Questions about Film Org Software and an Opportunity

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011121

Okay, bear with me , this is probably a bit different than your usual post.

Brief background-
I'm going back to school to learn Computer Science with a focus on programming. This summer I'm hoping to be involved with the Google Summer of Code project where students get stipends in return for working on open source projects that they propose. My Daughter (10) is getting into amateur film making and theater. Looking at her notes as she tries to organize her rather simple films I see a god awful mess.

So I had the idea that maybe I could make an open source program to help with the organization of a film (as in what scenes can be shot when, with which actors, etc.). I'd be looking at taking an open source generic scheduling software and tweaking it to make it more applicable to the tasks in question but this raises 2 questions:

1) does such software already exist in sufficient quality so as to make the project redundant and unnecessary? AND

2) what features would make it more useful for the indie auteur?

I appreciate any help you can give me, and hopefully it may ultimately be helping you since if I can produce said program it will be free to use and hopefully help. That said I need feedback rather quickly as we have a very limited time to make our proposals and submit them for acceptance.

Cheers,
Jason
 
Celtx seem to be what you're going for, but you'd have to try it out yourself to see for sure (it's free).

If you're still interested in video for a coding project, there are tons of other avenues you can go down. Find a problem (as you may already have) and solve it. Simple as that :)
 
Celtx is specifically open source... and could use the types of features you're talking about in their scheudling... you should look into it... it'd be nice to have some nice Gannt charts to handle the project management bits and what not... Please improve that portion of Celtx -- you are the strength of open source. :)
 
"Celtx seem to be what you're going for, but you'd have to try it out yourself to see for sure (it's free)."

I agree and I use it. Excellent program.
 
Alright then, so what does Celtx specifically do and what specifically doesn't it? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the term "Gannt charts", can you explain them to me or is there a good resource to explain them?

EDIT looks like they are actually called Gantt charts
EDIT (left off a couple words frm the first sentence without noticing)
 
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011121 said:
Alright then, so what does Celtx specifically do and what specifically?
Click to expand...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtx
https://www.celtx.com/

011121 said:
I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the term "Gannt charts", can you explain them to me or is there a good resource to explain them?
Click to expand...
http://www.ganttchart.com/


Scheduling is done (professionally) by the first assistant director.
There are several excellent programs already that make this job
easier. Perhaps what YOU can do is discuss with your daughter
what HER needs are. Clearly they will be different than the needs
of a semi-pro production.

Check out http://www.entertainmentpartners.com/Content/Products/Scheduling.aspx
 
Yeah, I'm sure I could tailor something just for her but I'd like to make something a bit more useful in general, if possible. For one thing I really doubt Google is going to accept such a narrow proposal for their SoC :)
 
011121 said:
Yeah, I'm sure I could tailor something just for her but I'd like to make something a bit more useful in general, if possible.
Click to expand...
Well, right now there are several software that fully address the
professional needs. By taking the needs of your daughter into
account you may find a market in the beginning area that has
not been addressed. A program like Movie Magic (which I use)
may be too much for a beginner.

There is nothing left out in the programs that I have used or seen
used - everything is addressed - so I suspect you will not be able
to improve in these. Especially not bring a first AD. They - and
the UPM - are the people who need and use scheduling software
day in and day out. They are the people who really know what's
missing. However, you may fill a need for people like your daughter.
And expand beyond what she needs now to what will help her as
she and her productions grow.

I think there is a market for very small projects that isn't being
addressed.
 
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