How to Schedule an Independent Film Shoot

Scheduling a film shoot is a very important step that is done in the pre-production phase of every film’s planning. It is imperative to take your time to carefully schedule the shoot, as it will keep you organized and ultimately on budget.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Script
• Pencils
• Highlighter
• Computer

1. Complete a script breakdown. If you do not know how to do this, see my article How to Breakdown a Script for Film Production Scheduling.
2. Take the completed individual scene breakdown sheets, and organize them by location, then by set. Then take into account whether they are to take place during the day or at night, if it is an exterior or interior, the characters that are needed and any other special circumstances, such as time or year, animals, stunts or special effects.
3. Start with location #1 and group all scenes shot on the same set together. Further separate those sets by characters needed, and any other circumstances.
4. Decide how many pages of script you can shoot per day. This will vary according to several factors, including the speed with which your director works, the complications of the script, (stunts, effects, multiple costumes changes, etc) time frame and budget. You must evaluate your film’s specific needs and circumstances. In general you can plan between 5 to 7 pages per day. Do not stick to a set formula however, you need to be flexible.
5. Take into account the cast and crew availability. Ideally, everyone working on your project is available throughout your shooting days, but that is not always the case. It is very important, especially on an independent film shoot, to have open lines of communication and flexibility. Make sure you have a complete idea of who is available, and when.
6. Create a shoot schedule for each day, divided by the time needed to shoot, the scene number and the characters needed.
7. Complete your preliminary schedule as soon as possible, and circulate it widely to all cast and crew. Be prepared to make changes as needed.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you factor in travel time, especially with location changes, and break and meal times.