Phases of Production in Documentary from preproduction to post.

1. PHASES OF
PRODUCTION
WEEK 4
IN DOCUMENTARY

2. WORKFLOW

3. PRODUCTION PHASES
Preparation / Preproduction
• Idea, treatment and script developed,
finding money, characters, locations, sets
• Preparation for production
Shooting / Production
Edit / Post Production
• Assembling material in the edit
• Sound edit, sound mix
• Colour correction, outputs
• Distribution phase

4. PREPRODUCTION
Research
• As extensive as possible
Writing
• Proposal & Treatment
Casting
• Finding your character
Pre-Production People
• Producer – financial and organizational, sometimes creative
• Executive Producer – distant, financial or ‘rights’
• Line Producer – Organizer of on set production
• Associate Producer – coordinating lab and technical personnel
• Script Writer
• Researcher & Visual archivist
• Production Assistants

5. PRODUCTION
ROLES
• Director
• Director’s Crew
• Production Design unit
• Art director, production designer, set decorator, costume
designer, storyboards
• Characters
• Camera Unit
• Cinematographer / Director of Photography, Camera operator,
Sound Unit
• Sound recordist, Boom operator
• Production crew
• Production manager, Production Assistants (Pas)

6. PRODUCTION
CREW
Director
• Conduct and organize research
• Write proposals
• Explain creative (and sometimes financial) elements to funders,
subjects, crew, etc.
• Decide on content
• Assemble the crew
• Schedule the shoot
• Lead the crew
• Direct participants during shooting
• Supervise editing
• Find distribution

7. PRODUCTION
CREW
Director of Photography
• Orders camera equipment
• Tests and adjusts equipment
• Masters all technical elements
• Answers to director, but takes initiative when shooting
handheld or other necessary situations
• Scouting locations, ensuring electricity requirements
• Lighting aesthetics and set ups
• Deciding camera positioning and ‘look’ in collaboration with
the director
• Making all camera movements
• Listens and is sensitive to situation and human behaviour

8. PRODUCTION
CREW
Sound Person
• Chooses right equipment for situation
• Checks equipment in advance
• Is aware of not causing shadows or getting microphone
into frame
• Keeps mic close to sound source even during handheld
shooting
• Hears sound inequities and finds solutions whenever
possible
• Recording location sound and wild sound on own initiative
• Alerts DP and director if sound is un-usable and must be
reshot

9. POST-PRODUCTION
ROLES & STAGES
• Editor / Assistant Editor
• Sound Designer / Sound Editor
• Sound Mixer
• Colour Correction
• Graphic Design (Titles & Inter-titles)
• Conforming and Outputting