Post-Shoot Script
The Post-Shoot Script is a highly detailed record of your intentions. It includes;
- Scene Number & Shot Description (e.g. Scene 1, Shot 1, ECU)
- Time (the timecode : where in your film will this shot start, e.g. 0:01:13 = 1 minute & 13 secs)
- Narration (Is there a voiceover? What will the narrator say? In other words...his/her lines!)
- Visual (a description of what we will see on the screen)
- Audio (a description of what we will hear; sound effects, soundtrack, asynchronous sound, etc)
You can see an example of a Post-Shoot Script in construction in the example Production Log here. (Also available on the Production Portfolio Log Blog here.) Make sure you 'turn' to the correct tab in the Production Log!
Scripting Reconstructions
If you have reconstructions in your documentary, these must be scripted in the traditional way. There are very particular conventions that you must use when writing a script and I will go through them in more detail in class. Here is an example of a properly formatted script that follows industry conventions;
A film company will not even look at a script if it is not properly formatted using size 12 Courier font! You can find out more information about scripts here and here.
Storyboard
A storyboard is a highly detailed record of your intentions in terms of framing & editing. It shows;
- Shot Number (as a reference for the Production Team)
- Transitions (how you are going to move from one shot to another)
- Shot Description (EXT or INT, DAY or NIGHT, Shot Type, Camera Movements, etc)
- Image (a drawing of what is on screen)
The drawings on your storyboard don't have to be works of art, but they must accurately represent what is on screen (you can use stick men but they must be at the correct shot distance, angle, etc). The examiner & moderator will compare your storyboard to your finished film and they MUST be the same!
Now, yours is a little bit different to a normal storyboard in that you already have the footage and can't use the storyboard so plan framing (it's too late). However, it terms of planning a strategy for editing, it is still a very useful document.
At AS & A2 level, before they go out and shoot their film, students export each frame of their storyboard into Final Cut and make what's called an animatic (a mock up of their film, complete with soundtrack, etc). It is used to give them an idea of what their film will look like, shot lengths required, etc.
Here is an example of the storyboard template you should use (available in class);
And here is an example of a single page from a completed storyboard. Notice the level of detail;
