Unit 1 Assignment 1

Pre-Production

Time

What is a shooting schedule? A shooting schedule is a document that is typed/written up to document the time, locations, the cameras, props, set and lighting that is needed on specific days. It is detailed with the days filming takes place, the actors required and the details on the plan for the week, month, year. The schedule can be changed according to pre-production but it generally stays the same with minor adjustments according to what employees are required to do at different times. There is often a shot list to go with the shooting schedule.

Why is it important to have a shooting schedule? It is important to have a shooting schedule so that there is a clear structure to the production. It will make time management a lot easier, if it is planned then the workers involved in the production can make the most of a shooting day, this means that the workforce can run effectively. If you don't do a shooting schedule time could run away with itself and therefore the filming and recording could look rushed and workers could get hectic. Having a schedule is also important to the actors or people being interviewed to know when they are needed and what is happening on set that day. 

How long does it take to get clearance for music/clips? You send a request where you could get a response within 10 days from the owner of the copyright, after the 90 days if you don't get a response then you have to contact them again.

Personnel

Crew Members Research: I chose to research some crew members that worked on Stay Strong. 

• Additional Editor- Brent Mason -worked on Mad Men, Gamekillers and Crime Ink as an editor, has worked once as a director.
• Director- Davi Russo - has worked as a director, editor, cinematographer, art director, part of a visual effects team and as an art director. 
• Archivist- Lisa Merlo- worked on I love the 90's and Pretty old previously.
• Colourist- Timothy Zieger - has worked as a director, colourist, editor, producer and a writer. Has worked on several documentaries, tv programmes and films. 

Editor:

• To become an Editor you need several qualifications or training in specific areas. These are:
• Media Studies/Media Production
• Photography
• Information Technology
• Graphic Design
• 
  

                                         

Why is it important to get the right crew? So that the production runs smoothly and to aid the shooting schedule. It is also important to have the right crew so that the production is made to a good standard and to the best quality.

Finance

Where do you get money to  fund a documentary? You could get the funds to make a documentary by appealing to art councils and pitching ideas to different media boards who could give you the money to make your production. Another way you could get money is to bet in the lottery to win some money or start fundraisers to earn the money yourself. 

How much is it to clear music or clips from other TV/Film companies? This all depends on how big the company is, whether or not there is a star in the type of media will affect the pricing of the clearing. It is quite expensive to get clips being roughly $4000 for just a few seconds.

Funding Films:

• http://www.kickstarter.com/hello?ref=nav
• http://www.bfi.org.uk/film-industry/lottery-funding-development-productions

Locations

Where was (documentary chosen) filmed? I have chosen Demi Lovato's documentary Stay Strong which was filmed in several different locations within the United States Of America. It was filmed in: Detroit (Michigan), Los Angeles (California), Chicago (Illinois) and Lemont (Illinois). 

What did they have to do to get permission to film there? As a lot of it was filmed in her own house and on her tour I can't imagine they would have had to get permission for most of it but if it wasn't then they'd probably have to get in contact with councils and management in the places needed for filming. 

Why do you have to get permissions? You have to get permissions as it is not always legal to film in certain places, you could get fined or taken to court. Also people have the right to ask you to remove the premise if you have not got the permissions to film there. 

Facilities 

Find out what equipment they might have used, any specialist kit they needed. 

• Cameras
• Sound recording equipment- mics, boom poles, field recorders
• tripods 
• lighting

What camera, sound, editing equipment will you need to make your documentary? Technical Specs of these? We will use JVC cameras or DSL cameras to film, tripods and dollies to move our equipment easily. We may use green screens to project any background images onto. We use Final Cut Pro 7 to edit our footage together and to record sound we have boom poles, hand held field recorders to adjust mic levels and record sound efficiently. 

What are the cost of hiring things like this? The costs would vary depending on how much equipment you would need and the quality of the equipment. Roughly in the thousands, big companies fork out thousands to rent and hire equipment needed for their production. 

Why is having the right kit important? Similarly to having the right crew equipment is everything, it will be the difference between an okay production and a great production. The type of equipment will change the look and feel for the production. The shots, framing, general filming quality will look different with every type of camera and any equipment needed.

Materials/Copyrights

What archive or materials from other films/programmes have they used? Who would they need to get the clearance from to use this footage? N/A

Have they use popular music, who would they have to get the clearance from? In the documentary (Stay Strong) they have used music by the artist herself so they would have to get clearance from the record label but seen as though it is her documentary I wouldn't have thought this would have been required.

What is clearance/copyright? Clearance/copyright are the rights to own a production, having your license meaning that the production or types of media belong to you or a specific company. If you own the copyright license then anyone who wishes to use your media has to contact you and ask to use it, giving you money to use it.

Who do you get one off/pay for one? You get copyright/clearance off authorities who allow you to have them for personal use.

Materials/Contributors

Find out who they interviewed, who the contributors were (in Don't Call Me Crazy): Well the documentary was split into several parts, each part focused on a different child with a different mental illness. So every time they interviewed the child, workers, sometimes doctors or psychiatrists.