The path to making short films, part 3
We've finally made it to production and the shoot flies by like that. Before you know it, you're in post and you're wondering how it went by so fast.
Production is a whirlwind. You never quite know where the time goes. Four, six, ten hours on set goes by really, really, really quickly. At least, if you’re directing or producing or doing something that takes a lot of focus and requires you to be “on”. If you’re a PA or an actor not in front of the camera the whole time, there can be a lot of waiting.
Production is fun, in one sense. It’s where the logistics of the pre-production planning and the creative exploration comes together. Hopefully, the logistical components keep turning like clockwork, and with luck the creative aspects become more tuned and you get into the weeds of “making your day” (shooting everything you have on your schedule on time) while problem solving for things that you couldn’t anticipate before hand.
But let’s get into it. Production itself is a pretty straightforward process:
Set up equipment and prepare for filming
Conduct rehearsals and blocking
Film scenes according to schedule and shot list
Monitor lighting and sound quality
Take notes and make adjustments as needed
Of course, there are a number of logistics that need to be considered in order to ensure you’re not falling behind before you even start. For instance, you not only have a broad shooting schedule dictating your days of shooting, but you have each individual day broken down by scene and shot.
On a good day, you might shoot five or six scenes. Setups might be simple, and scenes are short, so you might even knock out eight or nine. But each scene change requires changing everything about it—lighting, production design elements, locations, conditions, and possibly the number of players on set. So it goes without saying that before production starts, you’d have created a shooting schedule, in which you’ve determined the order in which scenes will be shot, taking into account factors such as location availability, actor availability, and lighting needs.
I am, of course, approaching this as if you’re directing, as this is typically something the director handles with their DP and production designer.
If you’re shooting on location, you will have already done a scout in advance of the shoot to determine the best angles and camera placements, as well as any potential lighting or sound issues.
On Set
Once on set, you and your crew will immediately assemble equipment. This includes setting up cameras, tripods or dolly or track (or all three), making sure you have the lenses you require, deploying the lights and accompanying flags, filters, and mattes for blocking, diffusing, redirecting light.
Your sound person will likely have all their gear on hand but may require setting up microphones (including lav mics for actors if you’re using them). Any other necessary gear would also get set up or prepped as needed. Make sure that everything is in good working order and that backup equipment is available in case of technical issues.
Don’t forget to have extra batteries, lots of gaffe tape of various colors, extra flash disks or SSDs for your camera (assuming you’re shooting digital), and you’ll want to make sure all your batteries are charged the night before.
Lighting
Your director of photography is going to be the key driver of this. Determine the best lighting for each scene and position the lights accordingly. This may involve using artificial lighting or taking advantage of natural light sources. In theory, you’ve already gone over your lighting scheme with your DP prior to filming, so they’ll know what they want to do and what they need to do to achieve the look they’re going for.
Sound
If you have a sound recordist, they’ll make sure that the microphones are working properly and that the sound levels are appropriate for each scene. If you’re running a small crew and don’t have a dedicated sound person, you should at least have someone who understands how to read the sound meter and how and where to point the boom. Test for any unwanted background noise (AC or heater, refrigerator or computer fan hum, traffic, dogs barking, etc.) and take steps to eliminate or dampen it if possible.
For each location, you’ll want to record “room tone”, which is about 30 seconds to a minute of absolute silence within the shooting space and with the same microphone as the rest of the audio recordings. The purpose of recording room tone is to capture the ambient noise of the location, which can be used later during post-production to fill in any gaps in the sound.
For example, if there is a section of dialogue where there is no other sound, such as footsteps or background music, the room tone can be used to fill in the gap and create a more consistent and natural sound. Additionally, if there are any issues with the sound captured during filming, such as an unexpected noise or distortion, the room tone can be used to help smooth out the audio.
Recording room tone is an important part of the production process, and is often overlooked or forgotten in the excitement of filming. It may seem like a small detail, but it can make a big difference in the quality and consistency of the final product.
Rehearsals & Blocking Run-throughs
The purpose of rehearsals and blocking run-throughs prior to filming is to ensure that the actors, crew, and director are all on the same page and have a clear understanding of what is expected of them.
During rehearsals, the actors have the opportunity to practice their lines and work on their character development. They can experiment with different interpretations and approaches to their performance, and get feedback from the director and other members of the crew. This process helps the actors to feel more comfortable and confident in their roles, which ultimately leads to better performances on camera.
Blocking run-throughs involve working out the physical movements and positions of the actors and the camera. This includes determining where each actor will stand or move during the scene, and where the camera will be positioned or move through the scene to capture the action. By doing this in advance, the director can identify any potential issues or challenges that may arise during filming and make adjustments as necessary.
If you think of this as a kind of choreography, it makes sense. You don’t just throw a dance troupe out onto the stage without practicing the moves, gestures, and interactions they’ll have with each other and with the space.
Both rehearsals and blocking run-throughs also allow the crew to work out any technical aspects of the shoot, such as lighting and sound. They can test different setups and make adjustments based on the needs of the scene.
Overall, rehearsals and blocking run-throughs help to ensure that everyone is prepared and ready to go when filming begins. It saves time and reduces stress on set, and ultimately leads to a smoother, more efficient production.
The Shoot
You’ve made it! The day has finally arrived. You’re about to start rolling. You’ve all seen the black and white box with writing on it, that has a top that snaps down while someone calls out signals like a quarterback. Someone holds it up in front of the camera, snaps the top down and a second later you say calmly, “Action.”
This is the slate.
When I was growing up, I didn’t understand what the slate was for or why filmmakers used it. I just thought it was a thing filmmakers did to impress their friends (I was a weird kid, don’t try and dissect it).
It used to be just a simple board with a hinge, but now they come in different forms—they can be a simple plastic board with a hinge, or they can be digital iPad screens. It has information written on it, such as the scene number, shot number, take number, the date, and other important details. When the slate is clapped shut (called "clapping or “marking”), it creates a distinctive sound that can be seen and heard on both the audio and video recordings. This helps to synchronize the audio and video during post-production.
By using the slate, the editor can easily identify each shot and take and match it up with the corresponding audio. This saves time and makes the editing process more efficient. The slate also helps to ensure that the final product is in sync and looks and sounds as it should.
In addition to its technical purposes, the slate also provides a visual reference for the director, who can use it to keep track of which shots have been completed and which ones still need to be filmed. If that’s you, don’t worry—you also have your shot list, your storyboards, your shooting script with notes galore (remember, you did all those things in pre-production) so if you don’t remember (you won’t) it’s not a big deal. You’ll keep track of everything, and if you forget, your first AD will remind you of what still needs to be filmed.
Performance
And now the actors are doing their thing. You’ve done a few takes. You’re jittery, but you start to feel something you never thought you’d feel up to this point: calm. You’ve done your prep, you’ve worked with your team and trust them to do their jobs efficiently and effectively. You’ve rehearsed with your actors. They are good, but you’re working with them to dial it in. Your first AD makes a note, checks her watch, gives you a subtle eye signal. You’re starting to run a little behind. All eyes are on you. You need to get this shot, but something’s not quite right about it.
This is not the time to keep it to yourself. Your team is there to help execute, but they can’t do that if they don’t know what it is you need. If you’re directing, be open about what you’re trying to accomplish, even if you don’t know how to do it yet. Suggest a shot, but leave it open for your DP or even someone else in the crew to offer input (I’m assuming a highly collegiality on set where everyone knows and gets along with each other—your mileage may vary).
Someone pipes up with a “What if we tried…” and you take a second to process. It’s got potential, and it won’t take adjusting the set up. “Let’s go for it,” you say. “Back to one.”
So it goes. The set is lively and moving and a mish-mash of creative forces. Most of the crew are just waiting to be told what to do by the director or their immediate team leader. The 1st AD keeps the schedule and should let you know if you’re running behind, and should know how many shots are left in a particular scene. Your gaffer and DP are kind of an autonomous unit, so you won’t need to tell the gaffer what to do. Your sound recordist might have someone helping them (holding the boom) or they might work solo. Either way, they have it well in hand.
The Production Assistants (PA) are there to run errands, help with odd tasks, and just be on hand for whatever they’re needed for. Is your craft table well stocked? Good! It will be in use all day. Is the AC unit in the next room getting picked up by the mics? A PA might be the right person to handle turning it off or finding the person who can authorize taking action.
Before you know it, four hours have passed. Time to break for lunch. You’re a little behind, but you’ve found your groove and you can make it up. Actors are having fun, the crew is getting along, and since you’re not David O. Russell, the set is calm and the atmosphere is amicable, even jovial. There have been moments of real brilliance. You’ve had to adjust your shot list a bit because the reality is, you now realize that you won’t have time to shoot some of the shots you thought you needed, but it’s okay because you realized there are a thousand ways to shoot a scene, and you were able to get everything you needed without having to do a new setup, saving you time and your crew a bit of headache.
After lunch you move into a new set up. This takes time, but everyone’s on point. You’re working with the actors while the crew does their thing, to dial in their performance, or you suggest going a different direction with the material, just to see if it plays. It might not work, but you have an instinct based on how the scene work has developed so far.
The day winds on. You’re getting close to making all your shots, but it’s going to come down to the wire on timing, because the place you day-rented closes in an hour, and you have to be completely out of there by then. You might have time for two more shots. Everyone scrambles. You’re helping move C-Stands and tables and you’re checking your clock. It’s going o be really freaking close.
“Cut. That’s a wrap.” Everyone is tired, but there’s a general air of cheer. It was a good day. It wasn’t a great day. Those days are rare—when magic happens and you can feel the electricity. This was just the first day. Still, a good day is a GOOD day, and worth celebrating. The crew still has to pack up the gear and store it safely for the next shoot day.
Since this is a short film, maybe you’re finished filming already, or maybe you have one or two more days left. If you are shooting again, you hope you’re getting your sea legs. You’ll be buzzing, but you’ll also be reviewing the day and thinking about what you didn’t get to shoot, what you might have missed, what you should have planned for but didn’t and now you’ll never get that chance again. There will be regrets. But don’t worry right now; that’s a problem for post-production.
You help your crew pack and load up. It’s a rented location, so you’re making sure you leave it in better condition than you found it. If you rented gear, you might need to return it tonight, depending on the agreement. Your UPM or 1st AD would have already gotten signed releases from everyone, but you double check with her to make sure, and yep—there are a few people who didn’t sign theirs.
You all make your way outside. You stand around a bit and chat but everyone’s hungry and people have home and family to get to, dinner to eat and for them, this maybe was magic but maybe it was just another day on set (and that’s okay!). For you, it’s the end of a long day, the end of a good day of shooting, but you still have to get back and check out the dailies. If you have an editor, they might be getting footage loaded into the project; if it’s just you, well—that’s your job now.
But you should probably go get some food first. You earned it.
This post went longer than I thought it would, so I won’t tackle post-production until next week. Appreciate you reading, and I hope it’s been… useful? Amusing?
pax
All photographs by the incredible Ann Kielbasa from our LUCID shoot.
Yay! Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. Appreciate you reading 🙏