Lecture: Breakdown Scripts

 It Begins with The Script
 Definition
 "The script is the blueprint of the story told after the final edit
of your film."
When putting together any product, you start with the blueprint (the
conceptual drawing) and use it to generate a list of materials.
That's what the breakdown process is about. From this you create a
schedule.
 Preproduction
Writing the script, raising funds and packaging the film take place in
development. After Development you begin…
 Preproduction
 Definition
 "The gathering of all the elements necessary to begin principle photography."
 Acquiring and manufacturing all the raw materials required for the
next phase.
 The UPM's Raw Materials
Script Breakdown
 Production manager reads through the script and color codes
information from the script.
 Break the scenes down into 1/8 pages.
 Color Code elements in the script to create lists of what's needed
for production.
 The UPM's Raw Materials
Frequently Asked Questions:
 Why do we break the scenes down into eighths of pages?
 Breaking each scene down into eighths of pages give the PM and AD a
better understanding of how much they can expect to shoot in a day.
 The UPM's Raw Materials
Frequently Asked Questions:
 Why do we break the scenes down into eighths of pages?
 Example: You have a 90 page script and you're going to shoot it
over 24 days.
 How many pages must you schedule each day to stay on track? Is
this schedule actually possible?
 Answer: 90 pages/24 days = More than 3 pages per Day, or 3 6/8
pages per day. Which is more accurate?
 Yes, this schedule is plausible. (Aim for 3 pages per day for a
Film, 5 pages per day for Television/Video)
 The Color Coding
 Every element is underlined the first time it appears in the scene.
 Broken down into 1/8s pages to better calculate how much time will
be required to shoot the scene.
 The Color Coding
Notes on Script Breakdowns:
 Do not mark any element around dialogue.
 Example: CHARACTER NAMES, talk about a knife, people mentioned in a
conversaion.
 Elements that may exist in the scene that do not appear in the
action line must be accounted for in that scene.
 Example: The same three kids leave one scene and appear in the
next, they had backpacks and coats in the last scene.
 The Color Coding
Notes on Script Breakdowns:
 Any element that may be found in a scene that isn't mentioned in
the action lines must be written off to the side in black ink and
marked appropriately.
 Example: Each kids name written in the margin and underlined in red
or yellow (if they're speaking or non-speaking). Their backpacks
accounted for under their names and circled in black ink for wardrobe.
 Talent Categories
What are the differences between characters marked in Red, Yellow and Green?
 Any character that has a spoken line anywhere in the script should
be marked in Red (as a speaking role) in every scene he or she
appears.
 Example: Remember Silent Bob must always be marked in Red even
though he only ever speaks in one scene in a movie.
 Talent Categories
What are the differences between characters marked in Red, Yellow and Green?
 Any character that is featured on screen but does not have a spoken
line should be marked in yellow because he or she must still be cast.
 Examples: A rude waiter drops off food at a table but doesn't
speak, the clerk in a store that rings up a speaking character but
doesn't interrupt the conversation between the two characters, etc.
 Talent Categories
What are the differences between characters marked in Red, Yellow and Green?
 Any groups of characters that are required in a scene but do not
interact with the primary characters in that scene (only add realism
to the scene) are marked green as Atmosphere.
 Examples: The group of protestors in front of a courthouse trying
to save a condemned man's life, other passengers waiting to board an
airplane or a bus, other office workers that are busy in the
background.
 Props, Set Dressing, Wardrobe,
Makeup & Hair
 You're shooting a contemporary movie where most of the actors will
bring their own clothes.
 Do you need to write in and mark every piece of clothing the
characters may wear?
 If instead you're shooting Star Wars or a film that appears in
Elizabethan England, does that change things?
 (How many of you own Elizabethan Gowns and Wigs?)
 Props, Set Dressing, Wardrobe,
Makeup & Hair
 In your contemporary movie, what about hair and makeup?
 Do you need to write in and mark every persons hair and the fact
they'll need beauty makeup for every scene?
 If instead you're shooting Star Wars or a film that appears in
Elizabethan England, does that change things?
 Props, Set Dressing,
Wardrobe & Hair
 A character walks over to the window and opens the curtains to see
how bad the weather is outside.
 Do you mark the curtains as Set Dressing or Props?
 Props, Set Dressing, Wardrobe,
Makeup & Hair
 A character then comes into the room and takes off his hat. He
throws it across the room and it lands neatly on the coat rack.
 Do you mark the hat as Wardrobe or Props?
 Props, Set Dressing, Wardrobe,
Makeup & Hair
 The first character pulls a book off of a book shelf filled with books.
 Do you mark the book he or she pulls off of the shelf as a prop or
set dressing?
 What about the other books on the shelf?
 Props, Set Dressing, Wardrobe,
Makeup & Hair
 The other character goes to put his coat into the closet. When he
opens the door, a dead body falls out with hands and feet tied in
barbed wire.
 Do you mark the coat as a prop or wardrobe?
 Do you mark the body as a prop or silent bit?
 Do you mark the barbed wire as a prop or wardrobe?
 Sample Action from Script
How would you mark this action line?
We track along the wall, past maps and drawings tacked up
on it, past the window which SHATTERS in our faces!
It's just a single pane, knocked in by someone's hand.
 Sample Action from Script
We track along the wall, past maps and drawings tacked up
on it, past the window which SHATTERS in our faces!
It's just a single pane, knocked in by someone's hand.
 Assistant Director
 Creates overall shooting schedule
 Tracks daily progress vs. prod. Schedule
 Arranges logistics
 Prepares daily call sheets – cast and crew
 Maintain order on set
 Rehearses cast and directs background extras
 Assistant Director
 Assist the Director in almost every task
 Manages day-to-day problems that arise
 Assists in preparation of each shot
 2nd AD assist AD in getting cast, crew and extras in the right
place at the right time
 2nd AD assist AD in preparing for the next day's shoot
 Assistant Director
 Historically a stepping stone to directing; i.e. Alfred Hitchcock,
James McTeigue (V for Vendetta)
 Now the common transitions from AD are Production Manager and Producer
 Breakdown of AD Roles
 1st AD as mentioned is directly responsible but supervises 2AD
 2nd AD serves as a liaison with actors, getting them to makeup and
wardrobe; also supervises 2nd 2nd AD
 3rd AD works with above Ads to move actors from trailers to set;
also organizes crowd scenes, supervises PA's
 Breakdown of AD Roles
 Additional AD's or AAD's fill in where assistance is needed; i.e.
scenes with large number of extras, sometimes assigned to logistics of
particular stunts, special effects, period work, etc