Pre-production

Pre-production

Concept Development

  • Define the purpose or main outcome you wish for the moving image.
  • Brainstorm ideas and draft an initial concept.
  • Conduct market research if required, to validate or develop your concept.
  • Make a project proposal defining the intention, purpose and creative process.

Story Development

  • Outline your story and develop your characters.
  • Write a treatment; a short narrative summarising the idea.
  • Expand this treatment into a script, if necessary for your production.
  • Implement any desired themes or messages into your story.

Planning

  • Conduct risk assessments for all possible shoot locations.
  • Develop a production schedule; sequence and timeframe of your shoot.
  • Draw storyboards or make animatics detailing how each scene will look.
  • Research and organise your equipment needs such as cameras, microphones, lights etc.
  • Plan out your cast and crew; who you will need and their responsibilities.
  • Consider budget constraints and plan your costs through a budget sheet.
  • Secure permissions to shoot from location owners if required.
  • Review relevant copyright laws for your project.
  • Obtain release forms from actors, extras or anyone involved in your project.

Creative Elements

  • Develop a visual style for your project, considering elements like colour, lighting, and composition.
  • Establish an audio style you want to implement, considering sound effects, music, and dialogue.
  • Incorporate directorial decisions that will impact the storytelling, like pace, editing, and shot selection.
  • Pre-plan post-production activities, such as editing and promotion.

Remember, pre-production is pivotal in ensuring a smooth development and production process for your moving image art. Effective planning can lead to fewer problems during the actual shoot and better end results.