WORKSHOP 1 PRE-PRODUCTION

WORKSHOP 1PRE-PRODUCTION

STEPS TO TAKE BEFORE YOU SHOOT

CONCEIVING OF APROJECT

THE TOPIC SENTENCE – Can you describe your idea in a sentence?

• Project Aim – Describe the desired outcome of the project using a verb• Is this a clear aim that can be distilled into a single sentence or idea?• Decide upon the best way to convey these ideas

CONCEIVING OF APROJECT

BRAINSTORMING!Growing your ideas

• Write down words, ideas, issues or anything that comes to mind (no filtering)• Group them together. Do any patterns emerge? What are you passionate about conveying?• Decide upon a theme or area of concern based on these ideas.• Distil a topic sentence from your theme – this takes work!

RESEARCHLAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR YOUR FILMGaining knowledge on a subject

• Once you have a topic sentence, you can make a list of areas of study.• Get your hands on as much info as possible – books, articles, documentaries, newspapers. • Study and become knowledgeable in the subject.• Begin to relate all the research back to your topic sentence: organize information into categories and subcategories as they relate to your overall idea.

ORGANIZING INFORMATION

TRANSLATING YOUR RESEARCH INTO IDEASShape your information into Categories for the film Ie. Different categories to convey information:

• Interviews• Dramatization• Charts/Graphs/Infographics• Stock Footage/ B-Roll• Narration

GOING FURTHER WITH YOUR TOPIC SENTENCE/PITCH

Make a list of relative ideas or categoriesFor instance a topic on Urban Agriculture might involve categories like:- Tools- Plant and Vegetable Species- Tips from urban farmers. Etc.

Organize these categories based on what type of info they involveor what might be the best way to convey information regarding the categories.

“Plant and Vegetable species” would need a visual component, either photographs or video, whereas “Tips From Urban Farmers” could be voice over narration.

PLANNING(PRE-PRODUCTION)

PREPARING TO EXECUTE YOUR IDEASThe Game Plan

• Breaking your film down into organizational elements.• Working with a producer• Script Breakdown/Other considerations

• Travel• Equipment• Crew (if required)

STORYTELLING

YOUR STORY TO TELL- FINDING YOUR VOICE AS A FILMAKER

Humour and EntertainmentEngaging the AudienceCompelling Narratives