Learning Journal

Rebekah Li Laird Roberts DGM 1520 18 June 2018 Learning Journal At the first week, we were talking about telling a story and what is documentary. Everyone talked their personal story and then we did the Pitch Your Doc Idea assignment. We also watched some documentaries and movies and we did the assignment Commercial Plot Points Outline. Also, we read science e-book and wrote outline, also we learned about Campbell, Egri, Mckee, Snyder who were famous. We started to prepare our big projects so that we can finish it at the end, this is a complete process. We are preparing documentary production/production book, it’s including cover page, pre-production, and production. Cover page has script, logline, lined script and continuity report; pre-production has UVU safety and production guidelines, statement of compliance, director’s shortlist, design, cast and crew list, one-line, breakdown sheets, shooting schedule, day out of days , report, call sheets, crew deal memos; production has production reports, continuity sheets, camera log, audio log, location information sheets, location contracts, talent release form. Documentary Proposal is one of my assignment and it’s important part. Following the sundance list: ● BRIEF LOGLINE In a concise 2-3 sentences provide a description of your film that cites location, characters or subjects, missionand stakes as applicable. ● SUMMARY OF TOPIC (1-2 PAGES)Briefly provide contextual information to acquaint the reader to the subject, advising why the topic is criticaland why such a film is needed now.Explainany global relevance for the contemporary social issues addressed. Describe why you are the best person to tell this story. Please be concise. ● NARRATIVE SYNOPSIS (1-2 PAGES)Clearly communicate the story your film will tell. Who are the characters and what is their journey? What might be different for them from the beginning to the end? What is the central question your film will answer? Considernarrative arc, point-of-view,and use of artistic elements. Both Development and Production/Post-production proposals MUST convey some vision for a finished film.Development proposals that have not yet identified possible characters or subjects, locations or are unable

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to articulate the narrative framework or the story's central question will not be considered. STATUS OF FILM (1 PARAGRAPH) Provide a snapshot of the current creative and financial status of the project. Describe creative avenues you will pursue to further develop your story.Describe access to your research as well as to artistic elements.Guestimate your completion timeline for the film. TOTAL BUDGET IN US DOLLARS If you are applying for Development funding you must include the best guestimate for all stages of production and post-production. This must be a figure in US dollars. LINE ITEM BUDGET (1-2 PAGE BUDGET FOR ALL STAGES OF PRODUCTION) Please provide a comprehensive line item budget including all expenses from pre- to post-production. Sample budgets provided on the websites below. TOTAL AMOUNT OF FUNDING SECURED TO DATE (IF APPLICABLE) Total all funds that have been disbursed and/or committed. Do not include sources that are pending. Prior commitments are not required. This must be converted into US dollars. LIST OF FUNDING SOURCES WITH AMOUNTS(IF APPLICABLE) List the amount committed to date from each source (grants, pre-sales, license agreements, donations, fundraisers, producer investment, in-kind donations, etc.) List only funds that have been disbursed and/or committed. Do not include sources that are pending. FUNDRAISING STRATEGY (1-2 PARAGRAPHS) Indicate relevant sources you will pursue to meet unmet budget requirements. DISTRIBUTION AND MARKETING STRATEGY (1-2 PARAGRAPHS) Characterize the intended distribution lifefor your film, including relevantbroadcast, festival, theatrical, education or home video distribution secured or intended. ABOUT THE SAMPLE WORKCurrent Rough Cut (1 PARAGRAPH) Production and Post-productionproposals must provide a rough cut of 20-75 minutes. The rough cutshould convey the characters, their mission or journey, the intended story, style, etc. Explain concisely what is present or absent on the sample, and how it will differ as a finished film. Production proposals without at least 20 minutes of continuously edited footage will not be considered. Please do not send unedited rushes, extended trailers, Youtube clips, or raw footage. Development proposals are strongly encouraged toinclude trailers, teasers, clips, research footage or short scenes. Please note we do NOT fund films in the general research stage. All proposals must convey some vision for a finished film.

● Director's Prior Work (1 PARAGRAPH) For all proposals, describe the prior work and its intentions. Articulate the relevance to current proposal, if any.If the current project is a departure, how will the treatment differ. Even if there is more than one director, please only send one most relevant prior work. ● KEY CREATIVE PERSONNEL (1 PARAGRAPH EACH) Provide brief biographies (50-150 words each) for the key creative team if attached (director, producer, cinematographer, editor). Do NOT send resumes, CVs or extensive filmographies. List other advisors or consultants, if applicable. ● OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT (IF APPLICABLE) If audience engagement with the issues is intended, explain how you would motivate viewers to get more deeply involved. How might viewers make a difference? Characterize any outreach partners intended or secured. ● INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS (IF APPLICABLE) If applicable, explain how you would enhance your project through multi-platform and ancillary elements. How might these elements generate social engagement? Feel free to list technological innovations you might creatively harness. Moreover, I wrote my first script. I started from ​Documentary Three Acts Outline​, ​Script Draft​, then ​Completed Script​: Before you begin breaking down the script, make sure it's properly formatted. ScriptIn order to properly schedule a movie production, you need to ensure the script is properly set-up. Many professional writers use software like “Final Draft” which formats the script based on standard industry guidelines such as the one page equals one minute rule of thumb. It also makes it easier to change scenes, add or delete scenes and alter the schedule.Before you begin developing a schedule, run the script pass these following tests: The script should be properly formatted with 12-point courier font. If the script has been written in a program other than a script-writing program, consider importing the screenplay into Final Draft. Software features in Final Draft will help you quickly break down the script and offer a multitude of tools to simplify the scheduling process. The script you receive from the writer should not have any of the scenes numbered. Comb through the script and number each scene (a process that is automatically performed with professional script writing software). Once you are finished, the 1st Assistant Director will need to approve and sign off on the numbering of the script. Scene numbers, once applied, are permanent and cannot be changed

because they are the foundation upon which all departments build their own breakdown of the script. If the writer writes a new scene, it is numbered with the previous scene number plus a letter. For example, if the new scene is inserted between scenes 12 and 13, the new scene will be numbered 12a. Scenes that are later deleted still retain the assigned scene number, but “OMITTED” is written next to it. Number each page and lock the numbering. Much like the scene numbers, page numbers should never change. If you add or lengthen a scene on page 52, instead of pushing all the following scenes forward, add a new page, 52A to accommodate the new text, leaving page 53 untouched. Be sure to note any script pages that have scenes added or deleted by placing an asterisk (*) in the right margin next to the scene that has been changed. The script usually undergoes a number of rewrites and alterations throughout the course of production. To help keep track of these changes, updated pages are printed on different color paper to help the cast and crew track updates. Once the script is properly formatted and each scene numbered, you’re ready to begin breaking it down. The first step is to go through the script and, using a pencil and ruler, draw a horizontal line across the page at the end of each scene.The next step is to measure the length of each scene, enabling the 1st AD to later determine how long it will take to shoot. Begin by using a ruler to determine how many eights of a page each scene is. When you factor in the size of the margins, an eighth of a page is roughly equal to an inch.Increments are measured in fraction form: 1/8, 2/8, 3/8, 4/8, 5/8, 6/8, 7/8 and a full page. Scenes less than 1/8 of a page are still written as 1/8. If a scene spans more than one page, the scene is measured in terms of the number of pages and then any spill over in eights. For example, 2-3/8 pages.Write the length of each scene in the right margin of the page. The next step is to comb through the script and identify every prop, location, character; every instance of extras; and every vehicle, stunt, animal, or any other person, place, or thing that needs to be acquired by each individual department. The next step of breaking down the script is to identify all the characters in the story. Beginning with the most prominent character, assign each role a number counting up from 1. This number will represent the character in all scheduling documents and call sheets. Once a number is assigned to a character, it should never be changed.On movies with a larger budget, the first assistant director usually performs this task. On independent movies, the producer usually lines the script if there is no first assistant director, or if that position hasn’t been filled yet.

The next step is to print out a stack of blank scene breakdown sheets and transfer all the information you identified while lining the script to these forms. The scene breakdown sheet is broken down into a grid with one square designated for each category. Start at the beginning of the script and copy each marked item on the script to its corresponding category on the breakdown sheet, using one breakdown sheet per scene. If the script has 32 scenes, you will end up with 32 scene breakdown sheets. Scene breakdown forms include a multitude of information about the scene, including: Production Company; Name of the movie; Breakdown page number (numbered sequentially from the beginning of the movie); Scene header; Short description of the scene; Scene location; Time the scene takes place; The cast for each scene; Length of each scene; Detailed list of the elements in each scene (you already marked these while lining the script), as a way of helping keep the breakdown sheets and scenes organized, use multicolored paper to help differentiate between interior and exterior scenes and day and night scenes; Day interior—white paper; Day exterior—yellow paper; Day exterior—yellow paper; Night exterior—green paper. Add additional prop, wardrobe, and extra information to the breakdown sheets even though the script may not directly mention them. For example, in a scene that takes place in a car repair shop, even though the script may mention only the mechanic and the wrench he is holding, describe any additional wardrobe requirements like mechanics uniforms or set-dressing elements like tools, an air compressor, and work lights. The purpose of a breakdown sheet is to have as complete a list as possible of all the elements needed to film each scene in the movie, so the crew can look at the breakdown sheet and gather everything needed.Once complete, the finished scene breakdown forms form the “bible,” which should be copied and distributed to the head of each department. If the script changes, be sure to update immediately and issue a new scene update form. Then, we learned about all the equipments we use such as carema, microphones, recording techniques, etc. We also talked about military alphabet code and something connected with techniques. We went to stage and practised with them and did interviews together. Moreover, we read our textbook so that we can take our small quizzes. The class made me know more and more, and have so much fun!