Pre-production plays such a huge role in the outcome of your project. Pre-production is such a broad term, and therefore people often breeze through it to get the “the fun stuff” (production and post production. For those that don’t know, pre-production is work done on a film or broadcast program, before full-scale production begins.
Think about this, different roles on a film have different needs and requirements for pre-production. It’s something that makes total sense, but think about this. If you cut cost by let’s say not hiring a 1st AD, then you have to make sure the tasks that a 1st AD handles are still being done. Thus, the reason why i’m writing this post.
Here are the tasks that I’m constantly looking at during pre-production.
- script break down and analysis
- location scouting
- creating shot list
- creating a look book & gathering references
- camera and gear test.
- acquiring crew.
There is a difference between a cinematographer looking at budget and a producer looking at the budget or other tasks. It’s good to have an overall understanding of the pre-production process. As a cinematographer, you are expected to to create a look to support the story. Being prepared when you are on set is essential to having a smooth production. There will always be things that are unexpected but with time, you get better and solving those challenges and being prepared for the unexpected. In the upcoming weeks, i’ll focus on each of these steps and talk about how I do each individually.
Is there something in pre-production that you do specifically to help with your projects as a cinematographer? Let me know.