Production Planning

Some projects are purely creative activities – born from the heart and mind of the writer/director. But this is very rare now. Few of you will have the chance (especially right away) to write and direct your own films.

Cause-to-effect production model – general discussion of planning process

• (“meal” analogy, A meal is not just the ingredients, but how they are put together and for what purpose).
• May vary depending upon the project

Defined Process Message (Desired Effect)

• Start with what you WANT to have happen as a result of your production.
• Having determined your original program idea, what do you want the audience to learn, feel or do?
• Be specific, what are the goals of your production?
• What is your ANGLE, your approach to the story? (homeless example?)
• ***MOST productions are AUDIENCE CENTERED, not creator centered

Medium Requirements (Cause)

• How can message best be communicated to have the desired effect in terms of content, style, persuasive approach, production, cast, crew, budget, etc…?
• Content – what will be communicated? Research the issue until you are an expert.
• How does Target audience influence your message? You must know your target audience well or your message may fall on deaf ears. Editing, visual style, music, etc…important in reaching your target audience
• Production elements – in what way, using what visual and aural elements? How will the production elements be developed to communicate your message? Goals will influence how message is constructed. Budget? Equipment? Facilities? Timeframe?
• What persuasive approach will you use?
• People – by what production people?

Actual Process Message (Real Effect)

• Completed message is delivered to the audience for their consumption:
• Attention, comprehension, internalization, action…
• An effect occurs (to some degree):
• Arousal, cognition, attitude change, behavioral change
• Formative Evaluation – evaluation done along the way: with clients and members of the target audience. Check the message along the way.
• Summative Evaluation – final evaluation of finished project – Did it do what it was supposed to?

Idea Generation Techniques

Brainstorming:

• In your group, choose a secretary to write down all ideas submitted – begin with basic ideas
• List all ideas generated, use others’ ideas as a springboard to other ideas
• NO EVALUATION at this stage, let all ideas stand.
• The idea is to generate as many interesting, related ideas as possible.
• Let the conversation roam freely with no judgment until later
• After all ideas have been exhausted – regroup and evaluate…which ideas float to the top?

Clustering

• Single topic in the center of a page (on the chalkboard)
• Branching out from the center, connect words in circles that relate to the main topic
• The circles and branches can extend out as needed with links connecting ‘bubbles’ as needed.
• Creates immediate visual pattern between concepts

Final word about production planning:

• Research, research, research. Relate to COM 200.
• Creating programming for TV or film is not simply a solo artistic process – it requires lots of money and many people, that means that some return for investment is expected.
• In some cases the return is explicit – teach Gap workers how to fold a shirt, in others, less so.
• MOST PRODUCTION IS RESULTS AND AUDIENCE ORIENTED – your creativity and knowledge will be used to help meet the needs of a client or an audience…not to simply express your creativity.