FROM IDEA TO FIRST DRAFT

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FROM IDEA TO FIRST DRAFT

• CLEARING THE DECKS

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EXAMPLES

• Story about the human condition homelessness
  poverty dealing with a disability being
  adopted being a young single mom
• Story about a historical event the
  assassination of President Kennedy racial
  tension in Springfield in the 1960s
  Springfields involvement in the Civil War
  sporting events
• Story about an organization, business, local
  band history of local union Daves Soda Pet
  Food City
• Others family history religion a youth center
  being built re-building a car

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The Overall Film/Video Stages

• 1) Concept development/Script(proposal)
• 2) pre-production based on script
• 3) shooting outline/script
• 4) filming/shooting
• 5) logging
• 6) editing/rough cut
• 7) re-shoot
• 8) final edit

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The Changing Forms of a Script

• Start with a general script/outline
• Begin research - both library and pre-interviews
• Adjust your script outline to include new
  information/ideas
• lay out shooting schedule according to new
  outline
• After shooting - logging - going over interviews
  begin first draft
• complete rough cut
• write final draft

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The Purpose of the Script

• 1) keeps you organized focused on track
• 2) communicates your idea to everyone involved in
  the production
• 3) communicates mood emotion action approach
• 4) lays out budget number of locations days of
  shooting what kind of lighting special effects
  archival material needed special cameras
  equipment?

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CHOOSING A TOPIC

• 1) Brainstorm ideas with your partner - be
• creative make lists
• 2) Prioritize the list - if you disagree, make
  your
• own lists
• 3) Objectively judge the ideas ask the questions
  
• Do we really want to make this video? Are
  you
• committed to the idea? Is there a good
  story in
• the idea? Is there drama interesting
  people
• visuals? Is it practical? What
  approaches could
• be taken?