Filmmaking / Directing : Pre-Production Activities (After the Cast Arrives) (pt1) by Peter D. Marshall

The following activities are usually done in the last few days (or last few weeks) of pre-production, depending on your budget.

(12) Key Location (Tech) Survey

The Key Location Tech Survey is where the Producers and Director, the department heads and their assistants visit all the locations for the film. This gives the shooting crew one more chance to go over all the technical and logistical requirements for filming at a particular location. Depending on how many locations you have and the budget of your film this survey could take a half day or several days.

From the Director’s point of view, this survey is not about explaining every shot. It’s about discussing where the camera will be looking, what the lighting requirements are, what the art department specifics are, where the work trucks can park, and any other technical concerns such as sound, stunts and special effects.

Who goes on the key location survey: Director, 1AD, 2AD, PM, LM, ALM, Producers, Set Dec, Production Designer, Art Director, DOP, Grip, Gaffer, Transportation Captain, Construction Coordinator, Sound Mixer, Stunts, Special FX, Visual FX. (Depending on the complexity of the film, you could have more crew or less crew on this survey.)

(13) Production Meeting

In the film and TV industry, the production meeting is the biggest and most important meeting because this is where we go through the script to review the director’s concepts and all the production arrangements.

The Production meeting is an open discussion about the show and all the department heads (and their seconds) need to be at this final meeting to review the director’s creative concepts, film production elements and specific production logistics.

NOTE: If this is a TV series or low-budget movie, this meeting is usually the last time a director can ask for anything that will impact the budget.

Here’s what happens in a normal production meeting: The first assistant director runs the meeting. Everyone introduces themselves and the Producer and Director will usually have something to say.

The First Assistant Director reads through the script scene-by-scene. This is done with no dialogue and in scene order (not in schedule order!) Every department gets to discuss with the director their specific requirements for each scene. It is basically an open discussion about the show.

After the script is read, the 1st AD goes over the one-liner and shooting schedule to discuss each shooting day. This gives everyone an idea of what the shooting days (and the scene order) will be.

Sidebar Meetings: If certain departments need longer to discuss their specific scene requirements, these smaller meetings are scheduled after the production meeting for the individual departments and the Director.

(14) Actor Meetings

Once you have completed your Tech Survey and Production Meeting, the main actors will arrive from out of town or (if local) come to the production office during the last week of pre-production. This is the time when the actors go through a series of meetings, fittings, rehearsals and tests.

It’s also at this time when directors hold informal meetings with actors to discuss their roles, characters, and the overall vision for the film. These meetings serve as an opportunity for directors to establish rapport, build trust, and collaborate closely with actors to bring their characters to life.

During these meetings, directors may engage in informal conversations with actors, getting to know them personally and understanding their backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. This personal connection helps create a sense of trust and camaraderie between the director and the actors, creating a supportive and collaborative working environment on set.

Directors use these meetings to provide actors with insights into their characters, including their motivations, emotions, and relationships within the story. They may share their creative vision for the film, discussing themes, tone, and stylistic elements to ensure that everyone knows the artistic direction.

These meetings also allow actors to ask questions, share ideas, and express concerns about their roles or the script. Directors encourage open communication and collaboration, valuing the input and contributions of actors in shaping their characters and improving the overall storytelling. In addition to formal discussions, these social interactions provide opportunities for actors to bond with each other and with the director.

(15) Script Read Through

The script read-through (or table read) is when the Director, Producers and Writer sit around a table with all the available cast and read the script scene-by-scene to see how the script flows and how it will "sound", to discuss the story and characters and to address script problems such as dialogue concerns, character motivations, scene length etc.

This read-through is the first opportunity for all the creatives to get together and start the process of reworking the script based on the actors’ suggestions. If the whole cast cannot be present, two other actors (one male and one female) are usually hired to read the other parts. (If you have a small budget, the Producers ot 1st AD can read the other parts.)

Other key crew members usually present are the DOP, 1st AD and the Script Supervisor. Not only do these key crew members get to meet the actors in an informal setting, but everyone around the table gets a sense of how they will all work together for the next few weeks or months.

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