Producing and Directing the

Short Film and Video

Producing and Directing the
Short Film and Video
Fourth Edition

Peter W. Rea
David K. Irving

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Irving, David K.
Producing and directing the short film and video / David K. Irving, Peter W. Rea. – 4th ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-240-81174-1 (alk. paper)
1. Short films–Production and direction. 2. Video recordings–Production and direction. I. Rea, Peter W.
II. Title.
PN1995.9.P7I75 2010
791.43020 32–dc22
2009046285

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN: 978-0-240-81174-1

For information on all Focal Press publications

visit our website at www.elsevierdirect.com

10 11 12 13 14 5 4 3 2 1

Printed in the United States of America

 Contents

Web Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi Student Fundraising Strategies . . 33

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv Pitching the Project . . . . . . . . 34
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvii The Elevator Challenge . . . . . . 34
Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxiii Steps to a Successful Pitch . . . . 34
Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Chapter 1: Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
The Creative Producer . . . . . . . 1
Developing the Script . . . . . . . 1 Part I
Do Your Homework . . . . . . . . 2 Preproduction
What Is a Script? . . . . . . . . . . 3
What Does a Script Look Like? . . 3 Chapter 3: Breakdowns . . . . . . . . . 45
Where Do Scripts Come From? . . 4
How Are Scripts Developed? . . . 6 Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Adaptation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Breaking Down the Script . . . . 45
Legalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Production Book . . . . . . . . . 45
Basic Guidelines for the Short Proper Script Format . . . . . . . 46
Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Breaking Down the Script . . . . 46
Collaboration . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
What Do You Do Now? . . . . . 17 Storyboards and Floor Plans . . . 51
True Stories and Events . . . . . . 17 Developing a Shooting Plan . . . 52
Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 The Final Word . . . . . . . . . . 60
Supervising or Performing Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Rewrites . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Working with the Writer . . . . . 18 Chapter 4: Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Director as Storyteller . . . . . . 18
Producer (as Production
Story Questions . . . . . . . . . . 19
Manager) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Scene Analysis . . . . . . . . . . 19
Building a Stripboard . . . . . . . 63
The Shooting Script . . . . . . . . 19
General Guidelines . . . . . . . . 63
How Do Scripts Affect Budgets? . 20
Beginning the Schedule . . . . . 68
Animation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Creating the Schedule . . . . . . 69
Documentaries . . . . . . . . . . 20
The First Day . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Developing a Web Presence . . . 21
Making the Day . . . . . . . . . . 69
Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Shooting During Preproduction . 71
Locking the Schedule . . . . . . . 71
Chapter 2: Finance . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Call Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Scheduling Documentaries . . . . 74
Raising the Capital . . . . . . . . 23 Student Scheduling Tips . . . . . 74
Basic Fundraising Problems . . . 23 Web Presence for the Project . . 75
Funding Options . . . . . . . . . 24 Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Do Your Research . . . . . . . . 26 Determining the Visual Plan . . . 75
The Prospectus . . . . . . . . . . 27 Coverage ¼ Time ¼ Schedule ¼
Spending the Money Responsibly . 32 Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
The Digital Prospectus . . . . . . 32 Contingency Plans for Overages . 76
General Fundraising Suggestions 32 Things Change . . . . . . . . . . 76
Sources for Students . . . . . . . 33 Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

v
vi Contents

Chapter 5: Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Props . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Wardrobe . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Makeup . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Creating a Budget . . . . . . . . . 77 Hair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Production Value . . . . . . . . . 77 Animation . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Script and Budget . . . . . . . . . 78 The Producer’s Role . . . . . . 134
Who Creates the Budget? . . . . 78 Web Presence . . . . . . . . . . 134
Budgeting Software . . . . . . . . 78 Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
The Budget Form . . . . . . . . . 78 Creating a Look . . . . . . . . . 135
Beginning the Budget . . . . . . . 91 Architect of Illusion . . . . . . . 135
Learn by Doing . . . . . . . . . . 92 How to Define the “Look” . . . 136
Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Breakdowns: Listen to the Script . 137
Shooting for the Moon . . . . . . 93 Defining the Space with Visual
Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Camera Tests . . . . . . . . . . 138
Chapter 6: Crewing . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Hiring the Crew . . . . . . . . . . 95 Chapter 9: Location . . . . . . . . . . 139
Who Hires the Crew? . . . . . . 95
When Do You Need a Crew? . . 95 Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
How Big a Crew Do You Need? . 95 Securing Locations . . . . . . . 139
Selecting the Crew . . . . . . . . 96 Where to Look for Locations . . 139
Key Crew Members . . . . . . . . 98 Scouting the Locations . . . . . 140
Developing the Right Chemistry 107 Securing the Location . . . . . 142
Web Presence . . . . . . . . . . 108 Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Scouting Locations . . . . . . . 144
Hiring the Crew . . . . . . . . . 108 Aesthetic Concerns versus
Director’s Disease . . . . . . . 109 Practical Limitations . . . . . 144
Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Be Flexible . . . . . . . . . . . 144
The Power of Illusion . . . . . . 145
Chapter 7: Casting . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Identifying the Location . . . . 146
Walk-throughs . . . . . . . . . 148
Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Auditions . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
The Casting Director . . . . . . 111
The Basic Casting Steps . . . . 112
Chapter 10: Rehearsals . . . . . . . . . 149
Added Benefits of Casting . . . 115 Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Web Presence . . . . . . . . . . 115 Working on Scenes . . . . . . . 149
Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Before Rehearsals . . . . . . . . 149
Auditions . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Developing Mutual Trust . . . . 150
Casting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Researching the Character . . . 150
Audition Guidelines . . . . . . 117 Back Story . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Casting the Documentary . . . 120 Rehearsals . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Shape the Scene . . . . . . . . 152
Communicating on the Set . . . 153
Chapter 8: Art Direction . . . . . . . 123 Interviews . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Rehearsal Schedule . . . . . . . 155
Assembling the Team . . . . . . 123
Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Production Design . . . . . . . 123
The Art Department . . . . . . 124
Images Can Tell a Story . . . . 124
Chapter 11: Camera . . . . . . . . . . 157
Responsibilities of the Art Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Department . . . . . . . . . . 125 Collaborate . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Communication with the DP . . 126 Keeping Up with Technology . 157
Set Dressing . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Contents vii

Listen to the Material . . . . . . 158 Chapter 13: Art on Set . . . . . . . . . 219

Documentary . . . . . . . . . . 158
Do Your Homework . . . . . . 158 Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Consult with the Director of Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Photography . . . . . . . . . 159 Final Walk-through . . . . . . . 219
Camera Team . . . . . . . . . . 161 Set Procedures . . . . . . . . . 219
Basic Decisions . . . . . . . . . 161 Set Dressing . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Film Stock . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 Props . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Digital Video Format . . . . . . 163 Wardrobe . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 Makeup . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
The Camera as Storyteller . . . 164 Hair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
The Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Additional Crew . . . . . . . . 223
Size of Shot . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Camera Movement . . . . . . . 173 Keeping Track . . . . . . . . . . 223
Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Cover Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Continuity . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Wrapping Up . . . . . . . . . . 224
Second Unit . . . . . . . . . . . 178 Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Greenscreen . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Lighting Style . . . . . . . . . . 182 Part II
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Production
Video Formats . . . . . . . . . 192
Other Equipment . . . . . . . . 198 Chapter 14: Set Procedures . . . . . . 229
Tricks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Integrating Animation . . . . . 200 Inspires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 Organized Chaos . . . . . . . . 229
Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 Set Etiquette . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Technical Considerations . . . . 201 A Typical Day . . . . . . . . . 230
Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201 Camera Moves . . . . . . . . . 234
Video Tap . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Digital Assistant . . . . . . . . . 235
Chapter 12: Sound . . . . . . . . . . . 203 Slates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 Calling the Shot . . . . . . . . . 237
Recording Clean Tracks . . . . 203 Script Supervision . . . . . . . . 238
Why Getting Good Sound Is So Dailies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Important . . . . . . . . . . . 203 Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
The Sound Team . . . . . . . . 204 Coordinate . . . . . . . . . . . 239
The Equipment . . . . . . . . . 206 Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Responsibilities of the Sound Proper Wrap Out . . . . . . . . 241
Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Approaches to Recording
Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Variables for Placing
Chapter 15: The Actor . . . . . . . . . 243
Microphones . . . . . . . . . 212 Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Recording Concerns . . . . . . 213 Direct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Video Sound . . . . . . . . . . 214 The Process . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Documentary . . . . . . . . . . 215 Technical Requirements for
Web Site Information . . . . . . 215 the Actor . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 The Director’s Tools . . . . . . 246
Controlling the Environment . . 215 Types of Characters . . . . . . . 246
Equipment Needs for the Shoot 216 Directing Actors . . . . . . . . 249
How Big of a Sound Package Interviewing for Documentaries 250
and Crew Do You Need? . . 216 Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 Accommodating . . . . . . . . 251
viii Contents

Socializing . . . . . . . . . . . 251 Music Tracks . . . . . . . . . . 296

Contracts and Deal Memos . . 251 The Mix . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252 Different Formats . . . . . . . . 300
Music Tips for Students and
Part III Beginners . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Postproduction Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Supervising Postproduction . . 305
Chapter 16: Pix Postproduction . . . . 257 . . .And Distributors . . . . . . . 306
The Moral . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257 Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
The “Final Draft” . . . . . . . . 257
The Director as Editor . . . . . 257
The Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . 258 Chapter 18: Finishing/Online/
The Editor Speaks . . . . . . . . 258 Laboratory . . . . . . . . 307
The Documentary Editor . . . . 258
The Editing Process . . . . . . . 258 Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
What Is Editing? . . . . . . . . . 258 The Finished Look . . . . . . . 307
Evolution of the Edit . . . . . . 264 The Choices . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Locking the Picture . . . . . . . 266 Film Workflow . . . . . . . . . 307
Technical Considerations When Opticals . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Editing Film on Video . . . . 266 Cutting the Negative . . . . . . 309
Digital Basics . . . . . . . . . . 267 Film Matchback . . . . . . . . . 311
Basic Workflow of a Nonlinear Timing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Editing System . . . . . . . . 271 Types of Prints . . . . . . . . . 312
Editing Sequences . . . . . . . 273 Traditional Linear Video
Basic Sound Editing . . . . . . 274 Online . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Special Digital Video Effects . . 275 Video-to-Film Transfer . . . . . 313
Animation . . . . . . . . . . . . 277 Nonlinear Online Edit . . . . . 314
Film to Video . . . . . . . . . . 278 Animation and CGI: Rendering
The P2 Workflow . . . . . . . . 280 and Compositing . . . . . . . 316
Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280 Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Advise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280 Keeping Track and Looking
What You Want from a System? . 280 Ahead (and Back If
What Is Available? . . . . . . . 280 Necessary) . . . . . . . . . . 317
Editing Room . . . . . . . . . . 281 Looking Ahead/Key Points . . . 317
Postproduction Schedule . . . . 281
Stepping Back and Looking
Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Chapter 19: Distribution/Exhibition . 319
Key Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Launching the Film . . . . . . . 319
Chapter 17: Sound Postproduction . . 285 Start Early: Have A Plan from
the Beginning . . . . . . . . 320
Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
The Markets . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Sound Design . . . . . . . . . . 285
Exhibition . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
What Is Sound Design? . . . . . 285
The Internet . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Respect for Sound . . . . . . . 286
YouTube . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
What Is a Soundtrack? . . . . . 287
iTunes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Post Flow Options . . . . . . . 287
Internet Sites . . . . . . . . . . 323
Spotting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Cell Phones . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Dialogue Tracks . . . . . . . . 290
DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Automatic Dialogue Replacement
Television . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
(ADR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Theatrical Markets . . . . . . . 324
Walla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Nontheatrical Markets . . . . . 324
Voice-overs and Narration . . . 293
Foreign Markets . . . . . . . . . 326
Sound Effects Tracks . . . . . . 294
Distribution Options . . . . . . 327
Contents ix

Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Appendix E Safety Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Publicity . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Appendix F Music Clearance and Insurance . . . . 361
The Academy Awards . . . . . 335
Appendix G State Film Commissions . . . . . . . . 365
Appendix H Film and Media Programs . . . . . . . 369
Appendix A A Short History of the Short Film . . . 337
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Appendix B Genres and Animation . . . . . . . . . 339
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Appendix C Script Sample . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395
Appendix D Screening List . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
 Web Contents

Visit the companion site at

http://booksite.focalpress.com/companion/IrvingRea/
and use passcode IRV2UT98SW69 to login; on the
companion site, you will find:

Contents FORMS to download, save, and print, including:

Script Breakdown Sheet
Header and Stripboard
Web Site Extras for Lunch Date
Call Sheet
Web Site Extras for Citizen
Short Budget Top Sheet
Web Site Extras for A Nick in Time
Release Form
Web Site Extras for Truman
Location Contract
Web Site Extras for Crazy Glue
Short Budget-2
Web Site Extras from Mirror Mirror
Short Budget-3
Information on Web Development
Short Budget-4
Associations
Short Budget-5
Distributors
Animation Budget
Film and Video Festivals
Grants and Financing Sources
Important Internet Sites
Web Site Extras on Sound and Microphones
Traditional Film and Video Post Production

xi

Since the third edition, the range of options available for
the beginning filmmaker has multiplied tenfold. High def-
inition (HD) has integrated itself firmly into production,
distribution, and exhibition. A camera has been developed
that is essentially a lens mounted on a computer (The
RED). Professional postproduction software once linked
to an editing system that filled a room can now be loaded
onto a laptop. Essentially, anyone with a digital camera
and a laptop is able to create a film that has the look and
feel of a professional product.
Equally noteworthy, social networking channels such
as YouTube, MySpace, FaceBook, and Twitter have
altered the communication landscape. Broadband has
helped usher in a true “Convergence of Media.”
Insomuch as digital technology has transformed how
films are made and distributed, “film” is very much alive
as a professional capture format and still (for now) the
primary exhibition format for feature films. Implementation
of digital projection systems and satellite delivery are still
on the horizon.
Very few of these changes affect the text in this book.
Telling a story visually is juxtaposing one image with
another and then next to another, the sum of which makes
a narrative, documentary, animation, or experimental
piece. However one captures the image, manipulates it
editorially, or projects it for an audience, the basic steps
of visual storytelling have been the same for the hundred
plus years since film was invented. Technological
advances can aid the process, but not sidestep any of the
steps. The responsibilities of a producer and a director
are directly tied to their hearts and minds, not their toys.
No matter what the tools, art is created out of the heart.
In this age of multiple media sources competing for our
attention, it is important to understand that “content” is still
king. More and more festivals have been sprouting up yearly.
Making your presence felt in the expanding market for shorts
and a flooded Internet requires that you create a product that
rises above the thousands of daily entries. Having something
to say and saying it well never goes out of fashion.
To aid you in your quest, this edition boasts the addition
of two new narrative films, one filmed in Super 16mm and
one in 35mm. We have included a strategy for using a web
site designed for your project as an effective tool for prepro-
duction, production, and distribution that is woven in the text
and expanded on our web site with several case studies.
Preface: Fourth Edition
Our web site at www.focalpress.com/companions will
also include links for the short films, all the forms in this
book, plus much important information for the beginning
filmmaker. Besides updating the book to address new
technologies, we have been fortunate to receive comments
and suggestions from many of our readers since the book
was originally published. We are happy to make changes
to better explain a concept or illustrate a point.
EFFICIO COGNOSIO (LEARN BY DOING)
There is no substitute for experience. In this book,
we want to emphasize the importance of the School of
Hard Knocks. Whether you are in a film or media program
or making a project on your own, this is an excellent time
to be studying filmmaking.
There is no better way to learn how to make a film
than by actually doing it. Books and manuals can serve
as guides. Other films can act as inspiration, and talking
about and critiquing films can trigger ideas. However,
the two best teachers are failure and success. Experiencing
the process of putting together a project, building work
muscles, and understanding the craft and discipline of
the process are ultimately the best ways to develop
your skills.
THE POWER OF THE MEDIA
Finally, your short film has the potential to influence a
great many people. Both media have gained great expo-
sure in the past 20 years, and their potential is growing
rapidly. All indications are that by the year 2010,
products from the communications industry will be the
United States’ chief export commodity.
Coupled with the wide distribution of these media is
the issue of the power of their content to influence. We
are now grappling with crucial problems, from overpopu-
lation to racial discrimination, from management of the
earth’s resources to the management of human resources.
Film and video have a powerful voice in the dialogue
about these challenges. Our hope is that in expressing
yourself in this fashion, you will consider the world in
which it will be viewed and will use your talents wisely.
xiii

FIRST EDITION
We would like to thank the following people who assisted us
in the writing of this book—in particular, the faculty, staff,
and students at New York University, Tisch School of the
Arts, Undergraduate Film and Television: Arnold Baskin,
John Canemaker, Pat Cooper, Carlos DeJesus, Tom
Drysdale, Carol Dysinger, Dan Gaydos, Fritz Gerald, Chat
Gunter, Ron Kalish, Julia Keydel, Marketa Kimbrall, Dan
Kleinman, Lou La Volpe, Rosanne Limoncelli, Ian Maitland,
Barbara Malmet, Rick McKinney, Lynne McVeigh, Lamar
Sanders, Julie Sloane, George Stoney, Nick Tanis, Darryl
Wilson, Brane Zivkovic, and especially Steven Sills. Also,
New York University Professor Richard Schechner, who
saw an early version of Producing and Directing the Short
Film and Video.
We would also like to thank Mitchell Block, John
Butman, Steve Hanks, the law firm of Rudolf & Beer,
Doug Underdahl, Nancy Walzog, and a special thanks to
Carol Chambers for her continued support throughout the
writing process and Steve West for his editing skills.
We would also like to thank Ken Bowser, Hamilton
Fish, Jr., David Gurfinkel, Tova Neeman, Priscilla Pointer,
and Robert Wise, for inspiration and encouragement.
For the editorial and production skills they provided to
Focal Press, we would especially like to thank Mary Ellen
Oliver, Marilyn Rash, and Judith Riotto, who made the
process of assembling these final pages a rewarding one.
SECOND EDITION
Special thanks to Mitchell Block, John Butman, John
Canemaker, Michael Carmine, Gary Donatelli, Fritz Ger-
ald, Fred Ginzberg, Chat Gunther, Milly Itzack,
Acknowledgments
Suzie Korda, Dow McKeever, Stevin Michals, Marsha
Moore, Mo Ogrodnik, Sam Pollard, Paul Thompson,
Mike Thornburgh, Mika Salmi, Simon Lund, and Lamar
Sanders.
Also, special thanks to Terri Jadick for her patience
and support and Maura Kelly for her production skills.
THIRD EDITION
Special thanks to Norman Bebell, Mitchell Block, John
Canemaker, Michael Carmine, Michelle Coe, Fritz Gerald,
Joe Hobeck, Marsha Moore McKeever, Jamaal Parham,
David Russell, David Spector, and Debra Zimmerman.
Special thanks to Lou LaVolpe. We are also indebted
to Etgar Keret for allowing us to reprint his short story.
Adding a fourth film would not have been possible with-
out the contributions made by filmmaker extraordinaire
Tatia Rosenthal and the dean of the Savannah School of
the Arts, Peter Weishar.
FOURTH EDITION
Special thanks to Geoffrey Erb, Marsha Moore McKeever,
Dow McKeever, Jeff Stolow, Stevin Michels, Steve Elliot,
Scott Bankert, Alex Raspa, Jessalyn Haefele, Gavin Keese,
Camilla Toniolo and Amos Katz.
Special thanks to Howard Beaver and John Nymarky
for their invaluable contributions.
Special thanks to Kevin Cooper, Kim Nelson, and
Gary Goldsmith for their editorial advice.
And finally, special thanks to Jane Dashevsky for her
incredible patience, Melinda Rankin for her production
skills, and Elinor Actipis for her continued support.
xv

Why make a short film? The idea of being in a darkened
screening room and watching your film touch an audience
is exciting. There is deep satisfaction in communicating
on this basic level. The fantasy of creating something that
has an emotional impact on others is what motivates many
people to go into picture making in the first place.
There is, also, the artistic satisfaction.
Most short works are created to give filmmakers an
opportudnity to express themselves, display their talent, and
develop filmmaking skills; to experiment with the medium;
or to provide a stepping stone to a career in film and televi-
sion. The key advantage to making a short is learning the
filmmaking process on a project of manageable scale.
If the work turns out well, shorts can be entered into any of
the hundreds of national and international festivals. They pro-
vide validation for your filmmaking skills and opportunities to
meet people who can further your career. The producer and
director can parlay awards and the fame of winning competi-
tions into meetings, agents, and (ideally) employment.
The market for “shorts” has been traditionally limited.
Rarely did shorts recoup their investments, let alone make
money. For these reasons, the creation of a short work was
usually motivated by considerations other than profit.
Over the years, however, opportunities for distribution
and exhibition have grown substantially. Traditional distri-
bution outlets still exist (see Chapter 19), but the short
film can now be exhibited to a worldwide audience across
myriad platforms. With this kind of exposure come
expanding opportunities for beginners to profit from their
work. From iTunes to iPods to webisodes, the short form
finds itself a good fit with the new technologies of the
twenty-first century.
INTERNET
What has made many of these opportunities for filmmak-
ing possible is the growth of the Internet and its potential
to create an integrated and consistent message across all
media. As you develop your short film idea, the web can
be used to promote awareness of your project, to raise
funds, to reach out to cast and crew, and eventually to
act as a distribution outlet. The Internet is a tool and, as
such, can be employed to whatever extent you wish. We
will outline many of the possibilities throughout the book.
It is up to you, the filmmaker, to decide to what extent you
wish to avail yourself of its possibilities.
Introduction
CRAFT VERSUS ART AND
COLLABORATION
Moving pictures are arguably the greatest art form of the
twentieth century. After all, the medium combines ele-
ments of literature, art, theater, photography, dance, and
music, but is in itself a unique form. For the sake of all
beginning filmmakers who read this book, we take off
the pressure by refusing to emphasize the creation of art.
Instead, we stress the craft of storytelling, and telling a
story well is not an easy task. Telling a short story well
is even more difficult.
For us, it is difficult to think of filmmaking as an “art-
making” endeavor. Orson Welles probably did not intend
to make art when he conceived and produced Citizen
Kane. Instead, he probably set out to make the best film
he could from a particular script. The result was a well-
crafted film, which was later deemed to be one of the
finest feature films ever made and ultimately came to be
considered “art.” This label has more to do with the con-
sensus of a critical audience long after the fact than it does
with the intention of the filmmaker. Our advice to you is
to set out to shoot the best short story you can and let
the audience decide whether it is art.
Let’s not give Welles all the credit for the success of
Citizen Kane. Filmmaking is a collaborative enterprise in
which many creative people lend their expertise to the
director’s vision. Too many ingredients affect the outcome
of a film to allow any one person to take credit for its suc-
cess. Welles himself said that “making a film is like paint-
ing a picture with an army.” He thought so much of the
contribution of his cinematographer, Greg Toland, to the
film’s success that he shared a card with him in the closing
credits of Citizen Kane.
Above all, to make a successful short film, the entire
creative team must share a passion for the material and
the process. If there is no passion, the process will be no
more than going through the motions of manufacturing a
product. Lack of passion shows on the screen.
WHAT ARE THE STEPS?
How do you go about making a successful short film? Pic-
ture making is a complex and demanding activity, even for
the experienced. A myriad of problems inevitably arises
involving script, crew, budget, casting, lighting, and so
xvii
xviii
on. Each project has its own unique set of challenges.
For example, one film might need a difficult location such
as Grand Central Station; another might call for a school
gymnasium or an old-fashioned barbershop.
One script might require a talented young boy who
must also be meek and scrawny; another might need a
homeless person. One project might run out of money
before postproduction; another budget might not allow
for crucial special effects. Even before starting production,
you must understand sophisticated technical crafts;
resource management; political and social interaction;
and personal, financial, and professional responsibility.
The process of producing a film, whether it is a half-
hour or a five-minute piece, has been refined over the years
and developed into an art. As you will discover, there is a
straightforward logic behind these steps—a logic governed
by the management of time, talent, and resources. Each step
is informed by pragmatism and common sense:
l Script development. Your script must be well crafted
before preproduction can begin.
l Preproduction. The production must be efficiently
organized before the camera can roll.
l Production. The project must be shot before it can be
edited.
l Postproduction. The project must be edited before it
can be distributed.
l Distribution/exhibition. A film that is not seen or
experienced by an audience serves only as an exercise.
This list is only a broad outline of what must happen dur-
ing the production of a short work. It describes the general
flow of activity, but it does not address what these steps
mean or when and how they must be performed. Translat-
ing an idea into a film involves the execution of thousands
of details over a long period of time. In fact, the success of
any film project relies as much on management as it does
on storytelling. Knowing where to put the camera to cap-
ture the right dramatic moment of a scene requires as
much skill as marshaling the necessary people, equipment,
and supplies to the location in the first place. One can’t
happen without the other.
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE BOOK
Producing and Directing the Short Film and Video is
organized according to the general logic of how a short
work is assembled. Each of the preceding stages of script
development, preproduction, production, and postproduc-
tion is fleshed out in detail with concrete examples. Our
goal is to impart to the beginner a fundamental under-
standing of what is required to organize and execute the
production of a successful short picture. Bear in mind,
though, that no two shows are alike and that there are no
rules. This book is a guide, not a formula.
Introduction
In addition, we have divided each chapter into two
parts, reflecting the management, or “producing,” skills
and the storytelling, or “directing,” skills. Presenting a
clear picture of what the producer and director is doing
at any given time gives the novice a detailed understand-
ing of and respect for the processes of both producing
and directing, one step at a time, from idea to final print.
It can also serve as a practical guide to help navigate
through creative and managerial straits.
PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR?
Unfortunately, students and beginners often find them-
selves taking on the dual role of the producer and director.
Having to tackle two very different and complex responsi-
bilities at the same time puts undue and unnecessary pres-
sure on the novice. This problem exists for many reasons.
Primarily, it is that the director, in most cases, financially
supports the project and either can’t find someone willing
to do the job or is unable to trust someone the manage her
money properly. The burden of having to direct and pro-
duce can have a deleterious impact on either important
function. We discourage it.
If and when a producer does become involved with a
student production, that individual often serves as either
production manager or glorified “go-fer.” Neither of these
situations results in what could and should be a creative
partnership, one that we believe best serves the needs of
any production.
The Producer
The most misunderstood and mysterious role in the film-
making process is that of the producer. We’ve been asked
hundreds of times, “What does a producer actually do?”
That his role is a mystery to most laypeople is not alto-
gether surprising. The producer’s position in the film and
television industry is amorphous and has varying defini-
tions. In addition, the producer never has the same job
description from one project to another, and on many
kinds of films, it is common to see from four to eight
names with one of these producing titles:
l Executive in Charge of Production
l Executive Producer
l Producer
l Co-Producer
l Line Producer
l Assistant Producer
l Associate Producer
In this book, we use the term producer primarily to
describe the driving force in the making of a short. We
refer to this person as the “creative” producer. We also
use producer to describe the person who engineers all
Introduction
the elements necessary for the creative and business
aspects of production. This is the role of producer as pro-
duction manager. In Chapter 6, this position is described
in depth.
A movie begins with an adaptation from an existing
short story, a script, an original idea, a true story, or sim-
ply an image that has dramatic and visual potential. The
imagination and belief that such an idea or story can be
transformed into a motion picture are what begin the pro-
cess. What is not widely understood is that the producer
can be, and often is, the creative instigator of most films:
the one with the original inspiration who launches the
project and then sails it home, with himself as the captain.
This is the individual who is involved in all stages of pro-
duction, from development to distribution.
In a general sense, we could say that without the pro-
ducer, the picture would not be made. The Academy of
Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gives the Best Picture
Award to the producer of a film. This is the industry’s
acknowledgment that the producer is the person who is
responsible for putting the pieces together, the person
who creates the whole.
One of those previously named producers may have
initiated the project but not have necessary skills or expe-
rience to “manage” it. One of the main elements—if not
the most important—is the money. The producer is also
responsible for raising it, budgeting it, and ultimately
accounting for it to the investors. The producer as produc-
tion manager, commonly called the line producer, is also
in charge of coordinating the logistics of the production
that are outlined throughout out the book (see Figure 1.1
for producer’s responsibilities).
The Director
Because of the images of several contemporary superstar
directors, including Spike Lee, Martin Scorsese, Jane
Campion, Steven Spielberg, Wes Anderson, Kathryn
Bigelow, etc., the role of the film director has taken on a
romanticized image. The director shouts “Action,” and
the whole set swings into motion. The director chats with
actors between takes and enjoys posh dinners after the
day’s wrap.
In reality, the director’s work is never done. Because
her job is to supply the creative vision for a one-of-a-kind
and essentially handmade product, the choice and effect of
thousands of decisions fall to her. Solving all creative pro-
blems on and off the set is the director’s final responsibil-
ity, from how much light to what color blouse, from which
location to how long a scream. The director alone has the
“vision” of the whole film in her head, and she alone is
obligated to make the sum of all her decisions throughout
the process add up to its fulfillment. The director’s goal is
to deliver a finished film ready for an audience.
xix
Although the producer strives to support the director’s
work and the director is the authority figure on the shoot,
the director answers to the producer. However, the pro-
ducer complements the director’s work. When the direc-
tor’s decisions affect the budget or the schedule, she
consults the producer. The responsibilities of the producer
and director often overlap. Ideally, the director and pro-
ducer should be able to work well together and understand
the script in the same way. Picture making is, after all,
a creative collaboration.
The director must be demanding but not dictatorial.
She must do her best to draw out each cast and crew mem-
ber by making him feel involved. The director is an active
observer. She directs the actors by being part coach, part
audience, and part performer. She will stand on her head
if necessary to elicit a good performance. The director
should have unlimited patience and be methodical,
organized, articulate, and succinct. She should be broadly
educated in the arts and have a working knowledge of the
duties and responsibilities of each member of the team.
The director needs six things to execute a successful
short: a good script, a talented cast, a devoted crew, ade-
quate funds, good health, and luck (a major variable in
any artist’s work).
SIX SHORT FILMS
In this book’s chapters, we try to illustrate that the poten-
tial of realizing magic on the screen is directly propor-
tional to the quality of management in the production
stages. To help you understand this critical relationship
between organization and creative success, we use exam-
ples throughout the book from what we consider to be
six successful shorts: four narratives, an animated film
(also a narrative), and one documentary.
As teachers, we find it difficult to talk generically
about production without using examples from specific
films. Many basic concepts and terms are alien to the
beginner, and relating them to an actual production creates
a common reference and a strong context. Throughout
each chapter, we quote from the filmmakers’ personal nar-
ratives about that part of the production process. Citing
their films, which you can see and whose scripts you can
read, offers concrete evidence of the range of procedures
and challenges encountered in producing and directing a
short film. The rules of production planning for the short
form can also be applied to any live-action (not animated)
subject matter, whether it is narrative, documentary,
experimental, industrial, or corporate in nature.
The case studies are Citizen, an 11-minute color narra-
tive film written and directed by James Darling; A Nick in
Time, a 10-minute narrative film written and directed by
Be’ Barrett; The Lunch Date, a 12-minute black-and-white
narrative film written and directed by Adam Davidson;
xx
Truman, a 12-minute color narrative film written and
directed by Howard McCain; Mirror Mirror, a 17-minute
documentary film produced and directed by Jan Krawitz;
and Crazy Glue, a 5-minute animated short produced and
directed by Tatia Rosenthal.
Each of these films has won competitions, and one,
The Lunch Date, won an Academy Award. The four narra-
tives were made as student films: Truman, Crazy Glue, and
Citizen at New York University and The Lunch Date at
Columbia University. A Nick in Time was made as an
independent film. Mirror Mirror was made by a docu-
mentary filmmaker who teaches at Stanford University.
Truman is distributed by Direct Cinema Inc., Mirror
Mirror is distributed by Woman Make Movies, Crazy
Glue is self-distributed by Ms. Rosenthal, and The Lunch
Date is distributed by The Lantz Office. More detailed
information about these distributors is included below
and in Appendix B. The script for Citizen, set in
standard screenplay manuscript format, is printed in
Appendix C.
Why did we choose these films? They are excellent
examples of well-produced and well-directed short films.
As stories, they are appropriate for the short form.
We chose narratives that are similar in length but differ
in storytelling styles, subject matter, and production orga-
nization. Crazy Glue,the animated film, affords us the
opportunity to share the experiences and techniques
required of this demanding form of film expression. It is
also been adapted from another medium.
Mirror Mirror was included because the documentary
is an important short form. Many young filmmakers
explore the documentary as a means of self-expression.
Although Mirror Mirror is different in nature and struc-
ture from most traditional documentaries, the form offered
Jan Krawitz a unique arena in which to explore her views.
Contact information to rent or purchase a DVD copy of
the short films follows:
Citizen
James Darling
A Nick in Time
Be’ Garrett
Truman
Howard McCain
The Lunch Date
Adam Davidson
Crazy Glue
Tatia Rosenthal
Tel: 917-613-2667
rosenthal@yahoo.com
Mirror, Mirror
Jan Krawitz
Women Make Movies
Introduction
462 Broadway
Suite 500
New York, NY 10013
Tel: 212-925-0606
Fax: 212-925-2052
Area of specialty: Films and videos by women about women
email: info@wmm.com
THE FILMMAKERS SPEAK
Culled from hours of interviews, relevant quotes from the
six short filmmakers have been inserted to support the
specific topic of each chapter. We hope that these pearls
of wisdom will personalize their experience in producing
and directing the short films we use as case studies in our
book. All have gone on to do wonderful things with their
careers. Check them out on imdb.com.
Adam Davidson is the writer and director of The Lunch
Date (a live-action narrative); Adam made The Lunch
Date as a graduate student at Columbia University
School of the Arts.
Garth Stein is the producer of The Lunch Date.
James Darling is the writer and director of Citizen; he
made it as an undergraduate student at NYU, Tisch
School of the Arts, Undergraduate Film and Television.
Jessalyn Haefele is the producer of Citizen.
Be’ Garrett is the cowriter and director of A Nick in
Time.
Jan Krawitz is the director and producer of Mirror Mir-
ror (a documentary); Jan is a professor at Stanford
University.
Howard McCain is the writer and director of Truman (a
live-action narrative); he made Truman as a student
at NYU, Tisch School of the Arts, Graduate Film and
Television.
Tatia Rosenthal is the writer and director of Crazy Glue
(an animated narrative); she made Crazy Glue as a stu-
dent at NYU, Tisch School of the Arts, Undergraduate
Film and Television
CHAPTER BREAKDOWNS
Chapters 1 and 2 cover the development preliminaries that
need to be dealt with prior to the preproduction phase of
any project. Each chapter in Parts I and III that covers
the preproduction and distribution processes begins with
the producer’s responsibilities. The production and post-
production chapters in Parts II and III begin with the
director’s duties. The typical timeline graphic shown in
the introduction to Part I summarizes the activities of the
producer and director during the process of making a short
work. Although determining the specific amount of time
Introduction
needed for each phase is difficult, the following break-
down may provide some insight:
l Financing might be immediately available or might
take years to obtain.
l Scripts can come from many sources and may be ready
to shoot or could take years to get into shape.
xxi
l Preproduction usually requires 2 to 8 weeks.
l Production usually takes somewhere between 1 day
and 2 weeks.
l Postproduction details take anywhere from 2 to 10
weeks.
l Distribution can take as long as several months.
 Timeline

PRODUCER DIRECTOR

DEVELOPMENT
Script Developing the Script Supervising or Performing
Rewrites

Ideas for scripts can be developed in many ways and come from many sources but there is one fact that cannot
be disputed – without a well crafted script; you cannot have a good film.

Finance Raising the Capital Pitching the Project

Both the producer and the director can be engaged in the process of securing financing. Without funds, any
preparation for a production is merely an exercise. The two documents required at this phase are a script
and a financial planning package, or prospectus.

PREPRODUCTION
Breakdowns Breaking Down the Script Storyboards and Floor Plans

Having achieved a tight screenplay, the producer and the director begin breaking down the script to prepare
the company for production.

Schedule Building a Stripboard Determining the Visual Plan

The first document made from the breakdowns is the schedule. The producer creates the schedule from the
script in conjunction with the director’s visual plan for photography.

Budget Creating a Budget Shooting for the Moon

The second document made from the breakdowns is the budget. The budget defines the parameters of what
can or cannot be achieved although the director will usually want to “shoot for the moon”.

Crewing Hiring the Crew Hiring the Crew

The crew must be to the mutual liking of both the producer and the
director. Once a crew member is chosen, the producer negotiates his
or her deal.

Casting Auditions Auditions

The producer sets up the auditions and aids the director in making choices for the cast. Factors to be
considered are talent, cost, and availability.

Art Direction Assembling the Team Creating a Look

The producer assembles the team, headed by the art director, which will help the director create “a look” for
the picture. The look must be achieved within the parameters of the budget.

Location Securing Locations Scouting Locations

Working with the DP and art director, the director chooses the locations, and the producer secures them. If a
site cannot be secured for the amount allotted in the budget, a new or backup location is explored.

Rehearsals Rehearsal Schedule Working on Scenes

The producer organizes and plans the rehearsal schedule. The director uses the rehearsal period to work with
the actors to develop their roles and explore organic ways to block the action for the camera.

Camera Support Collaborate

Like the art department, the producer supports the requests and needs of the camera department. The director
and camera department, led by the DP, must work like a hand in a glove.

xxiii
xxiv Timeline

Sound Control Environment Record Clean Tracks

The one ongoing battle on the set (unless you shoot on a sound stage) is the control of noises. The producer
must do everything in his power to keep outside noises to a minimum. The director must try to get the
best location sound. If the sounds being recorded are “dirty” because of noise, the director must advise the
sound person on how she wants to deal with each recording.

Art on Set Construction Guide

Of all of the departments, art is the one that is most likely to expand unexpectedly during production. The
producer must monitor this expansion while supporting the art director’s needs. The director should guide
the art department as much as possible to control any inflation of the budget.

PRODUCTION
Set procedure Organize Inspires

The producer organizes a system for set procedures. It must function like a military operation with the AD as
the chief lieutenant. The director sets the tone and mood of the set. Her energy (of lack thereof) defines how
well the crew will perform.

The Actor Accommodate Direct

The producer organizes the cast schedule and is responsible for the cast’s morale. The primary role of the
director is to create a supportive and creative environment on set.

POSTPRODUCTION
Picture Advise Edit The “Final Draft”

The director and editor cut the picture and sound to make the best film possible from what was captured on
set. The producer acts as an objective viewer and advises the editing team accordingly.

Sound Supervise Postproduction Sound Design

Apart from the first day of principal photography, the most important target date is the mix date. The sounds in
your film contribute to telling the story as much as a good shot or an outstanding performance.

Finishing/ Makes Prints Time

Laboratory/Online
The producer oversees process of “finishing” the film. The director and director of photography oversee the
final “look” of the film.

Distribution/ Make a Deal Publicity

Exhibition
The producer is responsible for finding an outlet for the finished product. The director assists in publicizing the
film.