


Pre-production teams constantly reference the script. Pre-production meetings revolve around the script. Now we’re ready to jump in.starting from the top: Step #1: Breaking down the scriptĭuring the pre-production stage, everything stems from the script. With that in mind, let’s outline each step during this stage of a production with a pre-production checklist. What does pre-production mean in commercial filmmaking?.What does pre-production mean in television filmmaking?.What does pre-production mean in feature filmmaking?.However, it’s vital to remember that jumping forward or backward to different elements of pre-production throughout the pre-production stage is not only acceptable but will often be crucial to your project’s success.Īs we explore various pre-production steps, we’ll occasionally point out critical differences between pre-production in film and other formats.īy the end of this post, you’ll be able to form your own answer to three big questions about the meaning of pre-production: In fact, different pre-production steps must often be performed in parallel to one another.įor the purposes of this post, we’re going to break down individual pre-production steps in a loose order, focusing primarily on the overarching concerns of the production department. Typical explorations of the pre-production definition tend to describe the pre-production stage as a straightforward, linear process, but that’s generally not the case.
#PRE PRODUCTION TV#
It tells us that different commercial, film, or TV pre-production steps frequently have to happen at the same time. The exact length of time allotted to the pre-production stage does not matter.Īnd what does that tell us about the elements of pre-production work from a practical point of view? What happens during pre-production on a long pre-production timeline will look similar to the pre-production steps performed on a short pre-production timeline. Yet the meaning of pre-production work dictates that many of the same basic tasks be performed regardless of the length of your pre-production timeline. There can be very long pre-production timelines, just as there can be stressfully short pre-production timelines.

The pre-production stage can be surprisingly variable in length, depending on whether we’re talking about pre-production in film, television, commercials, or some other format altogether. Pre-production in film, television, or commercial filmmaking technically encompasses all the tasks that happen after the project’s initial development phase and before cameras actually start rolling.īasically, if your production has a greenlight but hasn’t started shooting, it’s in the pre-production stage. Watch Ryan Connolly of Film Riot discuss his pre-production process for his short film. To properly define pre-production, let's distinguish this stage from the others that come before and after. In this post, we’ll explore the essential elements of pre-pro in order to go beyond basic definitions and bring you an in-depth understanding of what happens during pre-production stages in film, television, and commercial filmmaking. It’s during the pre-production stage that a project officially begins its metamorphosis from a concept that exists on paper to an experience that exists on screen.īut while that pre-production definition sounds nice in theory, what is pre-production in the real world? What does it mean in practical terms? What is the actual work of the film or TV pre-production process like on a day-to-day basis? Pre-production in film or television represents a major pivot point in the life cycle of any project.
