do not root for the hero and are not repulsed by the villain. Your villain should use mental tactics that defy convention, and your hero should be extraordinary in some capacity. Create emotional connections with characters, even minimal characters, by providing physical details and some sort of backstory. For example, readers will be more affected if you tell them that young newlyweds on their honeymoon were hit by a speeding car than if you just say a car hit two people.

Leave The Reader Hanging

• Thrillers are characterized by cliff-hangers. Connect scene to scene, and don't let the action drop. Always set up what's coming next with suspense. End each chapter with a glimpse into the next, and create tension at the last minute that will keep the reader turning pages. In a psychological thriller, the action will be primarily mental and emotional. Psychological manipulation and mind tricks will keep the reader guessing. For example, a cliff-hanger might be suspenseful as a character makes a discovery, such as your hero finding that he's been lied to or deceived.

Timing Is Everything

• Time itself is a character in a thriller. Use time to your advantage, and engage the reader by using time as a catalyst for the action. For example, your hero must race to save the love interest before the villain succeeds. Just as comedy is all about timing, suspenseful moments also must be timed perfectly. If your villain is playing a game of cat-and-mouse with your hero, carefully plan the timing of each moment the villain strikes. Don't let the reader get too comfortable. Plan light moments of relief only to plunge the reader back into fast-paced action.
  http://www.ehow.com/how_4868677_write-psychological-thriller-novel.html

  
  

  After reading these, I decided to read through my script, and see what I could improve to make sure I was always surprising the audience and leaving the reader hanging. 
  The first thing I noticed that could change was the scene were Francis is in his study and is sitting drinking whiskey near the fire. Although I love the idea of this scene, I've realised that it would make Francis' character look VERY obvious. The scene isn't too close to the end either, and as I want to try create as much tension and enigma as possible - I don't want to reveal his identity too early. Therefore, I have decided to cut this scene out completely.

When going over the script a final time, I noticed some mistakes that I can't believe I hadn't noticed before.
The first thing, was that Lucy was meant to be staying at Bethany's house for the week - however, herself and James leave with no excuse, how could I change this?
I decided to add in the idea that Lucy and James are staying at a hotel. This is much more realistic as Bethany's house is meant to be small, so they wouldn't of fit anyway. Secondly, it enriches Lucy's character of being very stuck up as her and James are staying in a hotel instead of with her sister because the house isn't up to her standard.

I also noticed that i'd made a huge mistake with the days. One of the days goes on for way too many hours.
Bethany leaves in the morning to confront Daniel, then talks to Francis outside, goes home and argues with George, and comes back out to rehearse again, bearing in mind all this was set during the day it was very unrealistic.

To fix this I decided to simply add in some dialogue for Francis. When he see's her outside, he now asks why she's still here, as she needs some rest for 'tonight' (the rehearsals).

Major Project: The Importance of Props

Props are something which we have a very lot of in our film! They are important to build the scenes, and to help distinguish a characters personality. I decided to do some research on props to establish any other uses that I can use them for or if I can get any ideas of further props to buy for the locations or characters.

''Even props that aren’t the object of any character’s desire can instill certain feelings in us, such as the dying plant in E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, Wilson from Cast Away or the leg lamp in A Christmas Story. But these items are only made significant by the story and characters that surround them and the feelings we come to attach to them.

In the end, this just goes to show you the power of cinema, and how they can make even the most mundane objects an important part of a story, character or setting. What are some of the movie props that have stuck with you over the years?''

I found video essay by Rishi Keneria on props, which was really interesting and helpful. It shows us how props can either help a scene become believable, or make it disastrous. For example, if you were to create a film based around a period (20's,80's etc) you'd have to have perfect props to establish the scene, otherwise it would look unrealistic and take the audience out of the idea of the story. Rishi describes props not only as objects, but as food, weapons, knives, drinks, musical instruments and sports equipment. Props can become iconic in films and be well known worldwide.

Reference: http://www.slashfilm.com/video-essay-movie-props/

Characters

Rishi explains that the props can represent a character and make it so whenever you think about the prop you think about the character.
An example of this can be in Inception, when Leonardo DiCaprio has the spinning top, it is used throughout the film and the film has built it up so much that there has been posters with it on and you automatically think of the character.

''A bone. A wire hanger. A polaroid. A big wheel. A Delorean. A lobster. A coffee mug. A bar of soap.

If these objects remind you of specific films, then that means they did their job as props.''

A few other examples are as follows,

The letter from Doc in Back To The Future II 

This scene is quite iconic in the film as it's a moment when something dramatic has happened and we realise that Doc is in the past. The scene is something that I think most fans would recognise if someone was to mention the letter from Doc.

Another explain is in Office Space.

Joanna's boss approaches him about her 'flair' which is all the badges and decoration on her jacket. They make such a huge deal out of it and make it quite comedic so its a memorable moment in the film. Also, they used a strange word 'flair' which makes it easy to recognise when someone says it.

''They all become their own characters, partly because director/writer Mike Judge gave these props significant amounts of screen time to interact with and affect the human characters in the film -- he gave them a life of their own; he made them important characters.''

Reference: http://nofilmschool.com/2015/10/this-video-essay-shows-how-important-props-can-be

An article on 'No Film School' also explains how props can have an effect on the film in different ways.

Convey a character's inner feelings

Editing can play a big role in connecting your character to an item that communicates how they're feeling or what they're thinking. A great example used in the video is the plastic bag Ricky Fitts films in American Beauty. His character is aimless and empty just like that beautiful, beautiful piece of trash. 

Character nuance

Patrick Bateman's business card, Juno's hamburger phone, Jules' Bad Motherfucker wallet, -- all of these props help tell the audience who these characters are. Patrick Bateman's is a skeleton of his true self ("That's bone,"), Juno is eccentric, and Jules is -- well -- he's a bad motherfucker. Ask yourself what kinds of objects would encapsulate your characters' personality.

Metaphors & Motifs

The spinning top in Inception, the snow globe in Citizen Kane, and the stuffed birds in Psycho are all examples of metaphors and motifs. But, how can they serve your story? They can be used to explain something complex without having to resort to a boring expositional scene. For instance, Kane's snow globe helps communicate his lost childhood, as well as act as a catalyst for the beginning of his story.

Passage of Time

This is related with motifs. You can use the same prop throughout your film (three is the magic number for some reason) to represent a visual passage of time.

Performing with Props

Getting good performances might be easier for your actors to do with a prop. Think of how much more interesting (and natural) a dialog scene would be if your characters had stuff in their hands, or if they were hanging up their coats, or looking through magazines.

Transitions

Using cut-ins are a great way to break up a block of dialog or action. However they should be motivated, because if you put special attention on an object, your audience is going to expect it to do something. (Remember Chekhov's Gun.) Props can also be used creatively to transition from one scene to another.

Reference: http://nofilmschool.com/2015/08/6-ways-you-can-use-simple-props-make-your-films-more-interesting

All these tips have made me think more creatively about how I can find props to go in certain aspects of our film to create more meaning and symbolism. I want a few mask props to be used on the stage scene, which means the actors will be performing with props. No Film School says that it looks more interesting and natural when characters have things in their hand. I definitely want to do this with more of the props we have as I do agree it will look more natural for them to be doing something.
I have a lot of props on my list that I need to buy and I think the amount we will have will make the scenes come to life a lot more and feel more realistic.

Props list currently.