How to breakdown a film script

Whether for a film or television project, the next step after the competition of the script is to break it down into its primary elements so that a budget can be generated.  Although most script writing programs do automatically add some elements, such as the speaking character roles, each scene still needs to be manually checked so that the necessary information will appear on the reports.  Without knowing who, what, where, and for how long, it is impossible to generate the budget.  If done correctly, it will also collect and organized the information for the daily call logs.

The more detailed the breakdown of each scene, the more time you will save yourself in the long run.  Although some of these elements will be filled with generic responses, listing them will hold the place for the details to be added later.

Location

Each scene opens with the location bar that includes, the place, interior/exterior, and day part of the scene.   Although they are listed in the script, none of this information will appear in the reports unless it is manually entered.  Most places will host more than one scene;  listing the general location with the specific location and daypart will give additional details that will help determine how many days will be needed for that particular area.  By adding these details, it’s easier to group scenes to cut down on was of time and energy.

Construction

Scenes that are filmed on a soundstage or at locations where modifications will need to be done.  Would need to be noted in this category.  Extra time will need to be allotted for the building, setting, and striking the sets.

Electronics

Any special lighting, sound, or gadgets would be listed here.

Set dressing

Unless there are changes due to the script, the first scene will be sufficient to set the standard for the entire project. Any modifications would be needed to be noted and the scenes scheduled accordingly.

Props

Not every prop needs to be listed.  Only the ones that are required by the script or wouldn’t normally be found in the area.

VFX: makeup; digital, sound, mechanical

Visual effects take preplanning and are time-consuming.  Knowing what scenes and the specific effects are required to accurately budget time and resources. 

Characters

Most scriptwriting programs automatically list the speaking characters; however, characters without lines will need to be manually entered or they will not appear on the call sheets. 

Crew

Most crews are set for the entire project and don’t need to be listed.  This section would again be for the unusual or special crew members.

Wardrobe/Makeup/Hair

For continuity, these need to be listed according to the placement in the script timeline not according to the shooting schedule.  By listing them according to which day they represent in the script, it’s easier to coordinate and account for the time needed to make any changes.

Animals/children

Animals and children are unpredictable.  Additional time will need to be added.

 

Anything out of the ordinary that will consume time or resources

Having too many details is better than being caught off guard. 

 

I will be using scenes from my project Never Can Say Good-bye as examples.

 

Scene 8

INT. HIDDEN ROOM: DAY

Michael shines the flashlight around the room. The beam hits the cracked mirror and reflects onto a rocking chair. THE OBSERVER (camera showing the ghost's perspective) WATCHES Michael.  Michael tries to open the window; it's nailed shut.  SHANE SCOTT (A woman in her mid-20's who believes the world is her toy.) WALKS into the doorway.

SHANE

(angrily)

What did you do?  This isn't our house.

MICHAEL

(startled)

Amanda was happy I found it.

Shane nervously walks around. The Observer examines her. She sees her image in the mirror distort and morph; Shane screams and runs out.

 

 

Scene 8 Breakdown

        -

        INT.HIDDEN ROOM: DAY

Character

 

    * Michael

    * Shane

    * The Observer

 

Props

 

    * Flashlight

    * Bellows family pictures

 

Camera

 

    * The camera will represent the ghostly perspective

    * Drone camera

 

Location

 

    * Bellows House

    * Hidden room

    * Afternoon

 

Set Dressing

 

    * Table and chairs

    * Full side bed

    * Dressers

    * Wooden rocking chair

    * Curtains on the windows

    * Bedding

    * Family pictures

    * Needlework project

    * Old book on the nightstand

    * Rag rugs

    * needlepoint   samplers

    * Virgin Mary statue

    * Angel statues

 

Wardrobe

 

    * Women's clothing from the mid to late 1950s

    * DAY ONE

 

Greenery

 

    * Ivy on the outside of the window

 

Sound

 

    * Door creaking

 

Electrics

 

    * Drone camera

 

Crew

 

    * Drone camera operator

Optical FX

 

    * The Distorting image in a mirror

 

Scene 27

INT. LYNNE’S LIVING ROOM: NIGHT

Lynne and Elizabeth pleasantly chat after dinner. 

LYNNE

I only know two ways to end a residue haunting.  Change the energy by cleansing the space or by destroying the anchoring object.

ELIZABETH

What you think there it's residual, but there is actually a spirit.

LYNNE

I'm not sure what happens.  If they are ready to move on everything happens as it should have in the first place.

ELIZABETH

What if she or he wasn't ready.

LYNNE

Most likely limbo.

ELIZABETH

For how long?

Lynne shrugs.

ELIZABETH (CONT.)

Wouldn't it be easier to just move on?

LYNNE

It's not that easy.

ELIZABETH

It is if you let it be. 

(Walking to the window)

It's beautiful here.

LYNNE

(Studying Elizabeth)

This is my favorite spot.

ELIZABETH

I can see why.   

LYNNE

This whole neighborhood used to belong to the Ramsdell family. James wanted Rachael to have the same luxury she had in New Orleans.   The town just grew around it.

ELIZABETH

It must have been beautiful.

LYNNE

It broke Amanda's heart to sell it.  She had wanted the whole estate to become a combination museum and public park.

ELIZABETH

Hard times sometimes force hard decisions.

 

LYNNE

Amanda sold the land to keep the Bellows House.

ELIZABETH

Why? It's just a house.

LYNNE

It's a shrine to Sara Jane and Randolph's love.  That's why Audrey Bellows wanted to destroy it.  Amanda believes Sara Jane and Randolph will incarnate here.

ELIZABETH

Come on. Even if reincarnation was real, how would she know? 

LYNNE

She says she'll know. I believe her.  But they better make it soon.   Last year we nearly lost her to a stroke. 

ELIZABETH

I think I saw her on my way here.  She gave me the shivers.

LYNNE

She's a strong lady.

LYNNE

(Holding up the empty beer bottle) 

Another?

ELIZABETH

(Still looking out the window)

Please.   

Lynne returns to the kitchen. Elizabeth looks at the backyard. It transforms into the original estate.   RACHAEL RAMSDELL APPEARS. The distance between Elizabeth and Rachael vanishes.  Elizabeth becomes transfixed.

LYNNE

(Carrying two more beers)

What's the matter?

Lynne sees Elizabeth transforms into Sara Jane. She drops the bottles. Elizabeth becomes herself.

ELIZABETH

(nervously)

I should go.

LYNNE

I'll walk with you. 

 

 

Scene 27  Breakdown

        -

        INT. LYNNE'S LIVING ROOM: NIGHT

Character

 

    * Elizabeth

    * Lynne

    * Rachael

 

Special FX

 

    * The distance between Rachael and Elizabeth collapses on itself until the women are standing face to face.

    * Backyard transforms into front of Ramsdell house

 

Props

 

    * Beer

 

Set Dressing

 

    * Books

    * Computer printer

    * Fax machine

    * Family pictures

    * Rocking chair

    * Living room furniture

    * Shelves

    * Virgin Mary statue

    * Radio

    * Television

    * Magazines

    * Knitting

 

Greenery

 

    * Grass, trees, shrubs, garden

 

Sound

 

    * Radio playing

 

Location

 

    * Lynne's House

    * Original Ramsdell estate

    * Living room night

 

Wardrobe

 

    * DAY ONE

 

Optical FX

 

    * Elizabeth transforms into Sara Jane

 

In both examples, the scenes have been broken down into their individual elements.  This information will be used to prepare the spreadsheet that will determine the number of shoot days that will be needed to produce Never Can Say Good-bye.

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Dealing with Grief

Please join Chris and Gene McMurray for episode 5 of their podcast “We’re An Open Book”.  In this episode, they discuss how grief and stress can not only affect holidays but also day-to-day living.  They openly discuss how addiction affected and drastically ended their marriage and how they separately moved on and healed their own lives.

Join us on May 25th at 1pmET/10amPT and then in #podcast anytime. Please be sure to follow Chris on Facebook and get your copy of Live, Laugh, Fly on Amazon. All the proceeds from the sale of the book go to Children's Cancer Research!

This episode's online sponsors are the makers of Sesame Street bringing you their newest spinoff, MECHA BUILDERS starring #Elmo, #CookieMonster, and #AbbyCadabby! Join these OLD friends on NEW adventures as superheroes in training! There is no problem too big or too small for the #MechaBuilders to solve. Don't miss the New Show Weekdays at 8am on #Cartoonito and now Streaming on #HBOMax!

Connect with Word of Mom on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and email us at info.wordofmomradio@gmail.com for more info.

Word of Mom Radio - sharing the wisdom of women, in business and in life.

Episode 5 of We're An Open Book with Christina and Gene McMurray on WoMRadio: Dealing with grief and stress not only affects the holidays, but it affects your day to day life, too!

Dark Comedy reflects back consequences of discrimination

 

Kaleidoscope Film and Television announces the development of the dark-comedy feature film, Completely Loyal to Me. Set in the 1950s, it depicts a time when people had to hide who they were to be accepted and safe. But that wasn't easy. McCarthyism made it difficult to keep secrets Neighbors spying on each other became the norm. Those who were different, even in private, were ostracized, especially women and the LBGTQ community.

More than just a dark comedy, Completely Loyal to Me will take the audiences on a wild ride of plot twists and turns which will end in a very unexpected place. As in Family Plot and Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf, the two couples plot and scheme only to learn that even the best-laid plans can still go awry, especially when the person they believe to be an ally has an agenda of his own. Much like the surprise endings of Deathtrap and Honey Pot, the audience will be kept guessing until the final moment when the double doors close. Unlike most in the genre, greed is only a façade. The true motivations are revenge for a love unjustly stolen and societal pressures, which force people to conform.

Margaret and George were a team, who used their considerable charms to romance others out of their fortunes. Margaret marries Samuel to inherit his millions only to learn after his “untimely” death that the terms of his will have bound her to the estate and Samuel's manservant, William James. Changing their strategy, Margaret and George married. Instead of traveling the world to find new marks, they use the mansion to lure. them into their web. William James reluctantly agrees to help. When he meets Lennetta and Gary, William James realized that he has found who he had been seeking. Manipulating the meeting of the couples, he moves forward with each believing that he is their ally. It is only when their cons come to fruition that they realize he has another agenda.

Filmed in the Sacramento California area, Completely Loyal to Me will entertain, but it will also act as a reminder of the consequences of discrimination. By holding up a mirror and reflecting the true image of the decade, Completely Loyal to Me will help prevent those behaviors from once again becoming the norm. Currently, the production team is looking for funding to produce and distribute Completely Loyal to Me.

Kaleidoscope Film and Television is a new film and television production studio that will be producing projects based on age, gender, and ethnic diversity. It will be breaking stereotypes in front of and behind the cameras, especially for women, Native Americans, and veterans. To be located in Oklahoma, KFAT will be making full use of the film and business incentives the state has to offer.

Its creator and motivating force, Theresa Chaze started working in film and television in the mid-1980s at a small independent TV station. Moving to Traverse City, she worked at an ABC affiliate as a writer, producer, editor, and director. In the early 1990s, she was hired as a ghostwriter for two feature films and two shorts. Additionally, she worked on several independent films as part of the crew and as a producer. On the third project, she learned things about the production team that forced her to walk away from the industry. About ten years ago, she started the slow journey back only to find that starting a career as a writer and producer is easier than restarting one.

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Networking vs Connecting: Do you know the important differences?

  

Many people mistakenly use networking and connecting as interchangeable terms.  Although they have similar qualities and goals, they are very different.  Networking is “the process or action of interacting with others to exchange information and developing professional or social contacts” while connecting is defined as “joining or linking things together, especially as to provide access and communication”.  Both involve the interaction between individuals, yet the means and methods of each radically differ.

Networking is indiscriminately reaching out either in person or virtually. It could be best described as casting a net or creating a spiderweb to randomly catch whoever or whatever happens to be around. The message stays the same without regard to who or how it’s presented.  Little is known about the receiver. It’s nothing more than a cold call.    Although people chose to sign up for networking events, they are little more than group cold calls.  Little is known about the others beforehand; by the end of the event, not much has changed.  Everyone is scrambling to meet as many people as possible in hope that they will find who and what they need.  Most collect business cards, hoping that one or two can be developed into leads.  However, with time restraints, very few interactions develop into business relationships.

Connecting events can be best described as introductions done by a friend or associate.     They are more like connecting the dots rather than cold calls.  They are smaller and more personalized with the connector acting as a bridge between the attendees.  Unlike with cold calls, the connector knows everyone and what they need.   It gives her or him the ability to smooth out the awkward moments both at the introduction but also when it comes to asking for what is needed.  As an intermediary, she or he crafts the message according to whom it is being pitched.  One approach may be very successful with one person while crashing and burning with another.  A connector’s knowledge, connections, and interpersonal skills are what give her or him the ability to develop relationships and make introductions that positively fulfill her clients’ needs.

The Master Catalytic Connector, Rochelle Arjmand has these skills.  Before making the introductions, Arjmand helps prepare her clients for the meeting.  It is only after the paperwork has been fully vetted and the client prepped will the introductions be made.  By helping her clients know what to expect in advance and properly prep them, Arjmand has been able to give her clients the confidence they need to project a strong and professional image.  It puts everyone at ease and helps lead to a positive outcome.

Rochelle Arjmand’s exclusive client list includes those from the entertainment industry, finance, advertising, and publishing.  What they have in common is that they make a positive difference in the world.  She is currently accepting clients.  Her services require a monthly retainer.  To learn more about how she can help you visit her website and book an introductory meeting.

Website

Five Tips to Successfully Networking and Connecting

Networking remains an essential element in all marketing and promotional campaigns. Without this ever-expanding web, individuals, companies, and organizations will become stagnant. However, without developing a proper strategy, it's like throwing spaghetti against the wall and seeing what sticks. It wastes time and energy. In many cases, it's counter-productive. However, following the five rules of connecting will turn networking events into positive experiences that generate leads instead of just a stack of business cards.

Get to know the others as people first. Whether the person is a potential customer, employer, or colleague, she or he exists outside work. Focusing solely on business makes for limited and awkward conversations.

Find common ground. Sharing what you are passionate about both in work and in your life adds dimension to the conversations. Finding the balance between over-sharing and being a walking-talking resume will build relationships that last.

Help without expectation. The help we receive back isn't always returned by the same people we assisted. However, if see our support of others as balloons we release rather than a debt to be repaid, we find that who and what we need finds us in unexpected ways.

Accept help when it is offered. No matter how strong, talented, or innovative we are, there will be times and situations in which we will need help. It doesn't make you a lesser person, but one who is wise enough to know that life sometimes has limitations that need to be respected. Not everyone is perfect at everything or sometimes life throws a curveball at us that we need help catching.

Be true to your word. If you can, do. If you can't, say so. If the situation changes, be straightforward and honest about status modification. Most people would rather know ahead of time, rather than be shocked or disappointed later.

Network or connecting events can be best described as a very elaborate and complicated piece of machinery. When the gears are aligned and balanced, the machine produces amazing results. However, when the gears go out of sync or are placed incorrectly, the machine loses its ability to function. Each person that attends the event is a gear. How they interact with the other members will determine how much benefit they will receive by attending.

Website

https://catalyticconnections.com/

New Wrinkle on an Old con

Several months ago, I was approached on Linked In by a woman, who represented an investment company. As their representative, she wanted to know more about Kaleidoscope Film and Television. I sent her the information she requested. She loved the concept of producing projects based on age, gender, and ethnic diversity. Having a background in film production, she saw the value of financially backing a studio as opposed to individual projects.

The talks rapidly progressed. However, with each meeting, the topic shifted away from Kaleidoscope Film and Television to become more about their sustainable communities project. Each time, they focused on how intertwining the projects would give both added value. I would redirect the conversation back to the studio, but they always seem to find a way to intertwine the topics. At the end of the conversations, I would ask their level of interest in investing in Kaleidoscope. They always claimed to be interested and the negotiations continued.

Their sustainable community concept focused on hydroponics and on refurbishing existing structures to create independent healing communities. Their plans were very grandiose and rapidly expanding. They claimed to have the backing of multiple states and several other countries. On paper, their concept looked amazing. However, when you really listened to what was being said and not said, things didn't add up. The devil was definitely in the details. I started seeing red flags on the field.

Our last conversation began as the last several ones had before. However, instead of allowing the topic to be diverted, I asked straight up how much they would be investing in Kaleidoscope. Again they started to how profitable their sustainable communities will be; however, they took it a step further by claiming that combining our brands would benefit my investors. I thought I had misunderstood and asked for clarification. They wanted my other investors to support their project; after which they would invest in Kaleidoscope. At that moment, we were done.

Their scheme was a new twist on bank guarantees and money leasing. They slow-played it, saying the right things to string me along. When pushed they revealed who they were. Would I have preferred them to be real? Of course! But since I never stopped looking for investors—and never will until the check clears, I lost nothing, not even time.

US Ambassador Ross Wilson: Afghanistan Updates

  

Although the world's attention has been refocused on Russia's attack on Ukraine, there are many unanswered questions and issues concerning Afghanistan and the surrounding area. World Affairs Council of Central Illinois (WACCI) will be hosting Ambassador Ross Wilson on May 2, 2022. as he speaks about the remaining issues of the region. This free event will begin at 7 pm Central time on Zoom (https://mywacci.org/closing-chapter-in-afghanistan/)

Click here to go to WACCI's website.

Ross Wilson is an American diplomat who served five times as a US chief of mission abroad – as ambassador to Azerbaijan (2000-03) and to Turkey (2005-08) and as chargé d’affaires in Turkey (2014), Georgia (2018-19), and Afghanistan (January 2020 until the embassy’s suspension of operations on August 30, 2021). A career Foreign Service officer, Ambassador Wilson also had postings at the US embassies in Moscow (twice) and Prague and as consul general in Melbourne, Australia. Among Washington assignments, he was deputy executive secretary of the State Department; principal deputy to the ambassador-at-large and special advisor to the Secretary of State for the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union; chief US negotiator for the Free Trade Area of the Americas, and chief of staff to Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick.

From 2010 to 2014, Ambassador Wilson was director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, where he led Council work on Turkey, the former Soviet states, and regional energy and economic issues. He has held positions as a visiting lecturer in international affairs at George Washington University, Bigelow teacher-in-residence at Carleton College, chair of the Board of Directors of Global Minnesota (a World Affairs Council affiliate based in Minneapolis), chair of the Board of Governors of the Institute of Turkish Studies, and on advisory councils for the Eurasia Foundation and American Voices.

Ambassador Wilson earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota and two Masters’ Degrees from Columbia University and the US National War College. He has been recognized with the president’s Meritorious Service Award and numerous State Department awards and honors. He holds memberships in the American Academy of Diplomacy, the American Foreign Service Association, Diplomatic and Consular Officers Retired, and the Washington Institute of Foreign Affairs. The descendant of Choctaw Indians, Ambassador Wilson is an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Ambassador Wilson is married to Margo Squire, also an American Foreign Service officer, and lives near Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota.

The World Affairs Council of Central Illinois (WACCI) hosts recognized experts, who provide lectures on critical issues from a variety of viewpoints. It also sponsors an annual Great Decisions discussion forum, which provides the public with opportunities to actively engage each other in dialogue about the great foreign policy issues that confront our country. All of their programs are free and open to the public. Finally, WACCI partners with community groups, corporations, colleges, and universities to promote an interest in world affairs, especially among members of the next generation.

Ambassador Ross Wilson's website