While moviemaking is an art, there is also an art to the business of planning a production.
As a producer—whether a hands-on, physical production type or one who works more closely with a line producer—you are responsible for making sure this process goes as smoothly as possible. But no matter how well you do your job, there are always going to be problems to solve.
The true art of producing, then, is being prepared to solve those problems while keeping the production on schedule and budget—all while giving the cast and crew everything they need to make a great movie.
So how do you physically make your movie? Here are some tips I’ve learned from working on commercial and feature shoots.
LAY THE FOUNDATION
Get that script done! Before you do anything, get the script you are writing—or the script you hired writers to write—as polished as possible.
Rewriting is a vital part of the moviemaking process that can easily become mind-numbing and frustrating. If the script continues to change drastically during pre-production, you’re going to start backtracking in your planning and budgeting. Everyone gets so excited about wanting to make the movie from the word “go” that you want to make sure this initial burst of enthusiasm doesn’t go to waste if the script still needs work. Also, a lot more doors will open and better deals will be had throughout the process with a great script as opposed to just an adequate one.
PRELIMINARY SCRIPT BREAKDOWN
Once the script is ready, I like to do a rough breakdown of it. Use a computer program like EP Scheduling or just make a quick list of estimates: Roughly how many days will you need each actor to be on set? How long will you need certain locations? Are there any stunts? Any crowd scenes? Children? Animals? How long will you need to shoot? How long are you able to shoot?
Answering these questions will help wrap your head around the size and type of production necessary to tell your story in the most effective way.
RESOURCES
If this project is a true labor of love—where you are putting the film together by whatever means necessary—you’ve probably already thought about (and maybe even tailored the script around) what resources are available to you. Whether it’s free locations, contacts with state film commissions, celebrity talent, experienced crew members, great deals with the unions, tax incentives or parents willing to cook for the cast and crew, everyone has something that can help the production and potentially save a line item of the budget.
GET FAMILIAR WITH TAXES AND LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
Have an understanding of state and federal payroll tax fees, insurance (errors and omissions, or E&O, as well as production), legal fees, completion bonds (if your budget is more than $1 million) and unions (SAG, AFTRA, DGA, WGA, IATSE, Teamsters, etc.). Know what your options are in these areas because the more prepared you are, the more time and money you will save. Some of these costs also vary with budget levels.
BUDGET
You and/or your line producer will put together a budget with a number in mind, either because financing is already in place or because you know how much you would like to spend on your movie. Remember that a budget is very fluid and will change constantly throughout the entire process. Ideally, some areas will be a bit overestimated and some a bit underestimated, so that things can even out in the end. However, the more prep work you do for your budget and the more detailed you are, the closer you will be with your estimates.
PADDING
Every film shoot goes into overtime and many go over budget. Your assistant director should give you a heads up on meal penalties and overtime before either happens, but always plan for it. Try to pad the budget with as much of a contingency as possible so you can avoid having to go back to your investors, dip into completion bonds or find additional investors to help finish the film.
DELIVERABLES LIST
Have an idea of what materials you will need to deliver the film to a buyer or distributor. (Your lawyer should have a sample list.) This way you can see all of the things you may not have thought of but will be responsible for, such as continuity reports, closed captioning, sound deliverables, MPAA rating certificate, Dolby license, different aspect ratios for master deliverables, etc.
This article originally appeared in MovieMaker Magazine's Complete Guide to Making Movies, 2010.