Film Scheduling

The Director's Template is a great tool for saving time and money on set. If you can save 5 minutes an hour, over a 12 hour day you have save 1 HOUR. Another important aspect of time saving is careful scheduling. From this you determine your budgeting of time, money, people and resources. Scheduling is traditionally done by the Production Manager or the First Assistant Director in Pre-production. This is a very quick primer for Film Scheduling to help you understand the process.

The basic process is to:

1. Read the Script.
2. Mark up your Script.
3. Prepare a Script Breakdown.
4. Prepare your Production Board.
5. Schedule your Shooting.
6. Get approvals from all involved.
7. Budget your time and money.

1. Reading the Script:

You should first read the script so you have an appreciation for the storyline and a good feel for the action.

2. Marking up the Script:

Colour Coding and Marking System:

CAST (RED): Speaking Parts
EXTRAS (YELLOW): Silent Bits
EXTRAS (GREEN): Atmosphere
STUNTS (ORANGE): Stunts
SPECIAL EFFECTS (BLUE): Special Effects
SOUND EFFECTS (BROWN): Sound Effects
VEHICLES (PINK): Vehicles/Animals
PROPS (PURPLE): Props
(WARDROBE) (CIRCLED)
MAKE UP & HAIR: Asterix*****
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Box Around Special Equipment-Put in Production Notes

3. Script Breakdown

Script Breakdowns are done in preparation of Scheduling. Basically information from each scene is recorded on a separate page. There are computer programs that do this now and can transfer information from Script Breakdown directly into the Scheduling formats and Callsheets. However, you can still do this yourself, either by computer or manually. Always go through each scene one at a time, rather than element by element.
Standard Breakdown Pages are:

YELLOW: Exterior Day

WHITE: Interior Day

GREEN: Exterior Night

BLUE: Interior Night

You can make your own Breakdown Stationary easily. HEADER Information required include:

1. Date you prepared Breakdown Sheets.

2. Production Name (also Company Name and Vital Info)

3. Scene Number- Added scenes can be 59A for example.

4. Scene Name: Nickname describing Scene "Bridge Attack"

5. Description of Main Action. Keep as brief but concise as possible.

6. Breakdown Page Number (Should be same as scene numbers.

7. INT or EXT: Interior or Exterior. Can be circled.

8. DAY or NIGHT: Can be circled.

9. Page Count. Divided into eighths of a page. Each eighth is about an inch.

Main Categories in the Production Sheets include:

10. CAST: SPEAKING. Note the age if it is a Child.
11. EXTRAS: Silent. Anyone who performs an action.
12. EXTRAS: Atmosphere. Rough estimate of how many and what type.
13. STUNTS: May want to add Stunt Coordinator. Stunts can be simple too.
14. SPECIAL EFFECTS: All elements, Practical sinks, etc.
15. SOUND EFFECTS/MUSIC: Anything that must be recorded or pre-recorded.
16. VEHICLES/ANIMALS: Picture Cars or Atmosphere, Animals and Wranglers.
17. PROPS: Any essential props.
18. WARDROBE: Note if you need extras of this.
19. MAKE-UP/HAIR: Especially specialty makeup-aging, etc.
20. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Zoom lenses, lighting, etc.
21. PRODUCTION NOTES: Various elements or Questions.

4. Production Boarding

Traditionally a Production Board is made using Stripboards. With a Stripboard you can quickly see all of the Scene Elements quickly so you can determine which scheduling is the most appropriate. This is often done now using a Specialty Program like MOVIE MAGIC but can easily be done quickly using a Computer SPREADSHEET Program, or even a conventional Word Processing Program using Tabs to separate the lines. (You can also use a SPREADSHEET to prepare your budget. Each scene can be colour coded in conjunction with the breakdown sheets.

Each VERTICAL Strip should include:
SCENE NUMBER
Breakdown Page Number
Page Count
Scene Name
LOCATION and Number
DAY/NIGHT
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR
CHARACTER NAMES with a Number
EXTRAS along with amount (E11)
SPECIAL NOTES: Vehicles (V),
Music (M), Special Equipment (SE)
Animals (A)

5. Scheduling:

From this STRIPBOARD you can work out a reasonable, cost efficient schedule. EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED. In terms of priorities these are GENERALLY:

1. SEASONAL CONSIDERATIONS: Less light in winter, Snow, etc.

2. LOCATIONS: Don't want to move unless necessary.

3. CAST MEMBERS: Try to have them for as little time as possible.

4. DAY/NIGHT Shooting: Require 10-12 hour turnaround. Put Nightshoots together.

5. EXT/INT: Shoot Exteriors First so you can have rain cover if weather is lousy.

6. SEQUENCE: As much as possible to help actors, also tech considerations.

7. CHILD ACTORS: Hours and conditions are very strict.

8. TIME PERIOD CHANGES: May require extensive makeup, set and wardrobe changes.

9. WEATHER: Things move slower when it is cold.

10. SPECIAL EFFECTS/STUNTS: May require alot of additional Preparation.

11. SECOND UNIT/CAMERA: May save time having second camera or 2nd Unit.

12. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Availability/Cost of Special Equipment like Helicopters.

13. LOCATION GEOGRAPHY: May want to make as few moves as possible.

14. MISCELLANEOUS: May have special reasons for shooting in a strange way.

Here is a potential scheduling for a film of the Sherlock Holmes story "A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA". Note that because Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler have disguises in certain scenes, they are marked with an asterix if they are in scenes in disguise. You might want to practice breaking down and scheduling a favourite play or film or story.

A Scandal in Bohemia Schedule:

A Scandal in Bohemia
221B Productions
SCENE NUMBER	3	6	8	XX	2	5	11	XX	9	1	XX	4	10	7	XX
Breakdown Pg.	3	6	8	XX	2	5	11	XX	9	1	XX	4	10	7	XX
Page Count	1.2	2.0	1.3	XX	3.3	2.7	1.5	XX	1.6	8.1	XX	1.3	2.2	1.2	XX
DAY/NITE	D	N	N	XX	D	D	D	XX	D	N	XX	D	D	N	XX
INT/EXT	E	E	E	XX	I	I	I	XX	I	I	XX	I	I	I	XX
LOCATION #	2	2	5	XX	1	1	1	XX	1	1	XX	3	4	4	XX
Sherlock HOLMES 1	*	*	*	XX	*	1	1	XX	1	1	XX	*	1	*	XX
Dr. WATSON 2	.	2	2	XX	2	2	2	XX	2	2	XX	.	2	2	XX
Irene ADLER 3	3	3	.	XX	.	.	.	XX	.	.	XX	3	.	3	XX
KING of Bohemia 4	.	.	.	XX	.	.	.	XX	4	4	XX	.	4	.	XX
Godfrey NORTON 5	5	.	.	XX	.	.	.	XX	.	.	XX	5	.	.	XX
PRIEST (S.Holmes) 6	*	6	6	XX	*	*	*	XX	*	*	XX	*	*	6	XX
GROOM (S.Holmes) 7	7	*	*	XX	7	*	*	XX	*	*	XX	7	*	*	XX
MARRIAGE Priest 8	.	.	.	XX	.	.	.	XX	.	.	XX	8	.	.	XX
Irene's HOUSEKEEPER 9	9	9	.	XX	.	.	.	XX	.	.	XX	.	9	9	XX
YOUTH (Irene) 10	.	.	10	XX	.	.	.	XX	.	.	XX	*	.	*	XX	.
CABBIES (2) 11	11	.	.	XX	.	.	.	XX	.	.	XX	11	.	.	XX
LOUNGERS (14) 12	.	12	.	XX	.	.	.	XX	.	.	XX	.	.	12	.

6.ScheduleApproval:

Once you have a Scene Setup you are happy with, you can then determine your SHOOTING SCHEDULE. Place a Space (XX) between each day of shooting to separate that on your Board, and two for weekends. Factors for this include:

DIRECTOR: How quickly does she work? Does she stay on schedule? How long does he like to work?

CINEMATOGRAPHER: How quickly does he work? How long does he take to light? To turn around?

CONCURRENT ACTIVITIES: Can anything be done concurrently? Set Dressing, 2nd Unt. Location scouting, etc.

On the basis of all of this you have your Shooting Schedule. Show it to all involved. Make sure the Director and Cinematographer believe it is feasible. Ask yourself alot of What ifs and don't feel the Shooting Schedule should be kept in stone.

7. Budgeting:

Knowing how many Shooting Days and other parameters will help you with your Budgeting.

Useful Tip Being organized means you can devote more time to other creative work.

Alfred Hitchcock Dialogue should simply be a sound among other sounds, just something that comes out of the mouths of people whose eyes tell the story in visual terms.

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