The way you set out the details of what scenes are to be shot each day is very much a matter of both individual preference and the computer software used by the production office.
A Day to a Page
It is sometimes thought simpler to type each day’s details on a separate page, which can then be discarded when it is completed.
A Week to a Page
Others believe that the least amount of paperwork the better, and that it is far clearer to give all the information on as few pages as possible.
Whatever format you favour, there are certain things you must write down:
Rendezvous
Clear instructions on the rendezvous time and place must be given. I have stressed in earlier sections how important this is, as most problems can be sorted out provided everyone meets up at the beginning.
Shooting Order
The shooting order will have been worked out on the basis of the speed of shooting, availability of artists and locations, making the best possible use of the time available.
This shooting order commences with the date on which you are shooting, the scene or scenes you are shooting and then all the relevant details pertaining to those scenes: the location, the characters involved in the scene, the time of day of the scene, and whether it is an interior or an exterior. You might also like to include details of the action props to be used.
Rescheduling
While the schedule should be as full a document as possible, changes may become necessary at some time during the course of the shooting. You might be held up by the weather, or unforeseen circumstances may force you to make alterations. You might even reach the stage where a complete rescheduling is unavoidable. If that happens, do check up that any necessary alterations to hotel bookings, transport and so on are made.
The really important thing about the setting-up period is that you should plan for possible contingencies, but if the impossible happens, you should be flexible enough to be able to change things drastically if need be.
THE BROWNING AFFAIR ‘At a Glance’ Schedule
Page of shooting schedule