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THE ORIGINAL PLANNING DOCUMENTS OF A S U C C E S S F U L F A N T A S Y S H OO T IN G

Your Name

Title of Your ShootingConfidential:

This document must not

be shared with 3rd partiesCopyright ©2010 by the photographer

ConfidentialThis document is absolutely confidential. It may not be shared with anyone other than individuals granted permission by the photographer. In case you received this document from anyone other than the photographer then you have received illegal materials.

-2-©2010 by the photographer

Copyright ©2010 by the photographer

Table Of Contents

How To Use This Template...........................................................................4Production Countdown Checklist.................................................................5The Great Photo Idea...................................................................................6The Story.....................................................................................................7Roles And Responsibilities Checklist............................................................8All Contact Details And Addresses...............................................................9

Contacts Details Of The People Involved.........................................................................................................9Addresses Of The Places Involved....................................................................................................................10

Location Requirements Checklist...............................................................11Styling Matrix.............................................................................................12Carry On Luggage Checklist.......................................................................13Check In Luggage Checklist.......................................................................14Weather Forecast 15 Days Before Shooting..............................................15Location Visit Checklist..............................................................................16Day Before Shooting Checklist...................................................................17Gear Checklist............................................................................................18Takeoff Checklist........................................................................................19The Holy Shooting Schedule......................................................................20Ramp Up Step By Step List........................................................................21List Of Frames To Produce In Each Scene..................................................22Varying Point Of View................................................................................23Lighting Setup...........................................................................................24Postproduction...........................................................................................25Lessons Learned........................................................................................26Templates For Shooting Contracts / Model Releases.................................27

English Contract................................................................................................27English / Chinese Contract................................................................................27English / German Contract................................................................................27English / Japanese Contract...............................................................................27


How To Use This Template

This template makes it super easy for us photographers, to come up with a solid and complete planning for a photo shooting. I used it several times now and with each iteration it is getting a little bit better and more complete.

Here’s how I use the template and how I suggest you use it, too:

First customize the template for a shoot. Start with the production countdown checklist on the next page. Go through the list and delete the lines which do not apply to the shooting you are planning. If you are not traveling to another country for a shooting, then obviously items like “get a visa” and “get vaccines” do not apply to you. Simply delete them.Then go through the remaining chapters, remove everything that does not suite you this time.

Second, fill in the information you have. Start with your great shooting idea. Describe it. If it is not big yet, make it bigger. From there on go through the rest of the chapters and fill in everything you already got.

Thirdly, use the production countdown checklist to work on every aspect of the planning. You already wrote down your big shooting idea? Excellent, then tick off the first box (can be tricky in MS Word – I usually just replace it by an “x”. While you are at it, also tick off “start making a production book”. You just started it. Next thing is planning the location. Fill in your location requirements checklist, let your location scout come up with a suitable location, customize the location visit checklist and so on, until you can tick of the location planning checkbox.

Go on like this until the complete Production Countdown is ticket off. By that time you should be right in the middle of your well organized shooting, ready to take at least 3 killer exposures.

Have fun and…

Good light!-- Michael ([email protected])


Production Countdown Checklist

o 12 Weeks Before – develop a big shooting ideao 11 Weeks Before – start making a production booko 9 Weeks Before – plan the location with your location scouto 8 Weeks Before – define the roles of your staffo 7 Weeks Before – define the scenes to shooto 7 Weeks Before – start working with your translatoro 6 Weeks Before – define props and fashion with your stylisto 6 Weeks Before – define hairdo and makeup with makeup artisto 6 Weeks Before – organize and align with modelso 6 Weeks Before – align with assistanto 6 Weeks Before – get location permito 5 Weeks Before – book flightso 5 Weeks Before – organize transport to locationo 5 Weeks Before – organize parkingo 5 Weeks Before – organize a fallback location/studioo 4 Weeks Before – collect and distribute all contact detailso 4 Weeks Before – build the teamo 3 Weeks Before – test lighting ideaso 3 Weeks Before – care about a studio as fallbacko 2 Weeks Before – check weather forecasto 2 Weeks Before – make detailed shooting scheduleo 2 Weeks Before – align models, stylists and other team memberso 1 Week Before – go through preparation checklisto 6 Days Before – buy props and stuff in home countryo 5 Days Before – check weather forecast againo 4 Days Before – align on what models and stylists bring with themo 3 Days Before – traveling to the destinationo 2 Days Before – check the locationo 2 Days Before – define where to put what on locationo 1 Days Before – go through preparation checklist againo 1 Days Before – buy local props and things locally o Shooting Day – go through gear checklisto Shooting Day – follow the shooting scheduleo Shooting Day – follow the shooting plan


The Great Photo Idea

This shooting is about…

The key statement that the photos make is…

I imagine the following scenes…

Some examples for photos like this are…


The Story

We will think of the shooting as taking photos of scenes from the following little story. This will help us to express a common mood and expression when it comes to setting up the scene, clothing and makeup, posting, lighting and all the other creative elements.

The main characters of our story is…. She is living in… One day she…


Roles And Responsibilities ChecklistEach team member is responsible for their tasks and for overcoming their challenges.

Role Top Tasks, Responsibilities and Challenges Casting Result

Model 1. Have top body condition on day of shooting, good nails

2. Sign release with complete transfer of all image rights incl. commercial

3. …

4.

Hair and Makeup Stylist

1. Care that the makeup is like planned and always perfect

2. Care about the hair3. …

Fashion Stylist 1. Bring the clothes2. Closely align with hair and makeup stylist3. …

Location Scout

1. Care for a suitable location2. Deal with every obstacle on location3. …

Drivers/Assistants

1. Be prepared with checked and filled up cars on day of shooting

2. Know exactly the route to the location3. …

Translator 1. Capable of translation photoshooting related terms;

2. Stay on my side all the time, and proactively translate whatever I say to whoever I address

3. …


All Contact Details And Addresses

Contacts Details Of The People Involved

Model Model

Makeup and Styling Fashionstyling

Location Scout Agent

Postproduction Photographer

Other Other


Addresses Of The Places Involved

Location

Address….

Hotel / Base

Address….

Markets/Shops for stuff needed

Address….

Fallback Location / Studio

Address….

Restaurant for dinner after the shooting

Address….


Location Requirements Checklist

Category Requirement Result

Type

Distance

Accessibility

Privacy

Legal

Examples


Styling Matrix

Category Across Scenes Scene #1 Scene #2 Scene #3 Scene #4

Makeup style

Eyes

Lashes

Contacts

Cheeks

Lips

Hair

Others

Fashion

Accessories

Props


Examples

Carry On Luggage Checklist

o passport incl. visao production booko camera bodyo camera fallback bodyo camera battery chargerso lenseso memory cardso speedlightso laptop + chargero …


Check In Luggage Checklist

Photography items

o camera tripodo laptop holdero guerilla podo angle view findero speedlight cableso snooto color filterso light standso umbrella swivelso umbrellaso reflectorso greycardo lens cleaning kit o gaffer tapeo USB cableo GPS trackero velcroo a piece of aluminum wrap o card readero compass

Props for the shooting

o wigs and similaro costumeso sunglasses etco music for the shooting

Other items

o clotheso toilet itemso luggage strap


Weather Forecast 15 Days Before Shooting

According to the 15 day weather forecast of AccuWeather (http://zelbel.com/weather) the weather on location at the scheduled day of the shooting will be like this:

Temperatures:

Felt Temperature:

Wind:

Clouds / Rain:

Sunrise / Sunset:

…


http://zelbel.com/weather

Location Visit Checklist

Checkpoint Result

Parking Space? Distance to set?

Electric power 220V available?

Restrooms?

Changingroom?

Retreat in case of rain?

Place to store gear?

Drinks, food, snacks available?

Where is the sun at the time of shooting? Where is it going to set?

Can the models pose conveniantly?

Mosquitoes, bugs?

Temperature at location?

Is it a public place? Viewers / spectators expected?

Can we play music?

Can we get in conflict with somebody?

Find the exact position for your shooting!

Make sample photos! Good exposures of sky, greenery, rocks, other elements of the compositions!

Is the location really suitable?


Day Before Shooting Checklist

o camera batteries chargedo memory cards cleano speedlight batteries chargedo laptop battery chargedo external battery chargedo laptop hard drive got 20GB spaceo got music for the shootingo all participants have address and driving instructionso contracts are printed and ready to signo weather forecast is OKo got drinks and food for the shooting


Gear Checklist

o production booko camera body and batterieso fallback camera body and batterieso lenseso memory cardso tripodo lightstandso flasheso flash cableso snootso color filterso umbrellaso angle view finder o laptop + external batteryo USB cableo reflectorso graycardo GPS trackero velcroo gaffer tapeo aluminum wrap o lens cleaning kit o compass

o bugsprayo sunscreeno clotheso jewelryo wigso smoke effectso drinkso fruit


Takeoff Checklist

Things to check before we start driving to our location

o equipment checklist checkedo clocks in Laptop and cameras on local timeo cameras zero’d out and workingo GPS tracker got space and is runningo cars are filled up and driver knows the way


The Holy Shooting Schedule

We absolutely MUST stick to the following schedule on the day of the shooting

Shedule, [Date…]

aa:00 – bb:00 Drive to location

bb:00 – cc:00 Prepare Scene #1, Makeup

cc:00 – dd:00 Shoot Scene #1

dd:00 – ee:00 Shoot Scene #2

ee:00 – ff:00 Shoot Scene #3

ff:00 Pack up the stuff an leave Location


Ramp Up Step By Step List

List of activities to be done directly after arriving on location

1. Mark the exact spot where we shoot the first scene by putting a bucket there

2. Park the cars as close as possible

3. Models oil their skin

4. Everybody use bugspray

5. Setup the camera tripod for the first scene

6. Setup camera, check the main settings

7. Attache remote trigger, angle viewfinder, pocket wizard

8. Tether with laptop

9. Setup the lightstands with the main light and the kicker light, just place them somewhere

10. Compose the geometry of the scene, probably with an assistant posing

11. Place the lightstands at the correct position

12. Adjust the power of the main light

13. Adjust the power of the kicker light

14. You are ready to go, shoot your first scene


List Of Frames To Produce In Each Scene

List of the frames we shoot in each scene.

Before the model enters the scene:

1. Available light exposure

2. Optimum Sky exposure

3. Grey Cube

4. mainlight switched on

5. all lights switched on

6. lighting setup documentation

With the model

7. First making-of photos

8. Makeup test portait

9. Model speaking her text

10. Model right after speaking

11. Model turned her head*

12. Creatively improvised

13. Details, closeups

14. Second making-of photos


Varying Point Of View

During

POV 1:

POV 2:

POV 3:

…


Lighting Setup

Here are some scribbles (probably made online with (http://zelbel.com/diagram) for the lighting setup for our different scenes:

….


http://zelbel.com/diagram

Postproduction

For postproduction the following is planned

o Stretch photo by 5%o Make eyes 5% biggero Rubberstamp pimples and spotso Make skin smoothero sharpeno …


Lessons Learned

In our shooting the following thing went wrong, or can be improved. I will add checkpoints and planning steps to the production book of the NEXT shooting, so that these things cannot come up again:

Issue 1

…

Issue 2

…


Templates For Shooting Contracts / Model Releases

There is another version of this template that comes with the Beijing Blueprint eBook. That version contains also some model release contract templates.


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