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5

PREPRODUCTION

The Devil may be in the details,
but so is a successful shoot!

In This Chapter

The Virtual Walkthrough

Critical Choices

Script Breakdown and Scheduling

Location Scouting

Blocking

Casting

Client Handling in Preproduction

Working with the Producer

I remember one of the first corporate programs I directed.

It was a studio shoot with a professional host, three cameras, props, a set and a full studio crew. As I mentioned earlier, the company I was working for had a large, well-funded production department. Though I had been working at the facility for some time and seen quite a few directors in action, this was my first big project and the pressure I felt was enormous. I remember having mixed feelings on the evening before the shoot. On one hand, I was eager to get in the director’s chair and show what I could do. On the other hand, I was also secretly wishing the shoot would somehow be delayed so I wouldn’t have to face the terror of walking into the studio with a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) actor and a crew of professionals waiting for my command—not to mention a group of department managers watching to see if I was going to sink or swim.

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As it turned out sinking was not on the cards and, to my great relief, the shoot went very smoothly. The reason it worked out so well, I believe, was that I had thought through and planned virtually every detail of the shoot, using a kind of mental, walkthrough exercise in the days leading up to the event.

THE VIRTUAL WALKTHROUGH

I had first listed all the details that I felt were important, and then visualized myself moving through the events of that day as I felt they would unfold. If I had spoken this visualization out loud, it would have begun something like this:

Tomorrow at 7:30 I walk into the studio. Who’s there? The technical director (TD), the three camera operators, the floor manager and the assistant director (AD). Per our discussions, he has stopped on the way in, brought the bagels and other breakfast stuff needed, and set it up in the green room. The full crew is in by 7:45—their call-time. I speak with them and make sure all the studio equipment and lights are on and working.

At 8:00 the host shows up. Who meets him and what happens? I have the AD waiting at the front desk to meet him, introduce him to the crew and make our introduction. I ask that he get comfortable in the green room. In the green room are bagels, fruit, coffee, juice and water. Once I’m sure everything on the set is okay, I tell the crew I’ll be back with talent in a while and I’ll have the host out and ready to rehearse and record in about 20 minutes.

I go back to the green room and look over the wardrobe choices the host brought. I make the decision and the host knows to get to the dressing room and report to the stage in 20 minutes. I ask the AD to supervise this, and also meet the client and show them to the control booth, where I’ll be ready to meet them. At 7:50 I ask for all crew on set, check out the the intercom line (often called PL or private line) and all equipment and make sure everyone is in place and knows what they’re doing . . .

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This little preparatory thought-stream is paraphrased, of course, but you get the idea. I wanted to be sure that I had thought out “everything” and prepared myself to move through the sequence leading into the actual production. I had also marked my script with the camera numbers and take points, and rehearsed in my mind a play-by-play of exactly what would happen during the entire shoot. I’ve done the same thing on many shoots—both studio and location: visualized what I’ve outlined—thought it over in detail and mentally recorded when and what would happen, and who would take action. This may not be an essential preparation step on all shoots, especially as you become more proficient, but I can assure you that if you have an important or complex shoot coming up, if do this, you’ll be ready.

CRITICAL CHOICES

But before that shoot day, there is work to do. Some of the most important decisions you will make in preproduction include:

Let’s look at some important considerations applicable to each of these.

Script Breakdown and Scheduling

Though some directors choose to have an assistant break down their scripts and do much of the scheduling, I always choose to either do both myself or be very heavily involved. My reasoning (please excuse the repetition) is to be keenly aware of all aspects of the upcoming shoot. I realize there are many directors who would make the case that you are paying the AD to do much of this type work so the director can focus on important directorial responsibilities, such as casting and blocking. I agree that’s a logical argument, but I would have a difficult time adhering to it. I simply feel much more comfortable having “my arms around” just about all the details involved in my shoots, and I feel I can also give myself ample time to work on blocking and casting. With that said, I do believe in delegating as much as possible—but often under my close supervision.

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Before the days of word processors (I realize how old that must make me sound), I did all breakdown and scheduling work cutting and pasting paper forms I had developed. These days there are widely used and very effective breakdown and scheduling programs for all types of productions. I typically use two breakdown structures—what I call the “Shoot Breakdown” and an “Elements Breakdown.” And though I work on a word processor, I still do a good deal of it manually. Figure 5.1 offers a block diagram highlighting how these two breakdowns differ. For practical examples of both, see Appendix 1 and Appendix 2.

Whether it’s electronic programs or a notepad and pencil, as you look over these breakdowns, you’ll see they help the preproduction staff accomplish three important things:

First, the Elements Breakdown allows the director or assistant director, (AD) to separate out and list the important elements required during a production, for instance: talent, locations, props, wardrobe, equipment and graphics. With these elements listed and grouped, the AD, or the production assistant(s) (PA) will have a concise, organized list to work from.

Second, when developing the Shoot Breakdown, the director segments the script into numbered scenes. These scenes will be referenced throughout the production by the director, AD, PA, the actors, the editor, in some cases crew members and the client and producer.

Finally, the Shoot Breakdown facilitates rearranging those scenes from script order into shooting order. As an example, if you have several exterior scenes to be shot at the same place, but they appear at different places in the script, you’ll want to schedule and shoot them together. This means shooting out of script order. The rearranged list of scenes eventually gets dates, days and times added and thus becomes a basic shooting schedule.

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Location Scouting

Location “surprises” can make or break a shoot.

Whenever possible, I scout all locations (especially exteriors) in person and leave plenty of time to work out things like where the sun will be, what sound problems might arise, how we will secure power, parking, extraneous issues that might pop up, and any other unplanned details that might affect the shoot.

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An all-night shoot some years ago drove home for me the importance of this prep work. We were shooting SAG actors on a lawned area just outside the maintenance yard of an upscale golf course. The scene was to involve the actors walking across the area as they talked. We had large HMI lights supplying background and direct “moonlight” and several smaller, fill lights along the path the actors would walk. All was going well as we rehearsed the scene until suddenly a set of huge, soaker-type sprinklers came on! The actors and crew all ran for cover, and, of course, we had to immediately power down the lights for fear of shock.

I had scouted the location several days before, but I had overlooked the possibility of sprinkler problems. My first thoughts were that our shoot for the night might have to be scrubbed. As it turned out, we got lucky. The AD had the telephone number of the grounds supervisor. She immediately called him and we found out how to turn off the sprinklers. In a short time we had re-lit an adjacent area and, although we were put behind by the incident, with a few schedule adjustments, we still got most of what I had planned.

The point is obvious. If you shoot at any unfamiliar location, be absolutely sure to take into account all possible problems that might arise. You may feel it’s the AD’s job or some other crew member, but regardless of titles or responsibilities, in the end the buck will stop with you.

Blocking

With your locations secured, you can pre-block scenes. As I believe I’ve mentioned, some directors prefer to block in real time during the shoot. I prefer to have a very clear sense of what will happen in production and that means thinking it through in advance. This allows me to not only clarify in my mind how the scene should play with the greatest impact, but also to plan for any equipment or special needs required for the scene. See Figure 5.2 for an example of a simple blocking diagram.

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Some directors prefer to work from storyboards. This requires (at least minimal) art skills or the extra budget money needed to hire an artist who can sit with the director as he describes the action and approximate focal length of each scene—close-up, medium shot, wide shot, etc. Storyboards most often provide an eye-level view of the actors and this can be very effective. Personally, I like the bird’s-eye-view, so I save a few dollars on most shoots. Figure 5.3 provides an example of a simple storyboard.

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When shooting actors in role-play scenes, I typically block starting with a master shot, usually a wide angle, and then shoot appropriate coverage of individual segments of the scene. Considering the characteristics of the location and the script, I will often look for what I call “off” angles. These are non-standard perspectives that I feel will offer a fresh or interesting perspective. Standard eye-level shots are fine in many cases, but where I feel something fresh would enhance the production, I’ll usually try it.

As an example, I once directed a program on substance abuse in which one scene involved two employees secretly meeting between their work trucks to exchange money for drugs. I could have simply shot the scene with standard, eye-level angles and it would have been fine. But I thought if I could somehow reveal the two men making the exchange and “secretly” peer in on the action, it would add suspense. To do that, I shot the scene of the two men coming together in three basic angles. For one, we mounted the camera very low on a dolly that moved out from the rear of one of the trucks under the bumper. This gave a sense of discovering them and watching from a low, secretive position. I shot the same coverage from a camera mounted directly overhead, roughly 15 feet in the air. We accomplished this by sending the camera operator up in a pre-arranged boom truck. In this case, viewing the transfer of money and drugs taking place became very dramatic. In addition to shooting a medium wide shot of the angle, I also shot a close-up of the two men’s hands coming together making the exchange. The result was a scene with a dramatic sense that enhanced its impact significantly.

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If I had not thought through and pre-blocked this scene in advance, I probably would not have come up with it in the haste of production. Even if I had thought of it, I would not have had a boom truck available for the overhead shot, and possibly not the dolly for the low angle.

Casting

Casting, of course, involves actors. And since our next chapter deals with that topic, I’ll briefly mention a few notes at this point and leave much of the detail for the coming pages. As I’ve mentioned casting is one of, if not the, most important activity you’ll carry out as a director. For that reason you should leave ample time to watch your actors perform and also ample time to judge their recorded performances later.

If the client or producer becomes involved in casting, which is not unusual, you may lose some of your decision-making influence. In that case, you should be sure to make your opinions known and, in doing so, suggest the actors you feel would be most effective in the roles and why. If you feel the choices made by a client or producer will be a detriment to the program, you’re placed in a precarious position. To offend a client or producer by suggesting that their decisions are not credible, can cost you future work. By the same token, to shoot the program with actors you feel are not up to the level required can result in a program that is not credible.

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The solution?

I experienced this on a program produced for a large company. After holding auditions to pick an on-camera host, I attended a meeting in which the client watched all the recorded performances and made a choice. I felt his choice (an actor I’ll call John) was the one I would have chosen as a runner-up. The producer also attended the meeting and he agreed with the client. They then asked for my opinion. I don’t remember exactly what I said, but paraphrased (including another fictional name) it was something like:

“I like John’s performance. He’s good. And he has a nice sense of maturity. But actually, my first choice would have been David. I think because although he’s younger, he would bring a sense of energy to the screen and that would wake the show up. Also, his read was great, and as you saw, he takes direction well.”

We discussed David’s read, looked again at the auditions and the client still preferred John. I was lucky in this case because even though John was not my first choice, he was a very capable actor and he did a fine job in production.

The bottom line is, do let the client and/or producer know your opinions. That’s what they’re paying you for. But do so in a way that is not offensive and remain open to making a client’s or producer’s choice the best you can.

CLIENT HANDLING IN PREPRODUCTION

I try very hard to make clients feel at home and comfortable on my shoots. I’ve found that one way to do that is to downplay the “Hollywood” production angle. I remember one director I saw in action, who did the opposite. He felt he should play up a kind of “Hollywood glitz” image on his shoots, as a way of amplifying his own importance and making the client feel inexperienced. This might have worked for him to some degree, but for a limited period of time. Inexperienced clients would most likely go along with this type of treatment until the “dazzle” wore off or until the “Hollywood” director started making unprofessional goofs—which also seemed to happen to this director fairly often. Then, for him, reality would set in and he would find himself in a bit of a pickle.

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I find that when clients are treated as professional colleagues, a good deal of tension is removed. Production days, which often involve long hours and stressful situations, become much more pleasant and relaxed, and clients tend to more readily share their input, which can be critical for a successful shoot. I also find that when clients are treated in this way, they quickly become believers in the value of corporate media, and thus future supporters.

There are also difficult clients, however, and when faced with these types of individuals, a delicate dance becomes the mode of operation. Clients who demand certain things on a shoot, must be “stroked” as needed, but also made aware that decisions about things like blocking, camera work, actors’ performances, dialogue and so on, are best left to a professional like yourself. Getting this point across gracefully can be easier said than done. Most times just a simple explanation will suffice. For instance, if the client asks for a certain type of shot and you feel it would be a mistake, you might say something like:

“I think I see what you’re after, Bill. That sounds fine, but I’m a little concerned about continuity—how that will cut later in postproduction. We have to be sure the scenes will all fit together neatly.”

Or,

“Sure, I think we can try that. But do me a favor; let’s wait until I get the coverage I’ve planned, so I know I have what I need in the edit suite.”

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Usually this simple explanation solves the problem. I’ve had clients who have taken offense, however, when their suggestions aren’t acted on immediately. In one case, as we were shooting an exercise professional going through a routine in a fitness center, the client suddenly said, “We need a high angle of this. I’ll get us a ladder.”

At first I tried to head off the suggestion, saying “I think this angle will work fine and we’re a little behind schedule.” But a quick glance at the client told me he was ticked-off. So I bit my lip for the good of the project and the future. I said, “Actually, it would work well as a possible alternate. Good idea! Let’s give it a shot.” And we recorded the high angle. This shoot was the first in a series of modules for this client and I felt that any other response might have backfired and put that future work in jeopardy. As it turned out, the high angle was a good idea and we used it in the final version of the show! Dealing with the client through the rest of the shoot, however, was not easy. I resorted to a mixture of responses to his “demands,” but most times I simply gave the client what he wanted. In the end we used some of the shots and not others. But he was happy with the results and our working relationship, which set the stage for a positive, productive future.

I suppose there is no single solution for handling difficult clients, but these are a few of the most important ones:

WORKING WITH THE PRODUCER

Some producers can be demanding and unyielding, a lot like difficult clients. Others will respect your role and empathize with you, knowing the pressures and difficulties of your job. These producers will most likely provide you a great deal of creative freedom and their personal support. When you get that support, consider it a valuable asset and use it wisely. Also, be sure you continually earn that respect by doing excellent work. Always be mindful that the producer reports to someone, too, and at his or her level, the conversations (and pressures) are often about money and corporate politics. If you return the support you’ve received by doing excellent, budget-conscious work, and keep your clients happy, believe me, you’ll be considered a valued asset. And that means there’s a very good chance you’ll be back on the job soon.

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