This document outlines various types of documentation needed for film production including scripts, storyboards, budgets, location assessments, production schedules, release forms, call sheets, equipment forms, and edit lists. The purposes of this documentation are to plan the vision, story, budget, schedule, locations, crew, and edit for a film to ensure it can be produced safely, legally, and on budget.

1. 
What documentation? Whyis it needed?
Script o To clearlysetout visionof yourwhole
plannedfilm
o To give initial ideasaboutwhatwillbe
requiredforcast/setsand locations/propsand
costumes/effects
o To enable youtocarry outyour practical
planninginall these areas.
Storyboards o To visualize yourwrittenideasandmake sure
theywork
o To breakyour storydownintoshots which
enablesyoutocreate a detailedproductionplan
o To assistinplanningforlocations/sets/
props/costumesandso on
Budget o To make sure you can affordto do whatyou
wantto do in the shortterm
o To enable youtomake realisticdecisions
aboutthe thingsthatare goingto cost money
o To make sure your budgetEITHER enables
youto make a profit throughthe feesyoucharge
to be a commissioningclient
Recce and risk
assessment
o To ensure thatyour proposedlocationsand
setsare to fityourpurposes
o To identifyanypossible hazardsthatmight
be relevanttoyour plans
o To make plansto minimize anyrisks,andto
minimize the consequencesshouldanything
unplannedhappen.
o To protectyour cast and crew from harm
o To protectyourself fromlegal liability
Production schedule o To make sure that you are planningyourtime
efficientlyand effectively
o To make sure that you have got enoughtime
ineach location/settingtoshooteverythingyou
needtoshoot
o To organize whoand whatyouneedand
where andwhenyouneedthem
o To enable youtocreate call sheetsand
equipmentbookingform
o To make sure your budgetworks,andto
make sure that you can evaluate asyougo along
that youare keepingtoyourbudget

2. Contributors release
form
o To cover yourself legallyandensure thatany
contributorto yourfinishedproducthas
consentedto appearinor be a part of your
finishedproduct.
o To cover yourfinancial positionandensure
that any contributortoyour finishedproduct
confirmedthatotherthanwhat youare paying
themtheyhave no financial orownership
interestinyourfinishedproduct.
Call sheets o To use your productionscheduleandensure
that youhave who youneedandwhat youneed
inthe rightplace whenyouneedthem.
Equipmentbookingform o For call sheetsbutwithstuff ratherthan
people
Edit DecisionList o To create a detailedrecordof whatyoushoot
as youshoot it
o To save time inthe editby makinginitial
notesaboutwhetheratake wasa good or bad
take
o To evaluate asyoushootwhetheryouhave
got a good enoughtake.