The Unit Production Manager
The Unit Production Manager (UPM) coordinates a film's production and is crucial to a movie's success. As a UPM, you are responsible for creating a realistic budget, and working to make sure the producer(s) get the best damn movie they can within that budget.Tom Kane's Film and Video Production Workshop, will teach you not only...
The Film Producer
The duties of the Film Producer often fall under one of two titles: the Creative/Developing Producer, and the Line Producer.Creative/Developing Producer: Develops the material or idea for a movie.Line Producer: Gets the movie made. The line producer manages all the production tasks through pre-production, production, and post-production.During Tom Kane's Film and Video Production Workshop, you...
The Assistant Director
As the Assistant Director (AD), you have to be ready for anything and everything. The AD must keep the production set disciplined for the Director at all times. Keeping on top of every aspect of the shoot, the AD is the primary communicator to all on the set.The Assistant Director (AD) is responsible for the...
The Script Breakdown
Film Scheduling starts with the Script Breakdown. As an Assistant Director (AD), one of your jobs is to line the script, transfer to breakdown pages, and create a shooting schedule. When breaking down the elements of a screenplay, there will be many things to look out for and get organized for an efficient film production.You're not...
Location Scouting
Location scouting is a vital process in the pre-production stage of filmmaking. Once a director has decided what general kind of scenery they require for the various parts of the production outside of the studio, the search for appropriate Interior (INT) and Exterior (EXT) locations begin.was recorded on location in Denver, CO during a live workshop...
The Production Report
A production report is a form filled out at the end of each day of production which summarizes what occurred that day. The purpose of this document is to keep track of a production's progress and expenses. See the examples below of Prizzi's Honor and Crossfire Trail production reports. The Assistant Director (AD) is responsible for...
The Shooting Schedule
Once an Assistant Director (AD), has a script broken down, the AD will need to create a shooting schedule, which is the shooting order for each day of a production. The AD will work closely with the Unit Production Manager (UPM) to create the most efficient schedule and production board. Example: Shooting Schedule For additional film...
The Film Budget
The budget for a film or television production falls under the responsibility of the Unit Production Manager (UPM). The budget contains three main sections: The Top SheetAbove the Line ItemsBelow the Line ItemsThe Top Sheet is a one-page summary of the full budget by sections."Above-the-Line" items include:Story RightsThe Producer's UnitThe Director's UnitThe Principal CastTravel & Living Expenses...