I know this sounds like a stupid question, but I always thought that the script breakdown (the list of all the elements needed for the movie, like sets, props, costumes, effects, etc.) was made by the director. But recently, I found out it was made by the producer, who sends it off directly to the department heads. But the thing is, I always thought it was the director's job to tell people what to do, not the producer's! Also, if the breakdown is set off from the producer directly to the department heads, how does the director tell the department heads how he wants stuff to look? I know that the director directs the editor and actors while they work, and that he makes storyboards and shot lists with/for the director of photography, but what about props/costumes and such in the breakdown (like I was just talking about)? Does he get sent the breakdown, and then either meets with them to discuss points or sends them descriptions or drawings with the breakdown? Also, if that is the case, how does the line producer know whether he's going to meet them in person, or just send them all drawings, or if he's going to make storyboards/shot lists with the DP or on his own and send them to the DP (for scheduling purposes). Speaking of which, who picks the cast and crew, the director or producer? And who decides whether or not the film will be shot on film or digital, the director or producer? And who buys all the stuff the departments need (for example, the DP needs cameras, the set people need material for sets, etc.)?
How does directing work, exactly?
- Thread starter geniusvisionary
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The Director has the vision, obviously. He meets and talks with the HODs well before breakdown sheets happen - they discuss visions, ideas, how they want things to look etc.
With a lot of the better Directors I've worked with - it truly is a collaboration, not just the Director dictating what he/she wants.
Breakdown sheets are simply a list of everything that's needed in one particular scene. It might detail that in the scene we need a wooden chest - but how that wooden chest looks, feels, the size of it, what stickers are on it, what detailing is in the wood etc. etc. is all decided upon by the art department - either in direct collaboration with the Director, or as a directive from the Art Director, who has discussed with the Director the kind of look they're going for.
The Director will always have the final say on what goes on screen.
A breakdown sheet might detail that there needs to be a desk in the scene with a telephone. How the desk looks, what its made out of, what else is on top of the desk, what sort of telephone, how old the telephone is etc. is all decided upon by Art in collaboration with the Director. Where they're placed is sometimes discussed with the DP on the day - what's going to look good in frame, and the DP might ask the Production Designer for things here and there - perhaps a plant in the back of frame to create interest, or something very close to the lens to shoot through.
The shot list is what is used to schedule - in my experience, I've never worked with a DP who has simply handed me a shot list and said 'shoot this'. Even if there's somewhat of a shotlist in place, it's still tweaked after I see the location and see what is and isn't possible - and is almost always tweaked to an extent once we get to set.
How the shot list is come to is of no concern to AD for scheduling - simply that there is a shot list.
The film is generally cast by a Casting Director, in collaboration with people who work for the Casting Director - and also in direct collaboration with the Director. The Producer is the one who actually does the hiring and firing - but the Producer will collaborate with HODs, and the Director as to whether or not they have a preference for who their crew will be.
You should definitely become friends with the Producer. I often get hired by Producers I have good relationships with in the case that someone's first preference isn't available, or they have no preference.
The DP and Director should decide what format and what camera to shoot on, based on the look they're going for. This will almost always be challenged by the Producer, and the Producer will almost always try and convince you to do something cheaper, depending on the budget.
In terms of 'buying' things - everything is charged to the Production. Cameras are generally hired.
With a lot of the better Directors I've worked with - it truly is a collaboration, not just the Director dictating what he/she wants.
Breakdown sheets are simply a list of everything that's needed in one particular scene. It might detail that in the scene we need a wooden chest - but how that wooden chest looks, feels, the size of it, what stickers are on it, what detailing is in the wood etc. etc. is all decided upon by the art department - either in direct collaboration with the Director, or as a directive from the Art Director, who has discussed with the Director the kind of look they're going for.
The Director will always have the final say on what goes on screen.
A breakdown sheet might detail that there needs to be a desk in the scene with a telephone. How the desk looks, what its made out of, what else is on top of the desk, what sort of telephone, how old the telephone is etc. is all decided upon by Art in collaboration with the Director. Where they're placed is sometimes discussed with the DP on the day - what's going to look good in frame, and the DP might ask the Production Designer for things here and there - perhaps a plant in the back of frame to create interest, or something very close to the lens to shoot through.
The shot list is what is used to schedule - in my experience, I've never worked with a DP who has simply handed me a shot list and said 'shoot this'. Even if there's somewhat of a shotlist in place, it's still tweaked after I see the location and see what is and isn't possible - and is almost always tweaked to an extent once we get to set.
How the shot list is come to is of no concern to AD for scheduling - simply that there is a shot list.
The film is generally cast by a Casting Director, in collaboration with people who work for the Casting Director - and also in direct collaboration with the Director. The Producer is the one who actually does the hiring and firing - but the Producer will collaborate with HODs, and the Director as to whether or not they have a preference for who their crew will be.
You should definitely become friends with the Producer. I often get hired by Producers I have good relationships with in the case that someone's first preference isn't available, or they have no preference.
The DP and Director should decide what format and what camera to shoot on, based on the look they're going for. This will almost always be challenged by the Producer, and the Producer will almost always try and convince you to do something cheaper, depending on the budget.
In terms of 'buying' things - everything is charged to the Production. Cameras are generally hired.
So the producer buys stuff, is what you're saying? And, also, I see what you're saying about the desk and the telephone but how does everyone know that there even needs to be a desk with a telephone on it without a breakdown? Isn't the breakdown so that the crew can figure out what stuff they need to make the movie? And also, I was talking about shot lists in regards to scheduling because if the director is going to meet in person with a HOD, then a meeting needs to be scheduled, and if he's just going to send descriptions or drawings or something like that, there doesn't need to be a meeting. Is there even a schedule for this stage of filmmaking? Also, what is the difference between a production manager, an assistant director, and a line producer? By the way, what is the difference between a production assistant and a grip?
There are many levels of production. On no budget projects where there
is one person in charge that person does all jobs. On a professional
production the director is the creative "boss" but the business is handled
by the producer. Each creative department is handled by specialists under
the direction of the director.
The "breakdown is simply a list of everything the script calls for. A phone,
a gun, a Ford Thunderbird. How does the director tell the department head
how he wants stuff to look? He sets up a meeting with the department
head and tells them. Quite simple, really. The Art Director and Props Master
and Costume Designer will show the director different types of guns and
phones and cars and "looks" available and the director will choose.
Again very simple; the producer will set up the meeting and most often attend
the meeting. If the director wants to just be sent drawings and not meet the
producer will make sure that happens. This is all part of communicating. Each
member of the team speaks to each other.
On a major studio film the lead cast is often decided before a director is hired.
If the director is hired before casting the cast will be chosen based on many
different factors. It is a collaborative decision between the studio, the producer,
the director and the casting director.
It is a collaborative decision between the studio heads, the DP, the producer and
the director.
Each department head is given the budget and is responsible for buying
everything needed.
Also, aren't breakdowns used for budgeting (like if the line producer realizes that they need a lot of elaborate effects to make the movie, but not very many characters, he might give more money to the effects department than he gives to the casting department)?
The production manager works closely with the production coordinator
and supervises the organization and distribution of the production budget,
crew and talent scheduling, salaries and day rates, equipment rental
scheduling and other office related paperwork. This person is responsible
for keeping the production under budget on a day to day basis. The U.P.M.
or Unit Production Manager performs these same tasks but with the 2nd Unit.
The First Assistant Director (AD) is the director's right hand person, taking
responsibility for a number of important practicalities so that the director
is free to concentrate on the creative process. During pre-production, First
ADs break down the script into a shot by shot storyboard, and work with
the director to determine the shoot order, and how long each scene will
take to film. They then draw up the overall shooting schedule . Once the
film is in production, Firsts are in charge of making sure that every aspect
of the shoot keeps to this schedule.
PA usually do any general duty or minor task that the production heads
may need. Basic duties may include dispersing walkie-talkies, setting up
pop-up tents and tables, running basic errands as needed or attaining any
other last-minute item that the production might need.
Grips' responsibility is to build and maintain all the equipment that supports
cameras. This equipment, which includes tripods, dollies, tracks, jibs, cranes,
and static rigs, is constructed of delicate yet heavy duty parts requiring a
high level of experience to operate and move.
They are depending on your department. For a Line Producer or Production manager they will be. For others, the breakdown is for different purposes. The ADs breakdown is to determine the schedule. The Art Directors breakdown will help determine what you want. In combination with the ADs schedule, you also get a when you need it.
Experience and knowing the tasks that crew will be typically performing.
Exactly. There are a lot of support functions that need to be considered. Take for instance, a simple toilet. If you are shooting without access to a bathroom, you need to have those facilities otherwise you'll have issues. While that toilet doesn't directly assist in the making of a film, you'll have problems without.
Another for instance is the call sheet. While no call sheet has ever shot a film, without it, no one knows where to be.... at what time... and to bring what.
There are many, many examples like this. Making a film takes people. Those people need a support team. Those teams need coordination and management and so on....
I was always under the impression that storyboarding was a director's, as opposed to an assistant director's, job. Also, does the producer make the breakdown, or does every department head make their own separate breakdown (for example, the costume designer makes a breakdown of all the costumes they need to make)? And, so the director never gets sent the breakdown? The department heads just tell him what they need to make, and he tells them how to make it?
What if the director chooses to not meet with the department heads, and just send them descriptions/parameters for stuff? Then, is he sent the breakdown?
Then he isn't doing his job!!
You are correct. The AD does not do the storyboards.
Yes, to both. There are several steps to putting together a breakdown.
The producer will do one and a more detailed one will be put together
by the department heads.
In general the director doesn't need to see the line by line breakdown.
But the director will see the breakdown.
Then the director is a fool. But if a director decided to not meet with
the people helping him make the movie and wants to be sent the
breakdown that is possible.
Whoever needs to make a breakdown, does a breakdown.
You could do it that way, but if you do, you're really reducing your departments to little more than PA's. You hire the best people you can afford, tell them what you want (your vision), they go out and achieve it. This is a simplistic way to look at it. In reality it's usually a lot more collaborative and organic than one or two interactions.
What stuff? The art department are going to buy or buy materials to make specific props, if it's not something that can be provided by Standby props. That gets charged to the Production and comes out of the budget rather than the Producer's own pocket - unless perhaps if you're talking about quite a low budget production where the Producer's own pocket is the budget,
I don't work in Production Design, but every HOD gets and reads the script, and I imagine the Production Designer is going to create their own lists and breakdowns for what's needed, on top of the script/scene breakdown that would be provided if they wanted.
The experience of the art department will inform them with what they need to make a shot look good. They know that despite the breakdown or script only mentioning a desk and a telephone, that they're going to need a computer, some photo frames with family photos - perhaps degrees framed on the wall, a couple of plants, some folders and ring binders, in/out trays, books etc. etc.
What kind of look, what kind of colours, and colour scheme, what kind of era etc. are all discussed in collaboration with the Director, and the Production Designer will pitch looks, ideas, props, etc. to the Director, with the Director the one to say 'yeah love it' or 'no hate it' or 'I like this part, but not that' etc.
I've never had a Director not meet with me during pre. I think it would foolish to not meet with your HODs, and I would push for one if the Director was not interested in meeting with me. How else are we supposed to decide on looks, colours, moods etc.
When I meet with a Director, it's not necessarily set up by a Producer. Sometimes it will be a midnight meeting over pancakes when the Director's texted me and said 'I've just had this idea'
A lot of the time, a Director and I will sort out our own meetings. However, sometimes a Producer will schedule them, and often a Producer will schedule Production meetings with a number of people there.
A Production Assistant is part of the Directorial department, and reports to the Key Set PA and/or Assistant Director. Their purpose is multi-faceted and do a number of different jobs to assist the ADs. The tend to take coffee orders, run around and pick things up that the production might need, help co-ordinate extras, direct pedestrian foot traffic so they're not in shot, if shooting in a public place - i.e. crowd control, and in general assist the ADs in the small jobs that are crucial to the film being able to shoot.
A grip works in the grip department, and reports to the Key Grip. Grips roles and responsibilities vary slightly depending on where in the world you're shooting, but in general they oversee, cosntruct, set-up, or otherwise utilise camera support equipment. They are responsible for the set up and operation of dollies, cranes, jibs, tripods and heads, and other similar equipment. They're also responsible for ensuring the camera is safe when attached to such equipment. They are generally responsible for doing the 'heavy-lifting' - moving heavy camera rigs and tripods around set to where they're needed. They are responsible for the safe rigging of cameras. They will also assist the Electrics with certain lighting setups that need to be rigged specifically (for example on boom arms or pipe rigs, or clamped somewhere). Grips trucks will also always come with Apple boxes and other rigging equipment.
In some cases, they are also responsible for light modifying equipment - for example, flags, nets, rags and diffusion frames.
The Grips and Electrics generally work very close together.
What do you mean by what the director "wants"? Isn't everything needed to make the film in the breakdown? How can the director tell them his vision for stuff if he doesn't even know what that stuff is?
Filmmaking - and most creative pursuits - are exercises in compromise. Most discussions between the director and the producer(s) & department heads are:
Director: I want XXXXXX.
Props: Yeah, we can do that.
Director: I want YYYYYYY.
Wardrobe: Yeah, we can do that.
and so on with the other department heads.
Then the producer asks "How much is XXXXXX, YYYYYYY, etc. going to cost?" The producer then goes over the proposals with his team, after which comes the inevitable "We can't afford all that." So the director and dept. heads confer about where they can compromise, and the dept. heads then confer with their teams to find out where they can trim the fat or do something new and unique, or toss it around for a while but find there is no way to cut the cost of ZZZZZZZ. And there are some things that just cannot be done at all. And then everyone gets together to thrash it out all over again. This is called PREPRODUCTION.
You will find that there are no hard and fast rules about how to do things, as long as you stay within the financial, legal and logistical aspects of the project. It's the people who manage to put out great product despite the given limitations are the people who eventually have a chance to make it "big," what ever that means......
The Director reads - or writes - the script and has a vision in their head of how they want it to look.
A 'vision' is simply that - it's an idea of how the film will look and sound up on the screen. The Director might say to the Production Designer that he wants everything to feel like it's modern 60s - or he might say that 'in this scene, this whole house seems to be stuck in the 80s.. so it's almost like we go from ultra futuristic modern right outside, and you step in the door, and you're back in the 80s.'
The Director might say to the Sound Designer 'in this club scene, I want it to feel like we're actually in the club - so keep the music loud, and we almost want to have to strain to hear the dialogue...'
A budget isn't an exact blueprint. It's a guide. An initial plan. Just like a breakdown doesn't always give you exact step by step instructions to get to your final product.
The director may know that he wants an explosion and he wants it to be this big. That doesn't mean that he knows how to rig the explosions, how much compound you need to make the explosion and what you need to keep the whole experience safe.
You can know what you need and not know how to accomplish the task. It's why you hire specialists.
Why are you asking all these questions about directing?
Everything needed is in the script. The director reads the script so
the director knows what stuff is. The breakdown is a list for people
to follow so nothing is left out. The breakdown has nothing to do
with the directors vision.
Perhaps you are confused as to what the "breakdown" is...
From what I understand, a "breakdown" is basically a list of everything needed for a movie (like props, costumes, effects, characters, sets, locations, etc.) and that it's made by the producer and sent off to the department heads.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breaking_down_the_script
Good. You aren't confused as to what a breakdown is.
I hope everything is a little more clear for you now.