lesson: Production

Students will understand the production stage of the Production Process. Students should grasp the basic dates and Film terminology that will be presented.

Production

The first day of principal photography is always nerve-wracking and exciting as everyone tries to get in sync with the director and with each other. A typical film shoot can take anywhere from 30 to 90 days or more, depending on the budget and the complexity of the shoot. Film schedules are generally based on five or six day weeks and shoot days can be long, averaging twelve hours.

Most crew members are issued walkie-talkies to communicate with each other while they’re spread out across the set. All department trucks and the actors’ trailers are parked together at home base, organized by the Transportation department. Because of scheduling restrictions, scenes are frequently shot out of story sequence.

On the first day of filming, the shooting crew reports to work:

Camera Crew – Each camera being used has its own team, consisting of the camera operator, first assistant/focus puller and film loader. Sometimes Steadicams®‚ or stabilized hand-held cameras, are used, which require an experienced operator and first assistant.

Lighting Crew – The gaffer (the chief electrician) oversees this crew, communicating to the Electrical Best Boy (the foreman) and the electricians what lighting set-ups are required by the Director of Photography.
Grip Department – The key grip (head of the grip department), Best Boy Grip (the foreman) and grips work closely with the electricians and camera crew, rigging the lighting and camera equipment.
Sound Department – The production sound mixer sets up the mixing board near the set to record the sound while the boom operator and cable runner set up the microphones and the boom. They also "mic" the actors by putting small, wireless microphones under the actors’ clothing.
On-set Art Department – The constructed and decorated set is maintained by the property department, set dressers, painters and greensmen, who re-dress the set after each take. . The set decorators also catalog all set dressing to keep track of the exact items used on each set and in case of re-shoots.
Wardrobe – Standing-by are the wardrobe assistants, who make sure all actors have the appropriate clothing for each scene

Make-up and Hair – Before the actors arrive on the set, stylists have applied make-up and styled hair or wigs. The make-up artists and hair stylists stay on set for touch-ups during the shoot.
Script Supervisor – Continuity, making sure each element in a scene is consistent from shot to shot, is crucial when making a film and is one of the script supervisor’s tasks. The script supervisor closely watches and records all of the action during each take, noting everything from the duration of the scene, camera angles used and wardrobe and prop continuity. The director relies heavily on the script supervisor for any piece of information pertaining to the shoot. The editor also uses the script supervisor’s notes when working with the "dailies," or each day's footage.
Background – Extras are cast by the extras casting agency and are chosen based on what the scene requires and how many are needed. All extras need wardrobe, hair and make-up so they blend in with the look of the scene, which is why they are often referred to as background artists.
The Assistant Directors (A.D.’s) – With a team of second A.D., second second A.D. and production assistants, or P.A.’s, the first A.D. keeps the set running smoothly, trying to allow enough time for creative needs while at the same time maintaining the schedule and budget. With the production office staff, the A.D. department generates the daily call sheets and production reports. The P.A.’s often act as runners on the set and keep all entrances to the set locked down and quiet when the camera rolls.

When the director yells "Action!" the sound mixer’s bell rings and the cameras start rolling. The set is quiet until the shot is complete and the director yells "Cut!" All activity on the set revolves around those "magic" words. The crew knows the end of the day is near when they hear the "martini," or next to the last shot, is up. And though it’s been seen in the movies countless times, filming really does stop when the A.D. yells, "That’s a wrap!"

There is no end to the array of services that may be called upon during production, from baby wranglers to circus performers. Unforeseen problems can also arise, like inclement weather, actor illness, or unavailable locations. The controlled chaos of filmmaking would not come together so effectively without the total cooperation of the hundreds of people involved: crew, cast, director, producers and executives. But the filmmaking process is far from over, however, as the next phase of post-production begins.

Source: Sony Pictures Entertainment Museum

sonypicturesmuseum.com/education/