Pre Production — DIY Filmmaking Tips

How To Do SAG-AFTA Paperwork (Part 1) - Preproduction

You’re ready to cast your film and want to hire the best you possibly can, so you’re thinking of hiring union actors! Union actors, or SAG actors, are usually more experienced and thus can offer more polished performances, which is a major up side. Plus by going union, you might have the chance to attach some known actors to your film. But on the downside, there’s lots of steps involved in hiring SAG actors, and on top of all your normal paperwork, there’s lots and lots and lots more paperwork to do. So let’s go over the various pre-production steps and paperwork you’ll need to do to hire SAG actors.

DIY Filmmaking Tips, Pre ProductionAsh BlodgettJune 16, 2021actors, sag, aftra, Pre ProductionComment

How To Run An Acting Rehearsal

A rehearsal is your chance to start shaping each scene in your film, and holding one can be extremely beneficial not only for the actors, but other crew members as well. However, there are some crucial steps in the rehearsal process, so let’s get into how you can hold a rehearsal effectively.

Pre ProductionAsh BlodgettApril 2, 2021Pre Production, rehearsalComment

How To Do A Table Read

A table read is a key step in the pre-production process, as it's the first time you'll be gathering up all of your cast and key crew members in one place. But there are some important steps you need to take in order to ensure its success. So let's go over how to set up your table read correctly and what to do once you get there.

Pre ProductionAsh BlodgettMarch 26, 2021Pre Production, table readComment

Short Film Costume Design 101

Costume design is another way for you to bring your characters to life. Costumes can also help to ground your film in reality and are often what sets an amateur and pro film apart. So let’s go over some costume design basics so you can outfit your talent like a pro.

Pre ProductionAsh BlodgettMarch 19, 2021Pre Production, wardrobe, costumes, production designComment

Filmmaking Wardrobe Kit Essentials

Let's go over some filmmaking wardrobe kit essentials! As a DIY filmmaker you're probably filling in for several roles and one of those roles is most likely wardrobe. So since you might not be a wardrobe designing pro, let's go over some of the essential tools you'll want to keep handy onset in your wardrobe kit.

Pre ProductionAsh BlodgettMarch 17, 2021Pre Production, wardrobe, costumes, production designComment

How To Location Scout For A Film

Picking the perfect location to shoot your film at can be key, but it can also be a whole undertaking on its own. There's so many things to consider, like, is there power? Or are there even bathrooms? So let's get into some tips on how to location scout for a film.

DIY Filmmaking Tips, Pre ProductionAsh BlodgettSeptember 9, 2020Pre Production, location scoutingComment

How To Cast Your Film

You've got your script locked down and you're ready to cast your film, but casting can be tricky. I mean, how do you choose one actor over another anyway? Well, I've got the answers for you. So let's go over the steps on how you can cast your film.

DIY Filmmaking Tips, Pre ProductionAsh BlodgettSeptember 1, 2020Casting, Pre ProductionComment

How To Budget A Film Production

A budget is like a living document that can change throughout the filmmaking process, but having it as both a guideline for purchases as well as a method for keeping track of expenses is a huge life saver for any filmmaker, especially if you’re self funding your film. So let’s get into how to make a budget so you can hold on to as much cash as possible.

How To Make A Lined Script

A line script can be both a lifesaver on set and in the editing room. It's usually created by a script supervisor during production, but if you're shooting with a small crew doing a line script before production can help you make sure you're getting all the coverage you need.

How To Storyboard An Indie Film

Learning how to storyboard an indie film can help you share your vision with the rest of the crew, so let's go over the fundamentals of storyboarding so you can storyboard like a pro!

Pre Production, Filmmaking DocumentsAsh BlodgettJune 6, 2020Pre ProductionComment

How To Make A Shot List For Film

Knowing how to create a shot list for film is an important step to the pre-production process. So I'll show you the ropes using my google sheets shot list template, which you can get access to by supporting me on Patreon.

Pre Production, Filmmaking DocumentsAsh BlodgettJune 6, 2020Pre ProductionComment

How To Plan Your Film Workflow

Ok you’ve written your script and you’re now ready to dive into the magical world of filmmaking, but before you do it’s super important you have a clear and defined film production workflow so that everyone involved in the process knows exactly what each step is and their order.

DIY Filmmaking Tips, Pre ProductionAsh BlodgettJune 6, 2020DIY Filmmaking Tips, Pre ProductionComment

Screenplay Formatting

Formatting your script correctly can make a big difference when shooting your film, especial since when formatted right each page should equal about a minute of screen time. So let’s go over the 9 basic elements that make up a screenplay and how you should format them.

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