Digital Filmmaking:
an Introductory Handbook
Edition 10
Edited by: Daniel Schultheis
Contributions to this edition by:
Andrew Garton Leonie Dickinson
Nicki Johnson Lizzette Atkins
Daniel Schultheis Mark Lane
Dave Redknap Nathanael Oliver
Frances Lugt Ness Alexandra
Francis Waters Nicki Johnston
Jane Kiddell Rachael Lucas
John Pierce Sue Brooks
Julie Belle Suze Houghton
Justine Clear Terry Doran
Zaita Oldfield
2008 Cover Design by Darcy Prendergast
[Link]@[Link]
Copyright © OPENCHANNEL 2008
SOME RIGHTS RESERVED
First Published in 1997
Revisions 1998 1999 2001 2002 2003
2004 2005 2007
Tenth Edition 2008
Every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the
information contained in this handbook; however,
OPENCHANNEL does not accept responsibility where errors or
omissions have occurred.
OPEN CHANNEL Cooperative Ltd
Shed 4, Victoria Harbour, North Wharf Rd
Docklands Vic 3008, Australia
T + 61 3 8610 9300 F + 61 3 9614 1780 E info@[Link] [Link]
ABN 67 060 585 631
About the Licence
Digital Filmmaking: an Introductory Handbook is licensed under the
Creative Commons Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial
v2.5 Australian licence.
This licence allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the
document but only for non-commercial purposes, and where the
end user ack nowledges OPEN CHANNEL as the original source
of the material.
To view a copy of this license, visit
[Link]
or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 2nd Street, Suite 300, San
Francisco, California, 94105, USA.
OPEN CHANNEL Cooperative Ltd
Shed 4, Victoria Harbour, North Wharf Rd
Docklands Vic 3008, Australia
T + 61 3 8610 9300 F + 61 3 9614 1780 E info@[Link] [Link]
ABN 67 060 585 631
Contents
1. 1 Intro duci n g OP EN CH ANN EL
5 Co nce pt Deve lopment
5 From Idea to Script
9 Script Layout Guidelines
12 Australian Film Commission Suggested Script Layout
15 Sample Audio/Visual Script
16 Packaging and Financing
17 Pre- Pro du ctio n
17 Budget
21 Production Paperwork and The Schedule
28 Weather
30 Production Management
32 The Call and the First Assistant Director
33 General Production Safety
35 Set Protocol
21. 37 Pro duct io n
22 . 37 Styl e: Mise en Sc ène
38 Production Design
44 Locations
48 Designing Sets for the Studio
53 Working with Actors
57 Styl e: Cine mato gr aph y
59 Video Recording Media
63 The Video Camera
69 Lenses
72 Depth of Field
73 Grip Equipment - Tripods
74 Field Monitors
75 Shooting Techniques
53. 79 Composition and Framing
82 The Clapper Board
54. 83 Tips for Camera Hire
55. 84 Standard Shot Sizes
85 Lighting
44. 88 Lighting Equipment
45. 90 Safety with Lighting
92 Understanding Light
93 Col our P lat e - Colour Temperature
94 Col our P lat e - Common Connectors for Video
95 Col our P lat e – Behind-the-scenes on The Jammed
OPEN CHANNEL Cooperative Ltd
Shed 4, Victoria Harbour, North Wharf Rd
Docklands Vic 3008, Australia
T + 61 3 8610 9300 F + 61 3 9614 1780 E info@[Link] [Link]
ABN 67 060 585 631
Contents continued
97 Styl e: So un d
60. 97 Location Recording
61. 98 Microphones
62. 100 Recording Sound
63.
10 5 Tel evi sio n Pro duct io n
108 Australian Television Specifications
64. 11 1 Post -Pr oduct ion
65 . 11 1 Styl e : Editi n g
66. 111 Non-linear Editing
63. 118 Final Cut Pro Tips
64. 119 Final Cut Pro Short Cuts
120 Adobe Photoshop Exercise
122 Adobe Illustrator Exercise
124 Visual Effects (VFX)
12 7 Sou n d Post Pro ductio n
128 Sound Design
129 Sound Editing
132 Sound Mixing
13 1 Di git al Me di a
86 132 Concepts
89 135 Delivery Platforms
92 137 The Internet
138 Video For the Web
140 Compressing Video
142 Capturing Video
142 Shooting and Editing for the Web
143 2D Imaging for Video
14 5 Di stri but ion an d Mar keti ng of Sh ort F il ms
145 The Traditional Path
149 The Alternative Path
OPEN CHANNEL Cooperative Ltd
Shed 4, Victoria Harbour, North Wharf Rd
Docklands Vic 3008, Australia
T + 61 3 8610 9300 F + 61 3 9614 1780 E info@[Link] [Link]
ABN 67 060 585 631
Contents continued
15 1 Glo ss ary
Definitions of common video production terminology
16 7 Res ourc es
167 Career Advice
167 Cinema Studies
167 Script Assistance
169 Legal and Insurance Contacts
171 Government Film Agencies
173 Production and Production Management
174 Pre-Production
174 Safety Contacts
176 Professional Associations
177 Facilities and Equipment Hire
180 Software Developers
180 Useful Resources for Filmmakers
185 Registered Training Organisations and Film Schools
186 And Finally…
18 7 Pro duct io n P rofor ma In de x
A-Z Budget
Accident Report Form
Actor Release Form
Actor Sign On and Off Form
Call Sheet
Camera Report
Composer/Musician Release Form
Incident Report Form
Interviewee Release Form
Location Agreement
Location Survey
APRA/AMCOS Music Cue Sheet & Guide
Petty Cash Form
Scene Breakdown Sheet
Schedule
Script Supervisor Continuity Log
Shot List
Sound Report
Storyboard
Tape Log
OPEN CHANNEL Cooperative Ltd
Shed 4, Victoria Harbour, North Wharf Rd
Docklands Vic 3008, Australia
T + 61 3 8610 9300 F + 61 3 9614 1780 E info@[Link] [Link]
ABN 67 060 585 631