Plan and run a shoot

6 min read

A slide-by-slide structure for a short film pitch deck: what goes on each slide, a worked example, how long it should be and the mistakes that sink decks.

Word or Google Docs · free preview

A two-column AV script template for films and corporate videos, with picture and sound cues, timings and the mistakes that cost an edit.

Word or Google Docs · free preview

A film treatment template with the sections to write, in order, plus a step-by-step method, a worked example and the mistakes that make producers stop reading.

6 min read

Studio or location? A working studio owner's test for when control wins, when a real place wins, what each day really costs and when to use both.

Word or Google Docs · free preview

A casting breakdown template for UK productions: what each role needs, how to set dates and pay, and the mistakes that bring in the wrong actors.

PDF, 3 pages · free preview

A location recce checklist covering permission, access, power, light, sound and safety, with a worked example and the mistakes that cost a shoot its day.

Excel or Google Sheets · free preview

A UK call sheet template with call times, location, nearest A&E, forecast and scenes, and how to issue one that the whole crew reads.

Word or Google Docs · free preview

A crew deal memo template for UK productions, with the terms to cover, the employment status check to make first and a worked example.

Excel or Google Sheets · free preview

A daily production report template for a film or video shoot, with the fields to complete, who fills them in and the errors that cause trouble the next morning.

Excel or Google Sheets · free preview

A UK production budget top sheet: how to total each department, show VAT and contingency, and check the total against the detailed budget.

Excel or Google Sheets · free preview

How to build a shooting schedule and stripboard for a UK shoot, grouping scenes by location and cast so the day runs with fewer moves.

Excel or Google Sheets · free preview

A line-by-line UK short film budget layout with the 10% contingency, access and delivery lines, and the figures funders look for first.

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How to draw a top-down blocking diagram of a studio set, with the actors, camera and lights to scale, before the crew arrives and the day starts.

Explainer film

What coverage means on a film set, what a master, singles, two-shots and inserts each do, and how to plan the shots so the scene can be cut without jumps.

2 min read

How the 1st assistant director runs a film set, the common calls you will hear, and the floor etiquette that keeps a set quiet, safe and on time.

Excel or Google Sheets · free preview

A shot list and storyboard template for brand and agency shoots, with the order to fill them in and the mistakes that waste a shoot day.

Excel or Google Sheets · free preview

A shot list template with the columns crews use on the day, a worked example for one scene, and the mistakes that waste time at the camera.

PDF, 10 pages · free preview

Free storyboard sheets in three frame shapes, with a method for drawing panels a crew can shoot from and the mistakes that make boards useless on set.

PDF, 2 pages · free preview

The radio phrases used on UK film and TV sets, what each means and how to use them, with a one-page PDF cheat sheet to print and keep.

Excel or Google Sheets · free preview

A continuity log template for film and video: the fields a script supervisor fills in for each take, a worked example and the mistakes that cause reshoots.

Excel or Google Sheets · free preview

A script supervisor's daily report template: what to record for each scene and take, how to fill it in on the day, and the errors editors hate.

4 min read

How a band is recorded live to multitrack audio and multiple cameras: input list, desk to computer, sync, levels and a day plan you can use.

4 min read

How to fit a performance music video into a ten-hour studio day: passes, looks, haze, colour and playback, with real prices from our barn near Chichester.

Filed under Be good on camera and on stage

Time a talk, voiceover or film script from its word count and your own words per minute, and build 10, 20, 30 and 40 minute versions that fit the slot.

Filed under Crew roles and careers

Twenty practical set etiquette rules for a first day on a film or TV shoot, covering phones, silence, food, props, safety and being useful.

Filed under Rules, rights and safety

What a UK location release must cover, step by step, with a worked example and the common mistakes that leave a shoot without permission on the day.