Script Breakdowns, Shot Lists and Storyboards
Pre-production planning
Breaking down the script
One of the first tasks of the producer
Necessary to estimate the budget, Necessary to establish the schedule nput from !irector and !P dentifies the production demands of the script "elps to determine the logistics dentifies problem areas that may re#uire ad$ustments if script demands aren%t feasible&
'irst things-first( )he Production Book Script
Breakdown sheets List of props and furnishings *ast and crew list Schedule Budget )ransportation and meals nsurance packages Permits, clearances, and releases
)he Breakdown Sheet
'igure +&, is an e-ample of a breakdown sheet& Breakdown Sheets are color coded to identify if they are day or night, interior or e-terior& .dditionally, color coding is utili/ed in the marking 0lining1 of a script to identify specific production demands gi2en by the action or dialogue&
Step )wo( Lining the Script
Number all scenes and put a hori/ontal black line at the end of the scene 0separating it from the other scenes( see figure +&31& 4tili/ing the color-coded breakdown sheets, select the proper colored sheet and fill out the heading& !etermining page count(
Pages are broken into eighths with ,56,78 page& Scenes smaller than ,78th are still consider ,78th page& Place the total page count at the bottom left of each scene and circle the number&
Step )wo( Lining the Script
line&
+&Line the script using colored pencils
9ake sure that you fill in the corresponding information on each scene as you 4nderline&&don%t highlight&
4se following distinctions(
*ast6red, :-tras7silent parts6yellow, :-tras7background6green, Stunts6orange, ;ardrobe6circled, 9akeup and "air6<, Props62iolet, Special :ffects6blue, Special :#uipment6bo-ed in ink, =ehicles6light pink, .nimals6dark pink, Sound :ffects and 9usic6brown&
!e2eloping a Shooting Plan
!irector%s main task in pre-production& *onsults with !ir& Of Photography ;ith good idea of the script, it%s theme, characters, dramatic beats, pacing and style( the director establishes a shot list or shooting plan for the film>scene by scene&
!etermining the ?Beats5
:stablish the dramatic beats in a scene&
See figure +&@ for an e-ample
. beat in a scene is a moment when the direction of the story could shift& .ll beats are not e#ual( a significant beat is the point where the man walks away, a turning point in the scene&
)he clima- beat is when he returns and brings her some coffee&
!etermining the beats of a scene help the director establish the shot list, helps the actor shape the scene, and helps the !P create the proper mood and atmosphere to con2ey the theme of that moment in the script&
'loorplans and Storyboards
;ith a shot list in hand the director begins to plan out the se#uence of shots for each scene&
Floorplan process A Popular with two person or small group scenes with lots of dialogue. A See figure 3.5 for an example of a floorplan Storyboard process A :specially necessary for action se#uences or shots that re#uire special e#uipment& .lso useful in 2isually planning out a scene that places aesthetic demands on the director, dp, and actors&