What is the Pre-Production Stage?
As the name implies, this is the stage before production, or the shoot.
It is the preparation stage. Any mainstream film production easily involves 100 to 150 people working in perfect synergy toward one singular vision, on or off set. These people, or the crew, are divided across departments and execute different visual elements of the narrative.
The aim is to have everything ready and in place on the day of the shoot. So, how do they do it?
Let’s understand how.
What Happens During Pre-Production?
While writing a script is exhausting, producing it is another Herculean task and requires a different skill set. Getting the film greenlit by the studio is just the first step toward completing your film.
Once that’s done and you have your director and cinematographer in place, the pre-production stage starts.
Here’s everything that’s done to prepare for the shoot during pre-production.
1. Script Breakdown
Script breakdown is the first and most integral step of pre-production. By breaking down each scene into smaller elements, like setup, props, cast, and costume, the entire crew can be on the same page about every visual detail in the script while working out the logistics and creatives for each scene.
A script is usually broken down under the following headers:
- Scene number
- Interior/exterior (INT./EXT.)
- Day/Night (D/N)
- Location
- Cast
- This list includes the primary, secondary, and tertiary cast, as well as the extras.
- Costume, hair and makeup, and prosthetics
- Characters not only have different styles in a film, but also have multiple changes of costume. A costume breakdown includes every costume detail—characters in a scene, scene-wise costume breakdown, and total number of changes for each character in the overall screenplay. For action scenes, an actor might need duplicates for one or more costumes, prosthetics, or special makeup, or for a certain look. An actor might need a wig, get their hair colored, or even get a different style of hair and makeup done. All these costume notes are in a script breakdown.
- Setup
- Some films might need creating elaborate sets, while others can be shot at live locations with art setup and sourced props. Based on a script breakdown, the production design team makes creative calls about the visual design and requirements of the film.
- VFX requirement
- You might want to use CGI when you can’t shoot on a live location. All these requirements need to be accounted for before the shoot so that the footage meets the guidelines and requirements for VFX.
- Vehicle and animal requirements (if any)
- For instance, in police and thief chase scenes, different types of cars are in the frame, including police vehicles. Likewise, a scene can also include animals like a dog, cat, crow, etc.
2. Budget Breakdown—Overall and Department-Wise
Usually, a line producer already has a ballpark budget for the film in mind, but after the script breakdown, you get a realistic, not arbitrary, idea about the expenses.
So, based on the script breakdown, every department head whips up a budget for their department that is then submitted to the producer. A line producer also makes a budget of their own in reference to the script breakdown. In the rarest cases that it goes beyond the allocated budget, the creatives and logistics are reworked to ensure maximum quality within budget.
3. Department Briefing
Once the script has been broken down, the director meets up with each department head to give them a one-to-one brief on their creative vision of the film.
This enables all the department heads to align with the director’s vision.
4. Sourcing and Construction by All Departments
Most departments source and create for the film. Pre-production means heavy trips to the market for the crew, hand-picking for purchase, printing, or renting for the shoot.
Additionally, costumes are sewn and sets are constructed per the screenplay's needs.
5. Location Scout
Based on the director’s creative brief, the location scout visits different locations to assess their suitability for the shoot based on availability, amenities, and cost.
The pictures of the most suitable options are sent to the director for shortlisting. This is usually a tedious approval process that can take several days. After that, the director and DP, along with the production team and direction team, go out to scout the shortlisted locations to finalize them for the shoot.
The location scout can happen multiple times before the director finalizes the locations for the film.
6. Casting
Although the lead actors are usually decided early, the rest of the casting happens during pre-production. From all categories of supporting actors to extras on set, casting is done under the supervision of an assistant director, who works closely with the casting director and their team to get the actors approved by the director.
7. Shoot Scheduling
Meanwhile, the 1st AD and the line producer focus on making a shooting schedule at this stage. Their report is imperative for all departments as it contains all logistics for the creatives.
A shooting schedule includes:
- Total number of shoot days
- Number of days of shoot for each actor
- Number of days of shoot at each location
- Day-wise camera, equipment, setup, and junior requirements
- Day-wise crew breakdown
- Day-wise allocation of scenes with their timing for the shoot
- Information on break days and location shift
Once approved by the director and any executives, this document is shared with every department so that they can sync their work with the schedule.
For instance, the production design team will know which setups, props, and other requirements each department requires.
8. Costume, Hair and Makeup, and Prosthetic Trials
During pre-production, the costume designer sources the costumes for all actors and gets them trialed for fitting.
This often involves elaborate photoshoots with different actors in their costumes, after which all the photos are shared with the director and their creative team.
Then, working with the director, the costume designer allocates the costumes, scene-wise, to each character. This way, there’s no confusion about who’s wearing what in which scene, on the day of the shoot. The clothes are in the trunks, ready to be worn on set.
9. Production Design Prep and Art “Show and Tell”
We’re almost at the tail end of the pre-production stage, just a week or two before the shoot. By now, all departments should be almost ready with their sourcing and construction.
Most directors hold production design in high regard. Therefore, once all the props and setups are approved and sourced, the production design team presents each visual design element to the director for one last approval.
At this stage, the director often makes revisions as necessary until the look of the film is set to be shot.
10. Actors’ Workshop and Table Reads
Just a week or two before the shoot starts, the director spends significant time rehearsing and reading the script with the actors.
This is almost like a performance brief for the actors, which helps them develop their characters better. Diligent workshops and table reads facilitate well-prepared actors. Rehearsals save money, especially for low-budget indie projects, as you do not waste time on retakes.
11. Special Effects Testing
Films can also call for special effects like bursting fireworks or on-set explosions. To ensure they’re safe and effective, prior testing is usually done under the supervision of the stunt coordinator and VFX teams, the production team, and the second AD.
12. Camera and Technical Equipment Test
A day or two before the schedule starts, the DP and their team test all the cameras, lenses, and equipment booked by the production team for the shoot.
This helps avoid any unwarranted technical delays on set.
13. Tech Scout
The tech scout happens on every location shift. Just a day or two before the shoot, the production, direction, camera, and production design team scout the upcoming location to technically analyze the location, which helps make logistical decisions.
For instance, they discuss where and how to rig the lights, parking for vehicles, allocating changing rooms, food tents, etc. The director also uses this time to create a blueprint for the shoot in terms of staging and blocking the scenes.
CREDIT: gnepphoto
Now, Go Out and Shoot Your Project
Thirteen steps later, you’re all set to shoot your script.
I know, it sounds daunting, but trust me, by the second time, it becomes therapeutic.
Breaking down the script is one of my favorite aspects of pre-production, as it works up all creative zones in my brain. Similarly, sourcing is not only haggling with the shopkeepers, spending days handpicking items for the shoot, or scouting is not about waking up before sunrise to drive around for miles. You get to explore new places to eat in the city, go to areas you wouldn’t have visited if not for sourcing or scouting, and go to outdoor shoots, the only sightseeing opportunities in an unknown place! Plus, you get to see places even unknown to the locals.
So yes, pre-production requires hard and long work days, but it is worth it. And do not forget that only if you do the pre-production sincerely will you be able to make your production and shoot seamless.
CREDIT: gnepphoto 
