This is it. You have a script or outline. You’ve determined a production schedule based on your budget. You’ve selected a film or video format, and chosen a camera to purchase or rent. You’ve planned the shoot, using storyboards, shot lists, and camera diagrams. You’ve secured a location or created a set. You have a cast. You’ve researched and tested tricky lighting setups and any special effects shots that you might need. You’ve learned how to use the camera and carefully selected the audio equipment necessary for your pro-

duction. You may have even devoted a day or two to a test shoot.

Now, all the hard work you’ve done is about to pay off. You’re ready to start using your camera to shoot some footage. In many ways, shooting is the best part of the entire movie-making process. You get to go out to fun locations, you get to boss people around, and you get to use cool gear. It’s also the first time that you can start to see the ideas in your head turn into something real. Unfortunately, shooting can also be really difficult. Many things can go wrong, there’s lots to keep track of, and you’re usually working against the clock. During the shoot, you’re going to have to muster all of your artistic, logistical, and managerial sensibilities to create each shot.

Up to this point, almost everything in the book has been about preparing to shoot, and there still are some things to do in the week, days, or even hours before the shoot begins. Arriving on set fully prepared will save you time and money, and you won’t have to worry about appeasing a bored, frustrated cast and crew.

The Shooting Script

By now, it’s been a while since the final draft of your script was completed. You’ve probably gotten comments on the script from higher-ups: producers, your boss, your professor, and so on. The script has been read by the cast and crew, and you’ve heard their opinions as well. Now is the time to decide if you want to incorporate or ignore their ideas and suggestions. It’s also the time to a take a good look at the dialogue in your script and revise it if needed. Perhaps the age of a character has changed due to a casting choice. Or you have to shoot a love scene in an apartment instead of a castle because of budgetary constraints. By this point, you should have staged a table reading and read through a rehearsal of (at the very least) the key elements of your script. If you noticed actors tripping over too many words, awkward phrasing, and unnecessary repetition, now is the time to fix it. Finally, you may need to resolve technical issues, logistical problems, or reorganize the order of the scenes.

Once you’ve made these types of content changes, it’s time to “number” the script, and each scene gets a number. (In case you’re confused, if it has a slugline, it’s considered a separate scene.) Later on, if you decide to omit a scene, you can cross it out on the script and write “omit” on the scene, but you do not have to renumber the script. These scene numbers will be recorded on the slate and used later on to organize the media.

When you are done, clearly date the draft and label it the “shooting script.” Distribute copies of the shooting script to anyone who needs it: actors, producers, the director of photography, and other crew members. Everyone on the set should have read this version of the script by the time you are ready to roll.