Blueprint -...
Transcript of Blueprint -...
THE ORIGINAL PLANNING DOCUMENTS OF A S U C C E S S F U L F A N T A S Y S H OO T IN G
Your Name
Title of Your ShootingConfidential:
This document must not
be shared with 3rd partiesCopyright ©2010 by the photographer
ConfidentialThis document is absolutely confidential. It may not be shared with anyone other than individuals granted permission by the photographer. In case you received this document from anyone other than the photographer then you have received illegal materials.
-2-©2010 by the photographer
Copyright ©2010 by the photographer
Table Of Contents
How To Use This Template...........................................................................4Production Countdown Checklist.................................................................5The Great Photo Idea...................................................................................6The Story.....................................................................................................7Roles And Responsibilities Checklist............................................................8All Contact Details And Addresses...............................................................9
Contacts Details Of The People Involved.........................................................................................................9Addresses Of The Places Involved....................................................................................................................10
Location Requirements Checklist...............................................................11Styling Matrix.............................................................................................12Carry On Luggage Checklist.......................................................................13Check In Luggage Checklist.......................................................................14Weather Forecast 15 Days Before Shooting..............................................15Location Visit Checklist..............................................................................16Day Before Shooting Checklist...................................................................17Gear Checklist............................................................................................18Takeoff Checklist........................................................................................19The Holy Shooting Schedule......................................................................20Ramp Up Step By Step List........................................................................21List Of Frames To Produce In Each Scene..................................................22Varying Point Of View................................................................................23Lighting Setup...........................................................................................24Postproduction...........................................................................................25Lessons Learned........................................................................................26Templates For Shooting Contracts / Model Releases.................................27
English Contract................................................................................................27English / Chinese Contract................................................................................27English / German Contract................................................................................27English / Japanese Contract...............................................................................27
-3-©2010 by the photographer
How To Use This Template
This template makes it super easy for us photographers, to come up with a solid and complete planning for a photo shooting. I used it several times now and with each iteration it is getting a little bit better and more complete.
Here’s how I use the template and how I suggest you use it, too:
First customize the template for a shoot. Start with the production countdown checklist on the next page. Go through the list and delete the lines which do not apply to the shooting you are planning. If you are not traveling to another country for a shooting, then obviously items like “get a visa” and “get vaccines” do not apply to you. Simply delete them.Then go through the remaining chapters, remove everything that does not suite you this time.
Second, fill in the information you have. Start with your great shooting idea. Describe it. If it is not big yet, make it bigger. From there on go through the rest of the chapters and fill in everything you already got.
Thirdly, use the production countdown checklist to work on every aspect of the planning. You already wrote down your big shooting idea? Excellent, then tick off the first box (can be tricky in MS Word – I usually just replace it by an “x”. While you are at it, also tick off “start making a production book”. You just started it. Next thing is planning the location. Fill in your location requirements checklist, let your location scout come up with a suitable location, customize the location visit checklist and so on, until you can tick of the location planning checkbox.
Go on like this until the complete Production Countdown is ticket off. By that time you should be right in the middle of your well organized shooting, ready to take at least 3 killer exposures.
Have fun and…
Good light!-- Michael ([email protected])
-4-©2010 by the photographer
Production Countdown Checklist
o 12 Weeks Before – develop a big shooting ideao 11 Weeks Before – start making a production booko 9 Weeks Before – plan the location with your location scouto 8 Weeks Before – define the roles of your staffo 7 Weeks Before – define the scenes to shooto 7 Weeks Before – start working with your translatoro 6 Weeks Before – define props and fashion with your stylisto 6 Weeks Before – define hairdo and makeup with makeup artisto 6 Weeks Before – organize and align with modelso 6 Weeks Before – align with assistanto 6 Weeks Before – get location permito 5 Weeks Before – book flightso 5 Weeks Before – organize transport to locationo 5 Weeks Before – organize parkingo 5 Weeks Before – organize a fallback location/studioo 4 Weeks Before – collect and distribute all contact detailso 4 Weeks Before – build the teamo 3 Weeks Before – test lighting ideaso 3 Weeks Before – care about a studio as fallbacko 2 Weeks Before – check weather forecasto 2 Weeks Before – make detailed shooting scheduleo 2 Weeks Before – align models, stylists and other team memberso 1 Week Before – go through preparation checklisto 6 Days Before – buy props and stuff in home countryo 5 Days Before – check weather forecast againo 4 Days Before – align on what models and stylists bring with themo 3 Days Before – traveling to the destinationo 2 Days Before – check the locationo 2 Days Before – define where to put what on locationo 1 Days Before – go through preparation checklist againo 1 Days Before – buy local props and things locally o Shooting Day – go through gear checklisto Shooting Day – follow the shooting scheduleo Shooting Day – follow the shooting plan
-5-©2010 by the photographer
The Great Photo Idea
This shooting is about…
The key statement that the photos make is…
I imagine the following scenes…
Some examples for photos like this are…
-6-©2010 by the photographer
The Story
We will think of the shooting as taking photos of scenes from the following little story. This will help us to express a common mood and expression when it comes to setting up the scene, clothing and makeup, posting, lighting and all the other creative elements.
The main characters of our story is…. She is living in… One day she…
-7-©2010 by the photographer
Roles And Responsibilities ChecklistEach team member is responsible for their tasks and for overcoming their challenges.
Role Top Tasks, Responsibilities and Challenges Casting Result
Model 1. Have top body condition on day of shooting, good nails
2. Sign release with complete transfer of all image rights incl. commercial
3. …
4.
Hair and Makeup Stylist
1. Care that the makeup is like planned and always perfect
2. Care about the hair3. …
Fashion Stylist 1. Bring the clothes2. Closely align with hair and makeup stylist3. …
Location Scout
1. Care for a suitable location2. Deal with every obstacle on location3. …
Drivers/Assistants
1. Be prepared with checked and filled up cars on day of shooting
2. Know exactly the route to the location3. …
Translator 1. Capable of translation photoshooting related terms;
2. Stay on my side all the time, and proactively translate whatever I say to whoever I address
3. …
-8-©2010 by the photographer
All Contact Details And Addresses
Contacts Details Of The People Involved
Model Model
Makeup and Styling Fashionstyling
Location Scout Agent
Postproduction Photographer
Other Other
-9-©2010 by the photographer
Addresses Of The Places Involved
Location
Address….
Hotel / Base
Address….
Markets/Shops for stuff needed
Address….
Fallback Location / Studio
Address….
Restaurant for dinner after the shooting
Address….
-10-©2010 by the photographer
Location Requirements Checklist
Category Requirement Result
Type
Distance
Accessibility
Privacy
Legal
Examples
-11-©2010 by the photographer
Styling Matrix
Category Across Scenes Scene #1 Scene #2 Scene #3 Scene #4
Makeup style
Eyes
Lashes
Contacts
Cheeks
Lips
Hair
Others
Fashion
Accessories
Props
-12-©2010 by the photographer
Examples
Carry On Luggage Checklist
o passport incl. visao production booko camera bodyo camera fallback bodyo camera battery chargerso lenseso memory cardso speedlightso laptop + chargero …
-13-©2010 by the photographer
Check In Luggage Checklist
Photography items
o camera tripodo laptop holdero guerilla podo angle view findero speedlight cableso snooto color filterso light standso umbrella swivelso umbrellaso reflectorso greycardo lens cleaning kit o gaffer tapeo USB cableo GPS trackero velcroo a piece of aluminum wrap o card readero compass
Props for the shooting
o wigs and similaro costumeso sunglasses etco music for the shooting
Other items
o clotheso toilet itemso luggage strap
-14-©2010 by the photographer
Weather Forecast 15 Days Before Shooting
According to the 15 day weather forecast of AccuWeather (http://zelbel.com/weather) the weather on location at the scheduled day of the shooting will be like this:
Temperatures:
Felt Temperature:
Wind:
Clouds / Rain:
Sunrise / Sunset:
…
-15-©2010 by the photographer
Location Visit Checklist
Checkpoint Result
Parking Space? Distance to set?
Electric power 220V available?
Restrooms?
Changingroom?
Retreat in case of rain?
Place to store gear?
Drinks, food, snacks available?
Where is the sun at the time of shooting? Where is it going to set?
Can the models pose conveniantly?
Mosquitoes, bugs?
Temperature at location?
Is it a public place? Viewers / spectators expected?
Can we play music?
Can we get in conflict with somebody?
Find the exact position for your shooting!
Make sample photos! Good exposures of sky, greenery, rocks, other elements of the compositions!
Is the location really suitable?
-16-©2010 by the photographer
Day Before Shooting Checklist
o camera batteries chargedo memory cards cleano speedlight batteries chargedo laptop battery chargedo external battery chargedo laptop hard drive got 20GB spaceo got music for the shootingo all participants have address and driving instructionso contracts are printed and ready to signo weather forecast is OKo got drinks and food for the shooting
-17-©2010 by the photographer
Gear Checklist
o production booko camera body and batterieso fallback camera body and batterieso lenseso memory cardso tripodo lightstandso flasheso flash cableso snootso color filterso umbrellaso angle view finder o laptop + external batteryo USB cableo reflectorso graycardo GPS trackero velcroo gaffer tapeo aluminum wrap o lens cleaning kit o compass
o bugsprayo sunscreeno clotheso jewelryo wigso smoke effectso drinkso fruit
-18-©2010 by the photographer
Takeoff Checklist
Things to check before we start driving to our location
o equipment checklist checkedo clocks in Laptop and cameras on local timeo cameras zero’d out and workingo GPS tracker got space and is runningo cars are filled up and driver knows the way
-19-©2010 by the photographer
The Holy Shooting Schedule
We absolutely MUST stick to the following schedule on the day of the shooting
Shedule, [Date…]
aa:00 – bb:00 Drive to location
bb:00 – cc:00 Prepare Scene #1, Makeup
cc:00 – dd:00 Shoot Scene #1
dd:00 – ee:00 Shoot Scene #2
ee:00 – ff:00 Shoot Scene #3
ff:00 Pack up the stuff an leave Location
-20-©2010 by the photographer
Ramp Up Step By Step List
List of activities to be done directly after arriving on location
1. Mark the exact spot where we shoot the first scene by putting a bucket there
2. Park the cars as close as possible
3. Models oil their skin
4. Everybody use bugspray
5. Setup the camera tripod for the first scene
6. Setup camera, check the main settings
7. Attache remote trigger, angle viewfinder, pocket wizard
8. Tether with laptop
9. Setup the lightstands with the main light and the kicker light, just place them somewhere
10. Compose the geometry of the scene, probably with an assistant posing
11. Place the lightstands at the correct position
12. Adjust the power of the main light
13. Adjust the power of the kicker light
14. You are ready to go, shoot your first scene
-22-©2010 by the photographer
List Of Frames To Produce In Each Scene
List of the frames we shoot in each scene.
Before the model enters the scene:
1. Available light exposure
2. Optimum Sky exposure
3. Grey Cube
4. mainlight switched on
5. all lights switched on
6. lighting setup documentation
With the model
7. First making-of photos
8. Makeup test portait
9. Model speaking her text
10. Model right after speaking
11. Model turned her head*
12. Creatively improvised
13. Details, closeups
14. Second making-of photos
-23-©2010 by the photographer
Lighting Setup
Here are some scribbles (probably made online with (http://zelbel.com/diagram) for the lighting setup for our different scenes:
….
-25-©2010 by the photographer
Postproduction
For postproduction the following is planned
o Stretch photo by 5%o Make eyes 5% biggero Rubberstamp pimples and spotso Make skin smoothero sharpeno …
-26-©2010 by the photographer
Lessons Learned
In our shooting the following thing went wrong, or can be improved. I will add checkpoints and planning steps to the production book of the NEXT shooting, so that these things cannot come up again:
Issue 1
…
Issue 2
…
-27-©2010 by the photographer