A overview of pre-production work behind what the camera sees.
In Depth Cine offers A Cinematographer’s Guide To Pre-Production – which doubles as an overall guide to small- or no-crew, micro- or no-budget productions:
The steps in the process:
- Project Introduction
- Research
- Visual Plan
- Location Reconaisance – often with other key crew or HODs (heads of department)
- Shot List – may include storyboards – here are some examples of storyboard to final product
- Lighting Plan
- Gear List – determined by, or developed alongside, the post production workflow
- Crew List – budget, working style, and tech needs determine camera, lighting, and grip departments
- Technical Coordination – scheduling crew around location and budget considerations
Further Viewing
Here’s Shane Hurlbut ASC with 5 Tips (in under 4 minutes) for how to light a room (via Filmmakers Academy):
Visual research techniques for getting your crew and yourself on the same page ahead of production:
Who exactly is your crew? Here are a couple of handy explainers:
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Film School: Visual Research Techniques for getting yourself and your collaborators on the same page ahead of production.
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Film School: Phantom Cinematographer The unusual and enlightening process of Paul Thomas Anderson's celebrated film.
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