Production schedules provide a cohesive shooting calendar for everyone on the crew.
Ensure your next film production goes smoothly and within budget by establishing a shooting production schedule. Include all aspects of film-making from pre-production tasks like casting and creating a storyboard, to the actual shooting schedule, film editing and post-production as well. A masterfully executed production schedule keeps everyone involved in the film within the same limits and also helps the producers stay within the film's budget.
Instructions
1. List the pre-production, production and post-production filmmaking stages. Break each stage into its individual goals and the approximate lengths of time each stage will take.
2. Confirm with set locations and the director of photography (DP) when the locations will be available. Factor that into the shooting stage of the production schedule.
3. Work with actors' schedules, if necessary, when creating a production schedule. Some actors may only be available within a short period of time or have other scheduling conflicts.
4. Create a new spreadsheet in a program like Microsoft Excel. In the first column under the heading "Stage," list the pre-production, production, shooting and editing stages. In the second column, under the heading "From," list the beginning dates and times of each stage. In the third column with the heading "To," list the production end dates and times. In the fourth column, under the heading, "Period," list the approximate total time period each stage will take. Add notes in the final column.
5. Hold a meeting with the director, assistant director and DP to finalize the production schedule. Make any changes, if necessary. Once finalized, print out the schedule and distribute it to those in the film crew.
