Task two pre-production job roles : tasks
- 1. Unit 4 – Pre-Production Lauren Whyte Learning Aim A – Understand the requirements of pre-production of a digital media product The ‘I’ In Team – Pre-Production Schedule Throughout this piece of work, I am going to be looking at pre-production job roles and tasks in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The ‘I’ In Team’, episode 70. Ideas Generation and Writing Ideas generation will include the tasks that must be completed when thinking of an initialidea for a production. This will include looking at characters and the settings that may be used within the scenes.Writing includes the development of scripts and the overall storyline of the production. ‘This will mean pitching a narrative outline for the episode that is going to be produced, meeting with the show-runner to discuss where it fits in the long-term arc and deciding on any key narrative ‘beats’ that have to be in the episode. Visual Ideas Development Visual ideas development will include the development of the production’s visuals, for example props, costumes and make-up designs. This could also. Include the storyboarding of the show, however in a show like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, there is little evidence of storyboarding occurring. Casting Casting involves the process of choosing who will be in the show’s production. The cast will then be given a character that they have to embody. There can be core issues within casting. This can include the reoccurring cast members for the whole of the show and for individual seasons. These cast members will be dealt with in the initial series planning. However, this may change over time as new characters will arrive. Examples of this could include how Spike is introduced in Season 2 in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Furthermore, minor or occasional characters can become more important and move up to recurring status. An example of this from Buffy the Vampire Slayer would include Spike in Season 4. Finally, sometimes major characters decide to leave or become occasional characters, for example, Oz in Season 4. Every episode will have a range of 'occasional' casting decisions anda range of extras. Casting directors and assistants havefiles ofactors looking for regular work, have regular contact with actor's agents, run casting sessions, and keep an eye on lots of other shows to spot people they like the look of. Costume Costume involves the clothes that the actors / cast will be wearing during the production. Costume designers will be employed to create these costumes. They will have a settled wardrobe for the appearance of the recurring characters that will have been developed with the help of the director, show runner and actors. The costume designers will be responsible for the way that the featured characters in a certain episode will be dressed. They will be responsible for the way that the extras are dressed, they must ensure that nothing stands out unless it is meant to. They will also be involved in discussions with the effects departments about the costuming of any monster characters, if it is necessary. They will work with the hair and make-up departments about how costume, hair and make-up will need to work together. Finally, there will be 'make up tests' in the pre-production stages to
- 2. Unit 4 – Pre-Production Lauren Whyte check the look of make-up designs under the lights and to check the skin-sensitivity of actors to the make-up. Art Department, Set Design and Set Dressing The art department will be in charge of any designs and dresses sets. The set designers may work with the location team to find settings and use what's there, or they may design sets specifically for the construction department to adapt or to build from scratch. Set designers will work to ensure that everything that appears on camera is there because it's meant to be there. They must also make sure that sets work to develop characters and their narratives. An example of this from Buffy the Vampire Slayer would be when Xander was stuck in the basement or how Buffy and Willow share a dorm room. Set dressers are responsible for all of the detail and will therefore work with the props department to fill spaces with the right assets. Finally, they will also, on a show with lots of stunts like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, work with the cinematographer and director to ensure safety items like crash pads are out of shot or hidden. Props Props, short for properties, are the items on set that the characters can pick up, handle or use. Examples of props could be glasses, hammers, keys or bags. Props can be sources but willoften be created by the prop developers from scratch.Props that willbe used within Buffy the Vampire Slayer may include ropes, cards, mobile phones and candles. Construction Construction staff will build or adapt a set to the needs of the producer. They will build or adapt any fittings that are needed in order for the set or props to work. There will usually be around 20 people involved in construction, made up of various trades such as electricians, carpenters or painters. They are skilled at adapting pieces that have already been built or reusing something that is no longer needed for its original purpose. There will be around six to eight sets in each episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Legal and Clearances Legal and clearances are vital to the safety and law-abiding measures of the show. The legal and clearance team will be in charge of employment contracts. For featured cast and extras this willbe done regularly, however, with recurring castmembers this willbe settled for series long. They will also be in charge of conducting health and safety measures. This will include conducting risk assessments and making sure props are handled safely. Scene 1 - Xander’s basement. Xander, Anya and Willow are playing poker Ideas Generation, Writing and Casting These are core recurring characters involved in this scene. The scene is part of several particular narrative arcs, Buffy is becoming separated from the group and is going off with other people, Xander and Anya are becoming a more established couple. The scene will have been planned out by the writing team with the director, possibly the show runner, and then actually written by the key writer for this episode.
- 3. Unit 4 – Pre-Production Lauren Whyte Location, Set Design and Dressing and Props This is a recurring set – it's almost certainly a studio set built and regularly reused. It will have been designed and dressed by the art department to reflect Xander’s personality. There are a number of specific props required – playing cards and the boxes of bars that Xander will be selling. Costume, Hair and Makeup Recurring characters will have regular wardrobes to choose from and regular plans for hair and makeup. Lighting, Cinematography, Sound and Direction The scene is a standard set up in a recurring set and will have been rehearsed with a regular lighting plan and sound setup. Special Effects and Visual Effects There aren’t any special or visual effects in this scene. Scene 2 – Night in the woods – the commanders are stalking Buffy as an exercise Ideas Generation, Writing and Casting Most of the issues here are as Scene 1. The theme of Buffy moving from her core group of friends into a different group is developed, along with Buffy’s relationship with Riley. Buffy is a core recurring character, Riley, Forest and Maggie Walsh are recurring characters in this season. The rest of the soldiers are minor recurring characters – they will be the same extras cast in each of the ‘group’ initiative scenes. Location, Set Design and Dressing and Props This is an occasionally recurring location. The location manager and his/her team used their local knowledge and found an area of woodland and clearings close to one of the other locations being used and obtained permits to ‘close’ the area when needed to shoot there. It may be close enough to other locations to run power lines or they may be running generators for power. Location managers and the 1st AD will have arranged permits and permissions, insurance, parking and transportation (of cast/crew and of equipment/props/costumes), catering, health and safety risk assessments and security. There are weapons props and big vehicles with bright lights – the weapons props in particular will require very specific health and safety testing and a designated ‘armourer’ as part of the crew. Costume, Hair and Makeup Buffy as a core recurring character will have a wardrobe to draw from. The initiative soldiers are dressed as soldiers in combat/camouflage gear. Lighting, Cinematography, Sound and Direction This is an external night shot so it will be lit and shot as though it’s a ‘film and tv’ version of night – much brighter than night actually is so we can see all we need to see. The lighting plan will be more extensive than the internal shots and the practical arrangement will be more complex because of the need to run power to external lights. There is diegetic sound
- 4. Unit 4 – Pre-Production Lauren Whyte which will have been recorded by the audio team using microphones during the time of filming. There are particular issues about directing and choreographing a fight sequence, and this probably features the use of stunt doubles as well as the actual character actors (the main characters have ‘recurring’ stunt doubles on the cast). Special Effects and Visual Effects VFX of the taser shot will be done in post-production but the lighting and acting setups will be carefully planned so it’s easy to achieve in post. Scene 3 – Eating in the cafeteria – Buffy is having a conversation with Willow about Riley Ideas Generation, Writing and Casting Again, core characters are being used within this scene as Buffy is discussing her boyfriend Riley with her friend Willow. The scene will have been planned out by the writing team along with the director, and possibly the show runner, then written by the key writer for this episode. Location, Set Design and Dressing and Props This is a reoccurring set that is used throughout the series of episodes. The cafeteria is used regularly as it is located in their university. As a result, this set will probably be a studio set that has been built and regularly reused. Again, the set will have been designed and dressed by the art department to reflect a university feel. There are a number of specific props required – cups, plates, food, lights. Costume, Hair and Makeup Buffy and Willow are both core reoccurring characters. As a result of this, they will both have a wardrobe to draw from. Lighting, Cinematography, Sound and Direction Again, the scene is a standard set up in a recurring set and will have been rehearsed with a regular lighting plan and sound setup. There is diegetic sound which will have been recorded by the audio team using microphones during the time of filming. Special Effects and Visual Effects There aren’t any special or visual effects in this scene. Scene 4 – Willow is talking to Tara about a stone Ideas Generation, Writing and Casting Tara has received a stone from her grandmother. Willow has been searching for this stone. The relationship between the two characters is blossoming, this is the idea behind the scene. Writers will have discussed how to develop the relationship and must do this in the correct way in order to avoid offense stemming from their audition. They are both reoccurring cast members.
- 5. Unit 4 – Pre-Production Lauren Whyte Location, Set Design and Dressing and Props This is an occasionallyrecurring location. The setmay therefore be a pre-made one that is not altered. The room will have been designed by the art department to reflect the female characters personality. The focus is on the females not the room, it is not distracting to the scene, it is complimentary. The stone is the main prop of the scene as it is the focus. Costume, Hair and Makeup Again, Tara and Willow are reoccurring characters in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Reoccurring characters will have regular wardrobes to choose from and regular plans for hair and makeup in order to keep their character’s personality and expression continuous. Lighting, Cinematography, Sound and Direction Again, the scene is a standard set up in a recurring set and will have been rehearsed with a regular lighting plan and sound setup. There is diegetic sound which will have been recorded by the audio team using microphones during the time of filming. Special Effects and Visual Effects There aren’t any special or visual effects in this scene. Scene 5 – Xander, Anya and Willow are having drinks Ideas Generation, Writing and Casting Xander, Anya and Willow are together, waiting for Buffy to arrive. Xander is selling food bars, Anya is annoyed that he isn’t spending this time with her. This idea will have been generated and written to show the process of their relationship growing and how easily susceptible to his words she is.Reoccurring castmembers are involved in this scene. There are alot of extras in this scene who are in the background of the shots, as there would be at a regular bar. Location, Set Design and Dressing and Props Anya, Willow and Xander are at a bar, there are bar stools and tables for Anya and Willow to sit at, while Xander parades his food bar around. They are using plastic cups to drink from. The location may be a real bar that they have gained permission to use or they may have had their construction team create one for them. Costume, Hair and Makeup Again, Willow, Xander and Anya are reoccurring characters in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Reoccurring characters will have regular wardrobes to choose from and regular plans for hair and makeup in order to keep their character’s personality and expression continuous. They are dressed to go out, fancier than usual. Lighting, Cinematography, Sound and Direction The lighting in this scene is quite dark, with the focus being purely on Xander, Willow and Anya’s table. The lighting plan will be more extensive than the previous shots that are less complex as a result of this. This is due to the lighting being dimmed around the edges of the set, yet bright on the characters and their table in particular. Extras are still visible. There is diegetic sound in the scene, music is playing quietly in the background while the characters are talking.
- 6. Unit 4 – Pre-Production Lauren Whyte Special Effects and Visual Effects There aren’t any special or visual effects in this scene. Scene 6 – Buffy is discussing Professor Walsh Ideas Generation, Writing and Casting Buffy is talking about Professor Walsh. She doesn’t think that Walsh likes her, yet she is reassured that she does by her male co-star. This narrative is on-going throughout the episode, and the series. The Writers will have teamed together to discuss how they wish for this storyline to come across to the audience. By presenting this narrative through a discussion between two characters, the audience get to see their point of view while discussing the matter. Location, Set Design and Dressing and Props This scene is set outdoors with walls and trees surrounding the characters. This is an occasionally recurring location. Again, the location manager and their team may have used their local knowledge and found an area of woodland and clearings close to one of the other locations being used and obtained permits to ‘close’ the area when needed to shoot there. It may be close enough to other locations to run power lines or they may be running generators for power. Costume, Hair and Makeup Again, as Buffy is a core reoccurring character, she will have a wardrobe to draw from. She is wearing a large camel coat, hiding the rest of her outfit underneath, creating a mysterious feel. Lighting, Cinematography, Sound and Direction This is an external night shot so it will be lit and shot as though it’s a ‘film and tv’ version of night – much brighter than night actually is so we can see all we need to see. The lighting plan will be more extensive than the internal shots and the practical arrangement will be more complex because of the need to run power to external lights. There is diegetic sound which will have been recorded by the audio team using microphones during the time of filming. Special Effects and Visual Effects There aren’t any special or visual effects in this scene.