PRODUCTION DESIGN &

SCHEDULING
1504ART Digital Video Foundations
• Both of these topics are immensely important;
• Production Design because without creative PDs
every film would look like every other film...
• Production Scheduling because without it, we would
never get around to shooting the film...
• Unfortunately there’s not a lot to say about
Production Design, other than talking about a few of
the skills & responsibilities of the job...
• Unfortunately Production Scheduling is incredibly
boring...but I promise it will be the most boring
lecture of the whole semester - it’s only uphill from
here...
• So, without further ado...
PRODUCTION DESIGN
How to get ‘that look’
• It is during production design that we go back to
prior efforts in visualisation and conceptualisation.
• We delve into our ‘ideas database’ and our notebook
to search for our films visual theme.
• Visual thematics are as important to our film as the
script, without a strong visual theme our film will
suffer from an identity crisis.
• We as filmmakers control the time and environment
for our film, we as production designers must turn
that vision into a ‘reality’.
• As a production designer we must learn to adapt the
skills of many different aspects of filmmaking to the
design of our production.
• We must be able to see like a cinematographer and
understand the subtleties of the screenplay as the
writer does.
• As a production designer we must be able to
understand how locations can work with the action
and characters to produce the type of audience
understanding that a film needs to succeed.
• Th best way for you to fully comprehend the
mammoth task of the production designer is to
watch a couple of movie excerpts & discuss the role
Production Design played in their creation...
FAT ALBERT
DOGVILLE
BREATHE
PRODUCTION SCHEDULING
Because timing is everything...
• Scheduling is traditionally done by the Production
Manager or the First Assistant Director in Pre-
production.
• This is a very quick primer for Film Scheduling to
help you understand the process.
• The basic process is to:
• 1. Read the Script.
• 2. Mark up the Script.
• 3. Prepare a Script Breakdown.
• 4. Prepare your Production Board.
• 5. Schedule your Shooting.
• 6. Get approvals from all involved.
• 7. Budget your time and money.
 1) READ THE SCRIPT
• You should first read the script so you have an
appreciation for the storyline and a good feel for the
action.
 2) MARK UP THE SCRIPT
• Better to Underline rather than highlight for
photocopying purposes.
• Colour code the elements of the script THEN complete
the Breakdown Sheets.
• Use pencils on Breakdown sheets for ease of change.
THE COLOUR-CODING SYSTEM
• CAST (RED): Speaking Parts
• EXTRAS (YELLOW): Silent Bits
• EXTRAS (GREEN): Atmosphere
• STUNTS (ORANGE): Stunts
• SPECIAL EFFECTS (BLUE): SpecialEffects
• SOUND EFFECTS (BROWN): Sound Effects
• VEHICLES (PINK): Vehicles/Animals
• PROPS (PURPLE): Props
• (WARDROBE) (CIRCLED)
• MAKE UP & HAIR: Asterix*****
• SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Box Around Special
Equipment
 3) SCRIPT BREAKDOWN
• Script Breakdowns are done in preparation of
Scheduling.
• Basically information from each scene is recorded on
a separate page.
• There are computer programs that do this now and
can transfer information from Script Breakdown
directly into the Scheduling formats and Callsheets.
• However, you can still do this yourself, either by
computer or manually.
• Always go through each scene one at a time, rather
than element by element.
 STANDARD BREAKDOWN
PAGES

• YELLOW: Exterior Day

• WHITE: Interior Day
• GREEN: Exterior Night
• BLUE: Interior Night
• You can make your own Breakdown Stationary
easily.
THE LOWDOWN
What’s actually on the pages...
 AT THE TOP

• 1. Date you prepared Breakdown Sheets.

• 2. Production Name (also Company Name and Vital
Info)
• 3. Scene Number- Added scenes can be 59A for
example.
• 4. Scene Name: Nickname describing Scene "Bridge
Attack"
• 5. Description of Main Action. Keep as brief but
concise as possible.
• 6. Breakdown Page Number (Should be same as
scene numbers).
• 7. INT or EXT: Interior or Exterior. Can be circled.
• 8. DAY or NIGHT: Can be circled.
• 9. Location.
 DOWN THE BOTTOM

• 10. CAST: SPEAKING. Note the age if it is a Child.

• 11. EXTRAS: Silent. Anyone who performs an action.
• 12. EXTRAS: Atmosphere. Rough estimate of how
many and what type.
• 13. STUNTS: May want to add Stunt Coordinator.
• 14. SPECIAL EFFECTS
• 15. SOUND EFFECTS/MUSIC: Anything that must be
recorded or pre-recorded.
• 16. VEHICLES/ANIMALS: Cars etc, Animals and
Wranglers.
• 17. PROPS: Any essential props.
• 18. WARDROBE: Note if you need extras of this.
• 19. MAKE-UP/HAIR: Especially specialty makeup
• 20. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Lighting, etc.
• 21. PRODUCTION NOTES: Various elements or
Questions.
4) PRODUCTION BOARDING
• Traditionally a Production Board is made using
Stripboards.
• With a Stripboard you can quickly see all of the Scene
Elements quickly so you can determine which scheduling
is the most appropriate.
• This is often done now using a Specialty Program
like MOVIE MAGIC, but can easily be done quickly
using a Computer SPREADSHEET Program, or even a
conventional Word Processing Program using Tabs
to separate the lines.
• You can also use a SPREADSHEET to prepare your
budget.
• Each scene can be colour coded in conjunction with
the breakdown sheets.
PRODUCTION BOARD
 EACH VERTICAL STRIP
SHOULD INCLUDE:
• SCENE NUMBER
• Breakdown Page Number
• Page Count
• Scene Name
• LOCATION and Number
• DAY/NIGHT
• INTERIOR/EXTERIOR
• CHARACTER NAMES with a Number
• EXTRAS along with amount (E11)
• SPECIAL NOTES: Vehicles (V),
• Music (M), Special Equipment (SE)
• Animals (A)
 5) SCHEDULING
• From this STRIPBOARD you can work out a reasonable,
cost efficient schedule.
• EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED. In terms of priorities these
are GENERALLY:
• 1. SEASONAL CONSIDERATIONS: Less light in winter,
Snow, etc.
• 2. LOCATIONS: Don't want to move unless necessary.
• 3. CAST MEMBERS: Try to have them for as little time
as possible.
• 4. DAY/NIGHT Shooting: Require 10-12 hour
turnaround. Put Nightshoots to!gether.
• 5. EXT/INT: Shoot Exteriors First so you can have rain
cover if weather is lousy.
• 6. SEQUENCE: As much as possible to help actors,
also tech considerations.
• 7. CHILD ACTORS: Hours and conditions are very
strict.
• 8. TIME PERIOD CHANGES: May require extensive
makeup, set and wardrobe ! changes.
• 9. WEATHER: Things move slower when it is cold.
• 10. SPECIAL EFFECTS/STUNTS: May require alot of
additional Preparation.
• 11. SECOND UNIT/CAMERA: May save time having
second camera or 2nd Unit.
• 12. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Availability/Cost of Special
Equipment like Helicopters.
• 13. LOCATION GEOGRAPHY: May want to make as
few moves as possible.
• 14. MISCELLANEOUS: May have special reasons for
shooting in a strange way.
 6) THE SHOOTING
SCHEDULE

• Once you have a Scene Setup you are happy with, you
can then determine your SHOOTING SCHEDULE.
• Place a Space (XX) between each day of shooting to
separate that on your Board, and two for weekends.
Factors for this include:
• DIRECTOR: How quickly does she work? Does she
stay on schedule? How long does he like to work?
• CINEMATOGRAPHER: How quickly does he work?
How long does he take to light? To turn around?
• CONCURRENT ACTIVITIES: Can anything be done
concurrently? Set Dressing, 2nd Unit. Location
scouting, etc.
• On the basis of all of this you have your Shooting
Schedule. Show it to all involved.
• Make sure the Director and Cinematographer
believe it is feasible.
• Ask yourself a lot of What ifs and don't feel the
Shooting Schedule should be kept in stone.
 TOLD YOU IT WOULD BE
BORING!!!
OK, let’s watch a movie…
Please note that the following movie ‘The Salton Sea’ is rated
R18+ DRUG USE, MEDIUM LEVEL VIOLENCE