How to Schedule an Independent Film Shoot

Properly scheduling your film shoot can help you save time and money

Independent filmmakers face special challenges that mainstream filmmakers do not. Most independent filmmakers have small budgets, which can cause trouble when shooting brings up unexpected expenses. Because many members of the cast and crew will be working on multiple projects at once, it can be difficult to find times when everyone necessary to shoot a scene is available. Creating a firm shooting schedule based on the availability of your cast and crew can help assuage these difficulties and potentially help you save money.

Things You'll Need

• Script
• Pen
• Paper
• Highlighter
• Calendar
• Calendar template

Instructions

1. Create a shooting script by breaking down all pieces of the script based on location. Include the number of pages for each scene that takes place in the location, the actors or characters who are in the scene, and any lighting, make-up or special-effects crew members whose presence is required. Further divide the locations by interiors and exteriors.

2. Contact all of your cast and crew members and ask them to provide you with a schedule of their availability during the month or months of shooting. Request that the dates are final, so you don't have to make any last minute changes to the schedule. Outline the days and times that your cast and crew are available or mark it on a calendar.

3. Contact any people who may be responsible for providing you access to your locations and ask them to provide the dates that these locations are available, if possible. Mark these dates on your calendar.

4. Begin with the first location and select the best date and time to shoot at this location based on the availability of your cast and crew and the location itself. Generally, it takes a day to shoot five to seven pages, but allow plenty of time for setting up and breaking down, particularly with interior sets that require lighting. Repeat this process with all of the locations until all of the scenes of the film have been assigned a date for shooting.

5. Schedule shooting in interior locations as a back-up option for days when exterior locations unexpectedly cannot be used, such as in cases of bad weather, if possible.

6. Type up this schedule and save a draft on your hard drive, or transfer your shooting schedule onto a calendar template. Email it to all members of your cast and crew.

Tips & Warnings

• Allow as much time as possible to guarantee that you won't be rushed during shooting.

References

• FilmSchool.org: Organizing Your Film Shoot in Four Easy Steps
• The Los Angeles Film and Video Permit Office: Seeing Stars

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish