Pre-production is a term most have probably heard before, but not as many may know what the pre-production process actually entails on a film or television set. As such, there are plenty of things you may not have known were a part of pre-film production. From budgeting to scheduling to casting to storyboarding and everything in between, pre-production is a lot more than just thinking about the project in the weeks and months leading up to the shoot.
Dissecting the Script
One of the very first things a director will do is sit down with their first AD (assistant director) and identify all the different characters in need of casting, locations in need of scouting or constructing, shots and special effects in need of planning, props in need of locating, costumes in need of designing, and so on. This is one of the most important pre-production steps because it informs each and every step that follows.
Creating a Budget
After the director and their first AD have dissected the script, they’ll be able to create an all-encompassing budget estimate to pass along to the studio heads. From high-budget projects to low-budget efforts, this budget is essential during pre-production because it is the one and only way to secure everything that’s needed in order for a movie or a show to enter production. Too high of a budget, and it might not find proper funding. Too low, and it might not ever get finished.
Setting a Schedule
Once a budget has been set (and hopefully secured), it’s time to create a schedule for the production. The director and the first AD and any other relevant people to the pre-production will take a look at their script and set realistic expectations for how much can be shot each day. This carefully planned schedule ensures that the production doesn’t go over-budget or veer too far behind the agenda.
Assembling a Crew
Next comes the fun part: building a team to help make production possible. From cinematographers to producers to sound technicians to set designers to casting directors, this crew assembled by the director will probably never step foot in front of the camera, but it’ll be all thanks to them when the final product is complete. They’re like the unsung heroes of production, and they’re all hand-picked during the pre-film production process.
Establishing a Shot List
After all this, the next step that goes into pre-production is the establishment of a shot list. This shot list is like an even more specific schedule, designed to outline which shots are needed for a scene, as well as when and where those shots need to be filmed. Without a shot list, the director and their crew would just be shooting blindly without any rhyme or reason. (In other words, no shot list means no order which means no production.)
Drawing up Storyboards
Of all these pre-production processes, the drawing up of storyboards might be the most important. Whether a director utilizes physical drawings or wants to try a storyboarding software like Boords to do their storyboards, this step of the pre-production process allows the filmmaker to create visual representations of their shot list on a big board, almost like a comic book, that shows everyone exactly what the filmmaker envisioned for each and every shot in the film.
Finding Your Talent
While some might have thought that a cast comes already selected whenever a movie enters pre-production, the truth is that most (if not all) of the cast is hand-picked during pre-production itself. The director, alongside the casting director and often a few producers, will hold auditions to establish their list of talent for the film or TV show. It might come as a surprise to some that this step in the process follows a long list of other steps.
Rehearsing, Rehearsing, Rehearsing
Once all the talent for the film or TV show has been found, it’s time for them to rehearse like crazy with the director until everyone feels they have a firm grasp on the characters and the material. Rehearsals are typically associated with live stage productions, but in fact, rehearsals are just as essential to the worlds of film and TV, too.
Scouting for Locations
Location scouting is another key part of pre-film production: without it, the cast and crew would have nowhere to go! A director may have had certain places in mind when they wrote a scene, but location scouting is needed when that particular place can’t be secured or replicated on a set. Location scouting is pretty incredible, especially when those scouts can replicate the surface of an alien planet in the Arizona desert or New York City in a town halfway across the country.
Getting Some Footage
It might sound contradictory, but sometimes pre-film production actually requires a bit of filming. When a director heads out with their location scout, they sometimes feel the need to get some footage of the place to later be used in between shots or scenes once the film is in the editing process in post-production. Before there’s even a cast, a director can be securing useful footage for their film. It’s called B-roll, and it’s a pre-production technique that many will swear by.
 | Check out Boords! Boords helps people, artists, and companies bring their film ideas to life through digital storyboarding. Whether you need to plan a film class assignment or a major marketing campaign, Boords’ online platform has tools to create the perfect storyboard, call sheet, or shot list in no time! |
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