Video Production Notes

Mise En Scene

French term that means placing on stage.

The arrangement of everything that appears in the framing actors,
lighting, dcor, props, costume
The frame and camerawork are also considered part of the mise-en-scne
of a movie.
In cinema, placing on the stage really means placing on the screen, and
the director is in charge of deciding what goes where, when, and how
the director is the one who oversees the entire mise-en-scne and all of its
elements
Set design: An important element of "putting in the scene" is set design
the setting of a scene and the objects (props) visible in a scene. Set design
can be used to amplify character emotion or the dominant mood, which
has physical, social, psychological, emotional, economic and cultural
significance in film.
Lighting: The intensity, direction, and quality of lighting can influence an
audiences understanding of characters, actions, themes and mood. Light
(and shade) can emphasize texture, shape, distance, mood, time of day or
night, season, glamour; it affects the way colours are rendered, both in
terms of hue and depth, and can focus attention on particular elements of
the composition.
Costume: Costume simply refers to the clothes that characters wear. Using
certain colors or designs, costumes in narrative cinema are used to signify
characters or to make clear distinctions between characters.
Actors: The actor's interpretation of their role pertains to the role played,
whether based on a real person or fictional character.

Call Sheet

The daily call sheet is a filmmaking term for the schedule crafted by the
assistant director, using the director's shot list. It is issued to the cast and
crew of a film production to inform them of where and when they should
report for a particular day of filming
The production schedule is listed by call time, the time when people are
expected to start work on a film set.
Call sheets include other useful information such as contact information,
the schedule for the day, which scenes and script pages are being shot,
and the address of the shoot location.
Call sheets have information about cast transportation arrangements,
parking instructions and safety notes.
Call sheets may also provide logistical information regarding the location.
It is common to find such items as weather information, sunrise/sunset
times, local hospitals, restaurants, and hardware stores on call sheets.

Budget Sheet

The Budget Top Sheet is a summary of the Detailed Budget that includes
every major line item from Development to Deliverables, giving you and
your financiers a snapshot of the total cost.

A Detailed Budget is the financial blueprint for your project. Movie

budgeting contains the key information that you must have for your
production.
The Detailed Budget includes:
Shooting Format
Shooting Schedule Work Days/Weeks
Applicable Union Rates/Non-Union Rates
Location Expenses
Cast and Above-The-Line Fees
Production Expenses
Cast & Crew Over-Time Calculations
Post Production Expenses
Insurance and Deliverables
Current Fringe Rates for State, Country, Unions, and Guilds
Completion Bond, Financing and Contingency Fees
Critical Assumptions

3 Act Structure

The 3-act structure is an old principle widely adhered to in storytelling

today. It can be found in plays, poetry, novels, comic books, short stories,
video games, and the movies.
The 3 acts are labeled as:
Act I: Setup
The first act is where all the major characters of the story are
introduced, plus the world where they live in, and the conflict
that will move the story forward.
Act II: Confrontation
Referred to as "rising action", typically depicts the
protagonist's attempt to resolve the problem initiated by the
first turning point, only to find him- or herself in ever
worsening situations
Act III: Resolution
It features the resolution of the story and its subplots. The
climax is the scene or sequence in which the main tensions of
the story are brought to their most intense point and the
dramatic question answered, leaving the protagonist and
other characters with a new sense of who they really are.

The "Plot Point"- the three acts are separated by two plot points. A plot
point, often called a reversal, is an event that thrusts the plot in a new
direction, leading into a new act of the screenplay.

180 Degree Rule

In film making, the 180-degree rule is a basic guideline regarding the onscreen spatial relationship between a character and another character or
object within a scene.
An imaginary line called the axis connects the characters, and by keeping
the camera on one side of this axis for every shot in the scene.
The first character is always frame right of the second character, who is
then always frame left of the first.
The camera passing over the axis is called jumping the line or crossing the
line; breaking the 180-degree rule by shooting on all sides is known as
shooting in the round.
The object that is being filmed must always remain in the center, while the
camera must always face towards the object.

Treatment

A film treatment is a piece of prose, typically the step between scene

cards (index cards) and the first draft of a screenplay for a motion picture,
television program, or radio play.
It is generally longer and more detailed than an outline (or one-page
synopsis), and it may include details of directorial style that an outline
omits.
Treatments read like a short story, but are told in the present tense and
describe events as they happen.
Treatments are widely used within the motion picture industry as selling
documents to outline story and character aspects of a planned screenplay,
whereas outlines are generally produced as part of the development
process. Screenwriters may use a treatment to initially pitch a screenplay,
but may also use a treatment to sell a concept they are pitching without a
completed screenplay.

Storyboard

A storyboard is a graphic representation of how your video will unfold, shot

by shot.

It's made up of a number of squares with illustrations or pictures

representing each shot, with notes about what's going on in the scene and
what's being said in the script during that shot.
Functions of storyboard:
Best way to share your vision:
A visual aid makes it much easier for you to share and explain your
vision for your video with others.
When you have a storyboard, you can show people exactly how
your video is going to be mapped out and what it will look like. This
makes it infinitely easier for other people to understand your idea.
Makes production much easier
When you storyboard a video you're setting up a plan for
production, including all the shots you'll need, the order that they'll
be laid out, and how the visuals will interact with the script.
It ensures you won't forget any scenes and helps you piece together
the video according to your vision.
Saves you time during production
It will also make the creation process go more smoothly.

Types of Documentaries

Expository mode: The primary purpose of the Expository mode is to make

an argument. This is the model that is most often associated with
documentary in general. The structure is grounded in a series of assertions
backed up by evidence. The assertions are presented through verbal
commentary from an invisible voice-over narrator, while images provide
the evidence.
Observational mode: This mode uses the observations of an unobtrusive
camera to create direct engagement with the everyday life of subjects.
Participatory mode: This mode emphasizes the interaction between
filmmaker and subjects. These films usually take the form of a series of
interviews or other forms of even more direct involvement from
conversations to provocations. Archival footage to examine historical
issues is also included.
Poetic mode: This abstract approach to documentary filmmaking
emphasizes visual associations, tonal or rhythmic qualities, description,
and form. These films often bear a close resemblance to experimental and
avant-garde film.
Reflexive mode: This mode, which includes the mockumentary format,
calls attention to the assumptions and conventions that govern
documentary filmmaking to increase our awareness of how films construct
representations of reality.
Performative mode: This final mode highlights the subjective or expressive
aspect of the filmmakers own involvement with a subject to heighten the
audiences responsiveness to the subject and to this involvement. These
films reject objectivity and favour emotion.

Elements of Documentaries

The story: For a film to be great it has to recognize the dramatic conflict or
struggle between characters and the world.
Interesting character: For the story to work at all you must be working with
great characters to follow and interview. The audience should be able to
empathize with them, and see that they are struggling and have qualities
that the audience can connect with.

Quality Interviews: The success of a documentary as a film rests on the

power of the interviews you have. Make sure that the questions you ask
the subjects are appropriate and lead them to tell the story in a personal
and honest way.
Striking Visuals: The interviews need to be paired with great visuals. This
gives the film a dynamic and watchable feel that elevates it from simply
being a bunch of interviews lined together.
Sound: Make sure all interviews are recorded with appropriate
microphones and try to cut down on interference and noise as much as
possible. Try and get music that will match the visuals throughout the
project.
Take-Aways: Any documentary must have a reason for being made. There
must be certain things you want the audience to take away from the
screening such as lesson to be learnt.
Relevance: Keep the project relevant to the audience you are preparing it
for. This does not mean it has to be on a current topic, but make sure it is
relatable to a contemporary issue.

Shot list

Elements to be considered:
Shot Sizes
Camera Angles
Camera Moves
When filling in each row in the shot list, its important to take into
consideration the following elements:
Characters in the shot
Type of shot
Camera movement
Major actions
Important objects

Script/Screenplay

A screenplay or script is a written work by screenwriters for a film, video

game, or television program. These screenplays can be original works or
adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement,
actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated.
The major components are action and dialogue. The "action" is written in
the present tense. The "dialogue" are the lines the characters speak.
Unique to the screenplay (as opposed to a stage play) is the use of slug
lines.

Foley, Types of Foley and Automatic Dialogue Replacement

(ADR)

Foley is the reproduction of everyday sound effects that are added to film,
video, and other media in post-production to enhance audio quality.
It helps to create a sense of reality within a scene.
These reproduced sounds can be anything from the swishing of clothing
and footsteps to squeaky doors and breaking glass.
Foley sounds are used to enhance the auditory experience of the movie.
Foley artists recreate the realistic ambient sounds that the film portrays.
Foley artists use creativity to make viewers believe that the sound effects
are actually real.

The viewers should not be able to realize that the sound was not actually
part of the filming process itself.
Foley artists review the film as it runs to figure out what sounds they need
to achieve the desired sound and results.
Once they gather the material and prepare for use, they practice the
sounds.
When they accomplish the desired sound, they watch the film and add in
the sound effects at the same time.
Automatic dialogue replacement (ADR) is the process in which voice
sounds are recorded in post-production. This is done by a machine that
runs the voice sounds with the film forward and backward to get the sound
to run with the film.
The objective of the ADR technique is to add sound effects into the film
after filming, so the voice sounds are synchronized. Many sounds are not
added at the time of filming, and microphones might not capture a sound
the way the audience expects to hear it
Foley art can be broken down into three main categories: Feet, Moves, and
Specifics.
Feet
The category entails the sound of footsteps
Creating just the right sound of footsteps can greatly enhance the
feel of a scene.
Foley Artists are often referred to as "Foley Walkers" or "Steppers"
when working in the Feet subset of Foley.
Moves
The Moves category makes up many of the more subtle sounds
heard in films.
Foley artists will add the swishing of clothing as the when two actors
walk past each other.
This sound is created by rubbing two pieces of the same material
together near the microphone at the same rate that the actors legs
cross.
Specifics
Foley can also include other sounds such as doors closing and
doorbell rings
Foley effects help the viewer judge the size of a space. For example,
a large hall will have strong reverberation, while a small room may
have only slight reverberation.

Crew and Roles

Director
The director is responsible for overseeing the creative aspects of a
film.
Including controlling the content and flow of the film's plot, directing
the performances of actors, organizing and selecting the locations
in which the film will be shot, and managing technical details such
as the positioning of cameras, the use of lighting, and the timing
and content of the film's soundtrack.
Producer
A film producer creates the conditions for film-making.
The producer initiates, coordinates, supervises, and controls
matters such as raising funding, hiring key personnel, and arranging
for distributors.
The producer is involved throughout all phases of the film making
process from development to completion of a project.

Executive producer
An executive producer (EP) is a producer who was not involved in
the technical aspects of the film-making process in the original
definition, but has played a financial or creative role in ensuring that
the project goes into production
First assistant director
The first assistant director (1st AD) assists the production manager
and director.
The ultimate aim of any 1st AD is to ensure the film comes in on
schedule while maintaining a working environment in which the
director, principal artists (actors) and crew can be focused on their
work.
They oversee day-to-day management of the cast and crew
scheduling, equipment, script, and set.
Second assistant director
The second assistant director (2nd AD) is the chief assistant of the
1st AD and helps carry out those tasks delegated to the 1st AD.
The 2nd AD is responsible for creating call sheets that let the crew
know the schedule and important details about the shooting day.
Director of photography
The director of photography, DoP or DP, is the chief of the camera
and lighting crew of the film.
The DoP makes decisions on lighting and framing of shots in
conjunction with the film's director. Typically, the director tells the
DoP how he or she wants a shot to look, and the DoP chooses the
correct lens, filter, lighting and composition to achieve the desired
aesthetic effect.
Lighting
Gaffer: The gaffer is the head of the lighting department,
responsible for the design of the lighting plan for a production.
Sometimes the gaffer is credited as chief lighting technician.
Gaffer is responsible for managing lighting, including associated
resources such as labour, lighting instruments and electrical
equipment under the direction of the Director of Photography
It is part of the gaffer's responsibility to make sure all lighting
workers are up to speed with changes that are being made
Best boy (lighting): The best boy is the chief assistant to the gaffer.
He or she is not usually on set, but dealing with the electric truck,
rentals, manpower, and other logistics.
Lighting technician: Lighting technicians are involved with setting
up and controlling lighting equipment.
Grips are trained lighting and rigging technicians. Their main responsibility
is to work closely with the electrical department to put in the nonelectrical components of lighting set-ups required for a shot, such as flags,
overheads, and bounces.
Key grip: The key grip is the chief grip on a set, and is the head of
the set operations department.
The key grip works with the director of photography to help set up
the set and to achieve correct lighting and blocking.
Before filming begins, the key grip attends location scouts and
meets the Director of Photography to determine what additional
tools (location-specific motor vehicles, dollies, cranes, mounts, etc.)
will be needed, orders and preps required equipment, and
transports equipment to the filming location.
As a supervisor, the key grip directs the crew of grips, many with
specialized skills such as dolly grips, crane operators, or special
equipment operators

Best boy (grip): The best boy is chief assistant to the key grip. They
are also responsible for organizing the grip truck throughout the
day.
Dolly grip: The grip in charge of operating the camera dollies and
camera cranes is called the dolly grip. They place, level, and move
the dolly track, then push and pull the dolly, and usually a camera
operator and camera assistant as riders.
Production designer
The production designer is responsible for creating the visual
appearance of the film - settings, costumes, character makeup, all
taken as a unit. The production designer works closely with the
director and the director of photography to achieve the look of the
film.
Art director
The art director reports to the production designer, and more
directly oversees artists and craftspeople, such as the set designers,
graphic artists, and illustrators who give form to the production
design as it develops.
The art director works closely with the construction coordinator and
key scenic artist Production sound mixer
Production sound mixer
The production sound mixer is head of the sound department on
set, responsible for recording all sound during filming.
This involves the choice and deployment of microphones, operation
of a sound recording device, and the mixing of audio signals in real
time.

Calculations
To calculate the size in kilobytes (K) of one frame of uncompressed video

Frame [( PixelWidth x Pixel Height x Bit Depth)/8]/1024

Where 8 represents an 8-bit byte
1024 equals the number of bytes per kilobytes
To determine the file size of one second of uncompressed video, you have
to multiply the image size by the number of frames per second (fps)
To determine how compression affects file size, divide the file size by the
compression ratio.
For example, a 10:1 compression ratio will make a 27 MB file 2.7 MB.
Memory MB = (image size x 3) + 3

Function of Music

Commenting: Music can put a judgement on certain movie scenes, it can

state that a certain battle scene is heroic, a certain dialogue is sad etc.
Illustrating movement: Another function that feels rather old fashioned
and comedy. Accenting with the music every movement seen on screen is
so-called mickey-mousing (coming from a scoring technique that was often
used in Mickey Mouse cartoons). Hearing xylophone plings when
someone raises his eyebrow etc. feels very cartoony however it can be
great in slapstick moments and when done well even in dramatic
situations.
Portray emotions: Music can serve the movie by getting into the emotions
of the characters. A face with a neutral expression can be pushed into
feeling many different things just by what kind of music is used. In the

same way it works of course very well to evoke certain emotions with the
audience.
Social/cultural/geographic reference: Music can work very well to make
clear the heritage of a character/group of characters or the geographic
setting of the movie or a scene. If for example Irish sounding music can be
heard during a certain scene etc. We can easily spot where its taking
place without the need of visually establishing the location too much.
Time/period reference: Music can also work very well to establish a certain
time or period. Music that sounds very baroque will put us back into the
18th century but references can also be more subtle. Flashbacks over a
few decades for for example can be very well supported by the musical
style which adapts to the time portrayed in the movie and therefore makes
the flashbacks more understandable.