Film Production FAQ

Pre-production is the planning phase before cameras roll. It includes script development, casting, location scouting, budgeting, scheduling, and assembling the crew. For large productions it can last several months; for shorts and indie projects, a few weeks is common. Every decision made here — from shot design to equipment rentals — directly affects cost and efficiency on set.

The core pre-production documents are: a locked screenplay, script breakdown sheets, a shooting schedule, a budget top sheet, call sheets (one per shoot day), a Day Out of Days (DOOD) report, shot lists, and a crew contact list. Additional paperwork may include location agreements, talent releases, insurance certificates, and equipment rental contracts. The 1st AD and line producer typically own this paperwork.

For a low-budget indie film, pre-production typically takes 4 to 8 weeks. A short film can be prepped in 2 to 3 weeks if locations and cast are locked early. Larger indie features with multiple locations and complex setups may need 3 to 6 months. The biggest variables are location scouting, casting, and securing permits — these often run in parallel to save time.

Industry-standard screenplay format uses 12-point Courier font, 1.5-inch left margin, 1-inch right/top/bottom margins, on US Letter paper (8.5 × 11 in). Scene headings (slug lines) are capitalized and start with INT. or EXT. Character names are centered and capitalized above their dialogue. Action lines are full-width. One properly formatted page equals roughly one minute of screen time. A feature screenplay is typically 90 to 110 pages.

A screenplay contains six core elements: scene headings (INT./EXT. LOCATION — TIME), action lines (visual description of what happens), character names (capitalized, centered), dialogue (indented below the character name), parentheticals (brief acting direction in parentheses), and transitions (CUT TO, FADE OUT, etc.). Character names are capitalized on first appearance in action lines. Transitions should be used sparingly — modern scripts rely on cuts by default.

Fountain (.fountain) is a plain-text screenplay format that uses simple markup rules — for example, lines starting with INT. or EXT. become scene headings, and an uppercase line followed by dialogue becomes a character/dialogue block. It is open-source, works in any text editor, and is version-control friendly. Final Draft (.fdx) is a proprietary XML-based format used by the industry-standard Final Draft software. Both encode the same screenplay elements, but Fountain is portable and free while FDX is tied to licensed software.

A shot list is a scene-by-scene checklist of every camera setup needed on a shoot day. Each entry typically records the shot number, scene reference, shot size (wide, medium, close-up), camera angle, lens, movement (static, dolly, pan, tilt, crane), and a brief description. Shot lists prevent missed coverage, help the AD estimate timing, and give the DP and gaffer a clear lighting plan. A practical guideline is 4 to 5 shots per scene to stay on schedule.

A storyboard is a sequence of illustrated panels that visualize each shot in a scene, showing framing, character positions, and camera movement. Storyboards are most useful for complex sequences — action scenes, VFX-heavy shots, and scenes with precise choreography. For dialogue-driven scenes, a shot list alone is usually sufficient. Directors and DPs use storyboards to align the entire crew on visual intent before the shoot day.

A film moodboard (or lookbook) collects visual references that define the tone, color palette, lighting style, and composition of your project. Start by gathering reference images from films, photography, and art that match the mood you are targeting. Organize them by category: cinematography style, production design, wardrobe, and color grading. Include aspect ratio frames (16:9, 2.39:1, 1.85:1) so compositions reflect your target format. The moodboard is shared with the DP, production designer, and costume designer to unify the visual language.

A script breakdown is the process of reading through a screenplay and tagging every element required to produce each scene: cast, extras, props, wardrobe, vehicles, special effects, stunts, locations, and sound effects. Each element category is assigned a color (e.g., red for cast, orange for stunts, green for props). The breakdown is typically led by the 1st AD or line producer and feeds directly into the budget and shooting schedule. Without it, accurate cost estimation is impossible.

The industry-standard breakdown categories are: Cast (red), Stunts (orange), Extras/Silent Bits (yellow), Extras/Atmosphere (green), Special Effects (blue), Props (violet/purple), Vehicles/Animals (pink), Wardrobe (circle), Makeup/Hair (asterisk), Sound Effects/Music (brown), and Special Equipment (box). These colors date back to the physical highlighting method still used on printed scripts. Digital tools replicate the same system with inline color-coded tags.

Start with a script breakdown to identify every cost-generating element. Build the budget in standard categories: above-the-line (writer, director, producers, lead cast), below-the-line (crew, equipment, locations, catering, transport), post-production (editing, color, sound, music), and delivery/distribution. Always include a 10% contingency. Most new filmmakers start in the $10K–$25K range for shorts. Single-location shoots and small casts are the fastest way to control costs. Write the budget after the breakdown and schedule, never before.

A budget top sheet is a one-page summary that shows total spend per major category (above-the-line, production, post-production, insurance, contingency) without line-item detail. It is the document producers, investors, and financiers review first. Below it sits the detailed budget with individual line items. The top sheet makes it easy to see where money is concentrated and to compare budget versions at a glance.

A call sheet is a daily production document sent to cast and crew the night before a shoot day. It includes: production title, shoot date, day number (e.g., Day 3 of 10), weather forecast, general crew call time, shooting location addresses with parking and nearest hospital, the day's scene schedule (scene numbers, page counts, D/N), individual cast call times (report, hair/makeup, on-set), crew department notes, and special equipment or safety requirements. The 2nd AD typically prepares the call sheet using data from the shooting schedule and shot list.

A Day Out of Days report is a grid that tracks when each cast member is needed across the entire production schedule. It uses standard abbreviations: SW (Start Work), W (Work), WF (Work Finish), H (Hold — on payroll but not shooting), and R (Rehearsal). The DOOD is essential for calculating talent costs, negotiating deal memos, and avoiding unnecessary hold days. It is created by the 1st AD or UPM from the shooting schedule and is typically built in spreadsheet software or scheduling tools like Movie Magic.

A shooting schedule organizes scenes into shoot days based on location, cast availability, lighting conditions (day vs. night), and page count. Start with the script breakdown to identify all scene requirements. Group scenes by location to minimize company moves. Schedule exteriors first (weather-dependent), then interiors. Place the most complex scenes early when the crew is freshest. A standard indie shoot day covers 3 to 5 script pages. The 1st AD builds the schedule using breakdown strips — physical or digital cards that can be reordered.

The minimum crew for an indie film includes: Director (creative vision), Producer (logistics and budget), 1st AD (schedule and set management), Director of Photography / Cinematographer (camera and lighting), Gaffer (lighting execution), Sound Mixer (production audio), and Production Assistant (general support). On ultra-low-budget shoots, the sound mixer often doubles as boom operator, and the gaffer may handle grip work. As the budget grows, add a 2nd AD, script supervisor, production designer, costume designer, makeup artist, and editor.

The core gear list includes: camera body and lenses, tripod with fluid head, external monitor, memory cards (bring spares), batteries and charger, shotgun microphone on a boom pole, audio recorder, XLR cables, a basic LED lighting kit (at least a key and fill), C-stands, flags, and diffusion, a clapperboard, gaffer tape, and extension cords. For movement shots, add a gimbal or slider. Always cross-reference the gear list against the shot list to confirm every setup is covered. Pack a backup for anything that would halt the shoot if it failed.