Video Checklists

Production Planning

Goal: Are all of the major production areas covered?

• Talent releases

• Food ordered

• Script - dialog, movements, characters, props, sets, time

• Story Board - visuals and scene order, story arch, add/move/remove

• Shot List - scene parts, in set location order, date/time plan

• Sites are picked and planned

• Site releases and permits

• "Blocking" plan for each of the sets/sites. (i.e. the location of everything, lights, cameras, cast, mics, etc.)

• Cast and Crew - roles are defined

Gear

Goal: check or do these before packing

• All batteries are charged.

• Cameras are all setup with initial common configurations

• Extra recording media and batteries are identified

• Media has been erased, for max space (note time for each)

• Gear checklist has been checked

Packed Gear

Goal: do you have everything?

• (1) LED tube light case (4 - 4ft shop lights)

• (1) Duffel bag - (mathews camps, spring clamps, power cord, mic cords, etc)

• (2) LED Spot bags - (plug adaptoer, barn door, difuser, LED light & power)

• (1) LED Flat Panel - (power cords, filters)

• (1) Video Tool Box

• (1) Audio Tool Box

• (1) Mic Stand bag (2 stands, 2 tripods)

• (2) Mic cases (probably in one bag)

• (4) Tote Boxes (probably in two bags)

• (5) Sand Bags (probably in two bags)

• (1) Boom Stand

• (1) Light Stand bag - (4 - 7ft, 2 - 6ft)

Production Day

Goal: Get everyone engaged and ready to be a team.

• At the start, everyone introduces themselves, and their role - this is not optional!

• Go over what scenes we will be shooting.

• Questions?

Dressing the Set

Goal: follow the blocking plan, and follow good safety rules.

• If background to be shown, put camera at max distance away, up to 18'

• Talent location (1/3 from background to camera)

• Lights: back, key, fill, kicker, background (cookie?)

• Make sure sand bags are used on stands, or over trip hazards.

• Keep power and mic cables out of way. And tape down where needed.

• Place markers for the actors.

Set Lighting

Goal: Get the best location, angles, and lighting of set and talent.

• Pick best spot for talent (if it is not already defined).

• Setup back-light stand and small LED, sand bags

• Setup any overhead camera on mic stand, sand bag

• Setup key light

• Setup small LED fill light

• Setup background light?

• Setup cover camera on tripod

• Setup closeup tripod, place to set camera

• Lay power cables and plug in lights and cameras

• Balance the lights

• Turn on cameras

• Get white balances

• Check lights and cameras - over exposed?

Setup Audio

Goal: make sure mics and recording works

• Place mic stands

• Lay mic cables (away from power cables, or cross over them at 90 degrees)

• Attach the mics to stands and cables

• Setup recording station, with recorder and headset

• Turn it all on, batteries in place, mics on, phantom power on

• Test each mic

• Make a test recording, and play it back to verify all mics are recorded

• Work with talent on attaching mics

• Educate talent on mic protocols. (Never hit mic, never cover mic, stay close to mic, etc.)

Cameras Setup

Goal: Make sure the cameras all have same settings.

• Verify camera settings: file setting, time set OK, etc. See Checklist - Camera Settings

• Is there enough recording time left? Enough battery life?

• Get white-balance. Manually set camera, and also record white paper

• .

• Lighting: not over/under exposed?

• If holding camera, turn on dynamic stabilize.

Just before starting:

Goal: Have a good "take". Make sure the "take" can be identified from the shot list, and so all the cameras can be synchronized for the take.

• Check talent: lighting, power for skin shine, clothes are arranged and clear of lint, hair combed, etc.

• Continuity checks - is it consistent with previous takes or scenes?

• Note the scene/shot/take on clap board.

• White clap board, visible to all cameras, if possible.

• Director: cameras rolling. If possible, start the audio recorder, then the cameras in numerical order. Camera persons verify the counters are moving. They signal "ready" to the director.

• Director signals to clap board grip: The "grip" says the scene # and take #, then snaps the clap board. (The actors do NOT start yet.)

• Director says "action" - the actors start.

• Camera persons follow the blocking plan and the shot list.

• When scene is done, director says "cut"

• Stop all cameras (so that a new file will be created for the next take)

• If cameras are on battery, turn them off, if there is more that 10 min between takes. White-balance, and other settings will need to be rechecked when turned back on

• After a few early takes, have the actors take a break.

  • Director and Cinematographer review the camera views.
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  • Make sure everything in the script and shot list is getting into the take.
  • Adjust as needed.

$Source: /repo/local.cvs/app/video-studio/checklist/video-checklist.html,v $
$Revision: 1.5 $ $Date: 2017/07/19 06:40:07 $ GMT