The script is finished, the actors are cast, the crew has been assembled, and the locations have been found. Now, the only thing needed to begin shooting is an actual schedule of when and where to film. Though it sounds easy, scheduling a movie properly involves much strategy and planning. This tutorial will teach some of these strategies.
Instructions
Schedule a Film
1. Group scenes taking place in the same location together. The goal is to minimize the amount of time at any given location. If four scenes take place at your dad's office, schedule them on the same day, or on consecutive days.
2. Make a list of actor availabilities. Not everyone will be free on each desired shoot day. Knowing what days actors are not available, in conjunction with the groupings in Step #1, tells you when you have to shoot certain scenes.
3. Plan your shoot dates around your equipment situation. If you own the equipment or get it for free, it will not matter as much; but keeping your shoot days at a minimum will generally save a lot of money.
4. However long you anticipate a scene will take to film, add more time. In the world of film, Murphy's Law reigns supreme. What can go wrong WILL go wrong and you do not want to give yourself less time and fall behind.
Give yourself more time and finish early. It boosts morale knowing you finished early even if it was a scheduling tactic.
5. Schedule times for lunch and dinner. On a film set, first meal is always called lunch, no matter the time. Feeding the cast and crew can prove to be very motivating, especially when they are most likely working for next to nothing.
6. Never schedule anything from the beginning or end of the movie on the first day. Starting from the middle allows the chemistry of the cast and crew to grow before shooting crucial scenes like a beginning or end.
7. Schedule with an appropriate increasing amount. Start slow, build your way up, and cool off towards the end. You want to avoid a lot of stress on the first and last days, so make them your lightest.
