The pre-production of a project can sometimes be hard to define because there are many different types of productions in the media industry, music, video games, TV, film, news, web, etc. In a song it would be writing lyrics, choosing chords and instruments; Film would have writing, pitching, casting, location scouting and hiring crew; Video games would be pitching an idea, what type of game genre, then game mechanics and story, if there is one. [1]
There are 5 things that are required for the pre-production of a television drama series; those are finance, timing/planning, facilities, personnel and locations. Some are more important than others and you'll have to compromise one for another when budgeting.
There are also other things to consider like equipment to shoot the show; materials, contributors to help with the show and regulatory bodies to approve the show for broadcast.
Hannibal the TV drama was funded by NBC, which then they paid for 13 episodes in both seasons and ordered a third.[2] Pitching your show to a network is one way to get your script produced to screen. Other ways could be looking for investors to pay for a pilot for a percentage or getting it crowd funded on sites like Kickstarter[3] and Indiegogo[4].
The UK film industry loves to support independent film and media arts through organizations like Creative England, Film London and BFI which is the largest public film fund in the UK investing 26-30 million each year for film support.[5]
Once the shows been funded and you have set you budget you have to start casting and scouting locations to shoot, hiring personnel, crew, transport, catering; equipment and facilities etc.
There are many aspects of a show that requires money and depending on your budget can decide the full potential of your written idea.
Planning your time is possibly one of the most crucial points of pre-production as this is what you follow step-by-step, day-to-day. Planning is an absolute must because you can only shoot on location for so long and the same with contracts with actors as they don't want to waste no more than a year on each season or film at time, You'll also be paying crew and other hired staff by the hour so the longer you take to shoot the more money gets swallowed up, this is the same with any equipment and props your renting by the hour so try shooting all the scenes with that together to save money.[6]
Also location clearances might only last for a limited time; the people you've negotiated with about shooting on location, that they supervise or own, must know what you will do their, any safety issues, and when you'll exactly be shooting. Planning your shooting schedule before this would be ideal as there is a definite answer and more trust between that of which you have negotiated the location.
Shooting a TV drama will take hours upon days for everyone that is a part of the production. It's unlike a photo shoot which could take from a day to a week at most and a film production which is most likely a hour and a half meaning they'll only shoot over a few months. Majority of all TV dramas last 40 minutes to an hour per episode and could range from 5-20 episodes in a season. The shooting schedule for a TV show might not be able to film all in bulk like a movie, as that would be exhausting for both talent and crew, but should be filmed sparsely over a year.
Creating certain deadlines and milestones for your season like finishing shooting an episode in X amount of days starting this certain date, would be the best way of planning your schedule so you'd know that your progressing and whether your behind. This may feel rushed but it gets the work done and if planned carefully considering all types of variables then it shouldn't feel rushed at all.
When it comes to film crew for a TV drama it is suggested that more crew members makes better overall production quality and more possibilities that TV or film are capable of, as it says 'A study of the top 100 grossing films of each year between 1994 and 2013 found that there were an average of 588 crew credits per film'. [7] The more people in each department means more work hours that get put into production and makes the production move along faster which helps meet schedule.
And there are many departments in an average TV Drama e.g. Hannibal the TV series has over 20 different Production departments that each individual member of crew work under, not including producers, writers, directors and talent.[8] Some these departments include Art, Makeup, Sound, Camera and Electrical, Casting, Costume and Wardrobe, Editorial, Music, Transportation, etc. ranging from 15-30 in each dept. These personnel came from the creator of the show's, Bryan Fuller, own production company, Living Dead Guy Productions, as well as some other production companies hired as extra hands. Living Dead Guy Productions has made Pushing Daisies and some of the Star Trek series giving its credibility to be able to produce a show.
One of the most important members of the production of a TV Drama like Hannibal is the 'Talent'. Many stars might be working on two different works either recurring or leading so you must always have contact and communication with them so you know when the best time to schedule shoot which should be in the scheduling process of pre-production. This would also include the budgeting because casting actors can be expensive as they normally get paid per episode and would factor how much they are worth, even a cameo can be costly.
Location scouting is something you have to do very early on so you can clearances for places as quick as possible as well as finding a good location that fits the theme, cinematography, movement, etc; of the show. As a creator or producer of the show this is something you might want to look into places where you might want to shoot even if your show hasn't been approved by a network because you need to find the right place, which takes time, but also need to start shooting after you have cast because acting contracts don't last forever. You would start scouting by hiring recces to do reconnaissance into locations that fit the show. Even if your location in the story is a certain place that doesn't necessarily mean it should be there.
Hannibal TV series was based on the east coast and around Virginia though the actual shoot was in Toronto, ON, Canada. [9] The fact that they went out to find locations more internationally instead of actually shooting it's based location, Baltimore/Quantico could mean that conditions were met there better than actual locations or even just the aesthetic of the location fit the theme of the show better. In the show they make these states seem very cold as there is much snow covering many areas during the program this would seem more like a desired effect they want than it be coincidental so there was a possibility the actual cities didn't have this look and weather to it's advantage which is probably why they shot in another location.
It's likely that they discovered these ideal location with recces that research and assess locations suitable for the script. Recces not only look for how it could be suitable for film but must check space available for other facilities like a power source and make sure the production can run smoothly, in a reece sheet. Health and Safety must be the number one thing on their mind when assessing the situation of a location, being unsafe probably might not be worth a great location unless you can think of ways that can make the shoot run without risk of a hazard. Learning whether you need clearance to occupy the area is most important because you wouldn't be able to film in your desired location. Most clearances can cost a fee so negotiations would come from producers and the owner or supervisor of the area and would need a legal document for as proof of granted permission. However much time you estimate the shoot will take it is best to get more for the setting up to get everything and everyone on set.
Not only should you look for locations but facilities for the the post-production editing and mixing. This would require hiring a type of film production studio like Guamont International Television[10] which helped produce Hannibal and produced other TV series for Netflix.
Equipment is of course needed to be hired and obtained to shoot the production some of these are: camera dollies and lighting equipment. Chapman / Leonard Studio Equipment, Inc.[11] would be an example of a distributor of rental camera dollies that has been rented out for Hannibal. Having a certain place to hire or buy from is ideal or the production company or network might have in house equipment which would not cost at all. and making sure you have the equipment on-site is crucial as wasting hours can be costly again so its best to have them the on location the day be before while setting up facilities on site.
When in post production you might need to have access to certain materials for research and production . This would be most useful for a documentary on events in history or making a biopic film of certain characters in history. Most common place to have access to these types of materials is the internet as this is the easiest way to access content though it can be quite unreliable and tricky for those less IT literate which gives the more traditional way of researching through books and archived film or photos which are primary source research.This is very useful when coming to make a story about, inspired by true events or basing a original story around real history.
Materials for production would be more to do with making the film physically or aesthetically like the use of sound libraries, animatics, graphics, costumes, recorded music, clearances, script, etc. Things like costumes and music can make it ore authentic and convincing. But music especially that is not an original score must be licensed to be able to use it in this capacity like licensing from PRS for music[12].
Contributors also would be most useful in documentaries and biopics as well as they are the foundation of those type of film. There are many type of contributors and many are used for insight into making large scale films and authentic television. Most are specialist and expert in certain fields which can help point you in the right direction or give you factual information which is also a primary source. all contributors must sign a release form[13] before actually contributing so it doesn't make the producer or film liable for any misconduct of facts. Public that appear in the video must also sign the form o they can't sue the film because of any depiction or portrayal of you. This is why you must have public liability insurance[14] before shoot.
Of course you must be aware of and familiar with regulatory bodies that moderate with certain codes and conventions. Learning guidelines would be useful before shoot as you don't want to over edit in post because you were unaware of certain conventions. Ofcom[15] is the main regulatory body that receives complaints about all sort of media mostly television and tries to regulate TV to public standards. The closest regulatory body that enforces codes and conventions are the networks that create the program or the channel that airs it as certain things in a show may be distasteful in different place all over the world. Though if something is being censored there is PACT[16], Producers’ Alliance for Cinema and Television, or BECTU[17], Broadcasting Entertainment, Cinematography and Theatre Union, which help fight your cause to get more from your network.
Pre-production will have a great effect on large scale productions that are distributed to a mass audience. This is because of the sizes of crew and amount of work needed to organize such it all so that you can even shoot. It's also why there are so many executive,co-executive,co-,assistant producers that all seek to get the film shot as planned and on time. Time, Finance, Facility, Personnel, etc. all necessary to complete A TV series or film.
There are 5 things that are required for the pre-production of a television drama series; those are finance, timing/planning, facilities, personnel and locations. Some are more important than others and you'll have to compromise one for another when budgeting.
There are also other things to consider like equipment to shoot the show; materials, contributors to help with the show and regulatory bodies to approve the show for broadcast.
Hannibal the TV drama was funded by NBC, which then they paid for 13 episodes in both seasons and ordered a third.[2] Pitching your show to a network is one way to get your script produced to screen. Other ways could be looking for investors to pay for a pilot for a percentage or getting it crowd funded on sites like Kickstarter[3] and Indiegogo[4].
The UK film industry loves to support independent film and media arts through organizations like Creative England, Film London and BFI which is the largest public film fund in the UK investing 26-30 million each year for film support.[5]
Once the shows been funded and you have set you budget you have to start casting and scouting locations to shoot, hiring personnel, crew, transport, catering; equipment and facilities etc.
There are many aspects of a show that requires money and depending on your budget can decide the full potential of your written idea.
Planning your time is possibly one of the most crucial points of pre-production as this is what you follow step-by-step, day-to-day. Planning is an absolute must because you can only shoot on location for so long and the same with contracts with actors as they don't want to waste no more than a year on each season or film at time, You'll also be paying crew and other hired staff by the hour so the longer you take to shoot the more money gets swallowed up, this is the same with any equipment and props your renting by the hour so try shooting all the scenes with that together to save money.[6]
Also location clearances might only last for a limited time; the people you've negotiated with about shooting on location, that they supervise or own, must know what you will do their, any safety issues, and when you'll exactly be shooting. Planning your shooting schedule before this would be ideal as there is a definite answer and more trust between that of which you have negotiated the location.
Shooting a TV drama will take hours upon days for everyone that is a part of the production. It's unlike a photo shoot which could take from a day to a week at most and a film production which is most likely a hour and a half meaning they'll only shoot over a few months. Majority of all TV dramas last 40 minutes to an hour per episode and could range from 5-20 episodes in a season. The shooting schedule for a TV show might not be able to film all in bulk like a movie, as that would be exhausting for both talent and crew, but should be filmed sparsely over a year.
Creating certain deadlines and milestones for your season like finishing shooting an episode in X amount of days starting this certain date, would be the best way of planning your schedule so you'd know that your progressing and whether your behind. This may feel rushed but it gets the work done and if planned carefully considering all types of variables then it shouldn't feel rushed at all.
When it comes to film crew for a TV drama it is suggested that more crew members makes better overall production quality and more possibilities that TV or film are capable of, as it says 'A study of the top 100 grossing films of each year between 1994 and 2013 found that there were an average of 588 crew credits per film'. [7] The more people in each department means more work hours that get put into production and makes the production move along faster which helps meet schedule.
And there are many departments in an average TV Drama e.g. Hannibal the TV series has over 20 different Production departments that each individual member of crew work under, not including producers, writers, directors and talent.[8] Some these departments include Art, Makeup, Sound, Camera and Electrical, Casting, Costume and Wardrobe, Editorial, Music, Transportation, etc. ranging from 15-30 in each dept. These personnel came from the creator of the show's, Bryan Fuller, own production company, Living Dead Guy Productions, as well as some other production companies hired as extra hands. Living Dead Guy Productions has made Pushing Daisies and some of the Star Trek series giving its credibility to be able to produce a show.
One of the most important members of the production of a TV Drama like Hannibal is the 'Talent'. Many stars might be working on two different works either recurring or leading so you must always have contact and communication with them so you know when the best time to schedule shoot which should be in the scheduling process of pre-production. This would also include the budgeting because casting actors can be expensive as they normally get paid per episode and would factor how much they are worth, even a cameo can be costly.
Location scouting is something you have to do very early on so you can clearances for places as quick as possible as well as finding a good location that fits the theme, cinematography, movement, etc; of the show. As a creator or producer of the show this is something you might want to look into places where you might want to shoot even if your show hasn't been approved by a network because you need to find the right place, which takes time, but also need to start shooting after you have cast because acting contracts don't last forever. You would start scouting by hiring recces to do reconnaissance into locations that fit the show. Even if your location in the story is a certain place that doesn't necessarily mean it should be there.
Hannibal TV series was based on the east coast and around Virginia though the actual shoot was in Toronto, ON, Canada. [9] The fact that they went out to find locations more internationally instead of actually shooting it's based location, Baltimore/Quantico could mean that conditions were met there better than actual locations or even just the aesthetic of the location fit the theme of the show better. In the show they make these states seem very cold as there is much snow covering many areas during the program this would seem more like a desired effect they want than it be coincidental so there was a possibility the actual cities didn't have this look and weather to it's advantage which is probably why they shot in another location.
It's likely that they discovered these ideal location with recces that research and assess locations suitable for the script. Recces not only look for how it could be suitable for film but must check space available for other facilities like a power source and make sure the production can run smoothly, in a reece sheet. Health and Safety must be the number one thing on their mind when assessing the situation of a location, being unsafe probably might not be worth a great location unless you can think of ways that can make the shoot run without risk of a hazard. Learning whether you need clearance to occupy the area is most important because you wouldn't be able to film in your desired location. Most clearances can cost a fee so negotiations would come from producers and the owner or supervisor of the area and would need a legal document for as proof of granted permission. However much time you estimate the shoot will take it is best to get more for the setting up to get everything and everyone on set.
Not only should you look for locations but facilities for the the post-production editing and mixing. This would require hiring a type of film production studio like Guamont International Television[10] which helped produce Hannibal and produced other TV series for Netflix.
Equipment is of course needed to be hired and obtained to shoot the production some of these are: camera dollies and lighting equipment. Chapman / Leonard Studio Equipment, Inc.[11] would be an example of a distributor of rental camera dollies that has been rented out for Hannibal. Having a certain place to hire or buy from is ideal or the production company or network might have in house equipment which would not cost at all. and making sure you have the equipment on-site is crucial as wasting hours can be costly again so its best to have them the on location the day be before while setting up facilities on site.
When in post production you might need to have access to certain materials for research and production . This would be most useful for a documentary on events in history or making a biopic film of certain characters in history. Most common place to have access to these types of materials is the internet as this is the easiest way to access content though it can be quite unreliable and tricky for those less IT literate which gives the more traditional way of researching through books and archived film or photos which are primary source research.This is very useful when coming to make a story about, inspired by true events or basing a original story around real history.
Materials for production would be more to do with making the film physically or aesthetically like the use of sound libraries, animatics, graphics, costumes, recorded music, clearances, script, etc. Things like costumes and music can make it ore authentic and convincing. But music especially that is not an original score must be licensed to be able to use it in this capacity like licensing from PRS for music[12].
Contributors also would be most useful in documentaries and biopics as well as they are the foundation of those type of film. There are many type of contributors and many are used for insight into making large scale films and authentic television. Most are specialist and expert in certain fields which can help point you in the right direction or give you factual information which is also a primary source. all contributors must sign a release form[13] before actually contributing so it doesn't make the producer or film liable for any misconduct of facts. Public that appear in the video must also sign the form o they can't sue the film because of any depiction or portrayal of you. This is why you must have public liability insurance[14] before shoot.
Of course you must be aware of and familiar with regulatory bodies that moderate with certain codes and conventions. Learning guidelines would be useful before shoot as you don't want to over edit in post because you were unaware of certain conventions. Ofcom[15] is the main regulatory body that receives complaints about all sort of media mostly television and tries to regulate TV to public standards. The closest regulatory body that enforces codes and conventions are the networks that create the program or the channel that airs it as certain things in a show may be distasteful in different place all over the world. Though if something is being censored there is PACT[16], Producers’ Alliance for Cinema and Television, or BECTU[17], Broadcasting Entertainment, Cinematography and Theatre Union, which help fight your cause to get more from your network.
Pre-production will have a great effect on large scale productions that are distributed to a mass audience. This is because of the sizes of crew and amount of work needed to organize such it all so that you can even shoot. It's also why there are so many executive,co-executive,co-,assistant producers that all seek to get the film shot as planned and on time. Time, Finance, Facility, Personnel, etc. all necessary to complete A TV series or film.
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