• Joined: April 26, 2011

Topic: How much time and effort you put in Pre-Production?

Of course this depends on the length and complexity of your story.

Years ago it took me two weeks to write the screenplay and do the production design on a 4 min short.

These days I find myself spend many months (6-8) to do this, including storyboards. But the projects have become more complex and longer, besides I work in a team.

I put lot's of effort before I shoot first frame. Actually the whole movie comes to life first in the animated storyboards before the actual footage is shot. I end up with lot's of conceptual drawings and several drafts of the screenplay.

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Re: How much time and effort you put in Pre-Production?

I actually find it takes a lot longer to write the script for me. I usually film in a few weeks, but scripting takes a couple of months (this is for small projects, mind you)

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Re: How much time and effort you put in Pre-Production?

Usally it takes me FOREVER to sit down and write a script (I guess I'm prone to writers block). Editing my actual video is a breeze. Animating......well, let's just put it...... As a heck of a long time to do it! mini/wink

I'm working on getting my studio back up and running, so stay posted...

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Re: How much time and effort you put in Pre-Production?

i'm always working on new scripts, with the one i'm about to start filming (Batman the Beginner part 2) I've spent longer on the script then was spent on EPII of star wars(the clone wars movie) about 3 months and then me and dad go though it to make sure that everyone will understand whats happening and that its funny.

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Re: How much time and effort you put in Pre-Production?

I don't work on scripts, 'cause every time I tried I stopped at the third scene. But, I think carefully on my story, on what has to happen, on what movements to do, where to put the camera. It's all in my head (but I wouldn't recommend doing the same, I have problems with my memory too mini/XD), so yeah, I work more in pre-production than in animation, even though I don't really do what I should.
Edit: I do exactly like the post below this one says.

Last edited by MPfist0 (June 21, 2011 (05:17am))

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Re: How much time and effort you put in Pre-Production?

I, personally, don't write scripts. My pre-production stuff is mental. And I'm very good at remembering stuff which I've thought up myself. I spend a load of time just thinking through scenes in my head. Often times I recite the lines of the movie with the precise tone and voice I want to use. Still, however, I like to leave most of this "mental script" blank, as to fill the rest in with improv when I'm animating. It's usually most just a nice out line for which I can add stuff too later. I takes different times for different movies. Some ideas for short films I've made in just a day or a few. But the most extensive pre-production job I've ever done would be for my Batman movie I am the Night. I've spent pretty much most of this year thinking it out and getting ideas. I just recently started building the first set.

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  • Joined: April 18, 2011

Re: How much time and effort you put in Pre-Production?

Depending on how motivated I am, the time I put into my scripts varies. Normally I have the whole basic concept in my head and I even come up with several good camera angles for certain scenes I want to work hard on. Once I get the basic concept I start writing the script by very short individual parts(and I use slashes'/' to indicate a camera angle change in that scene. I also write down where the camera will be at the next scene change because I often forget. One of the main problems is working on VERY MAIN scene changes...like big scene changes. It's hard to figure out a transition for that scene just to keep the movie flowing well in its atmosphere. I've run into one of these problems in my film ''Jumperman'' and am still not sure what to do. I also storyboard stuff...especially fight scenes. I have to do that in ''Jumperman''. I mainly think about my stories when I go down to sleep! mini/lol Another thing that helps me plan out my scenes and character actions is tha I makje all the moves of that person in front of a mirror...and it's actually quite fun!

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Re: How much time and effort you put in Pre-Production?

I don't script. I just start making the film and go from there. I'm sure it's to a fault, but oh well.

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  • Joined: May 12, 2010

Re: How much time and effort you put in Pre-Production?

I'm with Olsonstudios here. Usually I'm fine writing scripts, and have done so often, however I usual either aim to high before hand and dump it further down the line because it's a load of @$&! compared to my original plan, or I get distracted with a different idea and the script writing was a waste. That's probably the worst way to do it, but heck, it works for me. Generally I find the best way for me to stick with a project is to get a basic bit of animation done to start off with, and then try and get a rough outline for everything else.

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Re: How much time and effort you put in Pre-Production?

It totally depends with us.  On some really short films, no pre-production is really necessary (with the exception of props).  However, on most of our films (especially our longer ones), there is a detailed script.  Also, with our very longest productions (like Brick or Treat), we have a storyboard as well, which gives us an idea of the cinematography of each shot.  On one of the films we are working on right now in fact (The Squire and the Scroll), the story-board is extremely detailed, with an average of about 25-30 panels per minute.

Just always remember guys, the general rule is that the more time you put in planning a project, the better the final result.  More thought and effort yields better fruit then little thought and little effort. mini/smile

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Re: How much time and effort you put in Pre-Production?

I've been working on a series for about a year.

I've pumped out four scripts.

-_-

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  • Joined: April 26, 2011

Re: How much time and effort you put in Pre-Production?

BuilderBrothers wrote:

Just always remember guys, the general rule is that the more time you put in planning a project, the better the final result.  More thought and effort yields better fruit then little thought and little effort. mini/smile

I agree..
one of the reasons I enjoy pre-production so much.

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  • Joined: April 18, 2011

Re: How much time and effort you put in Pre-Production?

The stages I enjoy the most is post and marketing.

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Re: How much time and effort you put in Pre-Production?

I'm ALWAYS working on some sort of story, some sort of something... Original, based on some franchise I like, an adaption or something, but most commonly something orriginal as those give you more freedom than with adaptions.

But as for how much work I put into it... One CG animated movie I'm working on... Developed a story for over a year before I even decided to do it. And it is most deffinately my best work yet. And mind you, that's just the story, I've only just BEGUN writing.

Now mind you that's a special case also, but that does stress how seriously I take my projects though.

P.S. TO THE NUIMOBILE!!

mini/sunnies

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  • Joined: December 27, 2008

Re: How much time and effort you put in Pre-Production?

It took me a week to write the feature length script for "The Red River Flows" - which was 76 pages long. Then I did a lot of jotting down ideas of camerawork for certain scenes, prepared pages of information regarding backstory to the film itself and the characters for the voice actors.