Unit 1: Pre-production LO1

Comprehensively explain and present to a quality that reflects near-professional

standards fully detailed requirements and sources of requirements for a specific
media production

TASK

From all the pre-production you have carried out over the past year you need to pick one
and complete the following task.

You will need to show an excellent understanding of the requirements for the proposed
production and will be able to explain fully why each element is required.

You will give detailed explanations of how these requirements will be sourced and give full
consideration to codes of practice and regulatory issues.

From the table below you need to explain why each element was important to your chosen
production and detail how you would source them.

For example

Type Importance Sourcing
Finance:
Sources of finance

Equipment
Transport
Talent
Crew
Materials
Facility hire







Importance
It is important to have finances in place before production starts, as every producer needs to pay
for Equipment used such as Cameras, tripods, green screen, lighting and sound. For an Advert
production for example, a producer may also need materials such correct costumes, items for
correct mise-en-scene and talent in order to fulfil the desired effect. Crew will also be needed
such as cameraman, soundman lighting engineer researchers editors and runners in order to
produce a professional looking advert.
Once all is complete facilities such as editing suits and postproduction equipment will be needed
and these cost a lot of money.
Sourcing
Crew


Facility


Materials

Transport
Crew can be sourced trough websites such as Creative England
http://www.creativeengland.co.uk/index.php/portfolio/location-
production-support/
Editing suits such as Dynamic post Production
http://www.dynamicpost.co.uk/index.php/final-cut-pro-suites/ can be
hired for 350 per day. This will include the editor and sound engineer.
Materials can be sourced from high street shops, retail outlets or studio
Props departments
Transport can be sourced via Transport for London http://www.tfl.gov.uk,
National Rail http://www.nationalrail.co.uk, hertz car hire etc..
A days travel card in London will cost the producer 12 per person.

List of all items that need detailing

You can either create your own table or upload this one to Weebly and
complete. Either ay, a table like the one below needs to be used.

Finance:
Sources of
finance

Equipment
Transport
Talent
Crew
Materials
Facility hire

Importance
It is vital for a music video to work well to have all of the correct equipment to
get a professional looking result. The main pieces of equipment that were a
concern was the camera and also the lighting. Using a better camera would affect
the quality of the image throughout the whole video. Using a low quality camera
would mean that despite the quality of the filming and editing etc. the overall
video would look home-made and unprofessional.

Lighting was important as music videos usually include several locations,
meaning that it is more than likely to be filmed over several days. this means that
there are potential problems In getting all the crew and actors together at one
time; because of this the natural lighting in each setting may change from day to
day, meaning that my own form of lighting would be necessary to keep the
scenes consistent, to cancel out continuity errors and to make the video flow. It
should look like everything is happening at once, e.g. the same day and time etc.

Following on from this, given the amount of people Involved in making the video,
and the amount of locations that may be needed; transport must be organised
and prepared prior to the filming. There must be enough transport for everyone
and also enough room for all of the equipment and props.

Once all the correct equipment and transport is ready and to a high standard, it is
important not to let the quality of the video fall due to the crew. It is important
that the camera person understands how to use the camera correctly and how to
film each shot as well as understand and follow the directors orders. As well as
this, if the director slacks off and leaves everything down to the rest of the crew,
it will become disorganised and the video will not flow well. It needs to be done
using a team effort.

The actors used in the video must be comfortable on camera. Often music videos
include little or no dialog whatsoever meaning that the acting skills must be up
to scratch to portray what is going on clearly without actually talking.

As well as having the appropriate skills, it is important there that is enough crew,
and that they are reliable. It is important to be able to get everyone together for
each shoot. In some cases It is possible for one person to double up on jobs, but
the more people the better, as this will allow each person to fully focus on their
individual job. For example, the director could hold or control lighting
equipment or a camera, but this will distract them from keeping an eye on the
rest of the crew and although their job will be done effectively, other aspects may
be badly affected because of this.

Music videos are all about the visuals, the audio is mainly or completely the song
so it is important that the acting, costume and setting are interesting and
appropriate. Getting the right location for a music video may be difficult and may
require hiring or otherwise getting permission from the owner of the chosen
location.

This is essential as it is illegal to film in areas owned by somebody else, and there
may be a good reason for this! For example, it may be unsafe. In many
circumstances the owner will give permission but only on certain days for
example, which Is why it is important to ask for permission well in advance of
filming there. You may need more than one day in the facility, or even an extra
day just to look around to see if it works well for your video (if there is enough
room for crew etc.)
















Sourcing
Crew- Crew members can be sourced from websites where people with the
appropriate skills will sign up to looking for work. This is useful as sometimes
people will be willing to work unpaid; however this may cost money and would
be inappropriate if you have a low budget. Crew members can also be found in
your friends. It is more than likely i will use people that i know in my video as
they are free, comfortable, nearby and I will also know their individual skills and
how they work better.

Facility- Luckily, being at college, we have a studio which Is ready to use for free
which comes with a green screen, lighting etc. etc. This is free but will still
require booking and time may be limited. Other than this, public locations can
also be useful as they are free and require no booking, however, It is public to
everyone, meaning you can't empty the facility or stop noise. Another useful
location is crew members or friends houses as these are available at most times.
You will need permission but it will be free to film in these locations.
Materials- Materials depend on how high you want the quality to be, any camera
will work or even your phone; but if you are looking for a higher quality than any
camera shop will be likely to have high quality cameras to rent or buy. Expensive
lighting can also be found online but this would be inconvenient for a low budget
film and instead, locations with their own lighting would be preferable.

Transport- different transport would be convenient for different crews,
depending on the amount of equipment etc. that needs to be transported. In
general crew members can travel easily by car, train or bus, although this will
cost a small fee.



















Time: Deadlines
Availability of equipment Availability
of personnel (size of team; roles)

Importance
There are a lot of things to do In the production of a music video and It is highly
important to keep on top of things and to meet deadlines. Leaving things to the
last minute, e.g. getting permission to film in certain locations, or buying
equipment, could cause you to postpone the filming of the music video
dramatically. As well as this, you need to allow yourself enough time after
filming, to edit the video. Music videos generally include a lot of effects, and also
cutting to the beat could take time. If the editing is not finished on time, the effort
you have put into pre-production and filming will more or less be wasted.

This is also another example of why using reliable crew members is essential.
There Is no point In hiring a crew of people who all have full time jobs, awkward
hours or hobbies they need to be available when you want them. You have to
take into consideration when scheduling, that even the most reliable people
could fall ill etc. during filming. If you run over time whilst making a video, then
new projects will start causing you to more or less give up, and therefore leaving
the music video unfinished, not reaching Its potential.
Furthermore, if you have hired facilities or equipment, you must film while you
still have them. If not, you may have to return the equipment or lose permission
to use a facility before you have finished filming. If this happens, more money
will have to be paid out to rehire these things, eating into your budget. and thats
if the facilities or equipment is still available,




















Sourcing























Facilities: Production equipment
Post-production equipment facility
houses

Importance
As mentioned earlier, more often than not certain pieces of equipment and
facilities must be bought or hired, prior to filming. this can Include locations,
cameras, tripods, lighting equipment, microphones etc. etc. It is important to get
hold of these things as they are essential for making your video look far more
professional (e.g. using a tripod to hold the camera still). It is possible in the
majority of cases to hire equipment, as high quality equipment can be very
expensive. It is important that all the equipment is hired at the same time and
that filming Is done quickly and efficiently and re-filming is not always possible.

Just as important as the locations and equipment Is studios, mixers and editing
equipment. These things are far more difficult to get hold of and potentially far
more expensive. Premiere Pro (editing software) Is extremely expensive to
download and it would be counterproductive to buy it as it is more than likely to
blow the whole budget (for low budget productions) and then you are left with
editing software with nothing to edit. However, premiere pro is now available to
rent monthly which would be much more reasonable for a small production like
this which is unlikely to run over a few months.

Studios are rare to come by and extremely expensive to rent out, however, if i
was to make a music video I have access to a fully functioning studio with green
screen and control room with visual and audio mixers, professional cameras and
lighting, and microphones ready.

Editing software or studios are essential for music videos, as they are used to
add the audio (music) as well as any other pieces of audio (dialog).




















Sourcing
Equipment such as cameras, tripods and microphones can be found In most
electronics shops but are also easily available online.

Things like studios and facilities are much more difficult to come by and it is
likely that it will take time to get permission after either visiting the location or
finding it online and emailing the owner.

Premiere Pro can be downloaded off the internet.






















Materials: Original materials,
Archive and library materials
Photo-library materials
Sound library materials,
Internet
Audio
Script
Interviews
Costumes

Importance
Original materials: Footage that you have filmed yourself if useful because you
don't have to worry about copyright, which is why it can be preferable to using
clips filmed by other people, or clips from films or found on video sites such as
YouTube. The downside is that is a lot more effort is required for filming your
own footage.


Archive and library materials and internet. Some materials are readily available
for use without copyright. Such as sound effects from certain websites and
royalty free music which can be found on YouTube. This would be useful for
creating a music video as you will not have to contact anyone to ask for
permission to use their music.

Photo library materials. Photos that you have taken could be useful for a music
video If you were doing a sequence that showed the past or memories as this
would represent this well. This method could be used alongside shots of the
artist and/or a narrative.

Audio, music videos are all about the audio. The audio on a music video does not
have to be identical to the original recording of the song, dialog and sound effects
could be added before, after or even during the song if there Is a narrative. Some
music videos are double the length of the song because there is so much
narrative before the song actually starts. Sound effects can be recorded using a
recording device or even your phone as well as the internet where thousands can
be found without copyright. Dialog is usually recorded during filming although
voice overs can also be used by using a recording device such as your phone or a
microphone.

Script, a script is essential if you are using dialog in your narrative or a voiceover.
However, without a script the director may struggle to give directions to the
actors. A script plans ahead on what is going to happen and is a key guide for the
director to keep the whole production together and flowing well.

Interviews can be important for collecting primary research and could prove
useful if the music video's narrative or theme is something you may not know a
lot about e.g. historical. it would be useful to interview an expert If you want you
video to look realistic in terms of mise-en-scene, costume and language.

Costumes are extremely Important as your video may not have time to explain
the narrative or set the scene so it is important to make It obvious where and
when the scene is set using costumes.

















Sourcing
Any footage or audio that you don't already have can be found anywhere on the
internet although it is important to check for if there is copyright, and if so, to ask
for permission from the owner.

Costumes can be found online by searching costume hire shops such as
http://www.hollywood.uk.com/shop/Fancy-dress-costumes


















Locations: Recces
Limitations and risks:
Distance, access, cost, weather

Importance
Music videos may require a number of locations, some of which will cost money
and none should be first visited at the time of filming as if they are not ready or
appropriate for filming this could cause major delays In your schedule. it is
important to recruit one of your members of staff to check out the location
before filming, this is called a reece. They will be checking that first of all, the
location looks appropriate and how you imagined it, secondly that there is
enough room for the actors as well as all of the crew and equipment and also
health and safety. other Important factors include becoming aware of the natural
lighting or any lighting available at the location, any noise, toilet facilities, food
and drink facilities, parking and any other potential problems they could find
when filming,




















Sourcing
A guide may be used such as a location sheet which will give a list of all of the
things that need to be checked as well as a small map to draw a birds eye view of
the location with a north east south and west.























Codes of
practice and
regulation:
Location permissions
Clearances
Copyright
Health and safety
Insurance

Importance
To finish and publish you final production it is essential that the footage has been
checked and 'cleared'. this means that you have proof of permission for any
locations or sounds used with copyright as well as scripts, brands etc. etc.

Risk assessments are important for health and safety as the heavy equipment
and wires could cause injury. It is important to make sure that everyone has
signed an agreement that they accept the risks so that they cannot sue you if
something were to happen on set or during filming.

Anyone working on the production may need insurance In order for you to pay
them and to ensure that everything Is legal.



















Sourcing
Laws of the legislation:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/contents

http://www.hse.gov.uk/legislation/hswa.htm

Filming insurance:
http://www.filminginsurance.co.uk/























The below only requires you to discuss the importance
Regulatory
bodies:
Ofcom
Press Complaints Commission (PCC)
Advertising Standards Authority
(ASA)
Pan European Game Information
(PEGI)
Entertainment Software Rating
Board (ESRB)
British Board of Film Classification
(BBFC)

Importance
Ofcom regulate television and radio to ensure that any content made public is
not offensive or misleading and if the content Is offensive or untrue that there is
a warning or this is made obvious beforehand.

The PCC is an independent self-regulatory body which deals with complaints
about the editorial content of newspapers and magazines (and their websites).
We keep industry standards high by training journalists and editors, and work
pro-actively behind the scenes to prevent harassment and media intrusion. We
can provide pre-publication advice to journalists and the public and have
published advice on dealing with media attention after a death.

The Advertising Standards Authority is the UKs independent regulator of
advertising across all media. We apply the Advertising Codes, which are written
by the Committees of Advertising Practice. Our work includes acting on
complaints and proactively checking the media to take action against misleading,
harmful or offensive advertisements.

Age ratings are systems used to ensure that entertainment content, such as films,
videos, DVDs, and computer games, are clearly labelled by age according to the
content they contain. Age ratings provide guidance to consumers (particularly
parents) to help them decide whether or not to buy a particular product. The
rating on a game confirms that it is suitable for players over a certain age.
Accordingly, a PEGI 7 game is only suitable for those aged seven and above and
an PEGI 18 game is only suitable for adults aged eighteen and above. The PEGI
rating considers the age suitability of a game, not the level of difficulty.

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a self-regulatory
organization that assigns age and content ratings, enforces industry-adopted
advertising guidelines, and ensures responsible online privacy principles for
computer and video games in the United States and Canada. The ESRB was
established in 1994 by the Entertainment Software Association (formerly the
Interactive Digital Software Association), in response to criticism of violent
content found in video games such as Night Trap, Mortal Kombat, and other
controversial video games portraying excessively violent or intense sexual
situations.

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), originally British Board of Film
Censors, is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and
responsible for the national classification and censorship of films within the
United Kingdom. It has a statutory requirement to classify videos, DVDs and, to a
lesser extent, some video games under the Video Recordings Act 2010.













Trade unions:





Producers Alliance for Cinema and
Television (PACT),
National Union of Journalists (NUJ)
Broadcasting Entertainment
Cinematograph and Theatre Union
(BECTU)

Importance
The Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (Pact) is the UK trade
association for independent content producers in feature film, television, and
animation, children's and digital media. Their job is to monitor working
conditions and pay.

The largest journalists' union in the world Is NUJ (National Union of Journalists),
their job is to provide legal advice as well as insurance and publications advice.

BECTU is the UK's media and entertainment trade union; sectors covered include
broadcasting, film, independent production, theatre and the arts, leisure and
digital media. The union represents staff, contract and freelance workers who
are based primarily in the United Kingdom.



















Trade
associations:
Entertainment and Leisure Software
Publishers Association (ELSPA)
British Interactive Media Association
(BIMA)

Importance