Assistant Directing 101: How To Run A Set From Prep Through Production
Other education that may be of interest to you:
Introduction to Assistant Directing & Production Management
Can you imagine finally getting your project up on it's feet to shoot and not having a plan or a schedule for the whole process? What if you showed up each morning and there was no organization around how you were going to make your wildly important production day? That's why you need to know the fundamentals of assistant directing and production management. Assistant directing and production management are the heartbeat of every physical production. These are the skills you need to properly plan, budget and execute a shoot. Whether you want to be a professional production manager or assistant director (which can get you into the DGA), or you're a producer, director, filmmaker, executive or any part of the content creation process, having a working knowledge of these tools and how to communicate properly with these departments is essential. In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, you’ll learn an overview of the critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills needed to be a great assistant director and how to best manage a production, from an expert who has worked on countless films and television shows. Korey Pollard is a DGA first assistant director. He’s worked on films including STAND BY ME, THAT THING YOU DO, WATERWORLD, and SPY KIDS 2, among others, and hit TV shows like DEADWOOD, MONK, GREY’S ANATOMY, Stephen Bochco’s MURDER IN THE FIRST, HOUSE, CSI, BOOMTOWN, SALEM, KEVIN FROM WORK, and many more. Korie also holds a position on The First Assistant Director/Unit Production Manager Committee of The Directors Guild of America. In this webinar, you’ll cover: What your responsibilities as an assistant director are What questions to ask the director and producer How to read a script with other departments and their needs in mind The different department meetings What crew you need How to create a pre-production calendar How to create a production schedule And so much more. Miscommunication, misunderstanding, and reaching for too much work are all missteps that you’ll inevitably face during production. But by learning these skills and tools from Korey, you’ll have the keys to creating an achievable plan, working with your team to problem solve, and know how to plan and execute a shoot at the highest levels.
Outlining Your Feature Screenplay
Join veteran screenwriter Brian Herskowitz and receive sample feature script outlines and scenes while learning how and why professional outlining can set your work above the rest! Are you ready to learn how to write a professional outline for your feature screenplay? A professional outline for your script is the roadmap you follow to write your first draft and it will save you time, effort and some unnecessary rewriting. It helps you work out the kinks early and feel confident about where you’re headed. And the outline isn't just for you. An outline helps any reps, producers, and executives your working with see what you’re going to do with a story before giving you the go-ahead to write the feature film. In this exclusive Stage 32 webinar, you’ll learn how you can increase your earning power by knowing how to craft a strong outline so your work stands out from the competition. Along the way, you’ll receive sample scenes and outlines from the feature films discussed in class that you can take with you for future reference. Taking you through this vital skill is acclaimed screenwriter Brian Herskowitz, who has completed over a dozen feature films and has been staffed on popular shows like HERCULES and TOUR OF DUTY. He’s worked with top-tier talent, including Academy Award winner Jason Alexander, with whom Brian co-wrote the FOX pilot MANTIC. He’s also the author of the essential screenwriting resource PROCESS TO PRODUCT: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR THE SCREENWRITER. Brian will teach you the 12 guideposts he developed that you can use to keep from getting lost as you write which ultimately allows you more creative freedom. You’ll cover premise, theme, concept, characters, and structure. All of the elements you need to pen a successful feature screenplay. And he’ll also show you the many real-world uses that your outline will deliver for you. Don’t miss out on this chance to work with an accomplished screenwriter with decades of experience and walk away with a practical process that you can use to up your screenwriting game today. Testimonials for Brian's Teaching and Stage 32 Education “As a collaborator with Brian and a guest in his class, I am hugely impressed with his screenwriting knowledge. I heartily recommend him and his course.” - Jason Alexander (Seinfeld, Pretty Woman, Listen Up) "I have a master's degree and a doctorate, Brian is by far the most caring and best teacher I have ever had." "The course was everything I needed and then some. An excellent course." "Mr. Herskowitz is very knowledgeable, patient, and superb at discerning problems and helping us solve them." "A solid course in which I felt I had learned a LOT by the time it was over."
Step by Step Guide: How You Can Protect Yourself Legally on Film & TV Projects
Embarking on creating a film or television project is an enormous undertaking from a business perspective. There are many moving parts to consider - from creative rights to copyright, entity structure, chain of title, compensation, financing, publicity - and that's just scratching the surface. Any missteps during the process could expose you and the production to legal risk, which you always want to avoid. If only there were a blueprint that can help you think through every step of the process from development all the way through post production...Now there is! Stage 32 Educator Sean Pope is a Senior Associate at Ramo Law PC, one of the largest and most respected entertainment law firms in Hollywood, where he works with producers and production companies focusing on all aspects of production legal services from development to distribution. Some of his most recent projects that he's worked on include the Liam Neeson thriller HONEST THIEF, Netflix documentary THE BLACK GODFATHER, and Emmy-winning Netflix docu-series CHEER. Sean has put together a thorough and exclusive 2-part class for the Stage 32 community to help walk you through everything you need to consider legally for your project. You'll learn everything you need to know in the development stage all the way through pre-production and production. Sean will help you navigate the legal side of film and TV projects ensuring you feel confident going into your next project prepared.
How to Protect Your Financiers for Your Independent Film Project
If you're an independent filmmaker, it's likely you don’t have all of the funds you need to begin or complete your production. In this scenario, you need a film financier to step in and invest equity. While the financier is often hands-off with the actual production, they do have a prominent position in the process. Their assets are your assets, and they need to be protected. Borrowing money is only one step in the process. Assuring your financier that their assets will be protected during the filmmaking and production process is another. If you’re ready to take your film to the next level but aren’t clear on what financiers expect as far as protection when you borrow, you may be at a disadvantage. Protecting money given to you by someone with a vested interest in your film is extremely important. It’s also good business practice. And going into a conversation knowing what they expect before they hand over any equity - can only work in your favor. Your future lender has expectations. Let's delve into how you can always meet those expectations. David Zannoni is an international business specialist for Fintage House in the US, Europe, Canada and Latin America territories. Fintage House, the world's most respected company for revenue and rights protection for industry professionals and companies. David negotiates agreements for films and television series and is involved in business development and relationship management globally on hundreds of productions. David is continuously present to make deals and speak at international film markets, festivals and conferences, including: the Cannes Film Festival, the European Film Market (EFM) in Berlin, the American Film Market (AFM), Ventana Sur, the Bogota Audiovisual Market (BAM), and the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and travels regularly to the United States, the Netherlands, Europe, and all over Latin America. David will teach you how you can keep your financiers protected and explain the 6 different options you should take into consideration when you sit down with a financier for your own project. After explaining what the role of a financier on an independent film usually looks like, he will discuss security interests, completion bonds, escrow accounts, collection accounts, legal representation, and compliance, what each of these look like, and how you can use these to best protect your financier. There are variables for every filmmaking scenario, but David will leave you with a much clearer understanding the role of the financier and how you can keep them happy and safe so that they’ll want to work with you time and time again. Praise for David's Previous Stage 32 Webinars "David is incredible and lovely and clearly knows his stuff." - Cynthia P. "Eye-opening information. A no-brainer approach that wouldn't be so obvious to the uninitiated." - Gary O. "By far, the best class I've seen on the subject." Kirk K. "David is a fantastic teacher. And what a voice! I could listen to him all day. More importantly, I learned so very much!" - Isabella T.
A Definitive Guide to the Role of the Unit Production Manager: The UPM Process, Practical Tips & Case Studies
It might often be the first name listed on a movie’s end credits, but a Unit Production Manager isn’t exactly the most known or celebrated role on a film’s crew. However the UPM is one of the most critical and valued jobs throughout a movie’s journey. It’s the UPM that holds everything down, that keeps all of the parts moving and makes sure the business elements are taken care of so the director and other creatives have the support and the space they need to carry out their vision. The skills needed to carry out the responsibilities of a UPM are not only crucial, but can also be lucrative for someone looking to succeed within the film industry. Once you start listing it out, the jobs and expectations of a unit production manager are expansive and seemingly never ending: Building a production bible, creating a budget, drafting a schedule, hiring the team, working with unions, insurance, paperwork, payments, even feeding the cast and crew. To be a good UPM you kind of have to be good at everything. So where to start? What exactly does a UPM do and what separates a good UPM from a bad one? Rosi Acosta is a Unit Production Manager, DGA, who has worked on over 75 TV and Film projects and over 100 commercials. She is a valued name in Hollywood as a top UPM who's worked on films such as DRIVEN, SPEED KILLS, IMPRISONED and many more. With over three decades of experience, Rosi has worked internationally with production companies from the US, Europe, Russia and Latin America. Rosi began as a casting director 32 years ago in Puerto Rico working for director Marcos Zurinaga at Zaga Films where she became one of the top casting directors in the Island. After working as such for a few years, she wanted to expand her horizons in production moving on to work with the most important TV producer in the Island, Gabriel Suau, in Telemundo-Puerto Rico, where she worked for several years in various TV shows and telenovelas. Throughout her expansive career and extensive experience Rosi has become one of the most sought-after UPMs in the world. Rosi will delve into the nuts and bolts of the role of the unit production manager and all of the tasks and responsibilities that go along with it. She’ll begin by going over the production management process from a bird’s eye view, from development through production. Rosi will discuss the business elements behind filmmaking and the ways the UPM is responsible for finding the balance between the creative and the financial. She will go over the four major skills needed to be a great UPM as well as the tenuous relationship between the project’s script, budget, and shooting schedule. Rosi will then teach what goes into a production bible and how to create a script breakdown to prepare for production. She will then delve into creating production budgets as well as preliminary shooting schedules. A huge responsibility of the UPM is to plan for contingencies and the unexpected, and Rosi will offer tips and advice on how to make sure you’re covered for everything that might come your way and will illustrate this with examples from her own experiences. She will then teach you about working with the four major unions—SAG-AFTRA, DGA, IATSE, and WGA, and how to obtain insurance packages to cover your team and your production. Rosi will then discuss how hiring works on set, strategies to bring on the right team, and common pitfalls to avoid while doing so. Finally, Rosi will go over the common aspects that will make a movie expensive, and what warning signs to look for to prevent your project from going over budget. Consider this a definitive breakdown of what the underappreciated but critical unit production manager actually does. Plus! This is a bonus extended webinar with over 2 hours of information! Praise for Rosi's Webinar “Super informative; Rosi was very helpful.” -Adam G. “Rosi Acosta was awesome. She is a treasure of knowledge. I definitely got my money's worth.” -Lawrence W. “This was so helpful. I loved hearing from Rosi” -Dana B. “This felt like a Masterclass on the ins and outs of a UPM. I’m leaving this webinar knowing way more than I thought I would. Thanks!” -Jerry C.
Stage 32 Directing Lab: Introduction to Shooting & Editing
If you’re a writer, producer or other aspiring creative with hopes of one day actually getting behind the camera and directing your own project, taking the first step can be daunting. Where do you even start? And how can you be sure you know what you need to in order to take that plunge? Now you can under the guidance of Oscar-nominated director/producer Rick Rosenthal. Over the course of 9 weeks, Rick will guide you through actually prepping, shooting and editing your first project as a director in a supportive and encouraging environment - best of all? You can do all of this in the comfort of your own home. Even better? You don’t need any special equipment to participate. All you need is a cell phone that records video, a computer, and editing software that you will download for free. You will leave this lab with real world, valuable practice in putting a project together, and the knowledge and skills to direct the next project on your own. Rick Rosenthal is an Oscar and Emmy nominated director/producer and the CEO of Whitewater Films, which is known for many feature film hits that have premiered at Sundance, Cannes, SXSW, and more. Through his film directing background, Rick has directed the likes of Joaquin Phoenix, Sean Penn, John Lithgow, and Jamie Lee Curtis. Along with his credits directing films, Rick has also worked as a producer on Amazon’s Emmy-winning series TRANSPARENT for the first three seasons, along with directing and producing credits on countless other shows. When Rick launched Whitewater Films as a production company, he committed to helping up-and-coming filmmakers and offering them the advice and assistance he never had. Furthering his drive to give back and educate burgeoning filmmakers, Rick also served as the chair of the Directing Program at the American Film Institute. Through his decades-long career Rick has become well versed in diverse genres of filmmaking and has specialized in educating and empowering new voices, which he is bringing directly to the Stage 32 community. Through this lab, you will have the opportunity to prep, shoot, and edit two scenes from a script that Rick will provide you. You will learn camera placement, camera movement, blocking a scene, all from different points of view--single character, multiple character, and omniscient. Rick will bring in a special guest editor to teach you the basics of editing a scene through the free software DaVinci Resolve, which is quickly becoming an industry standard. Through Rick's mentorship, you will walk away confident to take these skills and apply them to your own directing project, whether that's a short film, feature film, or web series. PLEASE NOTE: This exclusive Stage 32 lab is limited to 10 students and will be booked on a first come, first served basis. The opportunity to work this closely and for this long with a practiced director and expert in the field is an incredibly unique and valuable opportunity. If you are interested, please book quickly. Once the spots are gone, they’re gone for good. Payment plans are available - please contact Harrison at h.glaser@stage32.com for more information WHAT TO EXPECT This lab is designed for writers, producers, or other aspiring creatives interested in becoming a director and looking for actionable skills, practice, and guidance to make this transition. This is an in-depth, practical, and detailed lab with one-on-one time with the instructor and significantly more content than a standard 90-minute webinar. ***Only 10 Spots Available*** This class will consist of six weekly sessions. There will be an additional week where you will sign up for an extensive one-on-one mentoring session with Rick. In addition to the lessons where Rick teaches the class, you will have the opportunity to ask him questions during each session as well as multiple chances to speak with him directly about your specific project. Plus, to stay motivated and inspired, you will have access to a private, dedicated Stage 32 Lounge where you can communicate with your fellow classmates throughout the TV project development process. To see the full directing lab schedule, see below under "What You Will Learn".
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