• Individual Projects: The Brief

  It is now time to choose which of your three ideas you will work on for the remainder of the semester. You may want to consider the feedback you got from your pitch. 

  PLEASE MAKE SURE TO READ THE PITCHES AND PROVIDE CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK!

  Consider the twin dangers of "scale" (choosing something either too big or to small) and "viability" (referring to the real-world chances of getting your project made.)   

  Our goal is that the project you undertake will be fully planned and laid out by the end of this course and that you will be ready to pitch it or start production as of June 1, 2010.

  Weigh your decision carefully. Choose a project you are really interested in; you may want to build off something you have already done, or something you are currently involved with. It is probably not a good idea to choose a project that for which you have already developed a proposal or parts of the production plan; you should really start with a relatively clean slate to determine how the process we'll be using works for you. At the conclusion of the course, you may want to develop your own variations on the process, and that is best done if you have started anew.

  The assignment at hand, The Brief, is your first attempt to frame the overall project. We do not anticipate that you will be able to fill in all the sections fully. Drafting the brief is the step in the process dring which you will discover what you know and - more importantly -- what you don't know about your project.

  Please maintain the section titles (in italics) as you fill in the template. This will make it easier for your instructors and peer readers to follow it.  When you come to developing a funding proposal later in the semester, such categories can be disregarded.  The funding proposal will have additional topics and concerns to address.

  Please post your completed brief on the Project Briefs discussion forum. Once the briefs have been posted, students who have similar projects should form smaller groups who will work together, reviewing and commenting on each other's projects for the rest of the semester. We'll create a place for this in the "Groups" area -- so read the briefs and then let me know via email which one you would feel most comfortable with as well as a second choice. We'll try to organize this somewhat intelligently. Wherever you end up, please take this assignment seriously; your feedback to your classmates, and theirs to you, are valuable "reality checks" as you proceed with this project.

  Use this template for your brief. Please be sure to read the rest of the assignment for hints and tips on what is expected. Completed templates should be submitted by 16 February 2012.

   

  PROJECT BRIEF TEMPLATE

  (This should be no longer than two pages)

  Title :

  Always give your piece a short, catchy title.  Naming is often a key element in selling the pitch.   

  Log Line :  (aka "Tag Line or "Blurb?)  

  Producer :  

  Your name here.  

  Narrative Summary :  

  A simple description of what the project is about. Place it into a category of media types and genres.  Eliminate all self-promoting adjectives. Just say what it is. Limit to 2 sentences, max.

  Intent :  

  What is the goal that you are attempting to achieve? What is the take-away you hope your production will engender in those who see it.

  Audience :  

  Identify as specifically as you can your primary audience. Don't say "general" audience, even if you are hoping that everyone in the world will want to watch it. Tell us the primary audience you are aiming for.

  Structure:  

  Identify in very broad strokes the large parts of your project. If it is a narrative, describe the act structure or, at least, the opening, the story development and the ending.  If your project is documentary or discursive, describe the 4 to 6 major subjects or sections.

  Approach:

  Prove detail about any special treatment you foresee. For the visual realm, this might include sources of footage/materials, types of interaction, special effects, shooting techniques, significant art production and art direction. For the audio realm, you might want to comment on music, voice over or other elements.

  Miscellaneous:

  Please invent other categories to this brief, as you see fit. What distinguishes your concept from projects that might seem like it?  Consider…. key on-screen talent … source materials proved in other media forms… audience research… technological breakthroughs… etc.

   

  Project Brief Writing Tips:  

  1. In terms of written style, bulleted points or an outline work as well as (or better than) prose. This brief ought to be readable in 5 minutes or less.  Remember, you are providing just a snapshot of the overall project.

  2. Avoid using too many adjectives, especially ones that describe the quality or effect of the project you are pitching.

  3. Its often useful to highlight a key words or phrases.  This helps your reader skim through the treatment.  And such key phrases assist you in simplifying the movie into beats around which you can focus your creative work.

  4.  Leave lots of white space. You can reduce margins or you can use smaller type fonts if you need, but you should not go beyond the equivalent of two printed pages.

  We'd like each of you to comment on the single area of the project you feel represents the greatest challenge.

  Again, we do not expect you to be able complete all the categories in the assessment at this time. Think of what you turn in next class as the initial draft of a work-in-progress that you will be refining in weeks ahead.  

  Where you do not yet have information, make the best guess that you can. Over the course of the semester our curriculum is designed to methodically work through the information requested in all the categories probed here. Hence one useful goal in this assignment is for you to gauge which dimensions of the project are foggiest. Those are the ones that you must attack with special gusto.

  The first and biggest value of this assessment comes in helping you confirm that your choice of projects is a good one. Sit back and try to take measure of whether your project fits well with your time and energies in the 13 weeks ahead.
• 

  Dossiers: Defining Scope & Setting up Categories

  We are a bit behind my intended schedule for the dossiers, but not to worry.  This week, we will finalize the group assignments. Then, tthe groups should begin to determine how to define the scope of their research and refine their approach.  It is almost always necessary to delimit in some way the large swath of media industry each team has selected.

  Each group should finalize the scope of the project and complete the Domain Definition section of their wiki so that research can begin in earnest. You might also want to begin jotting down thoughts and ideas for some of the other categories, and begin to organize your wiki into separate pages to accommodate the material you will be gathering.

• Writing and Scripting for Producers

  Writing & Scripting

     I suppose if you weigh the pages that have been devoted to writing about scriptwriting, they would weigh far more than the pages that have actually been devoted to scripts. Everybody has an opinion and, being writers, they express them in as many words as possible. Not only does everyone have an opinion but, in the tradition of Talmudic scholarship that seems to be the foundation for writing about writing, they rarely agree with each other. And, even if they do, they take a long time getting around to it. So, we are entering the fray, with trepidation and fear, but we march stalwartly ahead into the smoke and mirrors of the world of writing for the screen.

     This week, we look at writing, which is the basis for everything that we do as producers. In addition to my contribution to the confusion that follows, I would like you to read an article by Marilyn Horowitz, a writing coach and teacher who was kind enough to address our class in the past. She has also provided a workbook for scriptwriters. Marilyn’s approach is aimed squarely at narrative scriptwriting; she does not discuss non-fiction writing.  However, there is a detailed look at approaches to the non-fiction script and treatment in the verbiage that follows.

     In addition to that, please find a PowerPoint presentation in which I review some other approaches to scriptwriting and storyboarding. There are no lecture notes for this presentation, which is pretty much self-explanatory. And, of course, we will post a video of this week’s class for reference and amusement.

     You can’t do much production planning until you have a strong sense of what you will need to shoot. So, regardless of the ultimate form of the script, it must first serve as the basis for the “breakdown” of the production into scenes, locations, subjects or actors, and other elements. The script or treatment must provide the producer the information necessary to estimate the number of shooting days, sets, studios or locations, crew and equipment, costumes and props, talent, transportation, etc.

     The script or treatment doesn’t need to be finalized in order for the producer to proceed with his or her job. But, before anything much can be accomplished, writing must be well underway so that you can figure out what resources are going to be required.

  The Elements of Storytelling

  As you are committing your story to paper, it may be useful to review classic dramatic structure. There are many variants, but, ultimately, almost any narrative project will follow this basic structure. Without sounding too obvious, a formal dramatic structure does not necessarily apply to documentaries, but many of these elements can be found (or should be found) in non-fiction endeavors.

  • SET-UP
  • • establish the “world” of your story
    • identify your protagonist (who is he/she, what does the character want?
    • learn the protagonist’s “plan” (How will the character get what he/she wants?)
      
  • OBSTACLES
  • • meet the antagonist (who and why)
    • see how the protagonist’s plan can be thwarted
      
  • COMPLICATION /REVERSION
  • • protagonist’s response to obstacles
    • introduction of new plan
      
  • CRISIS & CLIMAX
  • • protagonist/antagonist confrontation
    • Outcome for protagonist (win or lose – what is learned?)
      
  • RESOLUTION
  • • dénouement

  What is the Writer’s Palette?

  A producer need not be a writer but, at a minimum, a producer must be able to tell good writing from bad. You should understand the writer’s craft well enough to recognize the different stages that a script must go through before it is “finished.”  Your conceptual skills must include a nuanced vocabulary that will help you speak clearly to your writer(s). Think of the writer as a painter who has deft skills at mixing endless combinations of the primary colors he or she has squeezed onto the palette. What are those colors?

  • CHARACTER
  • • who is antagonist and who is protagonist?
    • what are most incisive elements of each character?
    • • significant details:
      • • costume & props
        • language or speaking voice
        • physical attributes & defects
      • character triangles can be useful
  • • consider character “arc” – starts one place and ends in another
  • VOICE (of script, not of characters)
  • • Is the story told by:
    • • omniscient observer (story seen in now)
      • dramatic first person account (VO or sync-to-camera)
      • voice of filmmaker (narrator VO)
      • voice of reporter (or off-camera producer)
      • “unreliable” reporter (participant or actor)
      • conventions of TV news & docs (“ objective” POV in theory if not fact)
    • What is your native “ voice” as a producer?
    • comedy or drama?
    • reality or fantasy?
    • “art directed” or gritty realism?
    • theme driven or indirect/elliptical?
    • sympathetic or neutral or unsympathetic?
    • happy & optimistic or troubled & skeptical?
    • Your “voice” will reflect, in large part, your personality and approach to life.
  •  PLACE & LOOK
  • • ambience gives overtones (menace, pastoral, edgy, modern, hip, cheesy)
    • How important will your cinematography be? Is there a look you are after?
    • Are you using visual symbols or motifs to communicate meaning?
  • THEME
  • • underlying idea that audience can sense or consciously apprehend
    • extended metaphors (parables)
    • there can be big satisfaction via a “ take-away” insight/idea
  • DIALOGUE
  • • in scripted narrative, every line should advance the action or the story
    • consider vocabulary and vernacular to express class, education, occupation, origins 
  • TIME STRUCTURE
  • • flash back
    • slow-motion/compressed time
    • period piece
    • “real” time (like 24)
    • linear narrative
  • UNFOLDING STORIES
  • • unfolding action = watch; don’t tell.

  There are many styles of writing. At different times you may find that one of these is most appropriate:
  

  • academic
  • discursive
  • colloquial
  • technical
  • sales/advertising
  • bulleted, PowerPoint style

     It is perhaps ironic that academic writing, the style in which you have had the most training and experience, is the one writing style that you will rarely if ever use once you have departed these hallowed ivy-covered halls, although it can come in handy for nonfiction projects on academic, scientific or technical subjects.

     As a producer, you should be sensitive to the fact that individual writers will have strengths and weaknesses. You will need to appreciate the elements of the writer’s craft to precisely identify script “problems” or missing elements. More often than not, the missing elements are one of the primary elements in the writer’s palette discussed above.

     As the producer, whether you want to be or not, you are almost always part of the writing team. The producer gets enough credit as it is, so I recommend you never ask or take screen credit for writing, even though you may have made as large a contribution as any writer (unless you are a writer-producer who is the main creator of the script). Like all the “rules” of producing, this is not carved in stone so much as etched in plasticine, and, particularly on smaller scale non-fiction or documentary projects, the writer and producer may well be one and the same person.  Toward your goal of producing well, become aware of your own writing strengths and weaknesses.

  Five Writing Formats

  The ScreenplayThere is one established format for TV and film scripts (with small variations between episodic TV and feature film). To find out about the general format requirements, read the delightful and accurate template prepared Lydia Antonini, by a graduate of the Media Studies program, entitled “Standard Screenplay Template: The Rulz.” As you will see, she is something of an expert on the subject of proper formatting for the screenplay standard that is used in both TV and feature films. Read this document with care. Thanks to Lydia for these detailed and engaging notes. If you use Microsoft Word, you can search their free online template library for “script” or “ screenplay” to obtain stylesheets that you can use to format your document. If you’re collaborating with someone using GoogleDocs, there are a few templates available. Search “script” to locate them, since they change often. Not all of them will be useful to you, but I have found a few that work in a recent search.

  Other templates are available from:

  Scriptsmart MSWord templates from the BBC
  Snoozeletter MSWord 2002 + 97 + 2007 templates
  OpenOffice.org 2.x/3.x Screenwright(R) screenplay formatting template (FREE!)

  Screenplay formatting/writing software (some free) is available from:
  Final Draft Screenwriting software
  Movie Magic Screenwriter
  Movie Outline Scriptwriting Software
  Montage Screenwriting Software
  Writer's Cafe
  Celtx screenwriting software (FREE!)
  Wikimedia screenplay extension
  Cinergy Script Editor (FREE!)
  Plotbot Online Script Editor (FREE!)
  Zhura - Features online collaboration. (FREE!)
  http://scripped.com/

  http://www.scriptbuddy.com/

  http://www.page2stage.com/

  http://www.fivesprockets.com/fs-portal/
  

  Reviews and links:

  http://www.online-communicator.com/swsoftin.html
  

  I won’t vouch for everything here. Final Draft and Movie Magic are industry standards. The Celtx system is an online collaborative system that also includes scheduling and budgeting, sort of a specialized wiki environment for filmmaking. I’� � � � � � ve seen the Cinergy script editor and it is good as well. A lot of the free stuff works on Windows and is not available for Mac. Open Office.org is a free office productivity suite that runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux. It is full-featured, and read and writes Word format files, and can use those templates. Whatever you use is up to you.

  
  
  

  The Beat Outline (narrative treatment)It can take months or even years to write and polish the screenplay for a feature film. Teams of seasoned Hollywood sit-com writers need weeks to hammer out the screenplay for a half-hour series that already has established characters and a show formula that is formalized in a “bible.” So it’s a bit unrealistic for those of you who are working on an original narrative project to think that you will have a completed draft of your script done within the first 5 or 6 weeks of the semester. (Unless, of course, you are using a script that you have already been working on for some time.) However, it is possible to write a “ treatment” or “beat outline” that gives enough detail about the story so that, as a producer, you will be able to figure out how to make it (particularly, how to build a schedule and budget.)

  The StoryboardThere are some kinds of writing/designing tasks that do not lend themselves to spoken words or written words either. They require a more precisely detailed kind of visual notation. This is the “storyboard,” of which there are many varieties ranging from extremely complex and detailed to extremely informal and simple. Television commercials are traditionally storyboarded because the visual elements are so essential to the message. Animation, graphic, and special effect sequences are also best expressed in a storyboard. Some examples of storyboards can be found in the Writing & Scripting folder in the Resources section of Blackboard.

  The BibleIn episodic television in particular, there is a huge store of background with which a writer must be familiar before starting to script an episode. Producers (usually the show runner) -- along other members of production teams – usually develop a set of definitive notes about a broad range of elements related to a show: character notes, art direction, production technique and much, much more.

  The Treatment (for documentaries)While the tradition of “scripted” documentaries goes all the way back to Flaherty, contemporary documentary films are rarely, if ever, scripted in the same way as a narrative. Almost by definition, it is impossible to know the story that will be told until after it has been captured onto stills, film or videotape. Other forms of non-fiction filmmaking, particularly educational, scientific, or industrial, are often scripted in advance of production. With that in mind, it can be useful to look at the process of writing a documentary concept as requiring two phases.

  • Research and Positioning Phase
  • • kinds of research (5)
    • • competitive analysis;
      • quantitative metrics (the ratings, the budget, the sponsorship interest)
      • informal polling people in the field
      • citation of hard data from professional organizations, government, etc. (cite your source)
      • content research
      • • written materials
        • subject matter experts
        • fact checking
    • ways to do research:

  • • web scouring
    • meeting with industry insiders/experts
    • libraries & repositories.
      

  • Segment Treatment / Pre-Production Phase

  • write overall positioning statement
  • • “goals”
    • “intent”
    • “theme”
  • break into “segments”
  • estimate duration of each segment
  • consider choices of formatting devices
  • • hosts,
    • reporters
    • blind VO,
    • screen graphics

     Non-fiction projects are inherently difficult to script or even accurately anticipate. After all, much of the magic comes as things unfold during the production. Yet, a producer needs to plan a documentary to schedule, budget it, and sell it. Therefore, the producer needs some sense of what kinds of sequences will be shot and an idea of how these will fit together in the final project. Usually, this begins to come together during the research phase, although it will inevitably continue to evolve throughout the course of the production.

     A “treatment” is the document that maps a documentary/reality based production before it is actually recorded on film or tape (or disc or chip). There is no single standard format for treatments, such as there is for theatrical screenplays. Depending on the style of production, a treatment might include “ scripted” elements like the on-camera comments of a host, or voice-over narration. Or, you may be planning a classic “cinema verité” production where the entire story is told without comment from the filmmaker. Whatever the style of the production will be, the heart of a good treatment comes in the form of discrete “scene” descriptions.

     Scenes or sequences in non-fiction can not be fleshed out in the same way as those in a narrative. You may only know some part of what is going to be recorded – perhaps a person to be interviewed, or an event, or simply a location. But, even if you are working in the “cinema verité” style, a documentary producer should have some vision for where the project will go, and a sense of what elements will be needed to tell the story. That compelling sense or vision, along with your rationale for exploring the subject, should be clearly expressed in the treatment, with the understanding that it is likely to be revised as production progresses

     Here is a template designed to help you break out the essentials of each segment you intent to undertake. Remember, though, that your treatment should express your overarching vision, the main themes you wish to touch, and the reason that you find the story worthy of exploration. The sequence or scene descriptions outlined below are part of the process, but should not be the sole component of your treatment. They are, however, essential for the rest of the producer’s work – scheduling, budgeting, and working out the logistics of the production.

     With that understood, go ahead and start thinking about the way your non-fiction story will unfold. The notes in blue are just guides and you should not copy these into your project’s scene-by-scene breakout.

  1. SCENE #: (This is a useful shorthand ID for scheduling and budgeting.)
     
  2. SCENE NAME: (a name or title for each scene is a big help in planning and editing)
     
  3. LOCATION:(include a very short description of place you will be shooting)
     
  4. LENGTH: (this is estimated length when scene cut and positioned in production)
     
  5. ACTION: (describe basic activity taking place in front of the camera. If you have too many interviews, look for additional scenes that “show” the information/emotion you which to convey.)
     
  6. CONTENT: (list for yourself elements of intellectual fare being covered in this scene)
     
  7. DIRECTION: (optional, depending on your need)
     (notes for director. How you want to cover the scene. This could include lighting information, or explain how you plan to use multiple cameras, or give guidance on another important production element that will shape the scene. These notes would be particularly important in, say, a music documentary which includes large performance scenes.)
  8. CAST: (optional, depending on your need)
     (who is in the scene? Maybe notes about scheduling or logistics required to make sure this “talent” is there when the cameras start shooting, and knows what is expected.) 

  Early in the process of researching and pre-visualizing a documentary project, you will most likely have only some part of the information you will eventually need. Perhaps you can identify a subject you wish to interview and know what you want to talk about, but don’t yet know the location. In such a case, leave the location blank for it will remind you that, before you shoot, you will need to find out (or, better, to scout) the place where you will be shooting the interview.
  

  Try to fill out the first 5 topics for every single scene (“ sequence”) in your project. Then add up the times to see if you are close to the length you need. Of course you will always want to produce more scenes than you can use in the final project. During the editing process, you will inevitably eliminate or combine scenes in ways you could not have anticipated. But you want to be sure you have enough material for your show, and that there is contrast and variety between scenes.

  Here are some specialized kinds of scenes that you may choose to work into your treatment. Each will require a variation of the information above.

  SHOW OPENING TITLES(Show titles should be short – around 20 sec – and often involve sophisticated motion graphics)

  END CREDITS(Keep them short. On TV, networks often start running promos for the next show while your end credits are running. Do not overproduce these.)

  GRAPHICS SCENES(where you may want to use tables, charts, animation, titles, etc.)

  ARCHIVAL STILLS OR FOOTAGE SEQUENCES(Yes, I know that Ken Burns has done these to death and iMovie does them automatically, but they can still some in handy. You can often find existing photographs or even existing video/film footage that can be built into a scene themselves or used within other scenes (for example, during interviews). The pacing and visual style of such montages is often a useful contrast to other kinds of shooting in the project.)

  MAN ON THE STREET INTERVIEWS (aka “VOX POP”) (not as easy to get what you want as you may think.)

  HOST SCENES(Many documentaries don’t have hosts, of course. But some will, and it helps to maintain continuity between segments in a magazine format.)

  BREAKS TO COMMERCIALS(If you’re making the show for cable or broadcast, you can anticipate the act structures in your treatment. In a TV half hour, there can be either a 3 act (2 breaks for commercials) or 3 act formats, depending on the channel. Helpful to make a stab at where these will occur because you may want to create…)

  BUMPERS - both in and out of commercial breaks
  (An “out” bumper could be a “coming up” preview to hold viewers over the break. An “ in” bumper might just be the show title card and musical sting)

  COLD OPENS(Many documentaries as well as narrative shows will begin with a sampling of action/emotion from the show that follows. This takes place before the Show Open and is designed to lure viewers with a promise of what is ahead.)
• 

  Software

  Attached Files:	ScriptMaker2.02.ZIP (3.399 MB)  ScreenForge.zip (173.392 KB)

  Here are two free scriptwriting programs: ScreenForge and ScriptMaker. Unfortunatel, they only run on Windows. If anyone knows of a good Mac freeware script processor, please email Andy and I'll post it here
• 

  Writing a Treatment

  Attached Files:	MarilynTreatmentArticle_v4A.pdf (81.845 KB)  Writing a Treatment WORKBOOK.pdf (138.488 KB)

  Marilyn Horowitz is a well-known script doctor and teacher of screenwriting in New York. She was kind enough to visit our class a few years ago, and provided this article and workbook on writing a narrative treatment. While this material is primarily aimed at those who are creating fictional narratives, it is certainly worthwhile for students who are planning non-fiction projects, or even websites or events.
• 

  Story Structure & Scripting

  Attached Files:	Story _Structure_Scripting.ppsx (1.171 MB)

  This is a copy of the PowerPoint presentation that we used for the class lecture.
• 

  More Guides and References

  Attached Files:	screenplay_formatting.pdf (2.294 MB)  Video_Script_Format.pdf (2.679 KB)  Storyboard_Rundown_Sheet.doc (22 KB)  VideoScriptForm.pdf (9.857 KB)  Story_Board.doc (35.5 KB)  Screenplay Format Example.pdf (62.64 KB)  Storyboard Example.pdf (3.912 MB)  Script_Two_Column.DOC (49 KB)  Storyboard_Form.pdf (11.328 KB)  witness_feature_beat_outline.pdf (467.014 KB)

  Here's the place for additional guides and reference material about scriptwriting and formatting. There are some examples here, templates for Word, storyboard forms, and much more. Hope this stuff helps.
• 

  More Guides and References

  Attached Files:	screenplay_formatting.pdf (2.294 MB)  Video_Script_Format.pdf (2.679 KB)  Storyboard_Rundown_Sheet.doc (22 KB)  VideoScriptForm.pdf (9.857 KB)  Story_Board.doc (35.5 KB)  Screenplay Format Example.pdf (62.64 KB)  Storyboard Example.pdf (3.912 MB)  Script_Two_Column.DOC (49 KB)  Storyboard_Form.pdf (11.328 KB)  witness_feature_beat_outline.pdf (467.014 KB)

  Here's the place for additional guides and reference material about scriptwriting and formatting. There are some examples here, templates for Word, storyboard forms, and much more. Hope this stuff helps.

• Project : Scripting/Treatments (Beat Outline )

  We suggest that you review notes from the talk on "Writing & Scripting.” This document describes 5 formats that offer different ways to approach writing your project. It is essential that you begin this task immediately, for much of your work of producing your project requires that you have enough detail about what you plan to shoot to be able to develop concrete production plans. 

  The 5 formats that were described include:

  •  Screenplay
  • Beat Outline
  • Treatment
  • Storyboards
  • Bible

  These are formats that work well for traditional linear fiction or non-fiction media forms. If you are planning an interactive or non-linear form like a website, a video game, or a project that will be distributed on wireless, these formats may be limiting or even useless. Even if you are thinking of a project within one of the traditional linear forms, these formats may not quite work for you. Therefore, if none of these formats works for the project you have in mind, then feel free to invent a hybrid format, or even an original format of your own as you put to paper the details about your project.

  Whatever the final outcome you envision, the assignment for this week is to see how far you can take writing process in two weeks (2/24).  We want to help you jump start the writing process. Towards that end please develop a Beat Outline for your project. This consists of a simple listing of the major chunks of your project (lets not identify them yet as segments or scenes).Check out the PDF of the beat outline for the feature film Witness for an idea of the form of a beat outline.

  This may be a difficult task. We are less interested in how completely you can envision the finished project than in forcing you to start sketching the component parts and overall structure and of the project you are undertaking. We believe it will help to give specific names and assign tentative lengths to each segment. However, we realize that may not be possible at this point.

  Please post your beat outline to the discussion “Beat Outlines” by Week 5 (2/24) but sooner if possible. We will not be providing specific notes. We will be checking to see that you are underway. If the beat outline is too sketchy, then it may mean that the reach of the project is too great to undertake in the remaining time. Should this be the case, we recommend you scale back ASAP – perhaps the hour long project can be a half-hour, perhaps you will be writing and pre-producing a significant portion of the project, just not the whole thing.

  Note that scripts for narrative projects (in the standard screenplay format) and treatments for non-fiction projects (all segments described) are due by class # 8. Short narratives (15 minutes or under) should be fully scripted. Feature length narrative projects should have 20 pages (roughly 20 minutes) of script, plus a beat outline of the entire show. It is critical that everyone make these deadlines because we begin our work on budgeting and scheduling in that class.
• 

  Industry Dossiers: Defining Scope & Setting up Template Categories

  I hope that we will be able to get the dossier groups together in short order. Once we have settled on a group, you will need to decide how you wish to collaborate: using the Blackboard wiki, using Googledocs, a wiki using pbworks (www.pbworks.com) or another format. I have no preference; you need to choose a tool that will provide you with the most flexibility but is also familiar and easy to use. All I ask is that I be able to view and comment on your wiki.

  By Week #6 , I would like to see a draft in which all of the categories have some input, not necessarily a full draft, but the beginning of an organized collection of data which begins to structure that data. It should also show evidence of research, including links to sources.

  Again, I’d like to remind you that the template should be used as a guide for structuring your dossier. Some categories may not be relevant to your specific segment, and that additional categories may be called for as you analyze your data. Please contact me before making significant changes to the template categories or structure.

• What kind of business structure should I use?
• Where do I obtain financing and how?
• Where and how do I market my project?

Membership interests in LLCs and partnership interests are also afforded a significant level of protection through the charging order mechanism. The charging order limits the creditor of a debtor-partner or a debtor-member to the debtor’s share of distributions, without conferring on the creditor any voting or management rights. Limited liability company members may, in certain circumstances, also incur a personal liability in cases where distributions to members render the LLC insolvent.

The phrase "unless otherwise provided for in the operating agreement" (or its equivalent) is found throughout all existing LLC statutes and is responsible for the flexibility the members of the LLC have in deciding how their LLC will be governed (provided it does not go outside legal bounds). State statutes typically provide automatic or "default" rules for how an LLC will be governed unless the operating agreement provides otherwise. Similarly, the phrase "unless otherwise provided for in the by laws" is also found in all corporation law statutes but often refers only to a narrower range of matters.

For U.S. Federal income tax purposes, an LLC is treated by default as a pass-through entity. If there is only one member in the company, the LLC is treated as a "disregarded entity" for tax purposes, and an individual owner would report the LLC's income or loss on Schedule C of his or her individual tax return. The default tax status for LLCs with multiple members is as a partnership, which is required to report income and loss on IRS Form 1065. Under partnership tax treatment, each member of the LLC, as is the case for all partners of a partnership, annually receives a Form K-1 reporting the member's distributive share of the LLC's income or loss that is then reported on the member's individual income tax return.

An LLC with either single or multiple members may elect to be taxed as a corporation through the filing of IRS Form 8832.^[5] After electing corporate tax status, an LLC may further elect to be treated as a regular C corporation (taxation of the entity's income prior to any dividends or distributions to the members and then taxation of the dividends or distributions once received as income by the members) or as an S corporation (entity level income and loss passes through to the members). Some commentators have recommended an LLC taxed as an S-corporation as the best possible small business structure. It combines the simplicity and flexibility of an LLC with the tax benefits of an S-corporation (self-employment tax savings).

That is a lot of information, but it provides a good overview of why LLCs are the form of choice for many production entities. They are simpler than a corporation and do not have as many reporting or governance requirements, yet they do provide a liability shield. The other advantage of any business entity is that it can be dissolved at any time. Most productions are established as a stand-alone LLC for the duration of the production, and are then dissolved after a period of time. Shares of any profits are distributed based on other agreements made with investors and the distributing entities. While an LLC is a US entity,  similar forms of business structure can be found elsewhere in the world.

• Reading Assignment

  This assignment is optional, but strongly suggested. Last semester, we had a guest speaker who focused on the legal dimensions of producing. This is a very important area, since it covers how you can protect your intellectual property, your business, yourself, and avoid potential pitfalls that can cripple your production. Thomas Crowell, Esq of the law firm of Saperstein & Crowell was our guest speaker. In order to orient yourself to this presentation, we strongly recommend that you purchase (and review) his book entitled “The Pocket Lawyer for Filmmakers”, Focal Press. It is available online at Amazon or other sources as well as online from Showbiz Software or, for those of you who can make it into New York City, at The Showbiz Store & Café on 21^st St between 5^th and 6^th Ave.

  This presentation was recorded and links will be available in the Lecture Notes section as well as the announcments. If you have questions, please post them to the discussin forum and we can hopefully shed some light on them.
• 

  Industry Dossier Projects

  This is actually the same assignment you were given last week. Consider this a reminder:

  By the end of week #7 (Friday March 9), all dossier teams should post a draft in which most of the categories have some input. The dossier should contain an organized collection of data in a rough draft form. It should be divided up to correspond to the template categories. If the members of a group agree that a particular category does not apply to their domain, the rationale for this decision should be stated. All data should be structured and organized into the appropriate categories and show evidence of research, including links to sources.  It is understood that the dossiers are a work in progress; I'm not expecting polished prose or tight editing, but must see some evidence that you have started moving forward with your research.
• 

  Skill-Based Resume

   (due 3/1)

  Please build what may be an unfamiliar form of resume that is organized around the skills groupings required for producing and doing creative works. This probably means you will be refocusing your current resume into a form that amps up the specific skills you have acquired via the work and study you've done to date

  The basic idea is to pull your skill sets out of their original context, to identify them as gained skills that can be applied to other projects.Of course you must determine those areas that represent both your strengths and also youraspirations.

  Remember that the goal here is to provide the person looking over your resume with specific, production-relevant skills that you already have.  We’re not necessarily talking about technical skills like camera assistant or software skills like After Effects, but rather sets of specific skills that you have that can be applied to the task at hand, immediately. Of course, if you’re an After Effects wizard, please make it clear.

  Examples:

  Instead of the usual "worked on" or "was PA" on a specific show or project, write:

  - Production:   booked crews, handled petty cash, logged footage, corralled releases, built schedule, developed contact and call sheets, etc.

  This tells the producer that you already know what to do and have the skills to handle the task at hand. You’re not a trainee.

  Instead of "created internet pages" be specific:

  Internet : html hand coding, Dreamweaver, Java, site architecture(flow-charts), design layout, page construction, image research & rights, usability testing, proofing

  Instead of "Researcher" tell us what kind of research you did:

  Research:   fact checking, locating consultants, stock footage research, cue sheets, data base   development.  It seems that "web scouring" is too generic. If you did online research, at least describe specifically what you were trying to find out and any specialized databases or sites that you used.

  This is not an exhaustive listing, but some suggested categories you might want to use:

  Production

  Directing  

  Creative

  Business & Finance (scheduling, budgeting, deal making)

  Software Development

  Administration

  Language

  Management (organizing, scheduling, travel, etc.)

  Production (functions done on set or location)

  Writing

  Directing

  Events Planning

  Booking Talent (aka "handling", "babysitting", "corralling" talent)

  Research

  Post-Production

  Animation

  Graphic Design

  Music

  Audio  (sound effects, mixes, location recording)

  Internet

  It’s always hard to figure out how to state one's level of competency/expertise in a specific production area (say, lighting or camera). The same is true for software & hardware. If you overstate your skills, it becomes painfully obvious really quickly. Here's how I recommend you "grade" the level of your competencies:

  - basic knowledge of ..... (introductory level)

  - proficiency within ..... (working knowledge, but not polished skill)

  - advanced knowledge of...... (professional level)

  We are not asking you to develop a full-up Skills Based Resume, although you are encouraged to do so. If you want to try out the full thing, my advice is to lead with the skills - put them front and center - and then to continue on with a more standard chronology of where you have worked along with the employment durations. Your resume should always cite names of specific productions you have worked on. I also recommend that you find a very quick way to characterize such jobs with a brief description, including a log line so that the reader will know what genre of show you worked on.

  Of course, different job opportunities will require you to custom tailor your resume, choosing those categories that show off your skills to the best advantage for the job you are after.

  YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE!  Don’t use a resume to mislead others (or yourself) about what it is you are best at and enjoy most. Resume padding is really obvious. I mean REALLY.

  Know how you learn; identify your professional values; try to determine where you belong in the professional world and to envision what your contributions will be.

  It is not easy to gain such knowledge. The first step is to cite expectations of yourself - write them down somewhere so you can come back and evaluate your progress.

  Pay attention to the design and layout of your resume. I recommend that you use a small type font, so that there can be clear headings and lots of white space.  Please limit this resume to 2 pages or less. 

  Please email me a copy of this new resume by the due date (3/1). I will get back to you with comments over the next couple of weeks, depending, of course, on my internet access situation.

• Managing Creative Projects

  Adapted by Andy Bobrow from Kit Laybourne’s MediaChops

   

  Introduction

  Managing creative people is not easy. If you micromanage your team, you run the risk of stifling the very creativity that you hired them for, alienating them, and even outright rebellion or sabotage. Not unheard of. On the other hand, too little direction risks chaos. Your project will take off every which way; the result will be an incoherent mess at the end. We’ve all seen that.

  So, what do you do? How does a producer rein in the strong egos and willfulness that are common characteristics of creative people whilst encouraging their best instincts and fostering creativity and originality? How do you motivate your team while herding them gently in the direction you would like to go? Particularly on larger projects, union rules often determine what you can ask someone to do. Be familiar with them. On smaller productions, the rules are probably less formal. But, whatever the scope of the production or the applicable rules, the challenge remains the same for a producer.

  Managing your team is what we call managing “down,” that is, dealing with people who are, at least theoretically, under your supervision. But there is another group of people who the producer must also manage — sponsors, clients, distributors and investors. They all have expectations and opinions that must be heard, but are not necessarily always useful or constructive. So, the producer must also manage “up,” balancing what is best for the project with the occasionally unreasonable demands of those folks who put up the cold hard cash to get things underway. Unfortunately, this often means going against the “Golden Rule” of production: He who puts up the gold, makes the rules. It ain’t going to be easy.

  Not all creative projects are the same, therefore the collected insights that we present here are necessarily general.  We don’ t pretend to have all the answers, but there are some ways — tested by time and fire — to help you keep things under control and on an even keel. It starts, logically enough, at the beginning — assembling the team.

  Building a Creative Team
  Think of each production as an individual company, in which you have to find the best people in the best positions to do their best work.  Getting these decisions right from the outset can be the difference between a smooth production and an acrimonious, smoldering train wreck.

  Who are your "key" hires?

  ·         Each project will require a unique mix of professionals for the production team.

  ·         The producer is the person who must determine what jobs must be filled, which are the most important, which slots must be filled first, and who should fill these jobs at what cost.

  ·         Review The Production Team. This list follows a fairly typical sequence of production steps and identifies many (but by no means all) of the job categories you may need to consider at each step. Some of these positions may be “outsourced” to consultants or contractors, while you might want others as members of your team. In some cases, important specialists may be provided to you by a funder, client, or sponsor. Ideally, you will sort out which specialists you will need early in the production process, regardless of who pays for them.

  ·         As producer, you may know from the start precisely which key roles most be filled. ON a film or video production, these probably include writer, director, cameraman, editor, lawyer, and production manager/accountant.  On an interactive project, they are defined differently, but most likely include programmers, designers, interactive architects, and writers. Do you already know who you want to fill any of these positions? If so, get a copy of their bio and resume (both).

  ·         Every producer has areas of interest and experience that are strong and which he/she can provide to the team. Know your strengths. But know your limits.

  ·         Your goal is to hire the best available people, given the production's resources and allure. It is generally a good idea to hire people who are "better" at what they do than you, the producer, even if you possess a high level of specific expertise.

  ·         In the long run, the quality, the experience and passion of those with whom you work defines your opportunities for learning more about the producer's craft.

  ·         So, how do you accomplish this difficult task?

   

  Vetting potential hires

  ·         Acquire and screen reels (if possible, check the production credits)

  ·         Evaluate resumes (you will want to determine what the applicant’s skills are, not just his/her past employment, vis-à-vis the needs of your project)

  ·         Check them out on IMDB and Google (not 100% accurate or always applicable but useful nonetheless)

  ·         Follow up on references (when contacting someone, you should have very specific questions or else you will generally get generic positive blather)

  ·         Find a way to spot passion and commitment. That’s the good stuff. Also, learn to spot a hack, or someone who hypes or over-sells themselves. You don’ t need that.

  ·         Always be mindful that your various hires must come together into a cohesive team. When the team works well together, it almost invariably is apparent in the final product. Primadonnas and egotrippers will inevitably cause problems. Weed them out early.

  Interviewing candidates for a specific job

  • Interview several candidates for a given position if at all possible. This is the only way to get a visceral feeling for who will work out for you and who will not.
  • Before you start interviewing, prepare a detailed job definition so you (and the candidate) are clear about what needs to be done and what skills need to be in place (as opposed to those that can or must be learned on the job).
  • Consider the questions you want to ask before the interview begins. Listen carefully to the answers. Don't look ahead to the next question; you can easily miss responses that may answer (or lead to) subsequent questions.
  • Ask specific questions about projects and/or contributions. The candidate should be able to answer these questions concisely and without hesitation. This is not the time for vague or general answers. That can mean that someone is “polishing” their resume. Experience needn’t be directly applicable to your project; it isn’t whether or not they have worked on the same kind of project in the past, but whether their skill set fits and approach to the job with your needs.
  • Determine the candidate's network of creative contacts. Has he or she worked on high quality projects (whatever the budget)?
  • Don't oversell the fun parts. Accentuate the hard and routine parts of the job.
  • Don’t make an immediate decision. Always sleep on your choice.

   

  Managing Down

  The Job Definition

  • Every person on a production, no matter what their job, should be provided with a clear description of their responsibilities. The key items in the job description should include who they report to, their general responsibilities, their specific duties, their direct reports (people who answer to them), and the qualifications required for the job. This is often (and best) included in a comprehensive job definition. It is rare for a producer to prepare a detailed job description on small-scale productions or for freelancers hired to do a specific job for a short term. It is unnecessary for technical and crew people — the job definitions for “gaffer” or “sound mixer” are pretty obvious.  Union rules generally specify the responsibilities for crafts.
  • In some cases, it is valuable for you, as producer, to make an informal (but conscious) "contract" with an employee (they say what they want, you say what you want). This becomes a personal deal, a mutual understanding that will be the beginning (we hope) of a long and mutually beneficial working relationship. It can be “formalized” as a deal memo.
  • Determine in advance the terms of evaluation which you will be using in measure performance.
  • If you are working in a larger organization, it may be useful to refer to the Human Resources department or organization chart when you are working out a job definition. The HR departments of larger organizations will probably have performance evaluation protocols that can help you (and the person working for you).
  • Unions and union rules often determine the job definition, particularly in the crafts. If you are working with union personnel, become familiar with those definitions — who can do what, use which piece of gear, etc.

   

  Giving Assignments (providing "direction" while not "micromanaging")

  ·        Always refer to project goals and conceptual documents ("Mission Statement" and "Vision"). If you don’t have one, be able to define the goals of the project succinctly and with as much precision as possible.

  • Sometimes it is useful to distinguish between what you hold as fixed ("what we know") and where you see need for invention ("what we don't know"). This helps those working for you determine where you are seeking input, and where there is less room to rewrite the rules. (Stay away from the Rumsfeldian categories of “what we know we know” and “what we know we don’t know” and “what we don’t know we don’t know,” etc.)
  • Different people require different amounts of detail. Some people will need and want a lot of specific direction while others prefer only the most basic, essential information. Which kind are you? Which kind is the person reporting to you? Is this a topic you can openly discuss?
  • A team is more effective if everyone knows what the other team members are supposed to be doing. Hence, you may want to make information about the role each team member is playing available to all. Include your own job in this matrix of who does what.

   

  Managing Up

  Identify Your "Client"

  • The “client” (or “suit”) is the person from whom you get approval (and usually money as well). Outside of the world of advertising and corporate communications, the term "client" is rarely used. Yet, it remains a useful concept and it helps you be clear about your job.
  • A key to the success of any endeavor is to manage expectations — both positive and negative. This must be an ongoing process throughout the duration of the project. Clear communication throughout the process will help to keep expectations and reality in sync, helping to avoid surprises and the unpleasantness that result when things don’t go as expected.
  • Always try to give your client a heads up before important (or rushed) decisions/approvals are needed. This is particularly important if those decisions have financial consequences.
  • Don't sandbag them with a tough call and no time to think about the decision. Things will not necessarily go your way.
  • Your client (or funder) should think of you as a collaborator, as an equal, rather than as a subordinate. It is essential to keep the relationship with your client as “horizontal” as possible to avoid potentially ugly conflicts. While production is not necessarily a democracy, those with control must not feel that they have “divine right.”

   

  Anticipate Key Milestones

  • You should identify the key "milestones" or "critical points" in the project schedule as early as possible in the production process.
  • Remind your client ("the suits") what kind of response you need each time you ask. For instance, early in a project you might be looking for broad comments on the overall direction of the project, while, at a later stage, you need “sign-off” on a screening or another decision.
  • If you are unclear about what kind of feedback you are asking for, you may get a level of commentary that you are not looking for and that could potentially hinder your work.
  • Try to anticipate the possible outcome(s) if there are scheduling dislocations prior and unanticipated budget items prior to a specific “milestone.”
  • Try hard to get the “sign-offs” you need within the time window anticipated in the budget and/or schedule. If you can't get the attention of your client, try giving them "the negative option plan": if I don't hear from you by xx time, I shall assume that you are approving and we will move ahead. Put this in writing, or at least in an email. If you can, get an electronic “receipt” so that you are not vulnerable to the classic cry, “I never got the email.”< /li>
  • Delays in “sign-offs” will inevitably throw a monkey wrench into the works, wreck the production schedule, and will usually cost money. It may be necessary to warn those who delay approvals of the potential cost that will be incurred.

   

  CYA

  • Covering your ass does not mean using “weasel words” or trying to avoid responsibility. Leave that to politicians. CYA is simply good production discipline.
  • If there is any chance (however remote you may think it could be) of a lawsuit or disputes about who approved what and when, then covering your ass can mean avoiding a whole lot of trouble — and expense.
  • Here are two major CYA techniques:
    • If you still send memos the old-fashioned way, always them. Be clear about to whom they have been sent. Try to get a receipt.  Save them in a file. All of them.
    • In our increasingly internet connected world, a lot of people don’t read memos, or even answer the phone, for that matter. Key decisions are communicated via email. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that you save all job-related emails in a file where they will not be lost or automatically erased. You may want to send yourself bcc's of emails just to make sure that there is a time-stamped copy in the file. Request a read receipt. It doesn’t necessarily indicate that someone has read the email, only that they have received it.
    • Really, we’re not paranoid here. Someone may indeed be out to get you. So, be prepared.

  Animal Cunning

  • Get to know your “suits” and, especially, your client: Do they have any pet peeves? Anything that really rubs them the wrong way? When will the decision maker be most receptive to your "problems"?
  • Bring up any "problems" in private (so your suits can respond directly to you, not be on the record and not paint themselves into a corner)
  • Share good news quickly. Your clients should be the very first to know. Let them tell others. This is so simple to do and it makes them deeply allied with your production.
  • Do not go over your boss’ (or your clients’) head (without supreme provocation).
  • Always remember to spread credit upward (as well as to those working for you)
  • Give the boss (suit, client) opportunities to make a real creative contribution (that's why they are in this game, after all).
  • Any producer has at least one experience when a client or “suit”< made a really important observation or suggestion that had not and probably would not have occurred to any of the rest of the team. In fact, it is your client’s distance from the daily problems of your production - plus their understanding of the studio, TV network or other funding institution's interests — that makes them a potentially powerful ally. So, work hard to keep them on your side.

   

  Status Report Technique

  • Meet the "Status Report", a management tool that can easily be set up using the table’s tool within MS word. The following format is one approach. Some larger organizations already have formal status report procedures. Smaller productions may not have a formal process, but the producer should be kept up-to-date with regular reports on the status of the project. Whatever approach or format you employ, you should use this method to keep track of the myriad details of any production.
  • There are three columns on the horizontal axis:

  Milestones/Tasks      Notes      Action /Deadlines

   

  
  

  • and there are three broad categories along the vertical axis:

  -      New Tasks

  -      Continuing Tasks

  -      Completed Task

  • Underline a deadline and underscore or put into bold the name of the person handling each action/responsibility.
  • The value of the Status Report is:

  (a) People reporting to the producer (you) have a framework that encompasses your expectations of their jobs;

  (b) Staffers reporting to you can exhibit initiative in exploring what their job involves (pro-active, not just reactive);

  (c) the format highlights the name of the person responsible - the "neck in noose" (people inevitably scan the document quickly to see what they are responsible for);

   (d) Deadlines are be specified wherever possible; and

   (e) Some people (not everyone, fortunately) find that moving an item into the "completed" category is as good as sex.

   

  Dealing with Crisis

  Bruises are good teachers

  • Over time, you will be able to anticipate where difficulties will occur with the kinds of projects you are producing.
  • In general, you can expect things to get hairy
    • during shoots (when there is greatest velocity of events)
    • with talent (the prima donna syndrome, and this is as true – or more true -- of non-professionals as professionals),
    • at key milestones or approval points.
  • Whenever you go over budget, there will be a crisis.
  • The likelihood of a crisis rises in direct proportion (or a multiple of) to your distance from the resources that would be needed to prevent it.
  • The severity of a crisis is determined by the cost it imposes on the production – usually in time which quickly translates to money.

   

  Move quickly

  • It is often enough for the producer simply to identify the problem and label it. Shining a light on a tricky, problematic or difficult issue goes a long way toward getting it solved.
  • Try to find a neutral time and place "to talk" with those involved. It is sometimes, but not always, a good idea to get everyone involved in a dispute into the same room.
  • Try to separate "fact" (this is what I observe) from "interpretation" (this is what it makes me think).
  • Often, especially during shoots, the problem is caused by changes in circumstances, or unanticipated exigencies (the guy with the leaf blower outside the window where you’re shooting the love scene. Here, the producer must become a diplomat (with a handful of cash at the ready).

   

  Firing people

  • It is not fair to fire someone if you have never given them a specific job definition. But, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t ever do it, or won’t do it, or that it is never the right thing to do. After all, life isn’t fair. Just don’t add unnecessarily to the unfairness bank. You already know about karma.
  • Build a record of problems you have encountered.
  • Firing is often "counseling" a person out of job that is wrong for them, and, if it’s wrong for them, it’s wrong for the production.
  • Move quickly once you know that the person needs to go. Don't keep someone around once they know they are leaving, or once you know they need to go.
  • Be as generous as possible with money and benefits.
  • Talk with the person about how they would like you to word the separation. Or propose how you intend to explain this action to others. Often the “perception” is more important to the person being let go than anything else.
  • If you are firing someone "for cause", be fast and maybe not so nice. It is important for everyone on the project to know how you will handle inappropriate behavior and performance.  It also provides some protection from liability that may have been incurred by this behavior, although it is not an “invisible shield” from that liability.
  • Many people working on a production will be freelance, and they understand that their assignments are only temporary. In those cases, it is often enough to simply let them know that their services are no longer required.

   

  Giving & Taking “Notes”

  Whether given casually or formally, a few words can become powerful levers that change what you are working on. Coming from your boss, such comments can be ironclad directives. (Change your work or else!) Coming from a colleague or a friend, observations can be helpful, inspirational,  distracting, or worse.

  People proffer their opinions about your work quite regularly, without the slightest pause, thoughtful analysis, or consideration of the effect their comments might have. And most of the time this is fine because we all tend to take such casual opinions with that proverbial a grain of salt.

  However in the context of production, words can become hugely powerful when they are directed toward a project that is under construction. This is especially true when the words convey requests or commands that will be difficult to achieve within the often quite limited parameters within which you are (not always reasonably) expected to accomplish great things.

  Without thinking much about it, even so-called professionals will give and receive notes with casualness and imprecision. This can bring unwarranted chaos to the creative process, — a matrix of ideas, personalities, tasks and logistics that is complicated enough to navigate in the best of circumstances. Maybe sloppiness is so prevalent because there is so little consensus about what notes are and how they should work.

   

  Origins of "notes"                                                             

  The phrase “giving notes” originated in the theater. During a show’s rehearsal period, the director, cast members, or others involved in the production are able to stop the working out of a scene to offer a critique, give suggestions, ask questions or whatever. But, once the audience shows up and the house is filled, it is no longer possible to stop the show to give feedback in the moment. Instead, those who have something to say must jot down observations. When the performance has concluded and the audience has left the theater, the cast will assemble on the stage and the director, producer, choreographer, etc. will go over his or her notes on the performance that just concluded.

  While we don’t know when this tradition began, it has continued because it works: the entire cast and crew are present; comments are timely and specific; actors are expected to integrate suggestions into their performance, but they must do this themselves. There is a shared sense that the entire company can work together in refining and polishing their show. Notes are about making the work better.

  However, the work of producing is very different than the work of performing. In production, notes tend to come at odd moments — often when other things are going on. Notes come from above and from below. In production, notes can have significant implications on schedule and major financial impact. There are more people involved in most media productions than in theatrical ones. The organizational structure is different from one kind of production to another. As a result, the producer can easily find himself or herself in a quagmire of conflicting comments, opinions, expectations, and demands. There is pressure to move quickly and respond fast. However with a little care, the process need not be as anxiety provoking and destructive as it so often is.

  Always announce that a note is a note. If you simply make an observation or suggestion, without identifying it as a serious "note" for consideration, the receiver can miss the significance of your note, or simply not realize that you are giving a note. So be conscious, alert those involved that you are offering a considered, carefully formulated comment intended to make the production better. You’re not just making idle conversation.

  Good notes refer back to the deepest goals of the project. They should be based on an awareness of the intent of the overall enterprise. Good notes anticipate their impact on the production budget and people resources. It is unreasonable to ask for something that simply is not feasible, or not feasible within the schedule or available budget. Yet that often precisely what happens. It is not helpful.

  Notes come in two sizes. There are “line” notes or little notes. These relate to small items, specific scenes or cuts, aspects of a performance, a camera move, lines of copy, graphics, etc. Then, there are “big” notes. These can impact the overall merit of the production. You should flag such big notes and give them at a time and place where they can best be heard and understood. “Big” notes should never be given in a large group or in times of crisis.

  Now, it may be inevitable that a crisis will elicit a “big” note from someone with overall authority or a significant financial interest in the outcome of the production. Even if that is the case, the “note” should not be given in a way that would undermine the authority and position of the producer, director, or other personnel to whom the note might be directed. Find a place off set, or out of the production office, for the meeting. If you can, explain that retooling a production is a little like turning around an oil tanker — it can be done but it will take some time to execute the turn.

  Notes come from two directions. They can come from "below" – that is from someone who reports to you or is on the same level. You should listen and acknowledge these notes, but you don’t necessarily have any responsibility to respond, and certainly not to act on the suggestion. Notes from “above” are an entirely different matter. These notes come from someone who has authority over the production and the expectation that you will not only listen to their comments, but that you have the obligation to consider them and respond, whether or not you feel that the comments have merit.

  When you are being given notes, wherever they may originate, your first job is to hear the notes in an objective way. Don’t get defensive. In most cases, you don’t have to answer notes immediately. Simply say, “Thank you. I will get back to you.” Buy yourself the time you need to carefully consider the note from different perspectives. You may well find that the person offering the note -– usually in a rushed moment and with less analysis and background than you have —has a valid point.

   

  Clarity of listening and responding

  If you know you are entering a meeting where notes will be given, take a pad, or laptop, or iPad, or whatever you will use to write down (record) what you are told. Listen carefully. Make sure you understand what the note giver means. Ask for clarification if you’re not sure.

  $        As receiver of notes, you should take care to record and/or log them (date, note, from whom)

  $        If there is time, it is preferable that the note giver write out his or her notes. This lets receiver study comments in a neutral moment. But it takes time and discipline and a facility with writing clearly to deliver good notes.

  $         Emailing notes before or after the meeting is good. Notes given remotely by email without any interpersonal communication are not necessarily the best approach, although that is becoming more common, especially now that digital post-production makes it easier to send a link to an online edit.

  $        When you have received notes, inform the person giving them to you that you have or will be considering each of them carefully. Buy yourself a few days to evaluate, if you can.

   

  Say "yes" as often as possible

  If you want those working with you to continue offering their ideas or entrusting you with more creative responsibility, then you need to respond clearly and within a reasonable time frame. This actually becomes more important the higher you get in the food chain. If those “in the trenches” feel that their ideas are being ignored, they will cease to offer them, and, as they do, will tend to invest less of their own personal creativity into the project. You do not want that to happen. On the other hand, production is not a democratic process by which ideas with the most votes win out — you need to retain overall creative control.

  If you have time and resources, try out the most promising ideas, even if your hunch is that they will not work. Sometimes you are pleasantly surprised, and the note-giver always appreciates that you are taking him or her seriously.

  Give credit for good ideas. People who have ownership of their ideas work harder at them.

   

  Be clear about saying "no"

  “No” can be a beautiful word even if it is difficult to say, for such a short sound.

  You should be prepared to own the decision that says “no” to some option or request.

  “No” can come from several different rationales: aesthetic; financial; time; experience (already tried it), or that the idea is simply not applicable to the project at hand.

   

  When does a note become a change order?

  It is not always easy to figure out when you are obliged to follow a note and make the requested change. When in doubt, try the change and, if it clearly doesn’t work,  seek out the person who gave the note to show them that it didn't work (if you are rejecting the note). Of course, if the note does work, it is an even better idea to seek out the note giver to show him/her that it did work, especially if they are in a position to provide financial support in the future.

  If your boss (client, funder) makes the wrong choice and sticks with it even when given clear information about other (right) choices, then you are probably stuck. Even the most creative person can make a bad choice. Suck it up. Move on. Maybe it can be reversed later.

  When possible, create a process for giving notes

  In giving notes or getting notes, it is generally a good idea to create a process to synthesize all the notes into a single message or document. As mentioned above, notes can range from serious concerns to off-handed, incidental comments.  If you and your team are giving notes, discuss them and try to get everyone on same page so you can provide a single set of notes. Similarly, if you are on the receiving end,  try to manage the note-taking process by requesting that they be presented in a unified fashion or at a single meeting, so that they can be addressed at once (and contradictory notes can be discussed and vetted).

  This is particularly important during the post-production phase, when it is relatively simple for several people to view an online cut and provide notes via email.  When this happens, there are often contradictory notes, or people working at cross-purposes. It is essential to resolve those contradictions before proceeding, whether it is via conference call, online meeting, or another “ real-time” interaction. In the privacy of their own thoughts, without direct exposure to other ideas, people tend to stick more stubbornly to their own position. There are times when real face-to-face communication, or some simulacra, is the only way to get things done.

  The Deadlock

  If you are partnering with someone and you have equal voices, then it is good to know in advance how you will handle a terminal deadlock. They way I do it is to say that if logic and passion cannot solve a dispute, the "no" prevails (if it is a go or not go situation). But watch out – this arbitrary way to end an argument can also end the project — and the partnership.

  Moguls will be moguls. Because they control the money, many media executives feel they should control the creative process as well. Their power to approve or disapprove means that they get listened to more attentively than others, and that those who depend on them for financial support are less likely to disagree. This kind of power easily corrupts. That is when the process of giving notes dies. Notes have become demands.

  But in enlightened media production, notes are feedback and suggestion mechanisms, not hard edicts. It is understood that in the case of all “major” notes offered (from above or below), the production’s leadership (usually a producer) will gather input from the appropriate craftspeople, creatives,  and executives. The note is thus attended to in a considered and full way. The production gets better.

  By the way, this is most certainly the case vis-à-vis this course, where you have the sole responsibility of shaping your project however you wish. You should know that in grading, our concern is for thoroughness and rigor, not for what may or may not be the "best" choices.
• 

  Managing Creative Projects

  Attached Files:	Managing Creative Projects Lecture Notes.pdf (552.335 KB)

  Here is a link to the PowerPoint presentation and lecture notes that I used for the onsite class. It essentially covers the same ground as the notes, but in bullet point form.
• 

  Giving & Getting Notes

  Attached Files:	Giving & Getting Notes.pdf (313.179 KB)

  This is the lecture notes version of the Powerpoint that I used for the onsite class. It covers the same content as the Notes section in the lecture notes but in classic PPT bullet points. Good for review..

• Sample Releases

  Attached Files:	Sample Releases (696.387 KB)

  Included in this zipped folder is a selection of personal and property releases that you might find useful
• 

  Some More About Rights and Clearances

  Attached Files:	ACSILgrid_021508.pdf (65.742 KB)  Best_Practices_in_Fair_Use.pdf (156.894 KB)  Rights+Acquisition+Checklist.doc (54 KB)  Rights and Clearances Grid.pdf (26.962 KB)  Legal_Issues_Guide_Kelley_Drukker.pdf (309.299 KB)

  Here are some articles that offer information about fair use as well as a guide to legal issues by Kelley Drukker, who is an expert on rights and clearances. Also included here are some checklists that you will find useful as you prepare your projects. Part of the final project will include an intellectual property checklist, so you might want to start keeping track of releases, clearances, and third-party material that may become part of your project.