Part 4: Additional Production Credits By...
Okay, then, I may have rattled some of you with last section's recountings of problems involved in production... especially with one as fast and short as what we had in the sample script.
Understand, things like that can and do happen... but there's no saying it will happen.
Now, on to some things I didn't discuss already...
On a larger crew, the director (you) usually tells the cameraman (you) where to put the camera, and how he wants the action "framed"(positioned in the picture). The gaffer (you) rigs the lighting (sun) to best effect for the picture, helped by the key grip (you) and his chief assistant, the best boy (also you).
The sound recordist (you) places the boom operator (sometimes you) to get the best sound in the external microphone while keeping it out of frame. The assistant director (you) gets the actors to their marks for perhaps one, and maybe more, rehearsals, at the whim of the director. (A point to note: Some directors can be very whimsical; this is not necessarily a Good Thing.)
When all the technical side is prepared, the director will call "Camera," at which point the cameraman will start rolling. The sound recordist will report if they have sound, and the director will call "Action." The actors will go through the scene, and the director will call "Cut" when the scene is over. After checking with the technical side, to see if they have any objections, the director will either accept the take ("Print", coming from the old days of making a print of the good takes to show later) or reject it, and repeat the procedure above.
Sounds really dull, doesn't it?
Well, it can be... except when your nerves are on edge because you're doing an effects shot that is not repeatable. (You have two cantalopes to stand in for an actor's head being run over by a car tire; using the actual actor is not an option.)
For something as short as our sample script, it could probably be shot "in sequence"; that is, filmed in the order you see it on screen. For larger productions, with many locations, costume changes, and other logistical issues to consider, scheduling is usually done to shoot all scenes in a particular location at one time, then all scenes at another location... Tearing down a setup and moving it to another location can be time consuming, so the most efficient utilization of time and personnel is used. This is the job of the Production Department (usually you). There are shareware programs to help you; I use a few myself.
The theories behind lighting for mood and effect are something I'll go into another time, just as I'll explain (one of these days) camera angles, "Dutch tilts", and the 180 Degree Line, among other things.
For now, let's just take our footage, get back, and GET READY TO RRRRRUMBLE!!
(Sorry.)
