The pre-production phase is considered the necessary phase before the realization of the project (production) and the last phase called post-production. It requires the creation of a compelling story and a philosophy on which to base all the work.
The challenge is knowing how to create new and original ideas, which make a story interesting and capture the target’s attention. The main task of this phase is that of research and creativity of fresh and new ideas.
It is necessary for the target to get in touch with their emotions , from joy to sadness and vice versa, so that they can investigate their own reactions experienced on the screen.
A spectator wants to identify with the characters and when, for example, he watches a film, he sees himself reflected in the images.
The way in which the characters interact with each other, deeply touches the observer, when he discovers himself within the story. The pre-production phase can be applied to graphic and photographic projects .
The importance of details
The public loves to discover new worlds, from a cultural, temporal to a spatial point of view.
The details are of fundamental importance, in fact a phase of very careful research in the smallest details is necessary, in order to build a story that works and that is set in an appropriate context.
So focus on the details to bring out differences that make you think and have fun. Your world view will shape the narrative, giving birth to a unique and personal style.
The observer appreciates the suspense and plot twists. If you manage to build an original story, capable of emotionally involving the public, you will surely turn it into a success.
The narrative structure: scenes, sequences and acts
The structure is what holds the elements of history together during its development. It is composed of scenes, sequences and acts.
- The storyis made up of a number of scenes where something important happens. However, they should not be confused with the positions and movements of the machine, which can coincide.
- A set of scenes, on the other hand, forms a sequence.
- The actsconsist of a series of sequences and end with a more incisive ending scene, compared to the previous sequences.
Each story has a beginning, a development and a conclusion and it is for this reason that most films are composed and divided into three distinct acts.
The time frame is the way in which the story evolves, from start to finish, making viewers reflect on the situation in which the protagonist is placed. Each act of history has its own time span.
Another building block of the story is the beat , which represents a small significant event within a scene.
A beat can also indicate a change in attitude, the discovery of an essential fact, the revelation of a lie or the appearance of a new character.
As for the costumes, the stunt doubles, the objects, the additional elements to buy or reserve before starting the shooting, the elements for the set, the catering, the insurance practices, the shooting and lighting equipment, the crew, etc. they concern the planning of the work which is part of the pre-production phase .
What is the script?
The screenplay of a film or any type of video has a particular format, to facilitate reading and viewing by those involved in the production section, such as for example the figure of the cameraman .
There are three types of screenplay:
- Italian screenplay;
- American screenplay;
- French script.
The rule is that the script always starts with a FADE IN and ends with a FADE OUT .
Each scene is listed with the scene number in the left column and in the scene header, which indicates whether it is an internal ( INT. ) Or external ( EXT. ) Shot , followed by the place and time of day ( DAY, NIGHT, DAWN, SUNSET ). This information is written in capital letters.
All names of characters or specific objects used for the first time are written in capital letters, followed by age and additional information.
The actions must be written to this, as if they were happening at that time and in that place.
The director will then add information regarding the camera angles.
When adding the dialogs, you must put the name of the character in centered uppercase, before the lines. Additional information is added in parentheses – (smiles), (cries), etc. – only if strictly necessary.
( CONT. ) Is used when a character continues to speak.
To add a pause between two parts of dialogue, use ( beat ). Other conventions use next to the character name ( FC ) or ( OFF ).
( VFC ) is used to indicate the as out of range.
Remember that if you wrote a script in the wrong format, with the wrong page layout, with the wrong number of pages or with wrong spacing, they could immediately discard it without reading it.
Finally, the screenplay allows you to develop an idea, create shots and develop a storyboard .
Planning and scheduling
Once the script is finished, the director and the director of photography (DF) modify this document in the production script , noting the types of shots .
The examination of the screenplay
It is possible to add other information in the header of a scene, to indicate if it is an opening shot , images or special effects.
You can add information such as the types of shots and if specific equipment is used , such as the slider, the trolley, etc.
The count adds the details and characteristics necessary for the realization of the scene, such as the stunt doubles, the noises, the objects to be used, etc. The examination of the script also provides for the creation of a storyboard .
The Storyboard
The storyboard can be of help for the production, because it allows you to view the scene from different points of view, finding the right and optimal shot before arriving on the photographic set, thus saving money and time.
To visualize the action, this document can take different forms: from simple hand-drawn stick figures to graphic novel-style animations or computerized images.
It resembles a comic strip and allows the visualization of every single scene and shot by shot.
Often there are arrows, which indicate the movement of the cameras and characters.
A storyboard sheet contains images and a space for additional notes on camera movements , action and dialogues , to better visualize shooting times.
