Note From Tongal: “Plan Your Cinematic Masterpiece in 5 Steps" is part of a series of Tongal Community-written blog posts that were originally sourced in the Tongal Blog Open Call Project. Read more Tongal Community-written posts here and then Pitch us a topic you'd like to write about for the Tongal Blog!
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Impactful filmmaking requires more than vision. You need a simple system to plan and shoot your project efficiently! Here are five proven strategies to remember when planning your next video that won't hinder your creativity. Use these, and you'll stress less and make more room to tell your story.
1. Start with the end in mind
Apply this simple rule to every aspect of your production, beginning with the script. Do you know exactly where you're going? With a mindset that considers your final frame during every phase of production, you'll find your decision-making becomes crystal clear. Use this filter in pre-production. When you know precisely where you need to be at wrap, you generate a natural stopwatch in your head that guides your instincts and the countless decisions you'll make with more confidence.
In fact, try to apply the "end in mind" filter to every aspect of your story from wardrobe and make-up to locations and even lens choice. Knowing where you're going is critical. God-like, really! Only you know exactly how your story ends. And when challenges arise, you'll find the best way through them because you see the entire chessboard.
2. Move Forward
The idea of “moving forward” is turbocharged when also thinking with the end in mind. Consider this a strategy, not some feel-good construct. Many times, you'll run into problems that turn your shoot day into a dumpster fire. You know what these bottlenecks look like: you have a camera, forgot the batteries. Your actress missed her flight from Vegas. Maybe it's pouring rain on your desert location? The key is to move forward. No batteries? Spend that extra hour rehearsing your scenes until they arrive. No actress? There's always another flight from Vegas! Film the other side of her coverage while she's en route. Rain in the desert? Call it a dream sequence.
You'll know progress when you see it, and your cast and crew will appreciate your flexibility. If moving forward means cutting your losses early and regrouping tomorrow, then do it. It's the trajectory you create from this forward momentum philosophy that keeps your project alive while many others die in indecision.
3. LACE up your priorities.
Plan around these four essential film components in this order: (Locations, Actors, Crew, Equipment). Locations: prioritize your locations first, then your actors. Why? More production days go off the rails due to poorly planned locations (such as getting kicked out of one) than are lost to scheduling conflicts with actors. Look at it this way: once your cast is approved, the element of scheduling actors comes down to one variable: are they available to perform that role during your schedule? Conversely, location selection involves many complications that must be solved before your crew arrives at dawn for donuts. Parking, permits, insurance, electrical sources, truck placement, bathrooms, crew safety--the list goes on. Lockdown your locations first, then work with your actors to get them there.
Crew is your next priority. A good team is critical. Full stop. But the reality is there are more capable crew members available for your production than there are perfect actors to fill specific roles, so we need to see crew availability as a slightly lower priority. And remember, many crew members can cover for others in their departments! If your gaffer is unavailable, the best boy can often cover in their absence.
Equipment is the lowest priority because of the abundance of gear available. If you can't find that camera body at your usual rental house, you can probably find it on ShareGrid or rent it from a friend. Check out Tongal’s Community Resource page to view their current deal for ShareGrid, along with other helpful production promotions. Unless you're renting a highly specialized tool like a Supertechno, chances are you'll have the most options and flexibility when scheduling equipment. The general rule for the LACE system is to prioritize according to complexity, then scarcity.
4. Step up!
Your film needs a leader. It's time to take off that producing hat. You've done the hard pre-production work. Logistics are humming. Planning is done. It's time to tell your story. Keep that producing hat in your backpack unless you absolutely need it. Your cast and crew demand a filmmaker on set. Don't be shy about communicating what's in your head. Concentrate on delivering clear, concise, upbeat direction throughout the day (even when you don't feel like it). Listen respectfully to input. Be firm in your decisions.
And whatever you do, when you've got the shot, MOVE ON even when your brain whispers, "Heyyyy, we've got this…but let's try it again. What's another twenty minutes?" By the time you lose that conversation in your head, you have already sacrificed a scene you planned later in the day. Stanley Kubrick earned the right to do 148 takes. Don't be greedy and miss a shot you need for a shot you've already got.
5. The Triple A’s
The Triple A's are Attitude, Adapt, and Accept. Wear this like an invisible mental t-shirt. Master filmmakers are master collaborators. They may be challenging people to work with at times, but they find a way to achieve their vision when others don't. Leveraging the Triple A's will help you become a better storyteller and filmmaker. Remember: Your attitude can motivate a crew to deliver a challenging shot you never thought possible. Your adaptation to the challenges one encounters on location can lead you to discover magic in the mundane. Your acceptance of those challenges will help you keep it together, no matter how much the schedule hits the fan. And it will. It's the film business! Follow these five steps, and you can improve your output, build your body of work faster, and match the ever-increasing demand for content across every platform. Good luck with your masterpiece!
